During a lunchtime conversation last Friday, I was caught off guard by a question to which I honestly hadn’t given much thought.  I was asked what I did on my own free time, specifically “cultural” or for “personal enjoyment”.  It was a loaded question, made clear by the context of its asking.  After replying with my typical answer of “building with HFH on Saturdays”, I realized that I didn’t add much more follow-up to that response.

This bothered me.  

This bothered me so much, in fact, that hours after the conversation, I was still thinking of how small and somewhat sad my response felt, as if perhaps there was something missing from my life to the point where I couldn’t even tell someone how I “have fun”.

As the afternoon and evening progressed, I continued to dwell on that conversation until it finally occurred to me that one BIG problem with my response was that I had tried to respond to the question how I perceived I was expected to, and that all of the activities that I associated with people’s definitions of “having fun” were things that required money (for example, concerts and eating out).  Like many others, my personal finances have been significantly negatively impacted by the (thankfully waning) downturn in the economy over the past five years.  Where my response really came up short, though, was that I had overlooked (or just plain forgotten) all of the things I do that bring me great joy that don’t cost much money, if any at all.

Anyone who knows me at all knows that I love to read, especially sci fi and comics (call them “graphic novels” if it makes you feel any better).  Good stories have always fascinated me, and if they include pictures then all the better.  I am presently enjoying some steampunk sci fi by James Blaylock, straight up sci fi by S. M. Stirling, and the latest (strikingly mythical) exploits of Wonder Woman.  I’m also getting ready to read some non-fiction about the evolution of the slave trade in Barbados, my interest having been piqued while listening to an interview with the author on Fresh Air one afternoon.

Another constant in my life has always been music.  I can listen to most types, but my Spotify stream has been noticeably heavy on country lately.  Music has always reflected my moods, and there is no surer sign that I’m in a good mood than when I’m singing along to a song on the radio (or even in my head).  Country music brings out my nostalgic moods, classical my analytical side.  Sometimes, only pop music will do.

I like to use my hands.  I am currently completing a learning-annex type course in hand-formed pottery.  You can check out my Facebook and Instagram pages for some of the results, but this is basically just an extension of my need to make things.  HFH helps me work some of this need out of my system (on a rougher, more aggressive, level), but sometimes I need for what I make with my hands to have more of an art to it.  Hence the pottery.  And sometimes, just sometimes, when all the stars are in perfect alignment and my life is at its most settled, I’ll pull out my sketch book and jot down a few thoughts in graphic form.

I like science.  When I get the chance on a Thursday or Friday evening, I’ll head over to the Fernbank Science Center (http://fsc.fernbank.edu/) to see what’s in their telescope.  So far I’ve seen the Plieades Cluster, the moon, Saturn, Jupiter and other stars and planets.  I always make it a point to ask questions about the distance to, or age of, whatever we are viewing.

I love art and design.  I try to visit every exhibit at MODA (http://www.museumofdesign.org/) and at Whitespace (http://whitespace814.com/ ).  While I don’t often indulge in the philosophical musings of my college years, it is refreshing from time to time to engage a decidedly different side of the brain.  I can be surprisingly (to some) contemplative about art and culture, and trips to museums and galleries help me reboot my mind after the routine of the work week.

Likewise, a trip to Room and Board can help clear out the cobwebs from my designer’s mind and get me excited about design again.  Thankfully, now that money’s tighter I can easily walk in and out of there without spending a dime.  And like many designers, sometimes all it takes to get me thinking about design is walking into a noticeably good (or bad) space.

I enjoy nature, and when the weather is just right I like to go hiking with Abbey, my husky mix.  At first, it’s kind of tricky, as I usually start out a bit out of shape, but I can get into the rhythm fairly quickly, especially if it’s cool.  The combination of fresh air, quiet and good company can fix most of the week’s problems.  I also kayak, though not as much as I’d like to.  It seems like the weather in Atlanta goes from too cold to too hot too quickly.

One last thing, if it wasn’t clear by the over seven hundred words that preceded this paragraph:  I also enjoy writing.