Hobbies!

Over the last year, I’ve tried a ton of new hobbies—all focused on making life cozier and slowing things down.

Here’s a quick rundown of what I’ve tried and what I think. Every hobby has its fans, so don’t take it personally if I don’t love one you do.

My favorite so far is diamond art. It’s affordable (kits range from $1.25 to $20), requires minimal tools, and is easy to pick up and put down without much setup.

I’ve also gotten big into cozy gaming. I was always a console player, but Steam completely changed that. I now have 235 games—basically all bought this year. It can be my most expensive hobby (PCs, consoles), but most cozy games are cheap and often have demos. The real downside? Time disappears fast when you find a game you can’t quit.

Miniatures completely took over my life this past year. I went from a few MiniVerse balls to a full-blown workshop. One project led to another—rooms, houses, book nooks—and now I’ve got a desk full of tools and a room full of builds. I’ve made around 60 pieces (mostly for others) and lost count of the blind balls. It’s a massive hobby, and I love it.

I was never into Legos, but I got into building blocks when my son did. Even though he moved on, I still enjoy it—just not the Lego prices. I prefer off-brand and miniature sets that lean more “cozy” instead of big-name franchises. I did splurge on an overpriced Autumn Gnome Garden, though—and it was worth it. Builds can take anywhere from an hour to weeks.

Crocheting? Not for me. Whether it’s because I’m left-handed or just not wired for it, I couldn’t figure it out. After an hour of frustration, I was done.

Same goes for knitting.

Latch hook was much easier and actually pretty fun, but it ranks lower for me. The finished product looks very 1980s and cheap.

I also tried growing sunflowers from a “guaranteed to grow” kit. RIP little buddies.

Lastly, I got into adult coloring because my wife did. Naturally, I went all in—Ohuhu markers, pencils, gel pens, the works. We now have about 50 coloring books. I enjoy it, but it takes real skill to make pieces look amazing. I’ve improved a bit with YouTube, but it’s definitely more about relaxing than showing off for me.

The hobbies that stuck: cozy gaming, diamond art, miniatures, and coloring—with building blocks mixed in when I find the right set.

Before early 2025, I hadn’t tried 99% of these. Now I’m always looking for the next hobby I may enjoy- I even made my wife a couple pairs of earrings.

Life is short.
Do what you enjoy.
Embrace #CozyShit

~~~~~sh/\rky~~~~~