Today on the book blog, we're not going to talk about books. (I know. I'm scared too.) We're going to talk about what I do when I'm not reading. Here's a list of my . . . hobbies? Is that what you'd call them? Lifestyle choices? Things forced upon me by society?
Here's some stuff I do.
📺 What I Do When I'm Not Reading 🥊
Customer Service In The Wilderness
I work at a state park. It's mostly a customer service job, but I get eaten alive by mosquitos while I do it. Between the work hours, the overtime, the commute, and the complete mental exhaustion, I use a lot of my energy on work.
High-Maintenance Roommate
I live with a 4-year-old. Brooklyn is loud, messy, and never has money for rent. I love her.
Will Run For Nachos
I exercise a lot, but no one can tell because I have the same diet as Buddy the Elf. I do yoga every day. I take kickboxing lessons 3 times a week. I run when I have the time and the motivation. I don't actually enjoy exercise. I just really, really love food and need to exercise so I don't end up on the My 600-lb Life TV show. I'm pretty sure I've eaten enough cheese to explode my heart.
Watching The Whole World's Trashy Reality TV
Speaking of My 600-lb Life, I'm a connoisseur of trashy television. I think I've watched every bad reality show in the US. I've moved on to other countries' shows. Recently I loved Physical 100 (Korea) and Run For The Money (Japan). I love animated shows too. The Simpsons' is my favorite, obviously. Oh, and ice hockey. I watch a lot of hockey games.
Sometimes I Have Thoughts
You may not know this, but I have a book blog. Read All The Things! turns 10 this year! It takes an embarrassing number of hours to write posts and do all the promotion stuff for them. I appreciate all 6 of you who read my blog.
Sometimes I Have Fictional Thoughts
I started taking fiction writing classes when I was 13 and took them pretty much nonstop until I was 29. Then, in 2019, I quit fiction writing for complicated reasons that nobody wants to hear about. Fast forward to March 2023. I had a stress nightmare and woke up thinking, That nightmare would make a nice children's story. Then I started writing again. I guess I'm back to writing? I don't know.
Aimless Wandering
Normally, I hate any activity that requires me to put on a bra and outdoor pants, but I will make an exception for aimless wandering. I love hiking trails, museums, and city streets. I'm perfectly happy wandering around with no destination in mind.
Simming!
I've been obsessed with The Sims video games since I was a literal child. I have to put a time limit on the number of hours I play or I will happily give up my real life and live in The Sims universe. Aside from the spontaneous fires, it's a nice place to live.
What do you do when you're not reading?
LOL I'm pretty sure that more than 6 people read your blog! I love wandering museums too.
ReplyDeleteAh, great post! I want to write something (Something! Anything!) and I was disheartened to hear Leila Mottley speak last night---she had her first book accepted for publication when she was seventeen!
ReplyDeleteThank you for all of your hard work! I love national parks and have so much admiration for the people who keep them running smoothly.
ReplyDeleteHere is our Top Ten Tuesday.
Astilbe
Aimless wandering is something I enjoy as well. It’s so much fun.
ReplyDeleteMy post: https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-my-favourite-things/
Aimless wondering and thinking of things both real and fictional is something I do.
ReplyDeleteYes to aimless wandering. Regine
ReplyDeletewww.rsrue.blogspot.com
I love your "High maintenance roommate". That's hilarious! I have one of those, but they're 15.
ReplyDeleteSorry, but I love hearing someone say they exercise regularly (running, kickboxing and yoga!) and they still don't enjoy it. lol
ReplyDeleteHaha, I love your humor! I'm impressed with all the exercise you do - definitely something I aspire to do more of too, as I also love food :) Also, congrats on 10 years of blogging!
ReplyDeleteTold with a wonderful tongue-in-cheek style that made me smile. I don't exercise and totally should - we all should, but that's one should that I just avoid. :) And your high maintenance roommate sounds like a challenging one for sure.....but one you can't live without!
ReplyDeleteTerrie @ Bookshelf Journeys
https://www.bookshelfjourneys.com/post/ttt-freebie-personal-sharing
Happy anniversary!
ReplyDeleteI like hockey too but it's hard to watch now that the Red Wings suck so bad.
If only Brooklyn would come up with some rent money - LOL! You know, I wrote a post and said that if I met you, we eat nachos together. I love your enthusiasm for this wonderful food. It's awesome that you are writing again. Follow your muse!
ReplyDeleteA fun post! In addition to reading, I do a fair amount of writing, thinking, walking, working on my house, maintaining land, gardening... and occasionally preaching
ReplyDeleteLoved your post, totally entertained. Made me smile. With you on the trashy TV but not the mosquitoes.
ReplyDeleteThis is quite possibly the most entertaining post I've seen this month, maybe ever. I also love The Simpsons, and I think it's really cool that you you work at a state park! But mosquitos are seriously the worst thing in the world. It's been so much fun getting to know you!
ReplyDeleteI love your gift and sense of humour! The list itself is great too. I love the idea of working in a state park, and I enjoy playing The Sims too 😊
ReplyDeleteI love this post, it is hilarious, honest, and I can relate to it! I hope you have a wonderful week!
ReplyDeleteI admire your commitment to working out when you hate exercise, because same, but I need to do it more. LOL Love the roommate situation - it's a good thing she's cute, right?!
ReplyDeleteLauren @ www.shootingstarsmag.net
This was a really fun post! I'm glad to get to know you a little better. I hate exercise but plan to change that once my last baby is here this summer. I'm going to commit to it since I don't have the excuse of "After the next baby." haha!
ReplyDeleteI've not played The Sims in ages but I used to be obsessed with it and could while away hours with my Sims, honestly, it's probably a good thing I stopped playing it, I get more done!
ReplyDeleteMy TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2023/04/18/top-ten-tuesday-416/
Great post! I recently watched Run For The Money (Japan) and loved it. I have a feeling your roommate won't plan on moving out for a very long time!
ReplyDeleteFun list! I tried the Sims when it was still new, but wasn't good enough at micromanaging. I couldn't keep them alive, let alone happy! The mosquitos would be a real problem, but does the scenery help any?
ReplyDeleteFantastic post! 4 year olds are terrible roommates and they don't get better for quite sometime though they do get better at dressing themselves and with enough nagging sometimes you can get some labor in return for rent!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness! I had so much fun reading this post. I identified with so much of it. I also exercise to eat. 😆 I've been trying to write for years--usually during Nanowrimo--but I constantly consider giving up. And I used to be obsessed with playing The Sims. I was forced to choose between books or the game. Books won. Barely. 😂
ReplyDeleteAimless wandering sounds like so much fun!
ReplyDeleteWould your bosses mind if you add a beekeeper's net partway round your hat/helmet at work to keep off the mosquitoes? (Do mosquitos have toes?) Now you have me being silly, lol.
Congrats on the blog anniversary, it was fun reading about some of your other activities. Your job sounds tough but I love the idea of working in the outdoors. Best of luck with your writing!
ReplyDeleteThis post made me laugh out loud, especially the bra/outdoor pants comment (I can TOTALLY relate). When I'm not reading I also like aimless wandering in nature, museums, and cities; hanging out with friends (mostly on walks); and traveling to visit other friends.
ReplyDeleteThose Simpsons images made me chuckle. Thanks for sharing so much about yourself. I enjoy food and your blog. Hiking seems too much like exercise :) Thanks for visiting my blog last week.
ReplyDeleteMy non-reading time is mostly writing, running my businesses, and running a few FB groups. After that, it's knitting, exercise, and watching TV!
ReplyDeleteI am a regular reader. 🙋🏻♀️ So count me. Sorry I don’t comment much. This post was entertaining!
ReplyDeleteMan, you are making me really miss the Sims! I don't think I have played in like 3 years and I am SAD. But time. I am impressed with your exercise regimen too! And the aimless wandering because like, you are moving. It turns out I HATE moving? And I also hate outside. Honestly I would die in the apocalypse, like, first or second no question.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you're writing again! I hope you keep at it. I know it can be a disheartening business, but it's wonderful too!
ReplyDelete