Description

Musing Interruptus is a podcast meant for sharing thoughts and stories and enjoying idiomatic phrases and words in general. You can read along; the transcription is in the description of this episode. The idiomatic expressions are in italics. Try to get the meaning from the context and then look them up to see if you were right. If you like it, share it, but more importantly, continue the conversation. The music is called  Contrarian by Blue Dot Sessions 

Hello and welcome to Musing Interruptus. I’m Renée Valentina. What are we really asking when inquiring about a person’s hobbies? What part of their world are we uncovering with that little number? How much are you willing to talk about it with someone you just met? Also, you and I have been in each other’s lives for a while now, so you can tell me. Go ahead. Let’s tell each other these things. 

I’d like to know if you are an avid photography enthusiast or maybe a closeted rock star. I’d like to know what you dedicate your free time to. How many hours have you spent honing your craft? Are you good at what you do? Are you into numismatics? If you are, what kind of questions should I ask you? Should I ask how heavy your collection is? Which is the oldest coin you have? What is it worth today? What do you include in your collection? Why did you start? 

Are you a geocacher? Where I live, there are 198 geocatchers. Correction. 199, I just became one. It is a treasure hunt and we are all invited! Sometimes I wish I had children, I would do this with them on a lazy day, hell, on any given day. I used to hunt for treasure in the forest when I was a child. This is a game straight out of my imagination. I can’t believe I wouldn’t have discovered this if I hadn’t decided to write about hobbies. As of right now, I am an amature geocacher. If I get into it I will tell you more about it. 

Perhaps witchcraft is more your speed. Potions, spells, manifestations. Is it metaphysics? I’d like to know.  Is clairvoyance a part of the deal? What happens when a spell does not work? What if someone casts a magic spell against you? I’ve heard about this. The evil eye. I’ve heard there are rules to these things, so if you wish something bad on to someone, it will be returned in three fold. At least that is said in the movies I’ve watched. The Craft and Practical Magic. 

This leads to another hobby I’d love to know more about if you are a cinephile. If you are well-versed in film or filmmaking, I have a million questions for you. But more importantly, I’d like to sit and watch movies and listen to your running commentary on said films. I really do love what goes on behind the scenes. From scriptwriting to storyboarding, to directing. I want to hear all about it. Being a musicophile is similar. I can barely strum my guitar, but give me a few stories, teach me about the music, and how it was made, and watch me melt. 

Duck herding is a thing. I can’t say I would do it. But the more I read about it, the less I can say I wouldn’t do it. Would you like to learn how to lead ducks? I wonder if you have the stuff to do it in public, in front of a cheering or jeering crowd. If you are into duck herding, do other types of herding interest you? Sheepherders and cow herders do this for a living. Are managers a type of herder? If you have an unruly punk band who needs to get to a concert or to a recording studio, does it count if you find ways and tricks to make sure they show up? Are teachers a type of header? Being in the classroom with 16-year-olds puts this in perspective. Getting them to take their seats, having something to interest them and keep their attention, and developing a seventh sense for instant messaging or ieming, daydreaming, and sleeping. I wonder what makes a good duck herder.