Tag: A-Z Blogging Challenge 2023 (Page 1 of 2)

Zumba Rumba!

April 30, 2023 / / 0 Comments

We are now on the last hobby post and why not dance with joy at the prospect of completing a challenge, the A-Z Blogging Challenge 2023!

Let’s start some music and enjoy dancing Zumba!

So, for Z it is Zumba Dancing!

Compared to all the other hobbies in the hobby posts, Zumba dancing is the youngest! Zumba was invented in 1990s, by a Columbian dancer and choreographer Beto Pérez. It is a fitness program developed using cardio exercises and Latin based dance moves.

Did you know that Zumba dancing is trade marked by a gym?

Well, Zumba is popular around the world, thanks to it being a full body aerobic and cardio workout. It combines the dance styles of  salsa, flamenco, chachacha, hip hop music and tango.

A Zumba dancer can burn 300 to 900 calories, which is a good number, considering we take in more than 2200 calories with just a single 14 inch pizza! Although it is advisable to eat only 2 slices of pizza in one sitting!

Thanks to the popularity of Zumba, we can enjoy the workout from the safety of our own homes through Youtube videos or can even subscribe to the Zumba DVDs, if you are up to it.

It is a good thing to take up Zumba, because, not only will it be a good hobby with the added advantage of fitness, but also reduces the chances of heart diseases.

Incidentally, Zumba is also banned in Iran and Israel! If you stay out of both Iran and Israel, why not go ahead and learn Zumba dancing? You will be both fit and happy! Give it a go, chalo Zumba!

P.S:

  1. The other hobbies starting with Z are Zip Lining, Zulu Dancing and Zoology. (We already saw two hobbies related to Zoology, entomology and ornithology. So I have refrained from Zoology in this post).
  2. Zombie Hunting comes under hobby with a Z, if it really was a thing!!
  3. Rumba roughly translates to Party!
  4. So, today on April 30th, we have come to an end of the Blogging Challenge. I will be back within the week with my regular posts. Do watch out.

Till the next post, adios amigos!

Eco Friendly Xeriscaping!

April 30, 2023 / / 1 Comment

We have already been through Gardening as a hobby idea. But if you are a lazy bum, who hates watering the plants and you prefer minimum maintenance as far as plants are concerned, then Xeriscaping is best for you.

For X, let’s go with Xeriscaping!

Xeriscaping is the process of landscaping and maintaining a lawn with little or no water at all.’

Little or no water was utilized here.

Xeriscaping is mostly practiced in places where drought is a common factor.

If you thought Xeriscaping is all about using native plants, then you are wrong. It is all about using plants which need less water to survive.

Cacti – Important part of Xeriscaping

By dividing the landscape area into zones, like the cacti zone, succulent zone, turf zone etc it is easier to plan the watering or the irrigation system, to reduce wastage.

Cacti is not the only variety used in Xeriscaping. The Bee Blossom plant is one such option.

Bee Blossom – Xeriscaping plant

Organic Mulch can be used in Xeriscaping to retain water in the soil. After some years, the organic mulch decomposes and is useful as a natural compost. Wood chippings , wood grindings, saw dust, coconut fibre etc come under organic mulch.

Sand and gravel come under inorganic mulch and they should be used in Xeriscaping sparingly because, they have the tendency to increase the temperature by retaining heat from Sunlight! It is advisable to use more of organic mulch than inorganic one.

The other Xeriscaping plants are different types of Sage, Lavender, Rosemary, Poppy tree and Shamrock.

Low maintenance , edible purple Shamrock

Our very own desi Gulmohar tree, tamarind tree and the colourful Bougainvillea (my favourite of all, since the flowers look like they have been made from paper) can be used in desi Xeriscaping projects. Watering the plants can be done through Drip Irrigation and it is advised to not water the plants during the day, to avoid evaporation losses!

So what are you waiting for? Go to the nearest nursery, buy the required plants for your home and get started in the art of Xeriscaping!

P.S:

  1. The other hobbies starting with X are X-Box gaming, X– Ray Art ( art form depicting animals and humans by drawing or painting the skeletal frame and internal organs), Xylophone playing.
  2. Did you know that some cacti can be cooked and eaten like a normal vegetables? They produce slime while being cooked, just like Okra (Bhindi/ Ladies Finger).

In Avatar: The Last Air Bender series, Avatar Aing’s brother in law,  Sokka drinks Cactus Juice and begins to hallucinate! In reality, the cacti can be slightly acidic in nature. So, consume only those which are edible after careful inspection.

4. Not only is Xeriscaping eco-friendly, but you will be helping the planet by being lazy! Too lazy to water the plants, but hero of the planet!

Ciao!

Weld Away!

April 28, 2023 / / 1 Comment

I don’t know how many of my readers are engineering graduates, from Telangana, but we have a Workshop Lab in our first year Engineering, where we are taught Carpentry, House Wiring, Tin Cutting, Welding, Fitting (Iron Work) and also Foundry Work.

So, W for Welding!

Welding is the process of joining materials, using high heat, where the metal melts and joins after cooling. Welding is mostly done in metals, but thermoplastics can also be welded together.

Welding in Progress

In olden days, welding was done only through Forge Welding. It is the process of heating the metals to high temperature and then hammering them together to form a joint!

Hammering the metal when hot – Forge Welding

Thanks to the advance in technology, many different technologies are available. Welding through gas flame, electric arc, ultra sound and laser are some of the newer methods.

Welding is a hazardous work, so proper precautions are necessary.  There is a high chance of burns, vision damage, exposure to ultra violet radiation and exposure to some poisonous gases.

So how come it gets a place in the A-Z Hobbies post?

Well, welding can also be used to create sculptures, using scraps and automobile wastes or even e-wastes.

Fish made from scrap materials – Recycled Art

 

‘Metal’ Black Beauty

So, what is stopping you? Go ahead and get welding (with proper precautions, that is!) and recycling.  Who knows? You may end up resigning your job and start an environment crusade through recycled art, like this guy!

P.S:

  1. The other hobbies starting with W are Weaving, Wood Carving, Web Designing, Weight Training, Writing , Wrestling and Water Colour Painting.
  2. I remember watching such recycled art in the POGO program called MAD, where Rob would teach new stuff. I and sis made art by joining metal parts of an old clock using powerful adhesive, instead of welding! Those were fun days. We still have the miniature sculpture somewhere. I will surely find it (we have down sized the shelves and stored some of the stuff away like Marie Kondo!) and post the pic soon!
  3. If at all there is a welding scene in a movie, almost always, Forge Welding is shown! Like how Thor, the God of Thunder helps Eitri forge the StormBreaker! I really enjoyed watching the scene from the Avengers: The Infinity War.

Till the next post, cheerio!

Nib Painting

April 14, 2023 / / 0 Comments

As you know this post is a part of A-Z Blogging Challenge, based on the theme of hobby ideas, we are finally at a colourful creative art form, which starts with N

Let’s go with Nib Painting for N.

Nib is the stainless steel part of a fountain pen, quill or a ball pen, which comes in contact with the paper.  Some nibs are made of gold alloys too, if you are up for it!

Different types of Nibs

In Nib Painting, nibs are used to paint, instead of the good old paint brush! The advantage of nib painting is that the end result of the painting looks like it has been embroidered. Either acrylics or oil paints are used in nib painting.

Nib painting – Looks like the flowers are embossed on the canvas

If you thought nibs are only used in nib painting, you are wrong. The swirly art of Calligraphy uses different types of nibs.

Calligraphy Nibs

I knew about nib painting in my +2, when my friend R showed me her elder sister G‘s arts, who was good at nib painting. (I don’t know where R is now, thanks to her moving away to another city, due to her father’s work. She might be outside India now. The link I gave above is not the work of G!)

Work In Progress!

After one is proficient in nib painting, they can progress to Palette Knife painting, which is a large scale version of nib painting.

The Emboss effect is more pronounced in Palette Knife painting

What are you waiting for? Go ahead and get yourself a Nib Painting Kit and get painting!

P.S:

  1. Nib painting seems like fun. I plan to get into nib painting and immerse myself into this beautiful art.
  2. The other hobbies starting with N are Novel Writing, Nail Art and Newspaper Reading. Except for the occasional colouring of nail, I never tried the Nail Art on my own.  One snippet I would like to share here is that, during my first delivery, just before I went into active labour, Mr.Bee had done a little bit of nail art on my toes, to try to cheer me up and lift my mood. I was very nervous! My gynaecologist GL praised Mr.Bee for it later on! Nail Art really cheered me up and my gynaecologist said she never saw a women in labour with nail art! So, that’s a first!
  3. Wait up for my next post. Cheerio friends.

Adrenaline booster – Mountaineering

April 13, 2023 / / 0 Comments

Are you one of those adventurous people, who love an adrenaline rush, now and then? Do you not mind taking a few risks? Do you feel at peace at the top of summits? Then Mountaineering is for you!

Today’s post with M is Mountaineering.

Mountaineering is the sport of climbing  (or attempting) mountains to reach the summit, done for the pleasure of climbing.

The breathtakingly beautiful – Mt. Rainier

Mountaineering Axe is an important ally in mountaineering. It is like using a walking stick for walking. It can be helpful under any tricky conditions you may encounter during the climb.

People generally confuse mountaineering with trekking. Trekking is about going on different terrains, under any weather conditions, mostly in wilderness. Mountaineering is the updated version of trekking, the end result being, reaching the summit!

Mountaineers reaching the summit.

There are two styles of mountaineering, the oldest style being going on an expedition, which means, teams of mountaineers start climbing the mountain, with equipment and supplies they need. They keep coming back and forth between camps, climbing high, leaving some baggage there and returning to camp below to sleep at night, since it is always safer to sleep at lower altitudes.  If you have watched the movie, the Vertical Limit, you will know more about the expedition style of mountaineering.

Mountain Expedition

The other style of mountaineering is Alpine style, which means the mountaineers go in a set path and carry lesser baggage since the climb is faster and may require lesser time for ascent to the peak/summit. This method is most suitable for smaller mountains.

Like I said earlier, mountaineering comes with its share of adrenaline rush!  Landslides, avalanches, storms, high winds, low temperatures anything might get you! If you survive all, you may have a frost bite(damage of skin tissues due to exposure to freezing temperatures) or even  hypothermia (shivering due to reduction in body heat) or may develop breathing difficulties.

If you are prepared to face any challenge, why not go ahead and start mountaineering?

P.S:

  1. Although it is not an adventure tale like the Vertical Limit, Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani has the main leads of the movie going and bonding big time on a trekking trip. Queen Bee’s  ‘Badtameez Dil’ loves the movie! (I am humming the song right now!)
  2. How can one talk about mountaineering and not talk about Sherpas? Sherpa are the Tibetan ethnic group who help people in mountaineering, since they know the mountains like the back of their hands!
  3. According to studies, Tibetan Sherpas are genetically suited for high altitudes and mountaineering. The most famous duo, Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary were the first people to reach the 29035 foot high summit, atop the World’s highest mountain, Mt. Everest.
  4. Incidentally, the very first movie that was shown in IMAX, Hyderabad was Everest, because who wouldn’t want to see the highest mountain on the biggest screen in India?
  5. The other hobbies starting with an M are Mountain Biking  and Motor cycle Stunts.

Wait for the next post, ta-ta!

Flying Kites

April 13, 2023 / / 0 Comments

Do you like flying kites? Have you ever wondered who invented a kite and when!

Let’s learn more about K for Kite Flying.

Kites were invented in Asia and kite flying and kite fighting are both good hobby ideas. There are many benefits in kite flying, one of them being, we get to spend more time outdoors!

A girl learning to fly a kite

Usually, the kites with a long flowy tail is used for kite flying. But if you want to win in a kite fight, you need a kite, who has no tail and whose control line is abrasive (called manja), so that it can cut the control lines of other kites.

Manja and kites for kite flying

The above said kite fighting takes place mostly during Makar Sankranthi, as most Telugites know! (Sometimes, there is also music in the background, snacks overflowing on the terrace, when two gangs from opposite terraces have their kite fights, trying to cut each other’s kites off.  Youngest in the gang will generally be the chemcha, carrying the Manja reel around, for the main kite flier)

Makar Sankranthi – A kite flier’s dream festival!

There are many different kinds of kites.  The octagonal Bermuda Kite, bow shaped Bowed kite, box kites which can also be used as flying lanterns and man- lifting kites.

Types of Kites

Man lifting kites are the ones mostly used during para gliding and para sailing.

Para gliding and Para sailing

What are you waiting for? Go ahead, get into some kite fights during the festival season. If not, go to a tourist location and use the man lifting kites and enjoy para gliding and para sailing!

P.S:

  1. During our January 2018 trip to Gujarat, a kite festival was underway at Ahmedabad. The two wheeler drivers had special contraption on their vehicles to stop the manja kites from getting their necks! At first we didn’t understand its usage. But then the cab driver enlightened us of its uses and that is one hell of a jugaad technique!

Avoid Manja – Jugaad

Manja of the fighter kite tend to cut deep and cause severe injury and in rare cases, death. The contraption is a brilliant add on for the two wheelers.

2.  Though Hot Air Balloon rides don’t come under kite flying, it is still a pleasant experience. Mr.Bee and I flew in gas balloons twice. Once at Pigeon Forge,USA and  our second was at Hunter valley, Australia, when we flew above valley full of Kangaroos.

3. The other hobbies starting with K are Kayaking, Karate, Karaoking and Kick Boxing. Till the next post, cheerio!

Juggling like a Jester!

April 13, 2023 / / 0 Comments

The next hobby is the multi tasker’s dream! It is Juggling.

This is another hobby which was originally a part of circus performances , just like Hula Hooping. So let’s learn more about J for Juggling!

Juggling is the sport, where several objects are thrown and caught at the same time to entertain people. The most important advantage of pursuing juggling is that the hand and eye coordination will improve.

Jester clown in front of circus tent

Jugglers use balls, clubs or rings while performing their acts at fairs , festivals or even street performances.

During olden days of kings and monarchs, each such household had performers juggling and performing acrobatics to entertain the king when he is bored or to entertain the guests. They were called Court Jesters.  They also perform physical comedy acts and later on began known as Clowns/Jokers.

A Court Jester

Have you ever played with a Deck of Cards? One of the cards is a Joker card, which is the sole reminder of Court Jesters during the time of the Kings and Queens.

joker card

Every sport has dare devils who try to make even  boring sport , interesting. Some jugglers combine juggling with uni-cycling or do it with objects like hand saws, knifes or participate in acrobats along with juggling.

Extreme juggling with knifes while being blind folded!

If you want to try extreme juggling, do take proper precautions.

P.S:

  1. The other hobbies starting with J are Jogging and Jewellery Making.
  2. I don’t know if you guys have read the most famous horror novel by Stephen King, IT, but the shape shifting clown Pennywise is the source of all nightmares in the novel. There is also a movie under the same name, but I advice you to watch it only if you are up to it! I didn’t watch it, but read the novel after waiting more than six months after buying it because I got very scared after reading one chapter! A horrible death happens in first chapter.  IT is the only horror novel I ever read. (I am not happy about the ending though!)
  3. By the way, Coulrophobia, is a phobia recognized for the people who fear clowns.
  4. All the images have been freely taken from various sources and they are not of my own.

Till the next post! Bu-bye!

Let’s go Hula Hooping!

April 9, 2023 / / 1 Comment

If you are into fun filled entertainment along with exercising the body, Hula Hooping is a good choice.

Let’s start about H for Hula Hooping!

A Hula, which can be made of anything from plastic or wood or even pvc pipes for that matter, is the main component of Hula Hooping as the name implies. The hula is twirled around the neck, torso or limbs, like wheeling. It can be a good hobby for both children and adults.

Kids – Hula Hooping

In olden days, people from circus would do most of the hula hooping. Now thanks to the ‘fitness revolution’, it can be done by anyone. The most important advantage of hula hooping is that it strengthens the core, which naturally leads to a slimmer waist and also hips.

I was always interested in watching Rhythmic Floor Gymnastics and that was where I also saw hoop being used as a prop , apart  from balls, clubs and the ribbon (which is my favourite). Thanks to the rhythmic gymnastics, hula hooping is also an Olympic level hobby!

Girl performing rhythmic gymnastics with hula-hoop

For the more adventurous people, there is also the fire hula hoop variation! Although I am not recommending it for people who have no proper knowledge of the risk involved and the safety precautions that need to be taken. 

Fire Hula Hoop

 

Are you looking to start hula hooping already? Check out the post about the Hula Hooping beginner’s guide.

P.S:

  1. The other hobbies starting with a H are Hacking, Horse Riding and Hammocking!
  2. You may have an idea about Hacking, because most of us have had atleast our FB profile hacked, it is advisable to try ethical hacking! I am not advising you to be hackers, who go against the law! There are ethical hacking courses too, for interested people.
  3. I initially wanted to blog about Horse Riding, because it is one hell of a stylish hobby to have, thanks to English shows like Bridgerton . You can even go for polo matches and all.
  4. Wait, I forgot to mention what Hammocking is! It is the hobby of the lazy souls of the world. It is the act of setting up a hammock at every possible location and resting!
  5.  As usual, I take no credit for the images in the post. Till the next hobby post, cheerio!

Gardening with Gusto!

April 7, 2023 / / 0 Comments

Do you have a young child or toddler at home? Do they love playing with water and manage to drench themselves wet? Do they also like playing with mud and don’t mind the occasional insect they come across? Good!

Gardening is an excellent hobby for such tiny tots.

So, for G let’s go with Gardening.

Gardening is the process of laying seeds, watering the plants and taking care of them either on ground or in pots. Gardening is a useful hobby to have, because no amount of cooking is complete without herbs and growing your own herbs can be so gratifying.

If you don’t have enough place for gardening, you can at least install a Herb wall in your kitchen or utility area like this…

Herb Gardening on the wall

If you are more invested in this than an average person(and have deep pockets), go ahead and get yourself a smart monitoring technology for your kitchen garden inside the cabinet! Something like this….

Smart Monitored Kitchen Herb Garden

Look how stylish the good old gardening has been given a makeover.

So what do you say? Are you up for some gardening experience?

P.S:

  1.  Gardening should be part of the school curriculum, just like that in Western countries. I wish we had something like this during our school days! (I don’t take any credit or the images in the post)

Ms. Appleberry with her students Cody, J.J, Rico, Nina, Cece and Bella – The Cocomelon Gang

2. Although gardening is therapeutic, it comes with its own set of problems, like the insects which keep ‘guest appearing’ in our tiny gardens. It is upto us to march them out of our plants!

3. I know a couple of doctors who swear by gardening and grow quite a lot of plants on their terraces and balcony gardens.

4. The other hobbies which start with a G are Geology (my favourite subject of all) , Glass Blowing, Gymnastics and Graphic Designing. Wait for the next post, cheerio!

Start Fencing!

April 7, 2023 / / 0 Comments

If you have always been interested in movies about fierce kings and competent queens, who fought for their loved ones and their kingdoms, if you loved watching the epic sword fight sequences in movies, then Fencing may be the right hobby for you!

Let’s learn about F for Fencing.

Fencing is a combat sport, which involves sword fighting and is also an Olympics recognized sport. Although it is not popular or widely known in India, it is an interesting sport. You will need safety gear and a sword for Fencing.

There are three types of fencing swords and the target areas differ for each.

There is also a French connection with Fencing, since most terms used in the sport are French. (I only know Touche, Allez!) I have come to love the sport, thanks to the Korean Drama Twenty Five Twenty One, where the main female lead is a world famous fencer.

If you have a new found interest in fencing, why not try watching some old Olympic matches to learn more about it. Or better yet, go ahead and watch the K-drama too! (It is an absolute favourite of mine. It has my favourite Korean actor Nam Joo‑hyuk as the male lead.)

P.S:

  1. India has a lone fencer, C. A. Bhavani Devi, who represented India in 2020 Olympics. I hope the sport gains more popularity.
  2. In Tollywood, during the Golden Era of superstars, there was an actor  who was famous for his sword fights in movies! He was Katthi Yuddham Kantha Rao. In almost all his movies, he would surely have a sword fight scene with the main villain. (He acted mostly in fantasy movies, with kings, Naga Kanyas, magical super villains etc)  Kantha Rao and Rajanala sword fight sequences were very popular in early 1900s. This has little relevance in a post about fencing, but I wanted to give Kantha Rao an honorable mention, because he was under rated in the industry.
  3. The other hobbies which start with F are Fishing, Flying Kites and Figure Skating. But I picked Fencing for obvious reasons. Till the next hobby post, cheerio!

 

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