Hard to find an interest

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Have you had a hard time finding an interest? Or making it into an activity, not just something that was subtle thoughts in your head?
Could you tell how it went?

For example, I had a hard time making something out of what I was fascinated about when I was younger, because they are/were somewhat weird and uncommon in the place where I grew up, and it was also hard to find anything that addressed these particular topics. I have also found it hard to have an interest at all over a long period when I was depressed and had anxiety issues.

I'm a reader and a writer. In my bathroom (my office) I have a little stand in front of the toilet where I put magazines. I think this is a male thing anyway. When I'm finished writing one story, I start the next one almost immediately otherwise I get depressed. It's like I dive into a deep funk. I started novel now which will probably take me a year. If I live long enough to see it through, hopefully its length alone should stave off bouts of depression. We'll see.

I do puzzles in the bathroom. Currently I'm working on a book of cryptograms.

I have several things I'd love to be doing if I had the time to do them.

One that is almost a fantasy for me would be to spend my time photographing can cataloging the various plants, animals, and insect species in my area. Either get out on foot and walk or go by horseback through the various pastures and fields looking for plants, animals, and insects I have not seen.

In the community where I live, I know nearly everyone. In this 50 square mile area, there are very few places that would actually be off limits to me. Expanding it to the entire county, I could probably have at least a hundred square miles where I would be quite welcome, maybe two or three times that. That would be enough to keep me busy for the rest of my life.

Earning a living is keeping me from doing much about this.

Hi eric76,

As a photographer and artist who currently has one of my photos hanging in a museum in Kentucky ... it's called "Winter Stream" and the museum is called the "Highlands Museum and Discovery Center" located in Ashland, KY ...

... I would like to suggest to you that you make your photography a priority in your life as a special interest and see what happens.

I'm much happier being a photographer with a day job than I was being unemployed. Ever hear of Hugh Macleod over at a website called Gapingvoid? He advises, "Don't quit your day job." But he also advises following your big dream to change the world.

Below is a link to an article on creativity at Gapingvoid:

How to Be Creative ... click here to go to Gapingvoid website

Good luck, friend.

I want to see your work in an art gallery, it sounds from your post that your art would be really cool.


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Over the past several months, I've been having a very hard time finding a new interest. I really wish that my old interests didn't have to end, but they're stale; they no longer stimulate my mind and imagination like they used to. I don't get any joy from them anymore; when I engage in them now, it feels like I'm just doing it out of comfort and convenience rather than genuine passion and love. I really want something to take their place, but at this point it feels like I've tried - and failed - to connect with everything that's been within my usual scope of interests (animated shows/movies, and goth, cult classic or fantasy movies), and even a few things that were beyond (comic books and reading). Maybe I'm not trying enough different things; not thinking far enough outside the box.

One other thing I find interesting is clouds and thunderstorms. We have plenty of thunderstorms around here, but I generally don't find pictures of clouds or thunderstorms very interesting unless they are really unusual. It's more like the dynamic as the thunderstorms build than just any individual sets of points in time.

Thanks. I'm not sure it would really be very artistic. It's real use, I think, would be to help people identify the plants or insects or animals they may run across in the area.

My next to the oldest brother, Charlie, was the main photographer in the family. He spent many years in Alaska as a pilot and took pictures in just about every part of the state. Most of the pictures at http://hscharlie.gruver.net/gruverarea/index.html are his. I know the 2010 Stavlo Benefit Cookoff and the Oslo Church Centennial were taken by other relatives. Charlie passed away on July 1, 2011. My niece now takes many of the pictures, but she doesn't post them on this web site -- she seems to prefer giving them to Facebook instead.

I would still say give it a shot, Eric.

I didn't even used to know how to take pictures, they were all mindless tourist snapshots to start. Then I taught myself on the Internet by studying websites like "How to Take Landscape Photos," How to Take Nature Photos," and "Art Composition 101."

Sometimes people take their own talent for granted, especially when it runs in the family.

Just from the way you write, I'll bet you're good.
Informational photos are good too, and may be so much more than that to an appreciative audience.

Will go to check out the website you posted ... Thanks!

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