Extreme Hobbies

So one of my coworkers, Kari, came to me in dire need of help.

Yes, she sought me out in all of my wise wisdom for answers. 

She was looking for a winter hobby that would get her out of the house and help her to be more social. 

Being the unsocial hermitis workaholic bookworm that I am, I had to Google it. 

Now when I first started looking I admit I was attracted to the more antisocial type hobbies 

Like this: 

Ship in a Bottle

It’s the classic old man hobby: putting intricate model ships in a glass bottle. Amaze kids with your ship in a bottle displays! They’ll spend the rest of their childhood trying to figure out exactly how you did it. Placing a ship in a bottle (or impossible bottle) is a task that takes dedicated focus, patience, and a steady hand. http://www.artofmanliness.com/2010/01/06/45-manly-hobbies/ 

AND yes this came from a manly hobbies website. All the woman's hobbies were sewing and making a quilt, not what I was looking for exactly. 

I also suggested archery and whittling from this site, but she wasn't too keen on weapons use as she would end up hurting herself and others. 

Next I suggested this:

Minimalism

A lifestyle interest

This might not sound exactly like a hobby, but it sure is a lifestyle choice. Dabbling in certain lifestyles can be hobbies and interests for adults, so I'm sticking with this!

Here are some minimalism projects:

• change to simple decorations and furniture (declutter, naturally)
• stop using things like a wallet, a watch, a phone...
• pare down your wardrobe (this is a pretty popular one, make a goal like only 20 or 10 items). Here'sanother example.
• the 100 things challenge (pare your possessions down to 100 things).
• make as many things digital (and not physical) as possible, such as files, photos, cds and dvds etc.
•  http://www.squidoo.com/the-world-s-biggest-list-of-hobbies

She wasn't too keen on this idea. 

From this site I also suggested street graffiti, joining the circus, or miming. But all she had to say was that she knew someone who joined the circus..."he was a real clown".

So I continued on with my search.

Ninja Turtle dog from DogboardinginPortland

Competitive dog grooming

Ever want to turn your Saint Bernard into a tiger?  Your Bichon into a panda?  How about a Ninja Turtle?  This one actually requires a little skill and some artistic vision.  Professional groomers compete by clipping, dyeing, and combing dogs into the craziest animals, objects, and characters.  This hobby/career is one that has to be seen to really be appreciated http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/world-our-backyard/2013/jan/25/11-unusual-and-bizarre-hobbies/

Kari mentioned that she likes puppies and dogs, so I thought she would appreciate this one. But she doesn't have the dedication or the dog to do it. 

This next one sounds really cool, but again with her lack of dedication she couldn't hack it. 

Newsraiding

Consisting of appearing as a bystander in the background of television shows, this is probably the most difficult of all the hobbies listed.   Very few have the resolve, planning skills, and perfect star-alignment to call this a hobby and not a mere pipe dream. http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/world-our-backyard/2013/jan/25/11-unusual-and-bizarre-hobbies/

Who knew that Newsraiding would be such work? 

This hobby really sounds more like her speed: 

http://instantjoy.tumblr.com

But then I found it!!

The hobby that takes the cake!

I have never heard of this hobby before and I feel like I have been incomplete up to this point in my life!!

How did I go so long without knowing of this wonderful hobby? 

How does anyone go through life not knowing about this hobby?!?!

My parents taught me nothing!

EXTREME IRONING! 

http://dailycaller.com/2013/06/11/10-strange-hobbies-people-actually-spend-time-doing-slideshow/extreme-ironing-3/

I can't even...I just LOVE IT!!

http://www.smosh.com/smosh-pit/articles/extreme-ironing-1

http://www.smosh.com/smosh-pit/articles/extreme-ironing-1

http://www.smosh.com/smosh-pit/articles/extreme-ironing-1

Extreme Ironing (also called EI) is an extreme sport and a performance art in which people take ironing boards to remote locations and iron items of clothing. According to the Extreme Ironing Bureau, extreme ironing is "the latest danger sport that combines the thrills of an extreme outdoor activity with the satisfaction of a well-pressed shirt." ^(Wikipedia)

How?! Just how does one even come up with these amazing things? There is even and Extreme Ironing Bureau!!

My Mind is blown! 

In the end, due to our lack of ironing skills (I may only own a mini ironing board which I never use, instead I just don't wear my clothes if they look too wrinkly), and Kari's lack of dedication, we settled on starting a book club where we may or may not read the book and get together to pretend to talk about it while we drink wine.

Sounds more like our type of hobby.  

Dog Sitting

On top of my two real jobs (Medical Receptionist and Barista) and Business school I also dog-sit as a pastime activity. (I know I'm super lame) 

Yesterday one of my clients asked me to come over for dinner. 

Guys. I am a very socially awkward person.

Especially in these types of situations. I get nervous and nauseous and I have no idea what to say or do. 

I like to believe, in my head, that I pull these situations off well without letting anyone else know how awkward I feel, but probably not. 

I didn't know what she wanted. I had done this before for her. I know her dogs. Why was she asking me over? 

I felt like I was being called to the principle's office. I felt like I was going to puke. What were we going to talk about for so long? 

I bucked up and happily agreed to go over for pizza. 

One of my main motto's for life (after why the hell not?) is fake it til you make it. 

I had to take a deep breath before I rang the doorbell, but I did it. I didn't run away in fear, like I really wanted to. 

And guess what?! I survived. 

I didn't throw up or die. I even carried on conversation like a normal human being. I'm very proud of myself. 

It did help that she did most of the talking. 

And it turns out that she wanted to ask me over because they are going away for 18 days!

The most I've ever done is about a week. 

I can see why she wanted to have me over to talk about it. There are a lot more things to be taken care of when you're there a month verses a weekend. 

She retold me several things that I already knew. She just kept saying "It just makes me feel better to tell you again". I understand completely. It's hard to leave your dogs for so long, but if I didn't know where the dog food was I think I would be in trouble. 

I'm excited about it. It's like a new adventure. Plus I am way less awkward around the dogs. 

Itty Bitty Pity Party

I started this morning feeling really depressed and sorry for myself.

I didn't want to get out of bed. I was ready to give up on work and school and paying bills. I just wanted to curl up in my little ball of blankets and never come out.

I almost did it! I almost said forget it all! 

But then I started to feel guilty for thinking about it.

I started to feel sick thinking about calling into work.

How do you like that...I can't call into work because I feel too guilty and it makes me sick! (this has been a lifelong problem and not an isolated incident)

I rebelliously laid in bed an extra three minutes, before I begrudgingly got up and went to work.

I did use my pouty face the whole way to work just to let the world know how unhappy I was about the whole thing.

When I walked into my building I found one of my older patients locked inside her car.

This man was trying to get the doors open, but apparently the locks were frozen shut.

I tried to help, but the locks were not budging.

She was terribly upset that she couldn't go to her appointment and slightly afraid she wouldn't be able to get out of her car at all. She left to drive around and warm up her car, so she could hopefully get out.

I thought to myself, "Luna, here you are feeling sorry for yourself over nothing, when you could be trapped inside of your own car."

Okay, so maybe that isn't the most tragic thing in the world, but it made me think that I don't have it so bad and I should stop feeling sorry for myself.

Then I read this: This Guy’s Wife Got Cancer, So He Did Something Unforgettable. The Last 3 Photos Destroyed Me.

Then I saw a lady who got kicked in the face by a horse.

My little pity party this morning was starting to feel foolish.

I'm really a mixed bag of emotions right now. I am still feel a little depressed for myself, I feel ashamed for feeling this way, I feel sorry for the lady locked in her car, I want to cry for the man and his wife, and I feel inspired by the lady who got kicked in the face by a horse and still manages to have a smile on her face.

So, what I'm basically saying is I have a lot of crap to do I don't want to do, but things are looking up, and I want to cry about everything.

You know...normal girl stuff.

(I think I might be PMSing)

The Alarm Clock Games

Daylight savings is kicking my butt!

You get all nice and comfortable. Your internal clock can almost wake you up naturally.

Then someone makes you change your stupid clocks by an hour!

You wouldn't think that an hour would make that much difference, but it feels like I packed up and move to the other side of the world!

It's already Wednesday and I'm still not adjusted. I hate it.

My alarm clock hates daylight savings too.

I change my clock Saturday night before I go to bed and I get up Sunday without a hitch, but then comes Monday. The clock hates Mondays.

I set my newly adjusted alarm clock to the time I need to get up and fall asleep expecting it to work properly. Just like every other day of the year, just like yesterday.

But Monday comes and I wake up to find my clock has decided to jump an extra hour!

Every daylight savings Monday, without fail, for the past three years.

I wake up and find I'm either ready for work by 4 AM before I realize what happened or I'm running around like a mad fool trying not to be late for work.

Three years of this!!!

I have this unrealistic expectation that maybe this time it will be the right time. I quadruple check the alarm clock before I go to bed and go to sleep, fully putting my trust in this little clock that has failed me time and time again.

For awhile I was positive I was so paranoid about waking up at the right time and not being late for work, that I changed it in my sleep.

But it's far to coincidental for it to happen this many times without fail.

I'm not that reliable, even in my dreams.

I'm thinking that somehow it's set to change at daylight savings time, but it's calendar is off by a day. I'm just not sure how to fix it.

I should look into getting a new alarm clock, but now I'm kind of attached to it and this little game we play twice a year.

I proud to say that this was the first time I won the game and beat the alarm clock! I had to bring in my ringer and set a different alarm, but I did it!

I AM SMARTER THAN THE ALARM CLOCK!!

American Box Pickers

After the dismal Tuesday of uncertainty I had as of Tuesday with the coffee shop relocation, my coffee boss finally stepped it up and got things rolling and clued us in on the plans.

It's still not as smooth as it could be with her disappearing every now and then, leaving us with ALL the work.  This is especially disheartening since we are volunteering our time for the move, but I'm trying not to dwell on that.

We have been working like crazy! We had to be out yesterday, literally.

At one point we ran out of boxes, so Mandy sent her sister, Jessie, and I box hunting.

The best place they have found to get empty moving boxes is Woodman's Grocery Store. 

This is a huge grocery store, people. It's so big that I never go there.

I absolutely HATE grocery shopping, it's like pulling teeth. When I have to go I want to get in and out as quick as possible. Woodman's is not quick when it takes you 20 minutes to walk across the store to get a gallon of milk.

I find it so terrible that, even though it is right across the street from me and the cheapest prices in town, I would rather drive farther and pay more than go there.

I made an exception in this case, because we weren't actually grocery shopping.

Jessie had done this before, so I thought we would just make a quick stop at the back entrance, ask for some boxes and be done.

Little did I know! 

Jessie took me inside the main entrance, grabbed at cart, and told me we had to go box picking.

And by box picking she meant we had to go up and down every isle and look for this big bins full of boxes and find the boxes we wanted.

Now, well I said I hate grocery shopping in this store, I found this experience to be hilariously funny and wonderful!


Imagine a huge grocery store, isle packed with people getting groceries, staring at these two girls opening up large box bins in the middle of the isles picking boxes!

The looks we got.

I felt like I was on the show American Pickers were they go to people junked up houses and pick those old buildings to find treasure.

Jessie said when she came in the first time she asked a lady for boxes and lady said "this is going to sound strange..."

It was strange, but it was also, hands down, the best part of the move!

"GET OUT OF MY OR!"

Mona and I live together in a very nice, three story, three bedroom apartment.

It's a very large space for just the two of us, so we tried renting out the extra third bedroom for awhile.

In under a year and a half we have managed to run off two roommates.

The first one said she wanted to "live on her own". I'm not sure if that should be taken as an insult or not? (just to clarify, no insult was really taken...although Mona was a little upset...she even wrote a song about it)

And the second one wanted to get away so bad she got appendices and racked up huge medical bills to get away from us (she's okay, she's just broke and couldn't afford to live with us anymore).

So, right now it's just the two of us.

We have thought about getting another roommate. But with roommates, who are not your siblings, you have to behave a little bit or else they run away in fear.

You can't do things like throw your keys in the middle of the floor when you walk in the house.

No more laying sprawled on the living room chair with drool hanging down your face.

Some roommates judge if you sit and watch Grey's Anatomy for three days straight.

And they don't like when you start a million different hobbies and leave your stuff laying everywhere.

You can't leave your underwear laying in the laundry room.

Or take up all the freezer space.

Or forget to do your dishes.

You can't live in the dark like a vampire by not turning on lights and using room darkening drapes.

And they look at you funny when you go into giggling fits that last all night.

And you have to deal with things like boyfriends coming over all the time when you like to live in a boyfriend free zone.

And the weird looks they give you when you try to act like a cat lady without any cats.

Not that I do any of these things...

Anyways, Mona and I have decided that we are going to forgo a roommate for the time being and turn our spare bedroom in to a all purpose media room.

This includes things like musical interments, recording equipment, books, TV, comfy chairs, fun nick knacks and such.

We also decided to call it our Operating Room.

 Mona has been dying to yell:

"GET OUT OF MY OR!"

But she has never been in an appropriate situation to yell it, seeing as she is not a surgeon (again, too much Grey's Anatomy), so this gives her the perfect opportunity.

I have a very strong feeling that I am going to be the one she's yelling at to get out of the OR.

We also bought an embarrassing large TV for the OR that we have yet to tell anyone about.

It's our dirty little secret.

We are suppose to be saving money for our coffee shop.

But how can we have a Media Operating Room without a nice TV?

It's just not possible.

At least there's no roommate to judge us...

Going Down...Town?

Operation move the coffee shop downtown is underway?

At least I think it is. I'm not really sure anymore....

We closed up shop on Saturday with big plans of being all moved into the new building downtown by this Friday.

Last week my coffee boss was pulling and rallying us to put all our effort into the big move this week, so that we can reopen without delay. 

This week Mona and I have hardly been able to pull two words out of her. 

There have been vague plans and almost answers, but every time we start asking too many questions she says she will talk to us later. 

It's already Tuesday and we have done nothing.

Friday is coming up fast!

I drove by the building this morning, before my other job, and there's not even a sign on the old building saying that we are closed, just doors locked and lights off. 

I looked through the window and it didn't seem like anything had been touched since I left on Saturday night. 

Part of me is thinking they have no plan and no idea what they are doing and that they are going to expect us all to drop everything and scramble with them at the last minute (much like how the work scheduling was the last two weeks). 

And part of me is thinking that Mandy and Juan got in another fight and decided to call it quits and forgot to tell us. 

Mona and I aren't sure what to do or if we still have jobs. 

Right now it's a game of wait and see game.  

I don't think there is anyway we will be all moved in by Friday.

Oh and did I mention that Mandy also has us signed up for an local business expo on Sunday, and we have nothing done for that either? 

Oy Vey!