1948? Onwards ... Hobbies ................................

Hobbies = pastimes = waste-times? For most of my life I've had one or more hobby. My hobbies have come and gone. I suspect that my hobbies have often been pursued at the expense of real life. My schooling, my work, my children, my marriage may all have suffered to a lesser or greater degree because of my "other" pursuits. Do I see other heads nodding in silent agreement?

The list is considerable I fear. I started this blog entry intending to entitle it "Birdwatching" but found myself wondering about all my hobbies.

Maybe I should list them? Then perhaps tell about them? Will that be boring or interesting? Not sure ........ anyway, the list:

Trainspotting
Aircraft
Model Aircraft
Model railways
Sailing
HMS Victory
Walking disused railways
Canoeing
Birdwatching
Writing short stories (erotic!)
Genealogy

Well, that's eleven of them. Probably not a complete list but it'll do for now. Countless hours spent, benefit to mankind, essentially zero. So it was largely time WASTED. Or was it? I really don't know.

*** Best not dwell on things left undone; that road oft leads to near-despair. ***

Each hobby has brought me great joy and, of course, a small measure of pain. I think we fall into hobbies the way we fall into traps. There is a lure, a sparking of interest which leads us to look closer and, before we know it - we're hooked or at least that's probably how it is with me.

Methinks I'll tell of each. It might make ten entries, show ten sides of life; even of me!