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Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Hobbies!

This post is going to be about my hobbies. But first - 

I'm sure you noticed i changed my background. This background has been on Smitten Blog Design's site for awhile now but due to technical difficulties, it wasn't actually THERE for me to TAKE. It was just in their blog telling me about it, but for some reason didn't upload to where you actually can TAKE it.

Until today. Thank you, Smitten! I am smitten with your blog designs!

I changed my background immediately because i love it & it's so much more ME. I love that blue color! I know i didn't change anything else - & that's because i'm at work - & can't do all that yet - but i may or may not change the fonts & header... it all matches okay now... but i'd love some more of that turquoise! We will see! Now...back to the purpose of this post!


I got another question in my formspring box! This question was asked by my BBFF (Best Bloggy Friend Forever - can i stop explaining this now? Can I just start saying BBFF w/o having to tell what that is?! Haha) - LAURA at Life Happens. Thanks, Laura!

The question is:
What is your favorite hobby?


Oh dear. I have three actually. I know you said hobby, singular, as in ONE favorite. But i'm going to have to tell all three. =)

HOBBY - Any activitiy or interest pursued outside of one's regular occupation and engaged in primarily for pleasure.

Mel's Hobbies:
1. Theatre
2. Cooking
3. Reading

1. Theatre (performing or stage managing)

I didn't have any pics of me stage managing except for 2 really silly ones that really would have to come with a LONG explanation. Well, this one will be long, too, i'm afraid, but i'll do my best to keep it short & sweet! I pulled this pic from google images & i thought it was the most realistic of what a stage manager (SM) looks like during a performance. Picture him upstairs in the back of the theatre w/ a huge window in front of him so he can see the stage. He has a headset so he can communicate w/ the ASM backstage & the sound guy & the light board operator (i usually SM & operate the light board, though.) He has the script in front of him. And that thing his left hand is on? Maybe something to set off some sort of lights?! It looks similar to what i had for CATS when i had to set off some pyrotechnics!

ANYWAY - I got into theatre for the acting but somehow was later thrown into stage managing as well. And i LOVE it. In fact, though I'm on a short break right now, I am going tonight to help with some auditions. I love that part. I love watching the actors come & audition. I like seeing the new people & reassuring them that it will be FINE. I like feeling like a part of the casting process, see how each person is picked for their role & i like watching the show come together. Directors will even ask my opinion on who i liked for certain roles! Crazy! ;) But fun. Professional Stage Managers work at professional companies & get paid. I'd love that, except i want a family & plays are usually at night - it's very time consuming. But to do it in the community theatre - for free - is still an amazing experience. I truly LOVE It! 

Now, another definition i read said that a hobby is relaxing? If so, that wouldn't really be how i define theatre... it is time consuming & hard work, but i LOVE every second. Of performing & stage managing. That has to be my #1 hobby!!

2. Cooking

I absolutely LOVE to cook. I never knew i would. My mom & grandma are excellent cooks & so is my sister. I never really had an interest in it when i was in my teens...Mom would get me in the kitchen to teach me some things & i just didn't care. I didn't cook hardly at all through my twenties, either. I did a lot of babysitting & i remember at one particular house she only had stuff to cook, she never had sandwich material or pizzas or anything, so i would always take her son out to pick something up! When i had roomies, they would cook & i would clean up after, it's just how it worked. But suddenly when i got engaged, i really WANTED to cook. I was afraid i would be terrible at it. I was afraid i somehow had not gotten the gene that mom, meemaw & michelle apparently all had! But ya know... i think i did! ;) I'm not too bad! I still have lots to learn but hubby has not complained about one dish & he's even had seconds & thirds! ;) I have blogged all my recipes (or almost all - i'm sure i forgot a few) & the links are in my sidebar. I included notes for myself on how i'd do it better next time. I don't think i'm this AMAZING cook or anything, but i don't do too bad. I used to freak out if i didn't have one thing that the recipe called for or if someone told me a "pinch of this or that" b/c i wanted an EXACT measurement. But now i love just throwing things in the pot! And it doesn't matter HOW tired i am after work - i STILL am in the mood to cook!

3. Reading

Reading is definitely my other hobby. I LOVE to read. I always loved to read as a child & as a teen you often could find me with my nose in a book! As i got older, i got really busy. I felt like i couldn't fit in pleasure reading much in college & then when i got into theatre, i NEVER had time to read. I wanted to get back to reading, but with working full time & theatre from about 7-10 each night (i did shows back to back at the time!), there was NO TIME to read a book. During those years i'd go through phases - i'd read & read & read & then i'd quit for many months. And then i'd pick up a book & get on a reading kick again! 

About Spring of 2008, i got on one of those reading kicks, when the Twilight books were first popular. I read Twilight & the only reason i remember it was spring or maybe summer of 2008 is because i remember bringing New Moon on my honeymoon. Then i read the next two. And then i got into chic lit after that. I think i read all of the Marian Keys books. And then it was Sophie Kinsella. Just one book after another. I thought it was a phase, but it's 2 years later & i haven't stopped! I LOVE to read. I am currently reading The Missing, by Beverly Lewis. It is the second in a series (the first one pictured above). I had been told to read this author, Beverly Lewis, but i thought it was historical fiction, which i usually don't like. But it's actually not historical - but it is about the Amish in today's times - so it kinda SEEMS historical! Anyway, it is REALLY good. It started out a little boring for me (only b/c i'm used to the writing styles of the above mentioned Keys & Kinsella - who are hilarious!), but now i can hardly put it down. Great reads!

So those are my hobbies! What are yours?!

5 comments:

  1. I so wish I could cook well!!!!

    I dont even know where to begin...the Coastie is in trouble...he may starve....

    I love the pic you put up there too!!!!


    I LOVE to read...unfortunately I still have another "required" premarital book to read but after that I can get back to reading what I WANT to read :D!!!!

    you should SO do a vlog you are so cute and your personality would just shine through!!!!

    im going to try to use my camera to do it....i guess we'll have to wait and see lol

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  2. I'm going to have to check out Beverly Lewis. I'm sure my church library has her books. Although I'm kind of in a reading slump. Not really... just kind of not real interested in fiction right now. It's weird. But all I want to read are Christian inspiration books. I can't get enough!!!

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  3. The background is extremely cute! I need to learn to love to cook lol. Our lives are so hectic and always rushing that we microwave ALOT. But once my son gets a little older and doesn't need me all the time I'm hoping to learn first...then love doing it!

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  4. i LOVE your new background! and i so wish i could cook. can you give lessons? ;)

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  5. I read your other blog, and when you mentioned theater, I had to jump over here and check it out. I'm a huge theater fan and consider it one of my hobbies, even if I'm only a spectator. One day I would love to get involved.
    I'm also a big reader and a so-so cook.

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