Hobbies.....

When someone ask you "what your hobbies are", what would your answer be?

I looked up in Wikipedia for the meaning of the word 'HOBBY'. And this is what I understand......

Hobby is an activity or activities done for pleasure during leisure time. It includes collecting items and objects, engaging in creative and artistic pursuits or playing sports.  By doing a hobby  continuously, one can ecquire  substantial skill and knowledge in that area.  If you do it for fun, you are an amateur or hobbyist.  If you do it seriously, you are a professional.  The difference is being a professional, you will recieve rewards or compensation while an amateur does not.  See, hobby makes money! 

There are many types of hobbies... loads of them. It is inclusive of Collecting (stamps, coins, old photos and other collectables items), Outdoor recreations (gardening, hill walking, climbing, fishing and other outdoor pursuits), Performing arts (singing, dancing,  acting, martial arts, magic arts and other performing arts) and the list will go on and on. 

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PAINTING

I have quite a number of hobbies myself.   First and foremost, I love paintings.  The medium that I like most is Water Color . During my school days in my Form 4 and 5, I gave arts tution to my friends especially to those who were taking that paper for the major examination, Malaysian Certificate of Education (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia).  I earned RM20 from each of them monthly ....quite a fat pocket I had those days..... see.... I got paid for my hobby!  In 2002 and 2003,  I attended art classes for Stained Glass in my first year and then Water Color Painting next in the University of Glanmorgan, Pontyprydd, Wales.  I love both but economically and practically, the later is a better choice.  I stopped painting quite sometime with the presence of my two grandsons. Playing and attending them takes up so much time and so is painting. You need to focus, concentrate and time consume.  I have to choose and my choice is my family.  I will restart again once they grow bigger and  wiser.  To me, painting is something that will give you satisfaction.  We do not need others opinion because everything comes from your feelings inside you.  Beauty is in our eyes and from our heart and feelings! It is up to others to interprate. At least, that is what I feel.

....from my garden

.....from magazine

....from one of my diving trips....Pulau Tenggol.

.......from an Umrah trip in 2002

When I travelled, I would carry with me my sketch book and do some sketching of things that I see. Many times I visited Paris and Mont Marte is a must place to visit. This is the place where you will be surrounded by many artists using different kinds of medium like oil painting, air brush, skteching, pencil color, crayons and of cause my favourite, the water color pantings. I spent many hours there watching them sketching and painting. It gave me pleasure to watch the different techniques and strokes they used. I learnt alot from watching them. Van Gogh used to paint here too . Speaking about this famous painter, I managed to visit Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. They displayed his paintings which to me  were his diaries. It made me feel so near to this brilliant artist because he described about himself and his life through his paintings. 

Van Gogh

      

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READING

Reading is another hobby of mine. I read Novels and my favourite authors are Sidney Sheldon, Dan Brown, Pramoedya Ananta Toer and light readings by Danniele Steele.  I read alot when I traveled because long hours flight will be very boring and to kill time, in between my naps and  movies,  I read.  I never like reading before but my husband encouraged me.  Reading is food for the brain and with reading, you are one grade higher.....  and I believed him and thanked him for this gift.

  

  

    

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GARDERNING

Gardening is another thing that I like doing.  I appreciate beautiful garden and tried to imitate other people's when I see one but my strenght are not there. I have problems with my back bones and had to avoid carrying heavy things like pots and soil.  So mostly all the flower pots will stay at its place forever until someone helped me moved or someone broke it! But still, with my handicap, I still love my garden and I think it is a beautiful garden...... at least that is what I see! Self appreciation!  I have two fish ponds in my garden and one in the main entrance.  It is nice to see the fish swimming...it gives me the sense of calmness.  People says, if you are angry, look at the fish swimming freely in the pond and it will cool you down....... 

 

 

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 ARTISTIC PHOTOGRAPHY

Recently, I got hooked with photography enhancement using some interesting applications from my iphone, picasa besides photoshops.  So many interesting and creative photographs that we can do.  We can enhance, discolour,  zoom, sketch aNd many more. It is all up to your creativity to mix and match the functions of the applications.  Mighty interesting.  I will spend sleepless night doing it when the mood is set!  With this hobby,  I created my own greeting cards,  note cards and many more.  It gives me satisfaction when others appreciated but again that is not important.  What you feel when doing it with lots of love and effort matters.

 

 

 

 

 
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TRAVELLING

I have one hobby which I love most.  Travelling.  Alhamdulillah, Allah give me the privilage of visiting places throughout the world. I have been to many countries and yet, I still have dreams to visit places that I have not been yet! I will do it in time..... In Sya Allah! When travelling, my hobby is collecting fridge magnets.  I have hundreds of magnets on the wall of my refrigerator.  Some are as old as 25 years! Mind you!  Those magnets reminded me of the places that I have been.  Everytime I look at the magnets, I will tell myself how lucky I am! I feel so greatful.  Alhamdulillah!  My husband named me The Globe Trotter! Hahahahhahhaha.

'Jauh perjalanan, Banyak pemandangan Luas pandangan' means The more you travel, the more you see and the more you share your feelings and experiences. It is true indeed. When my hubby and  I visited Padang, Bukit Tinggi, Indonesia, we chartered a car with a driver. My husband loves to sing and one of his favourites was Ayam Den Lapeh. The driver told us about the song and the meaning of the lyrics. So we ended going round Bukit Tinggi by following the names of places from the lyrics like Pandaisikek Baso, Payakumbuah, Pagaruyuang, Batusangka, Kayu Jati and Biaro. Then only we fully understood what the real meaning of the song and it all centered to the activities of the people living in those places. Example, Pandaisikek means Good in Weaving and that kampung 's daily activities since their ancestor  days until now is weaving Songket. Teenage girls in that kampung must know how to weave. They export nice songket overseas!

I love driving so much that I will be the driver to my husband! He loves buying cars and I love driving him around. He said my middle name is DRIVING.... hahahhahhahhha.  Driving gives me the feeling of  being a leader. Every moves is mine and my say! hahahahha. I drive all the time near or far..... in Malaysia and overseas! Do not leave home wthout your GPS! Nowadays you can use Waze or Google Map from your smart phone! It helps alot!  

So whatever hobbies you have, keep on doing it. Hobbies will keep you occupied and no time wasted. Do it with passion and patience and you will see the best outcome because it comes from deep inside you! Trust me!  As for me, I will keep on doing what I am best at in my leisure time. I want to be known as Lady of Leisure and Pleasure...... hahahhahahhahha.....