krimsonidol

I find pysanky to be one of the most zen-like and relaxing hobbies that I have.
It allows for creativity, yet also provides some structure for you to follow.
The smell of the wax and dye is relaxing.
Creating straight lines on a curved surface, drawing them out slowly with the kistka, removing the wax at the very end and seeing your egg emerge… this is one of the most worthwhile artistic pursuits I personally engage in (note that I have no actual artistic ability, so this is perhaps the only artistic pursuit I have).
Great for kids, also.
Great symbolism and folklore behind it as well.
It is not hard or expensive to get started! Go do it!
Recommended web reading: www.learnpysanky.com
Recommended equipment supplier: http://www.ukrainiangiftshop.com/index.htm

Always wanted to learn to ride a motorcycle. Finally signed up and took the MSF class (which I strongly recommend doing – don’t try to teach yourself, you’ll miss out on a lot) and got my license.
I got myself a small non-threatening bike to develop my skills on and got all my safety gear (and I think the gear is sexy, not dorky ).
Now i’ve got something fun to do, something to practice and learn, a conversation-starter, a way to make new friends, and it’s built my self-confidence to a surprising degree.
Go do it!

I’ve made comfortable profits investing in socially responsible stocks, and even when I take a hit, I feel good for having supported positive change in our world. If everyone supports big oil companies, or environmentally damaging companies (Apple, i’m looking at you), then what does that encourage, right?
I don’t suggest just googling “socially responsible investing” or anything, because you won’t find good investments. But do your due diligence, research both the companies socioenvironmental practices and their financials, and you can be pretty successful. I’ve done pretty well with, among others, GMCR, SPWR, and ENER. It’s worth the time to make a solid investment for yourself and for the betterment of the world. And remember, socially responsible stocks should include stocks that have forward-thinking hiring practices (women on the board, minorities, etc) and benefits (bens for same-sex couples, etc).