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New to Retirement? Oh Dear!: HOBBIES

 I have been retired for what seems like an eternity! I began in 2006 or 2007 after taking a trip to Shanghai, China to visit my son. My husband and I stayed for 3 weeks so I had time to absorb what the world of expat educators was all about...and they were a busy, talented and progressive group of people. 

That was when I began to blog...it was a hobby worth doing. I learned so much along the way.

That was that time when the boomers were coming down the track and all of those people were wondering what they were going to do with their time on a dime. Times were tough for new retirees. This conversation is an ongoing one...filling day with things that interest you and bring you satisfaction is no easy task. RETIRE IN STYLE BLOG II  has a lot of posts sharing my experience.

*Because of the age of this post, some of the links don't work. Sigh. 

Back in the Day....20 Hobbies for 2018  2023

This is so much fun...I made this list and then went out to see if I could find a "how-to" for each one. Here are the ideas AND a link to the information on what to do if you want to take up that hobby! WOW!

I could have included travel but that would have been too easy! (Dubai)

You know...back when the world was young...20 years ago. Blogging was just getting attention and we were not carrying iPhones or probably even an iPad. We did have a laptop and it traveled around the world with us.

Back then, retirement was very much in jeopardy. The economy was struggling. So, those people who retiring did not necessarily think of going to a desert island or to the South Pole. They were trying to figure out what they could do with what disposable cash they had.

The talk was all about "Hobbies" or turning a hobby into "A Second Job". That was when I came across a list of hobbies...100 of them. (100 Cheap Hobbies) That list made me laugh over and over because I kept going back to it for this blog about retirement.

I could make a hobby out of making a list of hobbies. Truly, there is no end to what might be of interest to people. I was thinking of some today.
  1. Dumpster diving...you never know what you may find.
  2. Finding stuff...I had a man tell me he "found" several hundred dollars worth of stuff every year. Here is a company that will take you one a scavenger hunt.
  3. Geocaching...this a hobby created by hiding stuff, leaving a link to the geographical location on a website. I have never done it but if you are into treasure hunts, you will love this.
  4. Collecting things...key, computers, watches, keys, buttons, etc. I am good with three of most things but I can see how a person could get obsessed. Top 10 Things to Collect
  5. Reading all mysteries one year and nothing but biographies the next. A challenge but still fun I think. Top 10 books for 2017 (Publisher's Weekly)
  6. Running...from or to somewhere I suppose. Or even just running in a circle. People love to run. How to Run Correctly
  7. Walking...more my speed. 10 Ways to Get the Most out of Walking
  8. Tracking your walking/running with charts and logs. Tracking Your Walks
  9. Photography...mix it up with telephoto lens catching the world unaware. 10 Tips for Great Telephoto Pictures
  10. Art...this could have 100 subtitles I think but just saying you are an artist makes you more interesting. Quick Beginners Guide for Drawing
  11. Sewing...make a quilt or sew a dish rag. Get the machine out and sew like crazy. 40 Sewing Hacks You Should Know
  12. Embroidery...the world is waiting for your next tablecloth or wall hanging. 19 Artists Creatively Pushing the Boundaries of Embroidery
  13. Upcycle...If you buy an old something and redecorate it, the world is your apple. Ideas for Upcycling?
  14. Learn to Play Golf...that will keep you busy for at least 20 years. Online Golf Video
  15. Golf...if you have alway golfed, take lessons and find out how wrong you have doing it all these years. How to find a Golf Instructor
  16. Write a blog...join Blogspot, set up a blog and learn about that wonderful world of people you did not even know existed. How to Start a blog...2023
  17. Learn to write computer programs...it might be fun and not that hard. How to Start to Learn Computer Programing
  18. Buy a new computer...if you are a PC user buy an Apple. You will have a whole new way to entertain yourself. Buy a book: Apple for Seniors
  19. Volunteer to do something totally out of your comfort zone. Dicovery Corp and traveling to volunteer.
  20. Clean your house...over and over. A hobby worth doing. :) from Popular Mechanics (seriously) Fifteen Secrets to Cleaning you House in Half the Time I would never had thought to look for this information in the PM magazine...how about you?

Do you have a unique hobby?

Have fun.

Here are some others:
20+ Hobbies: Slightly Dangerous and Weird
How important is your hobby?
You Don't Need to be Bored in Retirement: Hobbies
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