7 unusual pastimes to try this summer

Note: this post was authored by my wife Jessica. She will be contributing to this blog periodically.

Email, meetings, the commute home, surf the web, perhaps a nightcap and, before you know it, another busy day has come to an end. In our ever-increasing dependency on all things computer related, it is all too easy to forget that there’s still a veritable plethora of interesting activities to participate in, beyond the keyboard.

As with nearly everything in this world, the key to having time for both hobbies and the demands of daily life is balance, and the realization that the internet will still exist if you go fly fishing for an afternoon or spend a weekend learning how to weave a rug. When reflecting on what activities you might like to spend time doing, think back to your childhood and the types of hobbies that you enjoyed as a youth. Who knows, perhaps you’d delight in building model cars or going horseback riding again.

With that thought in mind, here is a round-up of seven fascinating and slightly out of the ordinary pastimes for you to explore. If nothing on this list tickles your fancy, don’t worry, the guiding idea here is to try something new, even just once, and broaden your horizons – because let’s face it, no matter how much you love Reddit, StumbleUpon, Facebook or Twitter, life is too short to devote every spare waking moment to internet browsing.

1. Paragliding

Go paragliding. It’s pretty safe to assume that for just about as long as humans have walked the earth, they’ve wondered what it would be like to take to the sky and soar, free as a bird. While evolution has yet to see fit for people to develop wings (darn!), perhaps the next best option is to try paragliding. If the thought of going completely ‘free style’ seems too daring for your tastes, fear not, you can still give this exhilarating activity a whirl, tethered to a motorboat, in which case it’s known as parasailing.

2. Fossil hunting

Make like a paleontologist and try you hand at fossil collecting. Fossils abound the world over, though there are some definite hotbeds of activity where you’re more likely to unearth a truly ancient treasure or two. Check out fossiel.net for a list of over 270 terrific fossil finding spots worldwide.

3. Make your own Olive Oil

Tap into your inner Greek (or Roman!) and experiment with making your own olive oil. Regarded as one of the healthiest edible oils in the world thanks to its rich level of monounsaturated fats, olive oil is a culinary staple with an endless array of uses. Try making your own at home in your kitchen with nothing more than some olives, water and some drinking glasses, or if you’re really into the idea (and you’ve got a reliable source of olives), consider investing in an olive oil press.

4. Learn to pole dance

Once regarded largely as the domain of strippers, in recent years pole dancing (a combo of gymnastics and dance moves) as sprung up across fitness centers nationwide, proving that this workout has more than just visual appeal. Assuming you have the floor space (and possibly a sturdy pole), you don’t even need to leave the house to get your grove on, as instructional videos can teach you all the moves you’ll ever need right in the comfort of your own living room.

5. Pan for gold

Often credited with bringing the American and Canadian populations west, gold rushes were an integral part of the nineteenth (and in some places, early 20th) century. Thankfully, one no longer has to navigate treacherous terrain or put their life on the line if they would like to try their hand at panning for gold. Places such as Barkerville, British Columbia and Tuolumne County, California still yield up gold flakes and nuggets alike each year.

6. Create paper at home

We all know finding more ways to go green is a must, so why not give an eco-friendly craft such as homemade paper making a try. Inexpensive and relatively simple to do, this creative pastime is a great one to involve kids in, too.

7. Re-mix your wardrobe

Gas, food and housing aren’t the only things that continue to get more expensive on what feels like a daily basis, clothing prices are also jetting upwards, which is all the more reason to reinvent your current wardrobe instead of shelling out for a brand new one. With a little ingenuity and a sewing machine (or if you’re an excellent hand sewer, a needle and thread) you’ve got the ground work in place to revamp and re-mix your duds in new and marvelous ways. For some hip inspiration flip through books like Rip It!: How to Deconstruct and Reconstruct the Clothes of Your Dreams by Elissa Meyrich, and Megan Nicolay’s Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-Shirt.

This list contains seven fun-filled activities, but there are certainly tons more hobbies out there, just waiting to be explored. When you’re not putting in your daily 9-5, writing blog posts or watching YouTube, what are some of your favorite ways to stay busy, learn new skills and have a blast?