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LOL, like Escort I guess I got confused by phrase "strange interests". If we're talking new interests, I constantly have new interests coming and going. Been that way all my life--none of them would be considered strange, or even terribly exciting to someone else--but I do like to try new things. What can I say, I like to mix it up!
For example... for awhile I was really into learning about Victorian America. That led to being in a Victorian presentation at a toastmasters club and the next thing you know I got into toastmasters big time. I raced through a DTM in about 3 year's time. Then I hit the "been there done that phase" with toastmasters and got very interested in dance, which morphed into my current interest in tai chi. I fully expect that to run its course, and something else to take its place. Bored by baseball most of my life, and then last summer I became a huge fan of the Nats. Next year I might start like Nascar. You never know.
And most of you know that for the last five years we were really into visiting 55+ communities. We drove all over the eastern US, making a new trip every few months. This year, we've lost interest. They were great trips--glad we did them--but the idea doesn't have the same appeal and it's time to do something new. Same goes for clothes. I've had hat phases. Now those hats live in the closet, and my current passion is bright colored bedroom slippers. Next year it will probably be something else.
Variety is the spice of life, as they say.
Last edited by Caladium; 11-30-2012 at 06:34 PM..
Reason: Left out an important word, changed the whole meaning LOL
The great American novelist Henry Miller in older years took up roller-skating through his apartment after one of his ex-wives left him and took everything including the furniture. "I had a marvelous time," he said.
I spend more time wondering about what I am going to do with my life than I ever did as a younger person. I find that weird, but that's the way it is.
To me, that's normal. When you're young you figure you have all the time in the world to wonder about that sort of thing. Now it's hitting us that the time to wonder about it is now, because time is running out.
I got to wondering who and what I was as my parents rarely spoke of ancestors. It has been interesting but sometimes work 20 to 30 hours straight. Hit a brick wall and not get back to the genealogy for a couple of weeks. Then back to many all nighters and sleep all day. I enjoy working nights, it is more quiet. I no longer have schedules and get really annoyed when I am forced to do something, especially mornings. Most often my days begin at noon. LOL
Well some things are emerging that I never, ever would have been interested in before. One is an intense curiosity about anthropology and the origins of the American Indian tribes, and being drawn to learning about the indigenous tribes of the Americas. I find myself reading more and really loving their music and dance.
Another thing is that all my life I've been immersed in "high culture" of European origin, and now I'm less and less drawn to that. I'm intensely curious about folk customs and arts/music.
Interest in these things may not seem strange to others, but they're strange to me, and I welcome them. So I'm wondering if others have taken on interests that they did not have before retirement.
1. I do not find it strange to be interested in the origins of any group of people. Good for you.
2. I was being flippant and you were being serious, and I hope you did not take offense. I have been a smart-a** ever since elementary school and still am - don't think there's any hope for a cure at age 68. Actually, I think your thread subject is a good one.
3. So, taking the question seriously, one of my new interests is exploring young-adult literature to find suitable books for my reading-aloud to fifth grade classes volunteer work. I have re-read some stuff I had read as a kid and read a bunch of other stuff recommended to me by others. It has been fun and I've been surprised how good, I mean really good, some of those books are. Doubt if the specific titles would be of much interest here, but if so, people can look up my thread in the Books sub-forum of the Entertainment Forum entitled "Is some childrens/young adult literature so good it transcends its genre?"
It's like when you stop working it still needs things to chew on.
I'm not retired but on extended sick leave, I have really struggled with the boredom. Really struggled.
I've always been interested in true crime and there's one or two cases that border on obsession for me. I'm actually thinking about writing a book about them.
I've never really had a hobby in my life, I really miss it now.
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