UPDATED - 09.05.2007 - See #9!
Hobbies. Pass-times that we enjoy!
I have many hobbies that help make life
enjoyable. There's no way to list everything that someone can
and does enjoy but I'm going to try and list, at the very least, my
favorites.
1. Friends -- I have a select few friends that I
keep close to my heart. Friends are the most entertaining
hobby in the world. I relish the time I get to spend with my
friends. To me, the best kind of friendship is where you can
just be yourself and not have to worry because the other person has
already accepted you for who you are. No pretenses, no
prejudice, no judgments. And the best conversation is the
conversation that is unspoken... a level of understanding between
two people that goes beyond just spending time together.
2. Reading -- I do love a good book. I love to
read mostly science fiction - from Star Trek to Lord of the Rings.
A good fantasy book can really get my imagination going. Some
of my favorites include the Harry Potter series, Lord of the Rings,
Forgotten Realms (specifically those books with Drizz't Do'Urden in
them), and, of course, Star Trek (Next Generation and DS9).
Lately, I've been reading such books as "10 Smart Things Gay Men Can
Do To Improve Their Lives" by Joe Kort. It has helped me
realize that I have done a lot of growing (and still have lots of
growing to do) and that being gay is so
much more than just sex.
3. Writing -- I have from time-to-time composed
poems for different things. I also just like to write down my
thoughts to help me sort them out. Sometimes it also sheds new
light on situations and relationships where I had previously seen no
other sides to the story. Writing, at least for me, can be
very cathartic.
4. Movies -- Who doesn't love a good movie? I
certainly do. Whether it be at the theater or at home, I
really dig watching movies. I have lots of favorites - way too
many, in fact. Like the books I read, the movies I watch lean
toward the science-fiction and fantasy categories. But you
turn on a good chick-flick and I'm hooked as well. Some action
movies and great animation get my attention too. A few of my
favorites from any category are as follows: The Mummy, Indiana
Jones, Star Wars, Star Trek, Lord Of The Rings, The Simpsons,
Futurama, Hope Floats, X-Men, Tomb Raider, Final Fantasy - The
Spirit Within, Charlie's Angels, The Emperor's New Groove...
and these are just for starters!!
5. Music -- Music. Something that most people
are **very** passionate about - and I'm no exception. Anyone
who knows me, will know the name of my favorite band that I like
listening to. It's a very simple name - Dream Theater.
I know what you are thinking: "huh...??". They are a
progressive rock/metal band. They are most easily comparable
to groups such as Metallica and Kansas. They've been around
since 1989 and I've been a fan since 1994. They definitely
cover a wide range of styles. Anyone who listens to them can
usually find at least one song that they like.
And, as if that's not enough, the members of Dream Theater
have done numerous side-projects such as Transatlantic, Liquid
Tension Experiment, and O.S.I. -- all of which are equally
great!
Ok, back to a more general topic... Music is something
that has been in my blood since I was a kid. When something
catches my ear, I will, more often then not, go and pick up the
whole cd and end up liking it. Then I become a fan and have to
pick up any other cds by the same group.
Some of my longtime favorites include: Dream Theater,
Janet Jackson, Fear Factory, Shane Stockton, Garth Brooks, Gary
Allan, Rascal Flatts, Metallica, Alanis Morissette, Yngwie Malmsteen,
Pantera, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, The Spice Girls, and Chris Cagle.
6. Website Design and Maintenance -- As you can tell
by this website alone, I love doing web design. I've only
taken one formal class on web design and attended a few seminars
that covered HTML and CSS. At one point, I was updating and
maintaining six websites... it was a lot of work! I have
respect for anyone who can sit down and make their own website as it
takes a lot of time, patience, and thought -- even if it is only one
page.
7. Videogames -- Yet another passion of mine...
*sigh*. It's also the one most expensive hobby that I have.
I have a love for Role-Playing Games (RPG's) especially Final
Fantasy. I have videogames systems and games in my collection
going back to the original Nintendo. Every once in a great
while, I like digging out those old systems and playing a game or
two for fun and nostalgia. It seems lately that most of the
games coming out today don't focus on gameplay, but graphics.
Now while I do like good graphics, it's the gameplay that has me
hooked. Some favorites by system:
Nintendo: Solstice, Final Fantasy, Crystalis, Zelda (I and
II), Super Mario Bros 3.
Gameboy Advance: Metroid Fusion, Metroid Zero Mission, Final
Fantasy Tactics Advance.
Gamecube: Metroid Prime
Playstation (1 and 2): Crash Bandicoot, Final Fantasy 7,
Castlevania, Final Fantasy Tactics, Final Fantasy Anthology, Final
Fantasy Chronicles, Final Fantasy Origins, Mortal Kombat, Soulblade, and any of the Namco Museums.
Sega Genesis CD: Sonic CD
Super Nintendo (my favorite system!!): Final Fantasy 3,
Chrono Trigger, Equinox, Legend of Zelda - A Link To The Past,
Prince of Persia, Super Mario World, Super Mario All-Stars, Super
Mario RPG, Super Metroid, and Super Ghouls-n-Ghosts.
8.
Dancing -(added on 09.09.2004)- Over the course of about 4-5 months, I have been taking
dance lessons at the local gay country bar. It's a very cool
place and I've met and become friends with a great group of guys
that show up to lessons just as regularly as I do. We learn
line-dancing, two-stepping, and waltzing. All forms are great
fun. Some of the line dances that I've learned include the
Tropicana Parking Lot, Dizzy, Tush Push, Dirty Talkin' Tequila,
Country Strut, Western Cha Cha, the Circle Dance.... and I could go
on!! If you get the chance to try some dancing, do it... I
LOVE IT!!
9. Computers -(added on 09.05.2007)- I have been slowly upgrading
and updating my computer over the past year... my latest and
greatest update was replacing the motherboard and harddrive in my
computer. While it was nerve-wracking, I learned a lot about
my computer and how to put it together. Essentially, I have
built my current computer from the ground up. (with a little help
from my friend, Zeke!). While I don't do a lot of
trouble-shooting for other people, I do trouble-shoot my own
computer (software and hardware) and seem to get by just fine.
A few of my favorite (must-have!) programs for Windows: MAME,
Firefox, Zone Alarm, Trillian, and Winamp - just to name a few!
Well, I hope you've enjoyed getting to know some of
my hobbies... as these aren't all of them!