If you were to ask me my hobbies, my mind instantly goes to everything bookish related, so it was interesting to reflect on some of my other hobbies. I am so looking forward to reading everyone else’s posts this week. It is fun to learn more about the person behind the book blog!
Foodie
I am a such a food lover, whether that means I am cooking or baking myself, or appreciating a good meal at a restaurant. There is something about cooking a meal that relaxes me and the science behind baking is fascinating! I recently decided to give up red meat, so I have been exploring more vegeterian recipes, which has been a fun journey. I am also one of those people who has to take a picture of their meal when at a restaurant. I have used those pictures for inspiration and attempted to replicate some of the recipes, but often they are so outside my skill level!
Swimming
I do not get to swim as much as I would like, but swimming was once a huge part of my life. I am a certified lifeguard as well as being certified to teach lessons. I spent a lot of my teenage years at the pool. Swimming is therapeutic for me and it is something I really should prioritize in my life.
The Sims
I have been playing The Sims since it was first released, and I have my dad to thank for that. I can remember the day that he brought the original Sims game home to me and I have been hooked ever since. It is something I could through phases with but will always love. I am so excited for the new expansion pack that is coming out on the 17th!
True Crime
What is it about true crime that is so capitivating? I know that many of us have a slight obsession with true crime, whether is it true crime novels, podcasts, or documentaries. I watch and listen to them all! I would be curious to read a book about the psychology behind why we enjoy true crime. Does something like that exist?
Plants
2020 seems to be the year of the house plant! I never thought that I had a green thumb, but there is so much more information out there about how to take care of plants that I am much more confident in it. I am now the proud owner of six plants, and they are all thriving! It is amazing how much life one plant can add to a space. They make me happy just looking at them!
Walking
If you follow my bookstagram, you will know that I have started to fall in love with walking lately. It is so nice to get out of the house every day and get my heart rate up without overdoing it. I try to take an hour every day to go for a walk while listening to an audiobook. Sadly, winter is here in Northern Ontario (it is snowing as I type this!) and it will soon be too cold for my daily walks. I will have to come up with an alternative for winter- maybe an exercise bike!?
Taking Photos
My love for taking photos stems from something bookish! I really started taking Bookstagram seriously over the last year and I am having so much fun with it. I am no expert, but finding the right angle and set up for my photos has been a blast. I take my photos using my cellphone camera, but I have been going back and forth on whether to buy a good camera. I know that they are complicated and I would have a lot to learn, but that could be interesting and something to do!
Makeup
I am not as into makeup as I was a few years ago, but it is something I still appreciate. I follow quite a few makeup artists on Instagram and what they do with makeup is incredible. It truly is an art form! I recently decided to go completely cruetly-free, so I have been doing a lot of research on which brands are vegan and cruelty-free and which ones are not. I have learned a lot and it has been fascinating!
Art
I am in no way an artist, but I do appreciate art. Exploring an art gallery or museum is right up there with walking the aisles of a bookstore in terms of my favourite activities. I do not have the budget to buy expensive art, but I love supporting local artists and buying original artwork when I can. I have an account on Artsy, and I can definitely waste a few hours browsing on that site.
Board Games
I love a good board game! Of course, I appreciate the classics like Scrabble and Clue, but there are new board games put out all the time that are incredibly creative and so much fun. One of my current favourites is Codenames, but there are so many I want to try. A friend recently bought me the new Blockbuster game, and I am so excited to try it!
What is your favourite hobby outside of books and reading?
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Ummmmmm … okay … can we be friends in real life!?! Because we legit have too much in common and I love it! I’m such a foodie! I’m not big on cooking myself but I love trying new foods and eating haha! I used to be a huge swimmer; I was actually a lifeguard once upon a time! The Sims … I’m a legit addict. I haven’t been able to play in a while but I’m hoping to get back to it soon! I have so many plant babies … I want to have my own garden eventually. Walking is another thing I love doing … it’s very soothing. I loved reading your non bookish hobby list !
I’m not at all surprised that we have so much in common!! We have to be irl friends!
I’m the same with The Sims! I think the new pack will get me excited about it again.
Ummm … yes … yes we do <3 OH MY GOSH! I watched some reviews and i want it so badly! I currently have them for PS4 and the Sims 3 for computer … but I sold my gaming computer. But I'm getting one soon apparently so I will be getting them all on computer eventually 🙂 I miss MODS!
I could not play the game without mods and custom content! I find myself downloading mods more than actually playing the game…
Oh … the good ol’ days …
I share many of your outside interests, first and foremost food and cooking. Two not on your list are travel and camping. And as my blog indicates, I can’t get enough of the French language, history, and culture.
I wish I had more time to travel, which definitely won’t be happening any time soon!
Ooh those food photos really made me crave dessert!
My post!
So good! Nothing beats a lovely dessert!
Thanks for sharing your wonderfully broad enthusiasms. Walking is such a great activity, getting outside, into the weather, under the sky. I expect it gets really cold in Northern Ontario. Too cold to x country ski or snowshoe? I am afraid the winter here means cold and wet. We rarely get snow, which is so lovely under a pale blue sky. Good luck with the winter- you certainly have a lot of indoor hobbies to keep you busy.
My friends and I were just talking about getting snowshoes! They are turning out to be hard to find- I guess everyone has the same idea this year!
Thank you so much! I will always have reading to keep me busy if nothing else!
Needlework of all sorts! I love to knit, crochet (my very favorite), cross stitch and quilt. Of course it’s a balancing act with the reading.
I love that! Something I have thought about getting into myself. Would be great to cross stitch while listening to an audiobook.
Definitely want to go out to eat with you! That food looks so good! x
Ah would be fun! I make it my mission to find the best spots.
I have a lot of similar interests! I can definitely relate to 2020 being the year of the houseplant. For the first time in my life, my plants are thriving instead of dying 🙂 Also, I love your photos!
Thank you!
So many house plants living their best lives this year!
Those Halloumi fries! WANT!!!
The only book close to discussing the psychology behind true crime I know if is Savage Appetites by Rachel Monroe. She looks at a couple of well-known cases that different women were strongly drawn to (one was peripheral to the Manson murders but found a way to be involved, one was a wannabe mass shooter with a vivid online life, one in a relationship with one of the Memphis Three, etc.) It was good but not always as well researched as I thought it could’ve been, and each of the women was an extreme, so there wasn’t much explanation if you didn’t see yourself as one of her identified “archetypes”, which I’d guess that most of us don’t. But might be interesting to you nonetheless, I thought it still was!
And I love your Rebecca picture!!
The fries were incredible! Deep fried Halloumi with pomegranate seeds. Perfection!
I have seen the cover for Savage Appetites floating around but never knew what the book was actually about. I just downloaded the audiobook on Scribd and will listen to it this month. Thank you for the recommendation! I think learning about the extreme cases will be interesting!
Omg they just sound incredible!!
Yay, I’m glad I could recommend it to you! Excited to hear what you think of it.
I’ve been doing a ton of walking, too. It’s the best stress release.
Same! My mental health has improved so much since I started walking.
Wonderful post! I think my biggest hobby outside of reading is gardening and making my yard as lovely and inviting as the inside! I love reading on my porch swing surrounded by my hummingbird feeders and all things green and flowery! Luckily in SoCal we can be outside almost year round!
That sounds so lovely! I wish we had shorter winters, but from November to March it is way too cold to spend much time outside.
You will need to become a snow bird and come south for the winter!
I would love that!
I’ve been cooking up a storm recently myself. I always go crazy in the kitchen in the fall and winter. You’re photos look fantastic by the way 🙂
I am the same way! There is something so comforting about cooking in the fall and winter months.
That cranberry orange loaf looks positively divine! Can you send me a slice next time you make one?
I do love a good boardgame and Codenames is such a fun game. My recent fabourite board game would have to be Parks because the artwork is absolutely stunning.
It really was delicious!
I have been looking at Parks! It is definitely on my list and the artwork is indeed gorgeous.
Your photos are so beautiful! And your foodie pics made me hungry!!
Thank you!!
I love taking photos too! And that dessert looks so good!! Board games, makeup and plants!
Amazing!! The dessert was delicious! Everyone in my family ordered a different one and they were all so adorable!
and, Here’s my TTT
I love food, but definitely more for the consuming than the cooking of it! I used to love playing the Sims but haven’t played in years.
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2020/11/03/top-ten-tuesday-288/
I get that for sure!
I went a few years without playing The Sims, but got into it again a few years ago and I have loved it ever since!
It was definitely a lot of fun when I did it, maybe I should consider getting Sims 4, it was always a good way to while away a few hours which is desperately needed during this pandemic!
You have awesome hobbies!! I love your photos! Every time I see one on my feed I feel inspired to take a photo! 😊
Those photos of food, omg yum! That cranberry loaf sounds SO good! 😄
I also love boardgames, but you need to find others who also love them (and that can be hard because very few people introduce themselves as boardgame lovers).
That is so true! Thankfully the neighbourhood friends who I grew up with and played board games with are still my closest friends now! So I can usually convince them to play.
Foodie and Sims is one of mine as well! Photography, writing, shopping and gaming!
That Christmas dessert looks so freakin adorable! I have to ask: what flavor was it?
There was chocolate peppermint mousse inside the tree!! It was heavenly.
OMGGGG
Cool post! I too am a foodie and plant-lover, so I can totally relate! It was really cool getting to know you a little more. (Also, you’re Thanksgiving meal looked great!)
Thank you! It was fun to share more outside of my love for books.
I bet.
That cranberry cake looks so good!!! I love The Sims! It’s the only game I play now though not very often.
The cake was a hit! I’m the same way with The Sims. Don’t play as often as I would like!
My husband is the cook in our house, but I love food! We enjoy trying new restaurants together. Photography is one of my favorite hobbies, too!
There is nothing better than finding an amazing new restaurant!
Oh wow, you’re like my spiritual mom or something lol I resonate with so many hobbies you’ve got. I bake, could play board games for hours, love art and art museums (dream date honestly) and I’m OBSESSED with true crime. Totally recommend JCS- Criminal Psychology channel on Youtube or Bailey Sarian ( she does makeup tutorials while telling a true crime story and her way of storytelling is so appealing)
Love all this! I will definitely check out those YouTube channels.
An art museum date would be ultimate goals!
OMG The Sims, yes!! And board games!
So fun!!
Good thoughts. Always good to have hobbies. I really liked all the pictures you have clicked.
Love that edition of Frankenstein!
Isn’t it cool?! One of my favourites!
Thank you for the suggestions! I’ll try this too especially Sims! It’s been a while since I played it💛🌻