Writing is like being able to put life into a snow globe. It takes the things that are too big and scary and reduces them into a form that I can put away when I want and look at from a distance. It also takes all that’s good in life and captures it into something I can take out when I want and look at close up and keep forever. It makes the bad things into something I can hold…and the good things into something I can hold onto. Both help so much that I need that little souvenir of life.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Improper Poll: Full of Rocks


I have a small hobby that most people never notice—except, ironically, middle school aged boys. It’s ironic because I imagine middle school boys don’t notice much about me at all. But what they invariably notice is that I often wear…rocks. Sometimes it’s been a little game, to see which rocks I have on today and if they can name them.

While many of my friends grew up dreaming of diamonds, I dreamed of jaspers with distinct veining. And now one of my personal indulgences is wearing rocks. That’s why my little avatar wears turquoise (or more likely dyed howlite or aventurine).

Do you have a weird hobby most people don’t know about?

8 comments:

  1. I think that's an interesting hobby. All of mine are bog standard.

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  2. When I was a child, I used to carve things out of soap. Like a horse head, or horse leg, or dog head. An entire animal was just too much for me. I would take a razor blade and sever the head and forelegs off a less-than-favorite plastic horse from my extensive Breyer stable. Not the big ones, mind you--the smaller "Stablemates" models.

    Nobody thought it odd. One time I sliced through a particularly dainty palomino foreleg, and the tip of my left index finger. Thank goodness I was able to run my latchkey butt next door so my grandma could stem the tide. Nowadays, I would need stitches, and nowadays, somebody would be quick to call 1-800-BAD-MOM in my defense.

    Back then, I was told that it was not a good idea to use the razor blade when home alone, plus the natural consequence of being unable to mutilate my inanimate equine friends until the finger healed.

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  3. I have two hobbies.

    1) Depriving myself of adequate sleep so I can read late at night. Oh, I guess that's a hobby everyone knows about, since I have huge bags under my eyes.

    2) Seeing how long I can go between hair "dippings." Oh, everybody knows about that one as well? I suppose that's right, because my gray/white roots always are at least several inches long.

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  4. I don't have any weird hobbies...or should I say at least not weird by my standards!

    Pat
    www.critteralley.blogspot.com

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  5. OH! OH! OH! I love this!!!! I collect geodes! And other stuff, too!! In my new and improved bathroom remodel, I have a lighted niche where the old medicine cabinet used to be. It has glass shelves to hold some of my mineral collection!!! Rocks ROCK!!!!

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  6. What a fascinating hobby.
    I've been collecting fleur de lis for a couple of years, and I also have a collection of crosses.
    Donna

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  7. You rock, I love rocks. I don't know the names of them like you do, I just pick them up wherever I am, if I like them of course.

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  8. Wow. You guys are truly talented. Plastic horse amputation must be one of the most unusual ones ever.

    Sioux, this is amazing. I too collect bags of the eye variety. And I have an abundant gray hair collection, too!

    Judie, that sounds like an awesome idea! And Lynn, I don't know the names like I should. I just try to figure out the ones I wear.

    Cool collection, Donna. Am sure fleurs de lis have all sorts of ancient meanings. This makes me want to go look it up!

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