NON-BOOKISH HABITS OR HOBBIES I LOVE OR ENJOY
When it comes to the non-bookish things we do or enjoy, on our weekly book list we don’t spotlight them because it’s all about books. This is quite fair because, well, the list feature is all about spotlighting books. But sometimes it’s also fun to feature something outside of books. This week, it’s time to talk about non-bookish habits or hobbies or things we love that aren’t, well, exactly bookish (or maybe they will be!).
LIST | A ‘DOWNTON ABBEY’ CHARACTER GUIDE: INTRODUCING THE CRAWLEY FAMILY
TEN NON-BOOKISH HABITS OR HOBBIES I LOVE OR ENJOY. Looking at the #habits or #hobbies I *sometimes* enjoy! #TTT #TopTen #TopTenList Share on XI find it super difficult to talk about myself outside of something I’ve read and loved or to (over)gush about a favorite TV show. This topic is a challenge, but instead of skipping (which I basically was going to do), I’ll try to share some non-bookish things (aka habits or hobbies) to feature. (Which will be boring because I don’t lead a cool or exciting life.) So things I have been loving or am addicted to (which should be easier!)! Here. We. Go.
NON-BOOKISH HABITS or HOBBIES I (SOMETIMES) LOVE
CALENDAR
A habit I’ve learn to appreciate, and love is keeping an “editorial” calendar! I used to just decide daily what or if I’d publish anything and now, knowing what I’m publishing has been so very helpful! It’s so very nice to look at a calendar and to see (and therefore know) what I’m publishing for the week.
CARD and BOARD GAMES
I used to play card and board games all the time as a kid and teenager / young adult. Then I didn’t for several years, and now for the last 2-3 years, I’ve made it a part of weekly life again. (See, told ya, I’m boring.) I have lots I enjoy including Clue and Scrabble, and Rook, a card game. Then a recent addition to the rotation is another card game “Tens,” which is so fast-paced and fun!
DAILY WALKS
To say I enjoy walking would be a fib but it’s something I do six days a week! The day starts with a walk because I’m the type of person who, anything I can, gets the thing I don’t want to do over with early on in this day. Then we move on to things I don’t mind or enjoy!
GRAPHICS CREATION
I’m not “good” at creating graphics nor do I know the “technical” side of things (because I just do what I do without anything “formal”) but I do enjoy making little graphics for social media. Most start with templates (we all do this, right?) but sometimes I just work off something like a color or popular thing (like ribbons or a dots) that is trending, and change things around to suit a “look” I like better. Either way, it’s something I find fun.
MUSIC
I love listening to music and honestly, cliché though it is, Taylor Swift music is pretty much always on repeat. My current favorite is ‘loml.’
OLIPOP
I’m way too addicted to the latest craze that is the “healthier” soda option. (And yes, I did even do an entire ranking writeup on the brand!) My most favorites are the Orange and Grape, but I also love the Root Beer sometimes and the Cherry Cola is a Cherry Coke replacement.
RECIPES
I go through ups and downs with cooking meaning I always cook (I’ve always been a cook vs takeout girl) but sometimes I enjoy it more than others. Right now, I’m enjoying it more. This has resulted in two or three recipes I’ve been loving and repeat making. I also made muffins a few weeks back and rarities of rarity, they actually turned out quite well, so while I cannot bake in any way that would inspire opening a bakery, it’s still encouraging when I do something right. The trick is remembering or finding out what that “thing” is I did well!
SHOP for GIVEAWAY THINGS
Things I’ve been doing a lot lately is searching for things to feature in giveaways. If I’m being honest, I’ve been spending too much time doing this. I haven’t had this much fun shopping for gifts for a long time though so I’m letting myself enjoy.
THIS SPACE
Writing here initially did lean heavily into books. Largely this is because I reviewed so many books form publicity tours (we’ve all gone through that phase, right?). Now I don’t do that so this space isn’t really about books in the same way. While I still love to feature books (and I have two or three lists outside of this Top Ten feature that will be about books already planned on my calendar), this space looks beyond books. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love this because it’s nice to spotlight other things too! I know the editorial or SEO advice tells us to narrow focus and feature one thing, but honestly, how boring is that?
WEEKLY FLORALS
A habit I have is to buy flowers each week. It’s one of those things that just brightens the kitchen a bit and is fun! I was buying two bouquets of sunflowers at the farmers market, but the season must be done because they don’t have them anymore. So I’m back to the grocery store flowers; I try to buy 2-3 bouquets so that I have a nice mix of an actual flowers (last week was hydrangeas even though they die in a day!) and some greenery, too!
Thank you for visiting; please do return again soon!
Do you like any of these things? Which ones have you tried? Are you a cook? What non-bookish habits or hobbies would you or did you feature? What habits do you have? Let’s hear about it all in the comment section below!
Linking up with That Artsy Reader Girl August 26: Non-bookish Freebie (The sky is the limit here. Make a top ten list on any topic of your choosing, bookish or not!)
I walk everyday when I can, I love the peace and quiet and the thinking time that it gives me.
As I missed the ‘non-book’ part of today’s post, I came up with Natural World which I hope can slip right in!
https://rosieamber.wordpress.com/2025/08/26/%f0%9f%93%9atoptentuesday-freebie-natural-world-tuesdaybookblog-booktwitter-booktwt/
I definitely use the time to think too! Sometimes so much so that I miss when my favorite song cycles through. ;) I read that this topic was about hobbies so I totally messed up. ;) But what’s important is just to have fun, right!? :)
Exactly!
😊👍🏻✨
I love board and card games, too. Thanks for stopping by earlier.
Same! They are so fun and I’m glad I added them back to the weekly routine. ;)
Great post! I also love creating graphics even though I don’t think I really have the talent for it. I just go with whatever I think looks cute 🤣 I often wish that I was more talented in graphic design or that I could illustrate! I also love listening to music. loml is one of my favourites off that album, and no matter how many times I listen to it, it never fails to make emotional! 🥹
Same here, Dini! I just do what looks fun or cute. ;) And I also often wish I could draw or something. I’d love to! loml is becoming a repeat title for me! I feel like I still shift some with TTPD on what are favorites and already she’s releasing a new album… it’s like, wait… now we have new songs to “rank”? ;)
I’m not a cook myself, but I do love dabbling in graphics too (not an expert, just for fun) and love walks and music too (I just listened to my Taylor Swift playlist yesterday) :)
I listen to Taylor Swift on repeat. ;) She’s really the only artist I listen to as far as her full discography. Anyone else I just listen to a song here and there. ;) Most of the time I like to cook but sometimes I don’t! I still do though. It helps to try new recipes. :)
I do daily walks too! And I love designing graphics.
It’s so fun to design! :) And glad to not be alone in daily walking as a habit.
Wow, I learned so much about you! I love daily walks and do them when I have time (unfortunately not 6 days a week), audiobooks make them better :) We also LOVE playing games (cards, board games, video games), it’s something we have done for years. We of course go through seasons where we have more or less time to play. I am in a season where I am not loving cooking, simply because I am so fatigued. I still do it and I am constantly checking library books out of the library to find new recipes.
I have gone through times where I don’t want to cook (I still do) and I find it boring and annoying. I’ve added a few new recipes (I found a steak bowl that I love) and I am finding it enjoyable right now. Games are SO fun. I like playing physical games (like cards or a board game) because I spend way too much time in front of screen as is, so it’s nice to do something fun that doesn’t involve more of that. ;)
I understand that completely. I never find cooking boring, I just would prefer to be sitting on my behind, not cooking, LOL!
I know many people feel the same (life is too busy to cook or if we do have time, we don’t feel like it) but I don’t think I’ve generally felt that way. Goes back to that I sit in front of a screen a lot (I think in part) so I like to do something different. ;)
Board games kind of became an obsession for my husband and me in 2020. We went from around 10 games to nearly 50. YIKES! When I wasn’t working, we would play at least one round of a game before or after he went to work. We still try to squeeze in a couple of games when we’re off together. Our oldest will often come over on Sundays and join us for a game.
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/ten-memorable-places-ive-visited/
There are some really fun ones out there! Definitely some I still need to try. :) Sounds like you all have some fun times playing cool games.
Daily walks are truly so important!
That’s what I read! :)
Hell yeah, fellow Swiftie!! Are you as psyched as I am to hear that she and Travis are officially engaged? I’m so happy for them!
You are so much more disciplined than I am with your daily walks. I try to get in 10k steps a day but I do it throughout the day instead of in the morning like I initially planned. I like the idea of getting it done so you don’t have to think about it the rest of the day though!
Anytime I have a task I don’t love doing I try to get it done first. So it is nice to have that job done. (Though I don’t get in the recommend during the walk. Still I get in quite a bit!) The Taylor engagement post was so sweet! I hope she’s happy and they have a great life. :)
My list of hobbies looks very similar to yours. I think that’s enough for me. I’ll take a quiet life.
That’s awesome, Carla; so many do want more exciting things which I think can prevent people from enjoying life then. :)
This may be a duplicate comment…I think my last one got eaten :)
I also love playing card games. My husband and I have two different groups of family/friends that we get together with for game nights. It’s SO fun! Our favorites are Swoop, Dilbert Corporate Shuffle (aka Scum), and Skull King. I’ve never heard of Tens. I’ll have to check that one out.
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
Some of the ones you play (seems like you have lots of fun on your game nights) on repeat sound so fun! Definitely ones I’ll have to look into, too! Games are lots of fun and I like that it’s different from being in front of a screen. :)
I have a hard sticking to a niche. I just can’t do it! Lol. And my graphics creation is the same process as yours. I enjoy it too!
I plan on baking more this winter – it’s my winter project, to learn to bake better. Lol.
I enjoyed learning more about you and reading your list!
I don’t feel like I bake well but I enjoy making dinner (at least right now). Thanks so much for reading, Erin – and sticking to a niche feels boring. So I don’t do that. ;)
Buying flowers weekly sounds like a true delight. I love that idea so much.
It adds some color to the space which is always a nice and welcome addition. :)
Wow, this is such a cool list Rissi! I absolutely love the idea of buying flowers for yourself and arranging them just to have it look pretty. This summer, I started cutting some flowers from the plants and bushes outside to put on the kitchen counter or table to add some brightness. It’s such a wonderful habit, and I might just start to do that. Thanks for the idea, and knowing that you enjoy making those cute little graphics for social media while they frustrate me so much, I might just have to reach out to you if I need one that’s beyond my very basic skills.
It IS fun to add some color and flowers to the space! I was loving the Farmer’s Market sunflowers but the season must be done now so I have to go back to grocery store bouquets. ;) There are a few flowers around the house and sometimes a few of those do get cut too. Just depends on the flower; some will last in water for a while and others die next day. And I do enjoy the graphics! It’s not a “skill” I have in the sense of formal training nor do I know what training tells you is “right,” but it’s still fun and I enjoy it! Your blog always looks so colorful and fun – that purple is always eye-catching. I’m always glad to talk! :)