My Hobbies & Interests
A light-hearted page where I blabber about my small hobbies 🙂
Reading
Since childhood, I have always been reading. Give me free time and a pile of books, whatever the place, and you can consider me lost within the pages. As a child, Enid Blyton’s Malory Towers was my favourite series, with stories of the girls’ mischief and adventures like a beacon of light in the commonplace reality of life. Other Enid Blyton series, like St. Clare’s, The Naughtiest Girl, and Famous Five, laid the foundation for my growing love for books and still hold a special place in my heart.
That love for reading has now increased tenfold. Before, it was solely fiction fiction fiction, but I’ve slowly developed an interest in biographies and self-help books as well. As J.K. Rowling famously said, “I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book.”
Writing
After reading, writing is a hobby that I love sincerely. Even though it comes as a struggle sometimes, especially when you’re not in the mood, there’s nothing better than spouting words and ideas onto paper and creating stories of your own.
I’ve always been inspired by the books I read. If it’s Alex Rider I’m reading, then a teen-spy-action story will unfold itself on my computer. In fact, I have a whole list of stories saved somewhere, and to this day, I can precisely name which book the inspiration came from for each story.
Perhaps my most successful endeavour in writing full, complete stories is my Adventures of Abdullah series — which include moral-based short stories for children. The star of the story, Abdullah, goes about doing interesting things with his closest friend Yousef, and his neighbours.
Photography
Photography is not exactly a hobby, but more of an interest. If there’s a good moment or scene to capture, I love to photograph it, but in essence, I’m not a ‘photographer.’
Putting that aside, some of my photos have gained world-wide acclaim and likes on Unsplash — my most famous beach photograph (on the left) reaching 43 million views and 460,900 downloads!
Video editing
Another side-interest of mine is video editing and video production. The process of broadcasting live TV in studios, the art of cinematography, and the skill of editing footage are all very fascinating subjects for me.
I claim to be no expert, but over the years, I’ve learnt video editing through trial and error, on platforms like Final Cut Pro, iMovie, and Shotcut. This skill particularly helps when I do work for my YouTube channel, because it means I can edit the videos I wish to upload myself. It also came in handy when I was approached by an online school to teach video-editing to their students as a side course — which I currently do!
Some of my favourite book quotes
“Never did she find anything so difficult as to keep herself from losing her temper when she was suddenly disturbed while absorbed in a book. People who are fond of books know the feeling of irritation which sweeps over them at such a moment.”
- A LITTLE PRINCESS
“The happiest of all things is when an old friend comes and greets us as in former times; the heart is comforted with the assurance that some day everything that we have loved will be given back.”
- Heidi
“It’s been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will.”
- Anne of Green Gables
“Just because you have the emotional range of a teaspoon doesn’t mean we all have.”
- HARRY POTTER
“I like good strong words that mean something…”
- JO, LITTLE WOMEN
“Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself; but talent instantly recognizes genius.”
- Sherlock Holmes
“All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost,
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.”
- LORD OF THE RINGS
“The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.”
- NORTHANGER ABBEY
“I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of anything than of a book! When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.”
- PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
“All grown-ups were once children…but only few of them remember it.”
- the little prince
“She was not often invited to join in the conversation of the others, nor did she desire it. Her own thoughts and reflections were habitually her best companions.”
- MANSFIELD PARK
“There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature.”