Hobbies: resolutions you can suck at

Boldium 8 minute read

Resolutions have commitment issues, but hobbies are easy, fun, and way less pressure. So we wanted to share hobbies that are inspiring us to start (or re-start) (or re-re-start) in 2025.

Illustration of a woman holding a long to-do list, with the year '2025' written on it

A pair of pants, mended stylishy with red thread

Visible Mending

Suzanne

The fashion industry accounts for about 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions—on par with international air travel. It’s pretty shocking when you really think about it. So, as a small act of rebellion, I decided to take up visible mending in 2025.

Honestly, the idea struck me on a plane (yes, the irony isn’t lost on me) when I spent way too much time staring at an incredible patch on the pants of the person sitting next to me. Then my daughter-in-law offered to mend my favorite ripped pants and I was blown away by how beautiful they turned out.

So, to be honest, what gets me excited isn’t just the chance to reduce my carbon footprint, but also the creativity. I love the idea of reinventing my clothes, turning rips or things I’m bored of into something fresh and beautiful. If you come across any cool inspiration, please send it my way!

An upright Yamaha piano sits near a window, doubling as a shelf for several potted plants and cat figurines

Get Back

Kimberly

I plan to reconnect with a long-lost love: my piano. For 2025, it’s time to dust off the keys and rediscover my love of music. I recently watched Paul McCarney in the McCartney 3, 2, 1 documentary with Rick Rubin, and it was so inspiring to watch Sir Paul at the piano, improvising and telling stories behind some of my favorite songs (I highly recommend this doc!). It was the spark I needed to sit down at the piano again. My goal? To learn as many Beatles tunes as possible.

Got a favorite Beatles song? Drop me a line—I might just add it to my playlist!

Large parent's and tiny kid's feet sticking out of a blanket, with David Bowie on TV singing and playing guitar.

Running, ewww

Eric

I'm not like a runner. I've had short couple month to couple year bits of my life where I did some running, and got to be able to do a few miles. But before my kid was born was my longest stretch, a couple years of running up some nice California hills. Even my doctor noticed, it was awesome.

But then! Then I had a kid, which is great, but leaves a pretty shy bit of space in my schedule to fit in running (also who wants to run when you can get an almond croissant from Rotha). But now, I'm an "old" (that's what someone told me the other day). And running is a way to me to claw back some youth and bone density in my life. So 2025, here I go, my hobby, new years resolution, and possibly mid life crisis, is that I, Eric Augustine Mikkelsen will be outside (yay) and running (eww) again.

A person holding a small film camera, an Olympus XA. The camera fits in their palm easily, and it's a sunny day outside.

A journal on film

William

I found this camera at a thrift store when I was in high school, and for a long time it was my pocket companion, a way to journal my travels across 12 states and 5 countries (and at home). I stopped doing this around when COVID started, but now that things are starting to stabilize, I want to pick back up the habit of using it as a visual journal. It's more fun, unobtrusive, and tangible than whipping out a big digital camera or smartphone, and it turns out great prints to hang on the walls.

Plus, I get to patronize some of the few remaining film labs in my area — shout out to Photolab in Berkeley and Underdog Film Lab in Oakland :).

Sewing Excuses

Eliza

Last year, I became obsessed with the idea of sewing my own clothes. I was attracted to the promise of endless possibility - the ability to crop, alter, hem, restructure, and create new clothes from nothing. My brother picked up on my newfound obsession and very kindly bought me a sewing machine for Christmas. I quickly bought up the additional accoutrement I thought I needed for all the amazing projects I would be starting in the new year.

I have since completed a grand total of zero sewing projects (although I started quite a few). Every time I looked over at my shiny new sewing machine and was reminded of the millions of things I could create, I somehow found myself overcome with the need to deep clean my kitchen, or go for a walk, or renew my driver’s license, or, or, or…

As exciting as a new hobby can be, it can be equally daunting and overwhelming. Breaking things down into baby steps is what’s most effective to help me get started. This holiday break, I’m intentionally setting aside time to start on a small and manageable sewing project. First up, cloth napkins.

Fashion Week, here I come…