Hobby {Happiness}

Idle hands are the devil's tool. Think of it as if God's plan is for your happiness, then the devil's is for your sorrow. Boredom is a disease, a sickness that affects the mind, body and soul. Today I saw a sign that read You're not bored, you're boring.

It is so incredibly true! If you are one of those people who constantly needs to be entertained, or find yourself always saying I'm bored, then I strongly suggest your find a hobby.

No, drinking is not a hobby. No, your job is not a hobby. Sitting on the internet looking through random crap isn't a hobby either. I'm talking about finding something to do in your spare time (and don't act like you don't have any) which you can see through from beginning to end that gives you some kind of product or valuable asset.

Why should you have a hobby? TheImportance of Hobbies For Stress Relief states “Hobbies are often thought of as activities for people who lead quiet, relaxed lives. However, people with full, busy, even stressful lives may need hobbies more than the average person, and benefit greatly from having hobbies in their lives” (Elizabeth Scott, M.S).

But don't just chose something random that you don't give a hoot about. Find a piece of furniture in your living space that needs updated, or nurture a fruit-bearing plant of a fruit you love. Make an abstract painting to hang on your wall, take bike trips, join a sport league. In my opinion, the more options you give yourself, the less stressed you will be; I personally enjoy five or six different hobbies.

So think about things you love watching about on TV, or that empty space on your wall and go fill your hands and your time!

Once again, I believe Pinterest is a wonderful place to start: check out my Crafts board for some ideas of things you can make.

Today is life-the only life you are sure of. Make the most of today. Get interested in something. Shake yourself awake. Develop a hobby. Let the winds of enthusiasm sweep through you. Live today with gusto. - Dale Carnegie

Dead Armadillos

I got a new bike for my birthday! Hooray! My mom bought it for me for my birthday and I immediately took it out for a ride yesterday. Other than the front wheel needing a little tightening, everything about the bike is a million times better than my old one, which I have had since middle school.

My new bike

However, on my first ride through Arkansas I had some seriously interesting experiences. First of all, all of the roads are crap. I was so thankful 2 minutes into my ride that I have a mountain bike. About a quarter of a mile in, a dog started barking at me. Now, normally this wouldn't phase me. In my head I thought 'it will stop running at me at the property line'. Nope. It ran out onto the road, and it was a really really large pit bull. I just pedaled a bit faster. On the other side of the road. Then further on 2 more dogs ran out toward me. While these dogs were much smaller, they followed me a lot longer and got a lot closer to my bike. I may not take this route again. I'm not scared of dogs, mind you, but I'm just used to them stay on their owner's property.

The route wasn't a long one, but it is far more hilly here than in Northwest Ohio. I went a measly 6.3 miles but I've got some new routes in the works that should be really challenging.

Anyhow, here are a few sights I found along the way. I unfortunately didn't take pictures of the armadillo and coyote carcasses I also passed, but I'm hoping you will settle for these!

Pink abandoned house

PHill'S AUTO REPAIR

On bicycling:  The bicycle, the bicycle surely, should always be the vehicle of novelists and poets. - Christopher Morley

I Wanna Live Where The Green Grass Grows

Since today I am wishing I had a bike to take on a nice long ride, I am going to share a few pictures with you that I took on a ride to Oakwoods Nature Preserve before I Ohio. It's crazy how once you get in to a routine of working out how much you miss it! I definitely am right now.

My bike isn't anything special and I have had it for probably 10 or more years. The trip to Oakwoods takes me about 20 minutes and is about 4 miles. I park her in the shade, slip off my socks and shoes, and walk down to the boat ramp first.

Last time there were a bunch of minnow checking out my toes from a safe distance. 

Then I walk into the woods a way to my special patch of grass and sun!

Above is the path I take. Further up on the trail the park managers added gravel and stones which is obviously upsetting to someone who enjoys walking around barefoot. 

My beautiful patch of grass (above) is constantly dappled with light. I love laying around in the grass and listening to the birds around me and occasionally having false hope that a deer will spring forward on to the path at any moment. Last time I was there I counted 6 or 7 different bird calls, but only saw robins. How rude is that?

Lying around in the grass definitely leaves me covered in debris. I also normally leave the woods with giant red splotches over my abdomen, but for me, the 5 minutes spent there breathing in the woods and birdsong are worth the allergic reaction to the carpet-soft grass.

Further down the trail the path was completely covered by dogwood fluffs. It isn't done justice by this picture but the sight is somewhat magical and gives you the feeling of being transported somewhere else.

Thoughts on grass: I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey-work of the stars. - Walt Whitman

One of Those Rides . . .

Anyone who has ever been to Northwest Ohio knows it is as flat as a pancake. Well today the land set out to show me otherwise. I took a bike ride today that really kicked my butt. Normally I bike about 4 miles out to the Oakwoods NaturePreserve, where I slip off my shoes and let my feet soak in the quarry for a bit before I bike the 4 miles back to my apartment. For some reason I decided to take another route today that took me on some of the old roads I used to frequent as a high schooler. My route:

Only 7.3 miles . . . but I kid you not, the entire trek was uphill. If I could draw how it felt, it would be like one of those M.C. Escher drawings that never ends.

M.C. Escher's Ascending and Descending (thanks to tentblogger.com for the crop)

Despite my quads burning wildly afterward, and my being certain I had gone at least 50 miles, I felt very accomplished and proud even when I calculated the distance on Google Maps.

Today's Ride Playlist:

My Girls by Animal Collective

Tangled by Maroon 5

Hello by Beyonce

Ghost of a Good Thing by Dashboard Confessional

Eskimo by Damien Rice

Play Crack The Sky by Brand New

Who Will Save Your Soul by Jewel

Kingdom Come by The Civil Wars

No Sunlight by Death Cab for Cutie

We Intertwined by The Hush Sound

Chicago by Sufjan Stevens

Thoughts on hills: After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.
Nelson Mandela