Friday, February 24, 2012

Enjoyment of Hobby Enhanced by Interaction with Others

A couple of weeks ago, Robbie & I were heading home from a sci-fi convention when he mentioned that he might join up with a model-making group. (He is an avid toy/trading card/model/vintage game collector.) He commented that he often does not get as much enjoyment out of his hobby as I do out of mine (scrapbooking!), and he thought it was probably because I had cultivated ways to have interaction with other scrapbookers through my online classes, blogs, and occasional crops with friends.

I had to totally agree – much of my enthusiasm and enjoyment of this hobby come from sharing ideas and completed layouts with others. Don't get me wrong, I've always scrapbooked and probably always will. The main reasons I scrap are for my own personal enjoyment and to preserve our memories. However, interaction with others who are participating in the same hobby definitely adds to my level of enjoyment.

So, today I want to say THANK YOU to each of you who read  and comment on my blog. You are part of the reason I find so much enjoyment in blogging and scrapbooking! 

THANK YOU
THANK YOU
THANK YOU
THANK YOU
THANK YOU
THANK YOU
Of course, there are additional perks to cultivating interaction with others via the Internet:

First is the tremendous amount of inspiration and the variety of ideas I gain from reading other blogs and seeing what y'all are creating.

And then there's the added bonus of occasionally finding an unexpected surprise package in my mailbox! This cute package arrived last week, just in time to keep me motivated in my healthy living goals this month. Thanks Alison!!

Of course, I also get to play around creating Mail Art to send out to my bloggy friends - like this little stack that went out yesterday.



And finally, there's the friendships that develop as we get to know one another, share our ideas, and meet regularly in the blogosphere!

What do you think - would you find as much enjoyment in your hobby if you had no interaction with others who enjoy the same hobby?

[BTW - There's still a little time to be in the draw for this month's Pass the Book - click here for all the details.]
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8 comments:

  1. Sue AlthouseFebruary 24, 2012 at 5:25 AM

    Great post! So very true. I will always scrapbook, but being connected to the online community is such a blessing. It's one of the reasons I started blogging.

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  2. scrappyjackyFebruary 24, 2012 at 7:25 AM

    I completely agree,Melissa...I certainly get added enjoyment due to sharing my interest...both with crafty friends at home.....and those in cyberspace.

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  3. RebekahFebruary 24, 2012 at 8:15 AM

    Isn't it grand? Being an hour or so from friends, my online community of friends has been great! I even have a group that we exercise and motivate each other in healthy living. It's wonderful!

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  4. UnknownFebruary 24, 2012 at 2:11 PM

    I agree, it is certainly good to have a group of online friends.

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  5. AlisonFebruary 24, 2012 at 3:22 PM

    Great post Melissa..it IS lovely to have found a brand new group of friends through blogging...especially ones who share the love of paper crafting.
    Alison xx

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  6. TammyFebruary 24, 2012 at 8:05 PM

    I couldn't agree more. I had a few scrapbooking friends in Orlando but I was always far more involved (obsessed???) than they were so I always felt a bit out of place. After I moved to Nashville, I got my involvement purely online and have found *many* people who are on the same wave length. Love all of the friends I have made online. I hope that Robbie finds his place too because it is that much more enriching when we can share together! :)

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  7. KarenFebruary 25, 2012 at 8:24 AM

    I think you summed it up perfectly. And I think
    Robbie is right. A friend and I have joined three different monthly photography events. Each of them focuses on something different and I've learned a lot, but best of all I'm making some new friendships in the process.

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  8. AmyFebruary 25, 2012 at 8:21 PM

    I also completely agree and my husband and I both have hobbies that enable a lot of interaction - it's healthy to have a hobby and a chance to meet others with a like mind. Also, I like that it is something we can both talk about and appreciate which is not related to the kids or work or the house!

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Thanks so much for your comment - it's like a ray of sunshine in my day!

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