Phase

[Nuzzolese]

I am, at any given, time going through some kind of phase in which my interests dwell in the spectre of a certain theme. France, Zombie movies, French New Wave, Zen Buddhism, Linquistics, Baking...I'll indulge in it and learn about it then my curiosity will be piqued by something else and I'll spend some time exploring a different interest. Some things stay with me for a while, becoming a regular in my life, recurring here and there, others just fade off but I still remember when I was into it. It's kind of debilitating or slightly embarrassing sometimes when you meet people in the middle of a phase, in the height of your temporary obsession or interest in something. They think that's who you are. And you have to explain to them you're still working on it, it's not finished yet. Do you guys go through this too? Do you have phases of interest in something? Maybe it's not giving up when you change phases, you're just taking a break from one interest to expand yourself and learn new things, but your enjoyment of the previous phase's theme is still there. I stopped collecting vintage makeup compacts - for now - but I still like the ones I have.

[ms.peachy]

I go in 'phases' about places I've travelled, I suppose. I mean, much of this year has certainly been all about learning about different aspects of Japanese culture. Mr.p and I have been collecting woodblock prints for a few years and slowly learning over that time, but this year we've definitely both immersed ourselves rather a bit more on a wider range of relevant subjects.

Last year was Spain; speciifically Catalonia, and I got really into learning about the regional cuisine and wines, whilst mr.p was quite keen on learning more about Gaudi and the history of Barcelona and the Costa Brava region.

Now, I'm starting to get into a 'what brand of reusable nappies is most absorbent' and 'how practical is it exactly to make my own baby food' sort of phase. Which it truly frightening :eek:

[paul jones]

I'm going through a 'Buy lots of stuff off E-Bay' phase right now (y)

[Nuzzolese]

I go in 'phases' about places I've travelled, I suppose. I mean, much of this year has certainly been all about learning about different aspects of Japanese culture. Mr.p and I have been collecting woodblock prints for a few years and slowly learning over that time, but this year we've definitely both immersed ourselves rather a bit more on a wider range of relevant subjects.

Last year was Spain; speciifically Catalonia, and I got really into learning about the regional cuisine and wines, whilst mr.p was quite keen on learning more about Gaudi and the history of Barcelona and the Costa Brava region.

Now, I'm starting to get into a 'what brand of reusable nappies is most absorbent' and 'how practical is it exactly to make my own baby food' sort of phase. Which it truly frightening :eek:

Reusable nappies?! Are you serious? You're really going to do that? I have a friend who is doing that because she lives out in the woods where she has to haul her own garbage to a dump. Therefore, the less garbage, the better. She belongs to an internet forum speifically for women using reusable diapers. There's a vast subculture dedicated to the DIY mom, the homemade baby food and everything. I had no idea.

[monkey]

my mom was a diy mom. she says there are benefits to the food thing, the child learns to eat chicken soup a lot. but as for the nappies... she says it's better to throw that shit out and teach your kid to poo in a toilet young.

[ms.peachy]

Reusable nappies?! Are you serious? You're really going to do that? I have a friend who is doing that because she lives out in the woods where she has to haul her own garbage to a dump. Therefore, the less garbage, the better. She belongs to an internet forum speifically for women using reusable diapers. There's a vast subculture dedicated to the DIY mom, the homemade baby food and everything. I had no idea.
My local government offers a subsidy to parents who use a reusable nappy weekly service. The idea of course being to reduce the amount of waste they have to cart to the landfill, of course. Plus we can wash some on our own as needed, so yeah, there's no reason not to really. I mean I'm sure we'll have to resort to the occasional disposable when out and on the go and such, but there's surely no need for them for the most part.

I'm not sure about the food thing yet; but there is also a service in London that delivers fresh and frozen organic food 'chunks', sort of all prepped so that all we'd have to do is cook it and mush it, so that's a good option.

[mickill]

My phases with certain interests are so subtle and personal (as in, not enforced upon anyone else) that nobody really notices them. I get into new hobbies here and there, but for the most part I already kinda know where I'm at. I'm more just refining, not so much reinventing myself these days.

[Nuzzolese]

My phases with certain interests are so subtle and personal (as in, not enforced upon anyone else) that nobody really notices them. I get into new hobbies here and there, but for the most part I already kinda know where I'm at. I'm more just refining, not so much reinventing myself these days.

I'm not trying to be sarcastic or challenging here when I ask if you think that might have something to do with maturity (as in you know who you are and feel no need to experiment, because you are fully realized, self actualized, mature and so forth) or instead something to do with a personality type that stays more tunnel-visioned and focused for longer periods of time, a more subtle approach that goes deeper instead of spreading thinly over many things?

[mickill]

I think it has more to do with wanting to streamline my approach. I don't want to, nor can I, really invest too much time in exploring new interests. I'd rather concentrate on what I know I do well and just improve myself in that regard. Plus, when you have a kid, your own interests really do start to take a back seat for a little while. I won't live vicariously through my daughter, I don't think, because I'm sure she may not choose to explore a lot of what I wish I had the chance to. But I do already feel some sense of fulfillment in knowing that I have every intention of providing oportunities to her that I may not have had as a child, mailnly through my moral support. I guess she's the only real "interest" I have right now. Don't get me wrong, I do have my own interests, but they're mainly things that I hope will benefit her in the future. And I stilll collect some useless junk, watch movies, listen to music extensively and see my friends. But anything that takes too much time away from spending time with her is out the door, basically.

Btw, I do realize that my response was pretty fruity.

[hpdrifter]

I do exactly the same thing in terms of going through phases. Some of the ones that stuck with me are playing guitar, speaking Russian, learning Italian, singing jazz music and learning more about jazz history. Some of the ones that passed through my life were sign language, sewing my own clothes, kickboxing/yoga/pilates (I still come back to these occasionally, but not often). I think its natural. Sometimes feel so glad to be alive because of the wealth of things there are that I want to do and other times I get so bored and I feel guilty for being bored because there's so much interesting stuff in the world.

[hpdrifter]

I think it has more to do with wanting to streamline my approach. I don't want to, nor can I, really invest too much time in exploring new interests. I'd rather concentrate on what I know I do well and just improve myself in that regard. Plus, when you have a kid, your own interests really do start to take a back seat for a little while. I won't live vicariously through my daughter, I don't think, because I'm sure she may not choose to explore a lot of what I wish I had the chance to. But I do already feel some sense of fulfillment in knowing that I have every intention of providing oportunities to her that I may not have had as a child, mailnly my moral support. I guess she's the only real "interest" I have right now. Don't get me wrong, I do have my own interests, but they're mainly things that I hope will benefit her in the future. And I stilll collect some useless junk, watch movies, listen to music extensively and see my friends. But anything that takes too much time away from spending time with her is out the door, basically.

Why do you have to be such a good father, loyal husband, and hottie? Do you understand that there are not many like you you tool? Stop rubbing it in our faces. Resume your assholery.

[mickill]

Resume your assholery.
I save that side of me for the board.

[hpdrifter]

Yeah, this is the board. Resume it or I'll resume you.

[Echewta]

Phases, interests, collections, etc. are at a peak with the internet now. Never before have so many been able to get together to discuss, trade, share, etc. on any specific topic. Its an amazing time to be alive and be happy knowing that there are thousand who are interested in making walnut shell animals and people with goggley eyes.

[Nuzzolese]

That was nowhere close to fruity, mickill. You deserve a WORLD'S BEST DAD coffee mug or something.

[mickill]

Eh, it's probably just a phase. I'll probably lose interest in her once she starts walking.

[Nuzzolese]

Phases, interests, collections, etc. are at a peak with the internet now. Never before have so many been able to get together to discuss, trade, share, etc. on any specific topic. Its an amazing time to be alive and be happy knowing that there are thousand who are interested in making walnut shell animals and people with goggley eyes.

How is this going to change the way we compromise, or refuse to, in our relationships close to us, when we know that out there is a community just like us so we're never alone?

[Nuzzolese]

Eh, it's probably just a phase. I'll probably lose interest in her once she starts walking.

But then she'll start talking and using a potty so she'll be like a totally different person instead of a little wormy thing. I mean that in a cute way, a cute larva, like a Glo-Worm.

[Echewta]

Who wants to be alone? What if you find that the path you are interested in going down as been travelled by many who have found that it was best to turn back. How wonderful to save time and energy and devote it to something else.

[instigator7022]

i tried to learn to juggle one day but it was too hard so i gave up.

In 8th grade i went through a "I want to be different from everyone else" phase and wore some pretty freaky outfits.

Right now I'm in a sort of obsessed with like guns and the armed forces and whatnot phase. i dont know how this one will end.

[Nuzzolese]

Who wants to be alone? What if you find that the path you are interested in going down as been travelled by many who have found that it was best to turn back. How wonderful to save time and energy and devote it to something else.

But there's always the illusion of peculiarity that comes with subjective perspective, in which you think things will be different for you and you alone can extract from a common experience something uniquely your own and one of a kind. People topped Mt Everest despite the deaths.

[Echewta]

Agreed. But without the lessons learned from those who died, would those who survived to reach the peak of their phase have been able to? Or at least, as many?

[Nuzzolese]

Agreed. But without the lessons learned from those who died, would those who survived to reach the peak of their phase have been able to? Or at least, as many?

I doubt it. And without those who died or gave up before them, the experience and satisfaction and fear and pride the climbers felt when reaching the top might not have been as profound.

[TAL]

i tried to learn to juggle one day but it was too hard so i gave up.
It took me about 3 hours during a boring Christmas with the family.

[abcdefz]

I wouldn't say I go through "phases" so much as I just get interested in some area, devour everything I can, and then a portion of it gets fairly integrated into my life.

Right now, I'd say it's Central and South American music. And hydrogen peroxide.

[instigator7022]

It took me about 3 hours during a boring Christmas with the family.

Lucky.

[Echewta]

I doubt it. And without those who died or gave up before them, the experience and satisfaction and fear and pride the climbers felt when reaching the top might not have been as profound.

*bow*

[hpdrifter]

Are we still talking about communities online? Like this one? Its the age old argument. Are your internet friends really friends?

I was actually thinking about this a great deal after chatting with a coworker the other day. He's really into those online fantasy role playing games. I think the one he does is called world of warcraft. I don't know how much you all know about these types of games but the way I understand it there is a whole world that you could superimpose on the real world and it would have everything the real world has. Jobs, stores, friends, houses, wives/husbands. Except you're an elf or a fairy and your car is a chariot and your friends are orks or some shit. I mean, this guy (my coworker) designed a character for himself. He picked the hair color, eye color, body type, clothes, everything. And he goes into this world online and meets his friends. And in the real world they live in Korea or Austria or Texas but they get together for whatever beeresque drink there is in this game and hang out. Then they go kill dragons or something, but to them its almost as if this cyber world has totally taken the place of their real world. It is their real world where they can be good looking and strong and get pretty girls.

[TAL]

Lucky.
No, talented.

[instigator7022]

No, talented.

we'll go with that

[Sarky Devotchka]

I don't have enough money for hobbies. when I was in a band, I was all into it and learned about keyboards and crap. but being in a band takes up a lot of time, and I wasn't really allowed to be a part of the creative process because I was just there to play and sing what they wrote for me. I was really into the idea of being a rockstar, but it turns out that I'm too lazy and I can't write songs to save me life.

but I still wish I could do it.

me and cort have been in a two-year phase of buying terrible 80's movies that we've never heard of from walgreens and watching them. Pink Nights was the most recent. It's set in chicago and they go to Potbelly in lincoln park! yes!

[cosmo105]

being an art student was perhaps the biggest, most expensive phase of my life. i really miss it. it was a different life, man. the people, the places, the production...it was pretty awesome being creative and shit. but then i got sort of disillusioned with the pretention of all the assholes there and realized i didn't have the drive to work as hard as you have to in that industry. i don't think i'm settling, though, because i'm happy with where i'm going now.

god, mickill, you're such a loving father. i love seeing that. there's nothing like a parent's love.

i'm really into sweet potatoes right now, btw.

[Sarky Devotchka]

ah, I had a sweet potato phase.

now I'm in a frozen chicken tenderloin from trader joe's phase.

[cosmo105]

my last food phase was my rice cooker. i was a pilaf fiend.

[Nuzzolese]

I like the idea of referring to our past phases in the terms people use to discuss the periods and styles of famous artists. Like, you could be sifting through your garage and find your old food dehydrator and say "Ahhh yes, this was from my jerky period"

[fucktopgirl]

i look at my juicer and i think"that it when i was healthy maniac"

i made mix you would imagine!

[zippo]

oh god yes. i refer to them more as obsessions, cuz i reach these ridiculous peaks and they then can get way down low again in a matter of weeks.

my main obsession or phase is writing, ive also written about my obsession of it. its my "main" one because its the one that always comes back throughout my life. and each time the phases are longer and stronger, both the presence of the obsession and the absence of it: each year there comes a time where napkins serve for something more than wiping my mouth, the followed by the frustrating writers block. by the time im 40 these phases will probably last years each. although, now that i know it comes in phases, whenever the negative one comes, i know its just nature taking its course, so im more accepting of it as time goes by.

then i have a musical phase/obsession that exists along with the other phases/obessions. this one is always present and its lived through different ways (certain artist,album, type of music) and/or instruments. the main musical obession/phase would be my piano. my last phase ended a few days ago, sometimes i cant get up from the little wooden bench and i think, what the fuck else could be better than playing this right now, nothing. its also the only thing that i´ll accept when im angry/furious.

apart from those two principal ones, theres been a needing to see every movie that comes out phase, a musicology phase, a hummus phase (recently over), a volunteering phase, a low confidence phase...i think the best word for the rest would be "etc."

[Bob]

i think i'm in a skeptic phase right now, but i'm not sure

[QueenAdrock]

Phases I've had, where I have it more than a usual amount for several weeks to months:

-Jack Daniels
-Mushrooms (not drugs, but the ranch-dressing dipping kind)
-Sugary Cereal
-7-layer dip
-California Rolls

Now non-consummable phases:

-Studying Urban Legends
-Tarot/Palmistry
-Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
-Beastie Boys (by far the longest)
-Holocaust and Jewish studies
-Building stuff (carpentry and legos)
-The "Stories" on TLC (makeover, baby, trading spaces, etc)


I can't think of what else. I'm still in the Beastie Boys/Holocaust/Jack Daniels phases.

[cosmo105]

dude. Ocarina of Time was my LIFE a few years back. ohh, link.

astrophysics was my thing for years.
then it was English.
then photography.
now, nutrition.
tomorrow? porn.

[cosmo105]

I like the idea of referring to our past phases in the terms people use to discuss the periods and styles of famous artists. Like, you could be sifting through your garage and find your old food dehydrator and say "Ahhh yes, this was from my jerky period"
hahaha. i just imagined paintings of dehydrated apples and, like, homemade woven hemp potholders and hats and shit, and godforsaken sprouting jars as installations at the Getty.