What is your passion?

[Steve]

Another addition to the "What is" threads. I'm not asking about your casual hobby, or your job. What are you passionate about? What makes you go on the defensive when challenged? What have you set as your life's goal, whether it is possible to realize it or not? I'd be interested in hearing, and I'll offer my own when I can get my thoughts together into some form of coherency.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

One word,..........

ART!

 

[Bebop]

May I pat myself on the back....

I have a few passions but none of them make me go on the defensive when challenged. I think one of my passions is to not go on the defensive when challenged. I think "life's goal" and your passion are not necessarily connected. I don't do well with "life's goal" on any level. I have a passion for photography. After 30 years of photography I am still looking for THE photo. I am also passionate about my music. Could not play very well without passion for my music and my instrument, the clarinet. Passion is also there when it comes to being a good, honest, reliable, trustworthy, do-the-right-thing-at-the-right-time person no matter what the trend may be. It's the only way I can live well, have peace and be happy. I had not really thought about this till this thread came along and I guess I am a pretty passionate person.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Like a typical Gemini, I go from passion to passion. I have a passion for reading, that does stay with me, but have had a passion for writing, painting, drawing, backpacking and camping, playing ball, and a few others that will remain unmentioned.

Right now, I am retired and am looking for a new passion --or to revive an old passsion, possibly painting or writing.

And, yes, I have a passion for hats. Or perhaps it is an obsession.

karol

 

[Lincsong]

Just tell me I can't do something

I don't have a fixation on any single thing. But if someone challenges me and tells me I can't or won't do something then I'll have the passion to prove them wrong.

 

[Briscoeteque]

I wish I was passionate about something, but I'm not. I don't have any talents eiather, though I've been told I'm charming. I'm pursuing medicine in college because I would be an awful businessman, accountant, or lawyer, and science is pretty neat and I like healing folks, plus I think I'd love to be a moon colonist, and they're going to need doctors on the moon.

I usually try to prove people wrong when I'm challenged, but as my latest poker experiences have taught me, I'm not always successful.

 

[herringbonekid]

i'm passionate about creating my own imagery whether its paintings or comics or animation.

and i'm passionate about finding quality men's clothing from 1928 - 1955.

 

[WickedNeriah]

I'd have to say writing in my case.

 

[TheRetropolitan]

My problem is that have way too many passions -- I barely have time for one, but I'm always stretched in different directions. I love LOVE movies (went to film school, after all), I love illustration and design (my degree's in art, too), I love writing (starting a book this year), I love new media (crazy about blogs), and then comics and pulps and the 1930s...

I think I just have a passion for passion.

Makes me wish I had a passion for time management.

 

[BellyTank]

Looking, seeing and watching.
And some doing.

B
T

 

[binkmeisterRick]

I, too, stretch my passions/hobbies in various directions between art, design, and photography, my music and songwriting, hats, more hats, oh, and even more hats, vintage clothing, fountain pens (a new passion) and a bunch of other little things. But I must say if there's one thing I'm constantly passionate about, it's helping my wife reach her goals and dreams. I can say with certainty that it's one thing I'll defend if any one ever knocks it.

bink

 

[Pilgrim]

I will be candid - there aren't a lot of passions in my life, although there are many things I enjoy, strongly support and pursue. But my everyday life is pretty comfortable and sorted out, so I don't necessarily associate "passion" with it.

When I think of the term passion, my response is that since I was trained as a broadcaster and journalist in the university that trained Edward R. Murrow, I am passionate about issues such as the First Amendment, freedom of speech, freedom to assemble and open government. I passionately believe that the way to find good solutions to public problems is to pursue them not from a basis of ideology, but from the consideration of facts. Further, I believe that the fullest possible public access to facts and information is critical to this process. Every morning when I open the newspaper, I am reminded of how much ideology has replaced fact as part of public discourse in the US, and how negative the results are. I passionately regret the political and religious polarization that has taken place in US society.

Because of these things, I feel passion about the way that the US government and administration have operated for the past few years. I feel quite accurate in describing congressional and presidential actions since 2001 as the single most disastrous period in US government since the 1930's in terms of protection of civil rights, governmental openness, public access to information and budgetary dishonesty and incompetence. Yes, there have been great challenges, but our government has repeatedly ignored reality and responded from positions of ideology, not fact. I see no improvement at this time.

I am aware that others here will disagree with me, and I respect their views and opinions on these topics. Each of us must form a view of the world based on our experiences and observations.

Pardon me for introducing politics into this thread, but that's my honest answer. Please note that I represent this ONLY as my own, personal viewpoint, and do not ask others to agree with or endorse it.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Pilgrim -- your eloquent statement reminded me that I have always had a passion for social justice.

Years ago I was a radical feminist on the streets of New York fighting for equality for women as well as for others.

When I worked in the County of San Diego, I was a Union Steward, protecting the rights of workers, attempting to negotiate with management and reach agreement. I was able to spearhead a re-engineering project to save jobs of county workers.

I don't miss my job now that I have retired, but I do miss the union activities.


karol

 

[mysterygal]

Lincsong, you sound just like me! darn ol' stubborn streak
my passion is for women and/or kids. I got it from growing up in a REALLY bad neighborhood, so I"ve seen and heard just about everything. My 'passion' really heats up when I see someone who's totally at the bottom of the pit and has no more hope, I get a huge charge taking on a person and helping them see thier worth and getting them on the right track.

 

[LolitaHaze]

I am very passionate about Burlesque Striptease... what is what isn't. I admit I am anally traditional and believe that what a lot of girls call Burlesque now-a-days is nothing but performance art. There is a point of which it no longer is Burlesque. I have started to except that there is a certain about of growth to be expected and with growth comes change... but there are times when it strays so far from the origin it is no longer Burlesque. It kills me when girls use the word Burlesque (buzz word) to describe their acts without doing any sort of history on the subject. Gals that say they LOVE Burlesque but can't tell me who Lili St Cyr is should be shot. Hahahaha... Mind you, this is all my own personal opinion on the subject.

 

[Steve]

Well, since I asked the question it's only fair I post sometime.

My passion is the mysteries of history. Since I was ten years old I've been reading all I can about the Ark of the Covenant, Noah's Ark, and the Knights Templar. It is my loftiest goal to be able to find out the truth that lies buried and obscured beneath the legends. I'm tired of the discredited claims, so as soon as I can, I will be making some extended trips overseas to do some serious study.

 

[LolitaHaze]

My passion is the mysteries of history. Since I was ten years old I've been reading all I can about the Ark of the Covenant, Noah's Ark, and the Knights Templar. It is my loftiest goal to be able to find out the truth that lies buried and obscured beneath the legends I'm tired of the discredited claims, so as soon as I can, I will be making some extended trips overseas to do some serious study.

That is lovely! I too love mysteries, but not enough to actually study the historical ones. I am still on Nancy Drew's level. I do enjoy movies that have you following clues like The Ring (pt 1 not 2). I also love to play computer games that follow the character through places that involve puzzle solving. Speaking of puzzle solving... have you seen those puzzles where you read a mystery and have to put the puzzle together to solve the story? I love those. I am a big fan of Clue as well. It delights me when they throw in some "truth" or "historical reference" in the game/story.

My secret birthday wish is that one year someone will surprise me with a mystery hunt. Much like a scavanger hunt, but more along the levels of having to find clues to solve riddles and mysteries.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Indiana Steve?

I want to know all that stuff too! I've heard that The Ark is in Ethiopia. Also there is an obscure referance in The Catholic Bible as to the prophet Jermiah hiding the Ark at Mount Nebo, which is now part of Syria. ( 2nd book of Machabees, Chapter 2)
I have always also been intrigued by The Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt. There are far too many mysterious details built into it for me to assume that it was merely a burial tomb. When the Arabs came to Egypt in the 7th century, they were of course in complete awe of it. The leader sent out spies to casually inquire of the local population as to what these strange structures were and who built them. The general concensus among the locals was that they were built at the command of an ancient king who had dreamed of a coming world cataclysm that would destroy all life on earth. He was instructed to place all of the collected scientific knowledge of his time and culture in the pyramid.

 

[AtomicBlonde]

My passion is history... always has been. I was a history major for a while until I realized that I could read all I wanted about history any time, but what was more important to me was the preservation of that history, so I switched schools and switched majors to historic preservation.

Historic preservation encompasses many things, material culture, archaeology, architectural conservation, museum studies... I've dabbled a little in them all and have come to find my calling in architectural conservation. I find that our built environment speaks volumes about who we are, where we've been and where we're going. It is important to me to preserve our built environment so that we can understand ourselves more not only as Americans but as human beings.

I had the opportunity this summer to go with Professor W. Brown Morton III (who I consider to be a god in historic preservation, as he had a hand in writing the secretary of the interiors standards for restoration and rehabilitation of historic structures which is sort of the preservation bible) to Scotland to study historic Scottish architecture and to compare preservation efforts in the UK and America... it was certainly one of the highlights of my life, a trip I will never forget.

I hope to use my passion for Architectural conservation to help preserve America's historic places... many of the historic places still standing in America are only there through the efforts of preservationists.

Anyway, thats what I'm passionate about most.

-Jess

 

[Michael Mallory]

Wow, what a loaded question! I guess if I had to pinpoint the things I'm passionate about (meaning, the things that causes mass eye-rolling whenever I start to discourse, because people know what's coming), they would be a) words, and b) film. Words are my life and my livelihood -- I'm a writer -- but they are so thoroughly misunderstood by so many people that it is disheartening. Words cannot harm you...only the thoughts behind them can, and the most harm is done by people who cannot wield words well enough to express their thoughts. As for film, well, I tend to expound on the subject to the point where people tell me to shut up. But IMO, film history is being lost because people don't care...or else they have a personal agenda and twist the truth to fit it.

Oh, now you've done it, you've gotten me started...!