Hobbies Part 2

My two newest hobbies are knitting and drawing. In May of this year I signed up for my first drawing class ever. While I was the weakest link in the class I definitely can say I made major strides from the first day to the last. I enjoyed it so much I am now taking the second part and love it. It may take a while before I am at a decent level. In that first class the instructor had us do a pre-instructional drawing. I just have to refer to that sheet as a reminder that I am improving.

This past summer when I was in Maine I had my mother show me how to knit home-made slippers. A tradition in our family that I always wanted to learn. Knitting may seem old fashion to some but it is soothing and so relaxing. It keeps me calm for I have to stay focus so I don’t mess up. These two latest editions to my list of hobbies have just added more things to enjoy and do when I need to unwind.

My list continues to watching movies, listening to music, working on my flowers and plants, and exercising. I am also an avid sports fan. For sure I am leaving some out. These are all things that keep my life full and active. Life is so chaotic as it is. When my son leaves the house for good as he makes his way I don’t want to get into a slump of depression. Though I will have a degree of that. But with the things that make me happy and keep me moving at least I will have options on things to do.

So is there such a thing as having too many hobbies? I guess that all depends on the individual. Every time the college catalogue comes out I scan to see what is being offered.  I am not trying to see what I might take. What I am figuring out is what will be my next amazing experience in something that I have zero clue in.

All in all hobbies not only helps us grow and learn but it can also define a part of us. It shows people and ourselves what we are about, what we like and who we are to some degree. Every one needs a hobby or two or three. I hope you have a number of them like I do. For when we are in a good place then our family is in a good place as well as the people who come in contact with us. Life is good, it really is but it is amazing when you break out and reach for a hobby. Especially one that is so far out of your comfort zone. In that you discover something about you which you might never have before.

Drawing Class Part 2

In May I signed up for a drawing class called “Drawing On The Right Side Of The Brain” at my local community college. I blogged about it a few times to talk about the ups and downs I had with it. To put it bluntly in a group of seven students I was the only one who had never had a drawing class in her life. Fortunately the instructor was worth her weight in gold and she made the experience simply amazing.

Last week I signed up for the intermediate class and I started this past Wednesday. Looking at the description in the course catalog I wondered if I was getting in over my head. I probably am. But I am not letting this stop me. Fortunately due to the last class I have all the necessary supplies needed.

What I remembered was the commoderie of the other students. Those who were well advance then me but who still gave me encouragement. It was three hours once a week to forget all the stuff that was going on in life and concentrate on the art of drawing.  No matter if I was stressed, not feeling well, worried about this that or another once I entered classroom 139 it all got left behind as the door would shut behind me. There were times I felt so out of my element. There were the times I would show my husband and son what I had drawn and one could see they were trying hard to not hurt my feelings when they tried to figure out what I had attempted to draw. That was tough.

But if I looked from day one to the last there was a vast different in my drawing skills. The very last assignment was for us to draw ourselves while looking at our faces in the mirror. That took every lesson we had learned to get this done. When Nancy came by my spot she looked at my piece and then at me. She told the class when they had a chance to come see my eyes for I had nailed it. That was something that well I can’t even begin to express how that made me feel.

This was one of the best class I had ever taken at this school. But it gave me something much more. Since the class I have sketched. Sometimes it has been to fight off boredom. But most times it had been to unstress from life. The drawings don’t always come out where you know what the heck it is but practice does help. This has been a new tool for me to use and it is something I am truly grateful for.

So yes round two started. I am sure it will be six weeks of woohoo and also good gosh girl why the hell did you take this class? It will be one where I will feel inapt compared to the other students versus when Nancy stops by and tells me in her soft voice, “Yeah there you got it.”

But it will give me new ammunition to my budding drawing skills. I have had people laugh at my sketches and also make fun of me taking the class. But that is okay it really is. For it is now more than just a class I take one day a week. It gives me a piece of mind when I need it. So I got one class down.  Even though it has been months since I have stepped in this room I feel right at home. I am loving it.

MIA: Chapter 2

My editor in email: I found a minor loop-hole in the MS.

OK don’t panic was my first thought. I was still in Maine when I received the email. She is mistaken, I know that the part she mentioned was covered in one of the earlier chapters. Don’t freak out I will look at it when I get back.

A few days later after getting home I checked out her edited copy of my MS and began to read. I scan down to the part she mentioned had the loop-hole. She probably just missed it as she was editing. Scrolling back to the beginning I reread my book. I finished and reread it again.

Where in the hell was chapter 2? OK I probably sent the wrong file. Looking over my entire computer I found file after file of the revised chapters but the one I needed. It had to be here. The first time I revise anything by computer instead of long hand and this is what happens. Great just freaken great. How in the world did I lose a whole chapter?

Going over my computer one more time I looked and crossed fingers to no avail. My husband being ever so helpful asked, “Well where did you file it?”

Really hon? He followed that up with, “Well what is the name of the file you can do a search.” Again really? If I knew where I filed it or remembered the name I would have done so. I know I know he was trying to help me but this was not working. An hour later he suggested I checked my laptop but I pish poshed that away for I had used my desktop.

In June my step dad died and we went up. It now being August I made another trip back to see how my mom was doing. In the week to leaving I had to rearrange my doctor appointments, physical therapy, and meetings. I had to pack, make sure my medication was refilled and pay my bills and to get others to be paid while gone. My five bird cages had to be clean and prepped and ready for my son to take over while I was away. And of course the gabillion things that need to be done prior to a trip. Where I was going there would be limited access to the internet.

In between all of this I was revising my MS to send to my editor before I left so she could go over it while I was gone. The infamous MS that was turned down by a publisher but who had told me where it needed fixing. Asking him if I revised it would he look at it again he had said yes. So the week before leaving was a mess.

My thought on my missing chapter was I had copied over it. There was no other explanation. I am paranoid when it comes to saving my writings. I save them on my computer and two external hard drives- each chapter each revision each MS.

I would have to rewrite this chapter. While I could recall what was in it this didn’t thrill me. Coming back from a trip usually means a few days of getting caught up at the homestead. My poor editor just listened to me vent, fuss and complained as she patiently said it is okay you can do this.  Bless her heart

Four hours later

Totally frustrated with the prospect of what had to be done I sat down on the couch to watch tv as I picked up my laptop to search for this and that. As the screen lite up I saw the file ants.odt. Could it be?

The missing chapter was about ants. Trying to not get over excited I opened it up and shazam my MIA opened before my very eyes. Immediately I hugged my poor husband and turned back to the file. Here it was. I have no recollection of working on this machine while I was busy revising the MS. But here it was waving hello to me with a smirk.

The time this fiasco started was 840am and the end time was 435pm. Yeah someone told me I should have listened to my husband. But at that point I was already in frenzy mode and there  was no derailing that train. The MIA chapter has been sent to my editor and upon completion the new revised MS will be sent to the publisher.

I can breath again… for now.