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5 Minutes for Books – Part 2 – A Book for You…

May 14, 2007 by Guest Contributor

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

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5M4Bsidebar.jpgThis is the second review of today’s double feature here at 5 Minutes for Books. We are separating the reviews into two posts so that you can enter your comments separately. The children’s book review is a contest with three copies of the children’s book available to win. If you missed that post, click here. (On the home page, it should be right on top of this one.) To enter the children’s book contest, make sure you leave a comment on that post. This book review is written by Jennifer and includes five copies to giveaway. To enter to win this book, just leave a comment on this post.

Do you have a hobby?

Did you used to have hobbies that have fallen by the wayside since you’ve gotten married and had a family?

In the foreword to Get a Hobby!, Dr. Miguel Figueroa writes that “reputable studies have shown that chronic stress contributes to poor health while regular relaxation promotes good health.” He goes on to define a hobby as “any thoroughly absorbing pastime that you engage in outside your regular activities that focuses your mind on something that is not your usual worries. . . . A good relaxing hobby is a personally pleasing occupation that brings you entirely into the moment. While you are practicing your hobby, you are not worrying about the difficult meeting you had today, or planning your kids’ soccer schedule.” (page 8.)

So do you have a hobby? If not, don’t you think that you should find one?

In Get a Hobby!, author Tina Barseghian has compiled “101 All-Consuming Diversions for Any Lifestyle.” The book opens with a slightly tongue-in-cheek quiz to determine your hobby personality. Each of the 101 hobbies is given a two-page spread which includes all of the essentials:

  • overview
  • history
  • what you’ll need
  • resources (books and websites)
  • a project
  • and sometimes a neat section that offers additional suggested hobbies if you already enjoy this hobby.

Tina Barseghian is also a mom and lives in the Bay Area with her husband and daughter Lucy, who is almost four. She was kind enough to answer a few questions.

5M4B: How have your hobbies changed since becoming a mom?

TB: One of the things I used to do much more before becoming a mom was traveling, and that was as much for my job as it was for pleasure. Since Lucy was born, we still travel a fair amount because she’s a champion traveler – we go to Hawaii and New York and Los Angeles regularly, and we’ve even taken her to Ireland and England – but obviously we don’t travel as much as before we had her. And now that she’s in preschool and will start grade school soon, we’ll have to plan our travel schedule according to her school schedule, so that’ll be an adjustment.

Also, I used to play piano at home much more regularly before I had her. Now when I go to the piano, she’ll want to come and sit and play with me. Though it’s not the same experience as playing a classical piece in its entirety, I still love to play piano with her.

And lastly, I picked up a hobby: coloring. I hadn’t colored since I was a kid, and now I do it everyday!

5M4B: Do you share any hobbies as a family?

TB: We work on the garden, planting flowers, pulling weeds, and watering on the weekends. We go to flea markets together and look for little treasures, whether or not we find them (the fun part is the hunt, of course!). We take the ferry across the bay back and forth. Indoors, we love to color together (yes, I have my own coloring book!), we make up long-winded stories about imaginary characters and make our own story books. Of course, we also bake and cook together – but that’s more my husband and Lucy with me watching and taking their photos.

5M4B: I think that I do a good job of enjoying my leisure time, even with a daughter in school (and all the activities that go along with that) and a three year old son at home. However, in reading the book, I’m not sure that the way I spend my time would be classified as a hobby. I enjoy reading, writing, and travel, but didn’t find any of those in the book. How would you define “hobby”?

TB: That’s integral to the point of this book. Personally, I define any way you spend time enjoying doing something – regardless of what it is – a hobby. It doesn’t have to be tied to an end result and it doesn’t have to incorporate any specialized skill. Reading, writing and travel absolutely are great hobbies and ones that I love doing as well. The only reason they didn’t make it in the book is that they’re fairly self-explanatory, and don’t require any clarification, like some of the others do, such as falconry or mushroom hunting.

5M4B: I’ve had a couple of new interests surge and take up way too much of my time. Do you have any advice about keeping your passion for a new activity from becoming all-consuming (financially as well in hours spent), and yet giving it enough time to enjoy it?

TB: Ahhh, the obsession. In my opinion, if you’re lucky enough to find an activity that consumes you, I say go with it, as long as it doesn’t harm you or anyone else! Soon enough, your level of interest is bound to dwindle over time, so until then, enjoy it as much as you can.

Get a Hobby
I agree with Tina 100% on this point, and I was glad she was able to clarify it for me. I know that some hobbies (can you say blogging?) became quite an obsession for me, but after a couple of months, they settled into a nice balance with the rest of my life. Other interests dwindled altogether. The point is that they were a nice diversion from regular life, which is what they are meant to be.

I think that this book would be a great gift for a college graduate, retiree, or even for a wedding shower along with some of the resources or project supplies suggested for hobbies you think might interest them. Thanks to the publisherHarperCollins, we have FIVE copies of this book to give away.

If you would like to win a copy leave a comment by Saturday. And just for fun, tell me what your favorite current or past hobbies have been. Winners will be announced on Monday. Edited to add: This contest is open to Canadians!

headshot2.jpg Jennifer Donovan enjoys reading, traveling, cooking, and blogging at Snapshot.

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45 Comments

  1. crunchbase.com says

    December 8, 2013 at 9:00 pm

    I believe what you said was actually very logical.
    However, think on this, suppose you wrote a catchier post title?
    I mean, I don’t want to tell you how to run your blog, but suppose you added something to possibly grab folk’s attention?
    I mean 5 Minutes for Books – Part 2 – A Book for You… — 5 Minutes for Mom is kinda vanilla.
    You should glance at Yahoo’s home page and watch how they write news titles to get
    viewers interested. You might add a video or a related picture or two to get readers excited about everything’ve written.
    In my opinion, it could make your posts a little bit more interesting.

    Reply
  2. Sherry says

    May 19, 2007 at 7:20 pm

    Reading and blogging and reading some more. Maybe I would use some variation? Anyway, I’d like to feed the reading habit by reading this book.

    Reply
  3. aBookworm says

    May 17, 2007 at 11:01 pm

    I’m in for this too! This sounds great as well!

    Reply
  4. Heather says

    May 16, 2007 at 10:34 pm

    Looks like a cute book! I’m into scrapbooking and sewing lately. (After the kids are in bed!)

    Reply
  5. kat says

    May 16, 2007 at 8:32 pm

    I would love to have this book!

    Reply
  6. Christi says

    May 15, 2007 at 3:20 pm

    Sounds like a really interesting book – please count me in!

    Reply
  7. Janne says

    May 15, 2007 at 8:19 am

    With nine children, any hobbies I have revolve around the family.

    This last year, while teaching history to the children, we all decided to get involved in Civil War reenacting as a hobby. The children have REALLY enjoyed it. Living history: battles, ladies’ teas, campfires, balls (as in dances), sutlers, camping, cooking over an open flame — all rolled up into one package. 🙂

    Reply
  8. Tammy says

    May 15, 2007 at 8:16 am

    What a great book idea! I love to crochet and find it a fabulous way to destress. There’s something about doing something repetitous that is very soothing. I also love to read so this book is right up my alley.

    Reply
  9. annaliza says

    May 15, 2007 at 3:53 am

    can always use a good book!
    my favorite past hobby is hmmm… i’ll have to say my present one: baking cupcakes and bloggin’ !!

    Reply
  10. Gina says

    May 14, 2007 at 10:39 pm

    My current hobby is knitting. Although right now, my knitting is giving me fits. I also like to read but knitting has pushed reading to a back burner.

    I used to cross stitch but haven’t done it in a long time…maybe 13-14 years?

    Reply
  11. Melinda says

    May 14, 2007 at 5:38 pm

    Quilting, photography, crochet, reading, drawing, painting, jewelry making, quilting, and photography. I also see scrapbooking could become a problem, um, hobby. LOL

    Hugs,
    Melinda

    P.S. We’re looking for a 3/4 bedroom house so that I can have one of the bedrooms as a sewing room. 😀

    Reply
  12. melody says

    May 14, 2007 at 4:59 pm

    Photography has become my latest passionate hobby. Also, I love art…doodling, painting (variety mediums),…cross-stitch, want to scrap. I say these are/were hobbies…Ive managed to avoid most of them for a long time. That needs to change.

    I want the book, enter me, please.

    Reply
  13. tanyetta says

    May 14, 2007 at 4:03 pm

    i need a hobby. there’s so many things i want to LEARN to do but, i haven’t tried them. count me in~

    Reply
  14. Lauren says

    May 14, 2007 at 3:29 pm

    I would just love time to read… or crocheting. So I need a book I have no time to read to encourage me to crochet lmao!

    Reply
  15. Laura says

    May 14, 2007 at 2:57 pm

    Hey Jennifer, I don’t know if the book mentions organizing but that is definitely my hobby….gee what a surprise right? LOL!

    Another great review!
    Laura

    Reply
  16. JessicaB says

    May 14, 2007 at 2:47 pm

    I need a hobby. Count me in!

    Reply
  17. SingForHim says

    May 14, 2007 at 2:34 pm

    Sounds like a good read. Enter me, too.

    Reply
  18. Heidi says

    May 14, 2007 at 2:23 pm

    Oh, I have so many hobbies – but I don’t make the time for them all now. Maybe if I just focus on one!

    Reply
  19. Anne says

    May 14, 2007 at 1:58 pm

    My hobby is trying to find the “perfect” hobby for me. I dabble in a lot of things. Photography, painting, crafts, writing, sewing. Count me in! 🙂

    Reply
  20. Linda says

    May 14, 2007 at 1:31 pm

    oooh I would love to read this book! My hobbies are taking photos and working on scrapbooks.

    Reply
  21. Becca says

    May 14, 2007 at 1:00 pm

    I love scrapbooking and reading. I’d love to enter for this book though!

    Reply
  22. Heather (Heather's reality show) says

    May 14, 2007 at 12:56 pm

    My hobbies were/are bike riding, rubber stamping and scrapbooking.

    Reply
  23. kelli in the mirror says

    May 14, 2007 at 12:21 pm

    I so need a hobby. I sit around way too much, unless blogging counts! 🙂

    Reply
  24. Caryn says

    May 14, 2007 at 12:17 pm

    I love scrapbooking, reading books, and traveling. I’d love to be entered!

    Reply
  25. Amber says

    May 14, 2007 at 12:06 pm

    Neat-O! I have tons of hobbies, I suppose. It makes life interesting! Check my page for a few of the things I’ve got listed… =-)

    Reply
  26. Heather says

    May 14, 2007 at 11:56 am

    My favorite hobbies are scrapbooking and reading.

    Reply
  27. Rebecca says

    May 14, 2007 at 11:50 am

    Why would we need another hobby, when blogging is the perfect one? Well, there’s also thinking and chatting. That pretty much covers it. Oh, and thrifting.

    Reply
  28. Crissybug says

    May 14, 2007 at 11:25 am

    What a fun book! Maybe it will help me incorporate some of my old hobbies that have since dissapeared! Here is to hoping!

    Reply
  29. mama k says

    May 14, 2007 at 11:19 am

    sounds fun!
    My current hobbies are knit, crochet and blogging.

    Reply
  30. Jennifer, Snapshot says

    May 14, 2007 at 11:06 am

    This book IS open to CANADIAN readers!

    Reply
  31. Tina says

    May 14, 2007 at 11:01 am

    Hi! This sounds great and we love the new column. Speaking of books, we are hosting an interview today (May 14th) with Christian Suspense Novelist, Brandilyn Collins. Stop in!

    Reply
  32. leah belle says

    May 14, 2007 at 10:38 am

    I love to blog, scrapbook and read!

    Reply
  33. Lani says

    May 14, 2007 at 10:08 am

    My hobbies are: blogging (too much), gardening, scrapbooking, and photography. This book sounds really neat!

    Reply
  34. fromthepines says

    May 14, 2007 at 9:57 am

    Cool! I had just heard of this book and it looks great. I have have had many hobbies – photography, reading(does that count?lol) and now I am getting into altered art and atc’s and scrapbooking!
    Cheryl

    Reply
  35. Wendy says

    May 14, 2007 at 9:27 am

    Sounds like a great book, please count me in! Thanks! 🙂

    Reply
  36. Bianca says

    May 14, 2007 at 9:17 am

    Sounds like a fun book to read. I have several hobbies but not enough time to do them at the moment. Most important ones are knitting and writing poetry 😉

    Reply
  37. Jodi says

    May 14, 2007 at 9:10 am

    Sounds like a great book! I’m in!

    Reply
  38. Cheri says

    May 14, 2007 at 9:04 am

    Hobbies? What are those? It’s been so long I’ve almost forgotten…

    Reply
  39. dirkey says

    May 14, 2007 at 8:47 am

    Sounds like an amazing book!
    I’m a hobby magnet, I love to do EVERYTHING!

    Reply
  40. ChupieandJsmama says

    May 14, 2007 at 8:27 am

    I need a hobby that fits into my mommy schedule too (other than blogging that is) 🙂

    Reply
  41. Amy says

    May 14, 2007 at 8:22 am

    Sounds like a great book! I’d love to find a hobby that would fit into my mommy schedule.

    Reply
  42. Bad Sheep says

    May 14, 2007 at 8:12 am

    My hubs and I have separate hobbies but it would be nice to share a hobby.

    Reply
  43. emily says

    May 14, 2007 at 7:24 am

    This is something I’ve been thinking about and trying to figure out how to incorporate lately. I think this book would be a big help.

    Reply
  44. Ruth :) says

    May 14, 2007 at 6:45 am

    Fun book! Funny – we were talking about the importance of hobbies during church yesterday while talking about Mothers. What did I do before becoming a Mommy? I LOVED crafting and decorating and reading. I still do – but not to the extent I had when I had more free time. I am really getting into gardening as of late, and also love READING about decorating and crafting 🙂 – although I may not always get to with my own two hands, I can enjoy what other people have accomplished too :). Sign me up – it would be a great resource 🙂

    Reply

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