I seemed to have misplaced my joy.
I'm not talking about the smiles and laughter that come from inflatable party props finding their way into line-dancing bars as the DJ announces "no cacti on the dance floor!!" or Sunday morning cheeseburger brunches capped off by yelling "BOOOO!!" at the big pink PETA pig on the corner touting vegetarianism.
Those moments of joy still make cameo appearances.
I'm talking about the sense of joy one gets out of living their daily life.
Here is my predicament:
When I wake up in the morning in Washington D.C., I do not want to go to work - to a job thousands would honestly kill for. And, after work, the elation I feel when a new episode of Hell's Kitchen is on TV it almost embarrassing. Then I clean out my nose with the sinus rinser, go to sleep next to an air purifier, and proceed to grind my teeth all night long on a $500 plastic mouth guard. Next day? Rinse and Repeat.
I recently mentioned my frustration with the monotony of life to my boyfriend (LD) - who some might call a successful Washington attorney.
"I don't freaking love going to work either. No one wakes up and is like woohoo! I love working! Your problem is you don't have any hobbies. I have a lot of things in my life that bring me joy outside of work, like my music and movies and working out and Ultimate Fighting," LD chimed in.
Okay. Calling renting pay-per-view UFC events on a Saturday night a hobby might be a stretch sir. But what the heck is he talking about! My life is chock full of hobbies.
...
It was recently brought to my attention that shopping at Forever 21 when I am nearly 30 is not a hobby.
"I took a hot bath last night for the first time in years. Can taking hot baths be a hobby?"
"No, everyone needs to bathe," said LD.
"I read some."
"When was the last time you finished a book before moving on to another book?"
...Summer 2008
So I'm 28. And I have no hobbies. I have no idea how this happened since my parents enrolled me in every damn class Palms Park and Rancho Park Recreational Center had to offer in the 1980s. Gymnastics, Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Judo, Soccer, Track, Volleyball, Basketball, Swimming...Synchronized Swimming, Tennis, French, Spanish, Pottery, Art.
In High School I ran track, played soccer and wrote for the paper.
In college I ate Doritos, studied in my cubicle in the library and devoured internships.
And what have I got to show for it ten years later?
A wonderful job I never want to go to, a pretty major Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and a bone chip in my elbow that periodically tickles my funny bone.
I can't even touch my toes.
But that is about to change.
I may be fashionably late to this whole passion for life thing, but its about time that career comes second and enjoying my life takes precedence.
So watch out world-of-people-with-talent-and-interests!
I am about to find myself some hobbies - and they might just be yours!
So please be patient with me and don't giggle too loudly as I tumble hard to the mat out of crow pose (you know who you are man at my first Vinyasa Flow class last weekend!!)
Silver lining, here I come!!
2 comments:
My husband told me I don't have any hobbies either. What they don't know is by going to Punahou and doing EVERYTHING by the time your out of college and employed you don't want any hobbies 'cause and your an over achiever and have done it all by the time your 25.
What they don't know is that relaxing is a hobby and most people can't do it because they don't want to miss out on anything.....the dirty secret is what their missing out on by overschedling all their hobbies is living life for themselves.
G-Funk you know this, we always do it all first and always do it better!
hilarious. my fiance told me i don't have any hobbies either. i replied spending money. he didn't laugh.
also, i never finish books either. except recently i finished the Glass Castle. that was a great book and an amazing story.
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