I want a Hedgehog's Life

A sleeping Oswin

Every night without fail my hedgehog, Clara Oswin Oshog (or just Oswin for short) gets on her wheel and runs no less than 100 miles. Maybe that's an exaggeration, but she is on that thing constantly. She lives her life pushing her toilet paper tubes, mouse, monkey and plastic toy around her cage. Occasionally she'll flavor her water with one of her toys.  To have that kind of joy in life with no worries, concerns or obligations would be fabulous.  She is content being curled up sleeping in my lap or hoody pocket as much as she is curled up under her wheel or in her house.
I'm not complaining about my life or the world's obligations, but it would be fun to be that carefree for a day or two.
Also she gets to spine people when she's in a bad mood or waken from her slumber because she's a hedgehog and that's her right!
What a fun life. Forget being a cat, I want to be a hedgehog!

Sometimes you just have to ...

We all need a hobby

It's not that I am not happy with my life.  My husband is wonderful, we have a great house (even if it needs some upgrading), my family is doing well and I am gainfully employed.  I am not going to sit here and complain about horrible things in life, but sometimes we just have to find an outlet for things.  Once a week my job requires a very long commute.  Roundtrip is about 4 hours.  I love to go to the other office and visit my fellow co-workers and cavetch about nothing in particular, but I am not happy with the situation.  It makes me hate my job sometimes. 
I have created an outlet for myself in paintball.  In paintball I can completely forget about the troubles of the past or coming week and just have fun and do me.  Everyone in life needs to find their own hobby that they truly enjoy for themselves.  It doesn't have to be a physical hobby, it could be as simple as reading or even playing video games.  But remember that it is a hobby and there is real life outside of it.  Don't let your hobby overwhelm your life or make you forget about responsibilities.  And conversely don't let responsibility or people make you forget about your hobby.
And always make sure your hobby is your own.  Don't do something just because the person you are seeing or trying to pursue has chosen this as their hobby.  If it piques your interest, then try it out!  But if the moment you drop that person, you drop the pursuit than it never was your hobby to begin with.  Find what you love and do it for you not for anyone.

Sometimes you just have to ...

If you don't know who you are, how can you be you?

"It's dangerous to go alone. Take this." they said.

We've all known at least one person in our life who seemed to have no mind of their own.  Their hobbies, interests and activities revolved around others, typically a significant other.  Most of us may have even gone through this phase while finding ourselves.  I don't think it odd to get into a relationship and keeping hobbies and interests after the demise of said relationship.  Isn't that what life is all about?  New experiences.  Finding out who you are at the core and what you want to do?
But what if there is no you?  What if all your interests are those of another's?  You go from group of friends to group of friend dependent on who you are dating because at your core, you don't know yourself.  At what age is it no longer acceptable to aimlessly wander through your own life without any interests you can purely call your own?
Let's not get into the nitty-gritty debate of becoming a new person every 7 years or how as you grow older your interests and hobbies may or may not change.  Also, regardless of age, it's always fine to pick up somebody's interest and adopt it into your own life.
The root of what I'm getting at is dropping interests you had for years and participated in because you're new significant other does not follow them.  You stop hanging with your usual friends and surround yourself with theirs.  What do you make of someone like that?  Would you want to be friends if going in you knew it inevitable they would leave when the new significant other came into play?
I have no answers to the questions I am posing.  And more than anything I feel sorry for people as thus.  I think once you navigate the treacherous waters of your youth by your mid-twenties you should at least have some clue of who you are, what you want to be and where you're going.  If by then you don't seem to have a single thought you can call you're own, well then, you probably are destined to spend the rest of your life roaming mindlessly through this thing we call life.

Paintball may not be my way of life, but it's an awesome hobby

What I learned from the first practice of the season: 1) I need to get into shape
2) Little kids are an endless ball of energy they typically use hiding behind back bunkers for the entirety of the match
3) Friendly fire happens (but luckily missed my head by 6 inches yesterday)
4) Great spirit goes a long way
5) Snow is very cold to kneel in even through 3 layers
6) Watch what you say or it will be your new nickname (not me)
7) Don't bring anything on the field you don't want to lose
8) Paintball paint will not dye your hair (thankfully)
9) A steamy hot shower works wonder after a day on the field
10) I need to get back into shape

Yesterday was a day of woodsball. It made me want to get out on a speedball field. Here's hoping the team builds and becomes known as a decent and welcome force at any scenerio game. Sometimes you need to remember not to take life so seriously and put aside time and money for your hobbies.

Also, making new friends is always a fun bonus.

First

Why is being the first always so important on the interwebs?
I guess this is my first post so I should make it something amazing and mind altering?
Well it's not. It's just a post. Its my first post. I will take a minute to tell you what I will discuss in my blog.
These will be my random travels, my random musings and just my random.
For instance, I have recently taken up feeding the birds in my backyard. Expect amateur <read that as bad> photos of all the birds I see.
I like to ride my motorcycle, so hopefully I will get out more this season and if I remember my camera will take photos of that.
This is a blog for me. And anyone else who may come across it.
Hate is not wanted so if you hate this, don't look.
It's as simple as that.
Alright. That is all I have for now.
I leave you with my favorite backyard bird.
The Titmouse!