Most kids from the Pacific Northwest are outdoorsy. They like to bike, hike, and play outside. And I'm not saying that's a bad thing. I've always liked being outside when the bugs aren't out. I rode my bike with all my neighborhood friends and even had a swing set in my backyard. But when people asked me what I liked to do, I always responded (and even still respond) with a near sheepish "I like to read." And I do. I like to read a lot. After the last play closed and I had my evenings free, I started reading books. Maybe it's because I'm an only child and needed solitary activities, but reading remains my favorite hobby. Another thing I really enjoy doing is crocheting and knitting. I like making hats and scarves and blankets for people. Again, it's a solitary hobby that is really productive. I even like to donate my finished objects to charity or give them as gifts.
I always feel the need to defend my hobbies to people because they aren't "exciting enough" like my friends who do crazy activities like skydiving and extreme mountain climbing. I have old lady hobbies. I like sitting in front of the computer, watching Netflix or Amazon Prime TV, and making something. I like listening to NPR like the dirty, PNW liberal that I am. And that's okay. I'm done apologizing for wanting to spend a quiet evening with a glass of sparkling lemonade and a big fat book.
People who are ambiverts or introverts don't always want to go out and be a part of something big with other people. Heck, I'm an extrovert and I don't always want to go out and be a part of some big collective. It's about doing things that cultivate your happiness. I firmly believe that people are happiest doing what they love, and sometimes that means doing what you love on your own.
People want to be interesting. And what I've found is that anything can be interesting. When I sit alone in a Starbucks with a knitting project and a cup of coffee, people come up to me and ask me about what I'm making and where I learned to knit. And when I tell them that I can crochet too, they get excited about me being a "switch hitter" and being able to do both. I love learning about new books and getting recommendations from people. Even solitary hobbies connect people from all walks of life. So are they really that solitary when they bring people together? Because belonging to communities both online and in person that connect me to people who enjoy crocheting tiny little three-dimensional figurines is almost the same as belonging to a geocaching group, or a parkour club, right?
