I’m Essentially a Hack…Orson Wells on Hobbies.

The full quote is “I’m essentially a hack, a commercial person. If I had a hobby, I would immediately make money on it or abandon it.”

Orson was my kind of guy. But maybe that’s not a good thing.

While sitting at work yesterday, minding my own business *for the most part*, my colleagues and I began to talk about things we love to do…hobbies.

I tried to think of what my hobbies are and I couldn’t name any. Not only could I not think of any, but no one believed I had hobbies. Everything feels like. Work. Or, if not work, competitive. Or necessary. But not…fun. Never frivolous and never for just no reason at all other than because.

I mean, I love to read and own hundreds upon hundreds if not thousands of books. And I’ve read all of them at least twice, if not more times, but reading is no longer a hobby. Reading is what I do to prepare for something I am working on or will work on or, in many cases, just finished working on.

Before I injured my back, I was training for the New York City Marathon, but that wasn’t a hobby. The closer you get to marathon day, the more all-consuming your training becomes so running isn’t a hobby. Triathlon training isn’t a hobby, either. It was just part of life and, as I was reminded one night on one of my last dates with an ex…it was a part of my life that got in the way.

I love to wander around New York – but that isn’t a hobby, it’s just how I get from place to place. I love to travel, but travel isn’t a hobby, it’s a lifestyle and I can’t imagine my life without being able to go places – without being able to meet new people, taste new foods, get lost on new streets and find myself all over again with each new experience.

But that’s not a hobby. A hobby is like glacial kayaking or at least that’s what I’ve heard.

I write. I’m clued in enough to myself to know that writing isn’t a hobby. Writing is how I express myself, it’s how I work through problems and it’s how I think about the past and make plans for the future. Writing is like breathing so it can’t be a hobby.

Then I thought about music and how much I love to play my mom’s old records, or the new ones I’m acquiring each month. I love to find just the right song to fit a moment in time I’m trying to understand, but that isn’t a hobby because I don’t always find it relaxing or a distraction – in fact, often, music gives me a chance to work through tough emotions. The three of four minutes of most songs gives me just enough time to think before making my next move. That definitely doesn’t sound like a hobby.

So I asked one of my favorite people this morning what a hobby was and she explained that it’s something you do for the sake of loving it, not because it provides some definite tangible ‘experience.’ A hobby isn’t competitive, probably isn’t about starting a new business and more than likely doesn’t add to the tremendous pain I’m in by the end of each day.

So. How does someone find a hobby? Do I have to be good at something before I can do it? Is it something I know how to do? Something I’ve always wanted to do? Something I’ve already done but want to do it again? I mean, I’ve always wanted to learn to surf and I see there’s a woman looking to sell a surfboard or two….

And I hear surfing is good for getting in touch with one’s spiritual side. I’m ready for that. Plus, I’ve always wanted to have more reasons to listen to the Beach Boys.

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