Do you have any hobbies?

Have you ever been asked about your hobbies in a job interview? I have. For most of my adult life, the question, “What kind of hobbies do you enjoy?” would cause me a brief pang of anxiety. That’s because, to my way of thinking, I didn’t have one. So, when confronted with the H-question, I would eventually pull myself together and say something like, “Well, I like to read”.

Now, reading might be a very good and noble hobby, but to my ear it sounded lame. Running, gardening, golfing, hiking, writing – to name a few – are “real” hobbies. Reading a good book, not so much – at least not to me – not back then.

So, dear reader, here’s my question to you, “Do you have any hobbies?” If you do, what makes it a good hobby?

When Marcia Perez decided she wanted to open a shop for beer and wine making hobbyists, one of the things we worked on was the company’s slogan or tag line: “Have Fun. Be Proud.™” We like it so much, we think it’s worthy of the trademark symbol.  Plus, it had a nice ring to it. As I write this, it occurs to me that our slogan encapsulates a lot of the factors that go into a good and worthwhile hobby.

Consider the hobby of writing poetry. I confess to writing a few verses, now and again. I have fun writing the lines. When I read them to others I feel good about what I have done – I am proud of my poems, even if when I don’t share them.

At our shop, we teach a home brewing class to beginners. When I ask them why they want to learn about making beer, some of them will say, “Well, I like to drink it”. Of course, but there’s more to it than that, isn’t there?

Next time, we’ll talk more about what makes a good hobby. In the meantime, please tell us more why you are engaged in your hobby.

Written by Gerald Perez, Marcia’s helper.