What are some new interests and hobbies that you developed during the course of the last year? During 2007 I have become very interested in British History. In college I took two History of England courses and they are the only two history classes that I took that I did poorly in. I think that I received C's in both clsses. Not too good since as a rule I always got A's and B's in history. Earlier in the year I read a great book called The Rise And Fall of the British Empire by Lawrence James and while reading this book I finally began to understand English history and really became interested in it. This week I just finished reading another great book called A Shortened History of Engalnd by George M. Trevelyon.

I know many of you are probably saying to yourselves right now, "Gee, Blair's Number #1 Fan is such a nerd." :lol: Well, considering that I have been really interested in American History for about 7 years now and that I love science fiction, I've been a nerd for years. :lol: It isn't something that I just became this year. :lol:

Scrapbooking!! I actually was influenced by two close friends named Brenda and Diana who are avid scrapbookers. When I visited Brenda in CA this past summer, I took over 150 pictures and kept a travel diary, and melded them into two scrapbooks. I also had doubles made of certain pictures and made them into a scrapbook for Brenda. It was a thank you gift to her for her hospitality.

One of my Christmas gifts to my mom is a scrapbook I made of my nephew, her grandchild. We had pictures of him from the first 6 months of his life just floating around. I felt it was time to put them in a book. I can't wait to see the look on her face when she opens it Christmas Day!

I've found that I love to scrapbook - I love being creative and making things, so this hobby is right up my alley. It's so much fun!! :D

Mike, British history, eh? Wow....sounds interesting! Sounds like you have done some reading there. I just think history is in your nature. :lol: Very cool!

Monika!!!! I can relate!!! I also got into scrapbooking this year! Hehe.... I attend a monthly scrapbooking event at this lady's house. I've already completed several pages, thanks to a lot of motivation while socializing with these ladies. How many pages/books have you completed, so far?

Photography! I love taking pictures of anything and everything.

Reading; I was such an avid reader as child but stopped during high school etc. I'm starting to enjoy my books again though.

Learning Italian and French; Being Italian I do know some but not enough and I'd love to one day speak/teach it to my future children. French is just a fascination with me really lol. I love the way it sounds and I've been wanting to learn French for a while. I'm enjoying both!

Opera music; (always enjoyed it but like reading it was something I had put aside) Britain's Got Talent winner Paul Potts really is the one I credit for getting me back into the Opera music. Was totally blown away when he walked onto that stage and started singing... fell in love with Opera music once again. Actually Pavarotti - Nessun Dorma gets a TON of credit as well... no voice like his.

And there's about 100 more... been a busy year lol.

i joined marching band this year which basically became my life during marching band season. marching band season also kind of sparked an interest in playing musical instruments, and i wanna learn how to play the guitar more and learn more about drums and piano. so i guess you can say my interest in music kinda grew.

Mike, British history, eh? Wow....sounds interesting! Sounds like you have done some reading there. I just think history is in your nature. :lol: Very cool!

Monika!!!! I can relate!!! I also got into scrapbooking this year! Hehe.... I attend a monthly scrapbooking event at this lady's house. I've already completed several pages, thanks to a lot of motivation while socializing with these ladies. How many pages/books have you completed, so far?
Mona, I've done 4 scrapbooks so far.

So You Think You Can Dance! :eek: :woohoo: As many of you know, I looooovvvee American Idol and SYTYCD is produced by the same people who produced Idol, so they're related. I started watching because some of my friends who were into Idol also enjoyed the show and I've been wanting to check it out but never had the chance. Anyway, I got hooked. Not as much as Idol initially, but watching became part of my weekly routine. I never REALLY got into it till the tour started in the fall (The show airs during the summer). I went to the two shows that were in the area and got amazing seats at both and I also met all of the dancers after both shows! :D It was truly amazing and I'll never forget both nights. So I'll definitely be around for that next year again. It also inspired me to take up dancing again (I took a class my freshman year of HS, but that was it), so hopefully I can do that soon! :)

I must lead a pretty boring life cause I cant think of anything "new", so fas as interests go.

Metalworking - During the slow days at work I played around with various projects that led to an interest in working with scrap steel we had piled up to make thigs. I learned alot about engraving and painting techniques and made lots of pendants and pins, and I also customized metal picture frames and zippo lighters with special designs. I also dabbled in sculpture and wall sconces and made a custom sign for my friend's bar. Hopefully i'll be able to parlay that into some sort of side business in 2008.

Darts - As you know, I've spent a lot of time in bars over the years, but I never had any interest in playing darts, which is played in a lot of bars here in NYC.
But as most of you know, we try a lot of things to impress a member of the opposite sex.
A girl that I've been spending a lot of time with this year loves to play, so I began playing with her when we hang out, and i have discovered that i really like darts.

A few months ago i bought myself a decent set of darts, hung a dartboard in my apartment last week, and i have bought lots of other misc dart stuff like flights, shafts, a carrying case, etc - I love buying equipment for a new sport!

And of course beating this girl just about every time I play her after only taking up the sport a few months ago is an added bonus.

;)

Mike, British history, eh? Wow....sounds interesting! Sounds like you have done some reading there. I just think history is in your nature. :lol: Very cool!



I think that it is true too, Mona. :lol: Actually, I'm just interested in life. I read the newspapers and watch CNN to find out what is going on today, I like history because it tells us what went on in the past (besides history is filled with a lot of great stories and who doesn't like stories?) and I like science fiction because I'm interested in what will happen in the future.

Running at the beach. I've always loved to exercise, but have always HATED running in the past, particularly at the beach. I went down to the sand dunes at the beach with a martial arts class I teach for a different kind of work out, and loved it. I'd never been and I feel in love with how beautiful it is. I don't know what has changed, but now I try to go about 3 times a week.

i suppose ive been writing more. poems, a story based on a ****ty event that happened last spring, senseless rantings. plus a lot of lists in the past few months, like people who may burn, words that make me cringe, things that remind me of the above mentioned event, degrading adjectives and nouns to describe a certain individual who helped destroy my sanity...during the above mentioned event, of course.

otherwise, i've dropped a lot of interests due to extreme depression last summer.

I've definitely gotten into poetry because of my Poetry Workshop professor--he made it so fun and actually inspired and supported me to continue with it. Now when I pass by books of poems in Borders, I actually check them out instead of bypassing it to true crime and fiction :) I think a big part of my new passion for it is him, though....he's my new mentor :cool: I just adore him!

I've also gotten into MAC make-up and perfumes...what an expensive hobby :(

I'm also starting to re-kindle my obsession with snowglobes. I've started collecting again :D