Travel Sports My Brain My Body
When asked about their hobbies, too often, many people recite interesting things that they did years ago, old hobbies. To me things I did years ago were fun, but because I do not do them now, they are not as relevant to me. I live very much in the present. The past is a memory and the future is an abstraction.
It sounds cliché, but I really enjoy travel. Travel, especially in Europe is fun. Aside from seeing neat stuff, a large portion of the appeal to me is to exercise my adaptive, coping skills in learning a new place, customs and perhaps some language. These days I'm trying to learn French and improve my fluency in Polish. I value some degree of chaotic stress in life as being no different than physical stress to exercise your muscles.
Closer to home, and involving no jet lag is Manhattan. It's a great place to visit with a high density of people and attractions affording a wide choice of things to see. Summer nights there have a carnival feeling to them. My favorite spot is the Brooklyn Bridge at night, followed by Central Park in the afternoon. The selection of art galleries is impressive. In a much smaller way South Beach, the oldest part of Miami Beach with its myriad of Art Deco buildings is like that as well.
Lately, in 2010, I have discovered all the fascinating landscapes and features in the desert regions around Las Vegas. I love renting a small Jeep and driving off to explore Death Valley. The Grand Canyon has so many attractions both inside and especially around it. Monument Valley might be my favorite spot. Havasupai Indian Reservation is amazing. And yeah, Las Vegas is a lot of fun too. And I don’t even drink or smoke.
I am a big city boy. Born and bred. I once had a house in the countryside for a few years and found that most of my fun was in cities. Now I live in the center of Toronto and really like it. There aren't as many cultural opportunities in the countryside, and few chances to dress up and go out for an evening of fine dining and theater.
A few times a year I like to go downhill skiing. I used to snowboard, but do not like it as much because it is so asymmetric and comfortable. Skiing is easier and since I do so for recreation, easier is better.
Socially most of my focus these days is inside the meetup.com group called Cows. Canadian Outdoor Wilderness Seekers. It has a lot of life. Lots of interesting, get up and go type people, and in their activities, a fun and relaxed way to meet them. I am so hugely frustrated in the lack of people who are not repetitive, and actively seek new things to try and explore.
This is the tragedy of being an adult. As a child you were forced to try and learn new things sometimes against your will. As an adult, you can make the choice to make every day comfortable as comfortable and stress free as possible. Comfort has a bad side effect. It makes you soft and stupid. And the size of your world grows progressively smaller.
I really like intelligent people and vivid conversation. One place that I've found an outlet for this is Mensa in which I'm quite active socially. Discussions tend to be rapidly changing, bouncing from topic to topic. Plus Mensa people are less given to dogmatic or emotional responses so you are more likely to be able to have a factual discussion concerning hot topics. This is good for me because I think political correctness is simply another form of Puritanism.
Sports are not a hobby of mine, but physical activity is almost a hobby. I usually run a 4.6km circuit in 25 minutes about twice a week if I'm in home in Toronto and not travelling. With a pulse meter it's so easy to get a good repeatable workout. I set it for 145 and go. I don’t hibernate. I run in rain and snow.
On Saturdays, including winter I will run over an hour with the Polish Runners Club in High Park and along the Lakeshore. To get there I have to ride my bicycle 8 km along the lakeshore. I will do this in rain or during snowstorms. I consider it then to be a challenge. Also, I don’t like to drive cars. It’s boring. Well, most of the time any way. There are a few times off-roading in Death Valley in Jeep that I think a smile did cross my face.
For my upper body I do basic free weights to keep a balanced appearance. Diet can keep my weight in check, but there is no easy way to keep muscle tone other than exercising. I suppose the hobby aspect of this is that I do it quite regularly and occasionally tell myself that I'm enjoying it. Running, aside from the fast heart rate and breathing can be relaxing, just like going for a walk. In the summer I will often run on the Toronto islands and at the end of the run, go swimming in the lake to cool off, then head home on the ferry.
Health is just one reason why I keep fit. I like my body as an aesthetic object and want to keep it fit and in shape. I'm not shy and if you like, you are welcome to see more of me, without a shirt on, here.