My 2018 – This is my hobby: "TMTM"

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Hello everyone!

This is my entry to @anomadsoul contest. Although I think I am late already, I still want to express my support to this contest and at the same time tell my hobbies which are becoming my habits gradually as time passes by. Thank you @anomadsoul for creating such a wonderful competition, it really challenged me or should I say it drove me crazy and cram to pursue an article for this.

You may wonder what TMTM means. I thought deeply if I must change the title as per instructed by the rules of the contest (“THIS IS MY HOBBY”). I have a lot of hobbies, all are equally weighed. So I considered altering the title into “THESE ARE MY HOBBIES”, but after the colon I should mention my hobbies which will make my title too long. I don’t want that so I decided to make it an acronym.

TMTM means “TOO MANY TO MENTION”. And because there are many I would just want to mention some.

So if you ask me now what my hobby is, it’s TMTM!

Lol these hobbies are representation of my freedom. Freedom that I was not able to achieve when I was still studying. Freedom that I was not able to do when I was busy pursuing my boards. And freedom that I was not able to fulfil when my wallet and time are still scarce and slim.

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I hope you find time reading my content.

Thank you in advance.

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MY HOBBIES

»Taking care of Tarantulas
»Frolicking with my Cats
»Playing with my Dog
»Going to the Gym
»Doing Arts

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Taking care of Tarantulas

Some may find it odd but yes I have 42 tarantulas, different species and sizes.

I started collecting tarantulas in 2015 and now is my third year handling and taking care of them. My love to spiders begun when I was still young. I remember the days when I have had to go with my playmates at the cemetery or somewhere with a lot of trees or tall grasses just to search for spiders, well house spiders are not that tough so we’d rather seek strong and feisty ones. And after a while we duel our biggest and sturdiest spider and the winner will trade some of the spiders left to the winner.

It was then I learned to appreciate spiders. They awesome creatures, small but terrible. Now that I have grown up, I chose the bigger spiders too, so conforming to parallelism. But I do not go to a spider fight anymore. I am a hobbyist of exotic pets now and my favourite exotic pet is Tarantula.

I love the way tarantulas chase their prey and sip the life out of it. I love the way they sew their webs. And above all…I love watching them as they undergo ecdysis, their molting process. A delicate process wherein tarantulas take off their outer covering (exuvium). It is their way of growing up, renewing their old self.

You may find this weird but tarantulas are lovely creatures and they are very good display.

Learning and studying about tarantulas became my interest ever since I started. It was a hobby introduced by a friend when I was still a novice in my profession, a Medical Laboratory Scientist, then I became attracted with it. Until I have collected a lot of species most are terrestrial, Brachypelma and Grammostola family are majority. And I have my T-Room for my tarantulas so they won’t get disturbed because they are very sensitive to noise and vibrations.

I am actually a member of a local group in our region called Northern Exotic Philippines (NEP). We all have in common, taking care of exotic pets. It is not narrowed to or merely just taking care of exotics but also promoting the welfare and preserving the existence of different species. This is to include the regulation of breeding such creatures.

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Frolicking with Cats

If there are most intelligent pets award, I would give it to my cats. Simply because my cats are very sensitive yet insensitive too. How come? Because they have attitude problem. Maybe one factor that made me love cats is that they understand you but most of the time they don’t care. Lol

I used that adjective because they know when to cuddle and when to snob you. They seat on your lap when they are hungry but never wanted to be touched or interrupted when full. I love them for that. I don’t like dramas but I like attitudes. It is a test of patience and emotional strength. But most of the time my cats purr at me it means they like me too and by purring they pass on positive vibe, a therapeutic vibe.

Cats are very good at capturing their prey. I vouch for it. They are like little tigers and lions. Awesome creatures. I come up with the idea of having cats at home in the latter months of 2015, I first bought my male Siamese cat – Siam (named him because he’s a Siamese), followed by a female white half bred Persian and Siamese cat – Sia (named her that because she’s white and I remember Sia the singer with white hair).

The first months were actually difficult especially in managing their litters. But Siam and Sia were so sweet to me so it turned out to be worth it having them at home since they give happiness not only to me but to my family too.
Then I have Nimbus, my male Persian cat, and then Toothless and Diamond, both are Persian cats.

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Playing with my Dog

I grew up around dogs. I have had them played with me when I was little. I like dogs. They are very lovable, mighty, highly-spirited, and loyal. So I never get frightened by them, rather I am more afraid of men hence, Charles De Gaulle said, “The better I get to know men, the more I find myself loving dogs.”

When I was a kid I dreamt of having a big dog. In 2016 I bought a Rottweiler dog. You may ask of all large breeds why Rottweiler, simply because I want to be different, I want a dog that is big enough to secure and accompany me.

Time passes by too quickly that I couldn’t believe Achilles has grown fast. He is now one year and a half month old. As I browsed his old photos, my emotions scrambled, a mixture of glee and bliss. Especially when I played the video while I was teaching him basic commands. It makes my heart big to see him happy and satisfied.

He always jumps when he sees me home after work. His butt wiggles when I call his name. He listens attentively everytime I talk to him like I do to humans. He gives me reasons to be happy and forget all stresses in life even though temporarily.

“I believe a dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself."– Josh Billings (humourist). Therefore, I know my son loves me too.

I considered my dog as a son so I always see to it that I find time talking to him or playing with him.

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Going to the Gym

I started going to the gym in 2015 months after I passed my board exam. I concentrated on my studies so I never had time for my physique. I was thin then, I was inspired by different models that I followed on social media so I became conscious with my physical structure.

Now that I am earning my own money, I can do whatever I like and trimming and tweaking my body is one of the things I wanted. I want to look toned, mature, and muscular. So I go to the gym three to four times a week, with a strict diet at night (more protein and less rice or no rice at all).

It is hard knowing how much discipline is poured just to achieve your goal. As the cliché say, “NO PAIN, NO GAIN.”

All my hardship paid off because I was able to gain confidence and choosing the right clothes is even easier now. Plus I can remove my shirt everytime I want. Lol.

My experience at the gym also thought me perseverance. When I was still a novice at the gym, I saw everyone else bigger than me and I somewhat rushed to achieve a body like theirs. It turned out to be depressing because everyday I look at myself in the mirror, I look the same, nothing has changed. I want to quit already. But my gym mates advised me to just keep going. That I must never stop. That all suffered the same before they commit success.

The mere gym mates became my friends too. Not only I gain confidence and muscle improvement but also friendship.

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Doing Arts

It has been my hobby doing arts. I am used to it and I can say art is something I am quite skilled and it is very tight to my heart. It gives me pleasure and elation everytime I finish a project. It makes me happy and gives me an accomplished feeling.

I grew up competing on slogan and poster, cartooning, and comics. It was just in the beginning of 2018 that I started practicing Watercolor painting and postgans. Although I do it in exchange for extra income, I do it with love and compassion. I became in touched to it and every project I do now, I pour my 110 percent to it.

I became obsessed to perfecting every arts I do. But I still believe that whatever outcome I have is still perfect. I want to learn more. I want to do more! If only I have had enough time to do arts before when I was studying, I could have been like Juan Luna, a famous Filipino painter. Lol. Just kidding.

Doing arts is my hobby but I felt like it is a portion of my being and like growing old, it must go with the flow through upgrading.

I want also to share my skills in arts and actually I got 2 posts that had been curated eventhough I am still going two months old in steemit. People who appreciate my arts make me feel confident and keeps me going. It keeps me motivated to do better and share what I have.

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REALIZATION

I am someone who wants to learn everything, I never get contented. I want more everytime I accomplish something.

My hobbies make me feel blissful and self-reliant. I know it uses a portion of my time and budget but happiness can never be bought. Time spent for pleasure is more than the money used. My hobbies introduced me to new world, be acquainted with people, and socialize.

My family is very expressive in supporting me. They are lenient when it comes to whatever makes me happy...should be done, beside I am older now so I can do whatever I wishes to do.

These hobbies I have serve as avenue of my soul and well-being. These are my stress relievers in the world full of stressors. These invigorate the inner self of mine wherein I could express my personality and bridge it with other people.

It is not bad having hobbies but at the end of the day priorities should always be first.

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THANK YOU VERY MUCH

THANKS FOR DROPPING BY

GODBLESS