#good hobby and skills to learn

[bamsara]

Did you also have any plans to book bind trod? If so, that'd be pretty neat!

I'd really like to! My first attempt was binding Solar Lunacy and while that went decently, I think I can do better now that I've had a little more experience. I think my biggest issue was making sure the spine stayed intact and being patient enough for the glue to dry

I would have to learn formatting better and go through and fix the grammatical errors (and maybe re-write a few sentences for the sake of clarity) but I think it would be fun

No idea what I'd make the cover though. I still want to redo the SL one along with my other IZ series one too. I've designed some before, but I have to admit that my actaul bookbinding skills are...lackluster, and so are my cover art designing abilities sldkhglsd

[idontmindifuforgetme]

Big big big BIG fan of scrapbooking. Kind of went digital on my diary for a lil bit, but I want to go back to physical journaling & scrapbooking. Like an album on steroids. My mom’s such an album person and I want to be the journal derivative of that. Absolutely want to get into commonplacing more too. Esp w all the things I have planned this yr I think they’re def worthy of scrapbooking

[buttercupshands]

Hi!! Hello!! I don't think it was AS long as I sounded

But yay! I did the irl stuff! Even if there are more to come and stuff. Today? I'm done!

Doesn't mean I'm super back tho!

Still sleepy and tired, but way less stressed finally and also isat helped in trying my best to focus, basically helped fix what it broke in September, sweet as hell!

So yeah! Imagine defeating the King in Act 2. That's the feeling here.

(I'm still trapped though, but eh, I can enjoy my victory for now)

[whimseee]

turning into an exact clone of my mom

[skunkes]

i wanna try to make a little smunker figure bc a family friend offloaded his partner's unused clay supplies to me, including pasta maker/roller and a little oven specifically for baking it...

Also included some opened and unopened clay but idk i kinda wanna go the "get flesh colored clay and then paint it at the end" route bc im very bad at managing amount of clay needed esp if i have to mix it for different colors also i think painting it wld be relaxing...i jst need to buy some clay.....i jst need to buy some clay.....

[perspicaciouslynameless]

one thing i really like about picking up new hobbies is how they change the way you view the world

when i picked up pottery, i started noticing more acutely what in my house was ceramic vs not, what it was used for, and how cleanly it was constructed

when i was learning dance, i started breaking down other dances i saw into groups of steps, rather than just seeing the single fluid motions i had before

now that i'm learning to sew, i pay more attention to how everyone's clothes are constructed to see how i can apply that myself - where are the seams and are they visible or not, how has the fabric been cut to fit the shape of a human body

like, i love trying out new things just for the novelty of it, oftentimes, but this fun little side-effect of completely altering my perception of the world around me is also so so great

[meimeikyu]

absjhdjshsks i wanna learn a language so bad i want. to learn the words and speaking it but oh god why does it cost so much money why is there no straightforward way

like theres online apps but if you want anything competent its generally pricey and will never be perfect theres textbooks which again. costly and wont teach everything i assume person on person or actual classes in person or online would be the most effective way but then. ppl scary and expensive and. it doesnt seem worth it to spend that much money regularly on smth thats not for a job or a proper reason itd just be bcs i want it n that feels stupid. so im just gonna sit here really wanting to

[astranauticus]

a handful of chinese songs that give me big robit energy

translating cpop songs is like my second favourite hobby so it's frankly surprising I haven't made this post sooner

Him - Floruitshow (马 - 福禄寿)

I've talked about this song on here before but this is the 3.7 song for me

the second chorus is definitely MR-SN but i like to think of the first chorus (Let me take a good look at your visage as we count down the time till the curtains’ close. Forgive me for holding back my voice so soon, do you know, in your graceful escape, all I see around me is disaster?) as VR-LA during the flashback sequence

specifically 'all I see around me is disaster' because yeah not wrong

'This time I’m not here to bring you home' just kills me like the please please take care of yourself because I can't be there with you anymore of it all

'Oh spring, oh warm sun, please come sooner, grant him a smooth and safe journey' same point, just the desperate plea for the universe to protect VR-LA because he can't do it himself anymore

How can I make you stay - Floruitshow (我用什么把你留住 - 福禄寿)

(conveniently I have actually done a full translation of this song!)

definitely one of the Maxim songs of all time

"You’ve believed that you can let your life pass in numbness, but [...] why do your tears fall in the moment of letting go?' YEAH because we've seen so many times how Maxim keeps trying to convince himself that he can stop just caring but it never works

'You say don’t fall in love, yet you’re unwilling to let go' same point, this man is in such denial about how he just can't stop caring

specifically the second verse feels a lot like Maxim waiting for VR-LA to return from Tu'narath

'You stay silent, holding onto starlight as you wait through your darkest hour. Your mind is struck, when familiar murmurs pierce your ears once more' aaaAAAAHH

the bridge (?) as a conversation between VR-LA and Maxim, VR-LA inviting Maxim to see the beauty and wonders of the world ('Do you want to see the sea of flowers blooming?', very 4.5 wedding invite honestly) but Maxim's trauma just would not allow him to take that risk ('If none of them come back, then who should I live for?')

fun fact the second version of the bridge in my translation ('You must stay to see the flowers bloom' onwards) is exclusive to that live performance of the song so it's not in the spotify version i linked here. as for which version you think fits Maxim more.. well.

Borrow - Mao Buyi (借 - 毛不易)

finally banging out a translation for this song was kinda the inspiration for me to make this post actually

the tldr of this song is that it's an unnamed/unidentified speaker asking to borrow various small things for the sake of somebody else (like 'an inch of frozen sunlight' to provide warmth in a cold world) so you can probably see where i'm going with this

'A simple ‘we have plenty of time’ etched into the soul to prepare for the chance of forced separation' ouch ow okay

'Those blown apart by these winds will say that they never loved deeply' / 'There is a sincerity that cannot be blown apart by this wind' DX-TR betraying the old crew vs VR-LA fighting through so much just to get them back

'There are tears that cannot be washed away by this rain' this line just haunts me. like in general

'An acre of land for him to call home, an ordinary life for him to live' as MR-SN watching over the old crew like I can't be there for you but I hope you will find peace and a home...

[frogseasons]

been having a lot of fun lately just doing art for my own enjoyment. people are right when they say making shit art is still making art

[canisonicscrewyou]

Making art & writing from scratch, while I wouldn’t say feels natural to me, feels like… straightforward. It’s not easy, certainly, but it’s like an action I can do mostly upon will or request.

Making fanwork feels like gnawing my own arm off. Feels like I’m detonating a bomb and I gotta run and hide as soon as it’s pulled. Feels like I’ll scratch out of my own skin. Neither of these are negative experiences in creating art, by the way.

[handelplayssims]

...what does it say about me that my reaction is just "eh" to the latest trailer?

Not much of an outdoors-woman I suppose. And perhaps not as much into faries as an occult.

[siouiseaweed]

I WANT TO KNIT SOCKS

[the-font-bandit]

One of the most frustrating things about being ADHD is the way hyperfixations and skill levels work.

So I, an ADHD person, will get obsessed with A Thing. I will research, I will practice. I'll check out library books, watch YouTube videos, seek out podcasts, all to learn everything I can about The Thing.

Thiat Thing is often a skill or hobby. Painting, writing, candlemaking, baking, mixology, tea blending.

But the thing with ADHD is that you'll be obsessed with it only to a certain skill level. Something where all the mystery is gone. It's not as fun once the learning part is over and it's just boring practice to get better.

Then abruptly, you'll lose interest and move to another fixation.

That skill level you've earned may be higher than your average person with a passing interest. But it's also lower than someone who specializes in said thing, who has put in those hard hours of practice and work.

So you start just forming this miscellaneous collection of things that you're good enough at to earn some praise, but still leave you feeling like you're just never *quite* good enough at anything because you can't just choose anything.

And you want to pick a Thing. To find Your Thing. The thing that fits, that you can finally excel at. But you just can't seem to.

[followerofmercy]

Networking/Knowing A Guy: A Guide

This is the autism website. Now, as an extension of the power of love and friendship, there are few things more useful than Knowing A Guy. Knowing A Guy means you have a support network. Knowing a plumber, or a tax accountant, or just that one dude that's really fucking good at finding the information you need when you're really overwhelmed, can be the difference between being able to pay rent and having a fun party with friends to fix your shit.

How does one end up Knowing A Guy? It's a skill you can develop called Networking and it is one of the foundations of society. Unfortunately making those connections with people is fucking hard and nobody makes a tutorial for it. So, here you go:

The golden rule is you scratch my back and I scratch yours

It is necessary for survival to seek out useful people

Great news! Everyone is useful in some form or fashion - including you! When given the opportunity to learn about someone, do it! Extroversion does not come naturally to some people and that's okay. Just take whatever falls in your lap.

Types of usefulness: trade skills, connections of their own, personality you jive with, pleasant to talk to, niche interest in shared hobby, security - the list is pretty much endless. I know a guy that lives in the metro area - no job, no major hobbies, inoffensively annoying to me personally, kinda ignorant, not attractive to me, but you know what? He knows how the fuck to get around the city by foot. My rural-raised ass APPRECIATES the guide.

Remember important information: general personality, background, skillset, likes and dislikes. You can find this information by making smalltalk about their life. There is no such thing as pointless conversation. (Yes, even the annoying smalltalk)

The more people you know, the higher the likelihood that one of them will be useful in a given situation - or will know someone who is.

It is overwhelming. In a given clique/community/workspace/whatever, there is A Guy Who Knows The Other Guys. This Guy is a shortcut. Find them. They're often elderly, extroverted, a little bit annoying, a secretary or in some otherwise forward-facing position. Look for people that are gossipy/talk about other people a lot but not in negative ways. If they constantly talk shit, they'll talk shit about you too. They're still useful but be careful with the information you share

You do not have to like someone for them to be useful.

You do not have to like someone for them to be useful.*

If you have low self esteem, you're going to feel like you're using people. You're not. That's the devil talking. People like feeling valued and the connections you are making are the threads holding community together. Recognize people for their talents. It's only a problem when you're taking advantage of people

So: don't feel scummy about it. You're an animal. You have to claw out your right to survive and people will respect you more for it.

Luckily mutualism is the name of the game in the animal kingdom. Offer something back. The foundation of a Know A Guy relationship is Mutual Benefit

Sometimes that Mutual Benefit is just spreading news of the The Guy far and wide. My plumber friend is my actual friend and I love her to death, but I'm maintaining our backscratch relationship by pimping out her plumbing business to anyone that'll listen

Food is a good Mutual Benefit. People across cultures for all of human history have bonded over food. I have good success asking people for a favor and then offering to buy them lunch in return **

General compensation is also good. Offer a service in return and always do your best to offer financial compensation as appropriate. Having your plumber friend take a look at your drain: doable with a case of beer. Having your plumber friend redo the pipes in your entire house? You need to pay for that.

Being transactional is not necessarily a bad thing. I would advise against keeping an itemized list of things owed, but fish don't seek out cleaner shrimp just because they enjoy their company. Everyone gets something

Unfortunately being extroverted and generally personable is a huge benefit here, but that's the value of the Guy That Knows A Guy. There's someone out there that has consolidated All The Guys so you don't have to be the local expert. Always remember nobody can do everything and you don't need to master every skill

* This is the foundation of a functioning community. I have many acquaintances that I find incredibly annoying. They include doctors, welders, artists, social workers, lawyers, construction crew and random fuckers at the grocery store. I do not hang out with them. I do not have to in order to maintain a civil Know A Guy relationship. I can drop them useful tidbits and fuck right off so I don't have to spend any more time than necessary with them

** People may assume romantic intent. Be prepared for that. I generally denote that it's a friendly/work lunch by calling them bro at some point if they're my age. Otherwise my general demeanor is sufficient to show that I do this with everyone

Source: personal experience, mother's teachings of crime, booth vending and poverty

[meishumoo]

hey so i dropped the perfectionism bullshit and have written it here. Maybe it's more of a character study, I've never written a fanfiction before or written to these lengths. I do plan on having maybe another chapter or 2, but for now I think I'm happy with the quality for my first fanfiction within the fandom.

im not sure if ill keep fanfic writing as a hobby but I did have fun and want to see this till the end as an actual finished work.

writing a nathalie centric(?) fanfiction this is for all 3 nathalie fans out there VS my will to complete or participate in a hobby

[gentleladyproject]

the chapter ACCOMPLISHMENTS from THE LADIES' BOOK OF ETIQUETTE, AND MANUAL OF POLITENESS Florence Hartley lists several skills and interests becoming for a young lady who is already well-educated. these accomplishments serve to impress others and delight oneself. she suggests to strive for the following ✧ conversing well, which is aided by a deep knowledge of literature ✧ music, played on an instrument and accompanied by singing (she explicitly recommends easier pieces for the less experienced in the company of others) ✧ drawing, sculpture and similar arts ✧ riding elegantly ✧ speaking french, german, and italian, as well as spanish ✧ dancing all fashionable dances ✧ reading out loud and reciting well ✧ arranging tableaux vivants ✧ crochet, knitting, tapestry work, embroidery, bead work, and many more