Every Human Being, as far as I know, would love to spend the majority of their spare time pursuing the things that they love. If they're getting paid for it... well, that's the dream, isn't it?
I am happy to say that I, myself get to spend a great majority of my time pursuing something that I love; Yahtzee (shock horror). While it is true that I recieve no money for doing this (someday, maybe... someday), I find it highly rewarding to be able to dedicate so much of my life doing something that I truly love and feel passionate about. It's might be a bit out of left field, meaning that Yahtzee is not a usual thing that people get super passionate about, but so what, I love it, so I'm going with it! But I wasn't always this way. Let me take you back a few years!!
Since I was old enough to have an interest, I have had them, like most people. Ever since I can remember I have always been passionate about music, I would listen to anything I could. I listened to my mum and dad's old LP's and I loved them, from Tom Jones (yeah, I know) to Rick Wakeman and Queen. When I got a bit older I started to listen to what my brother and my uncle were listening to, bands like Bon Jovi (yeah, I know), Guns N Roses, Poison, Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath to name a few. When I got older I spread my wings and sought out new music myself, bands like Nirvana, Slipknot, Slayer, Korn blah blah blah. Anyhow, at that point I was convinced that I was going to be a rock star. This did not end well. I lost the drive and never bothered to learn an instrument.
Then I started writing. Songs at first, naturally, then I wrote some screenplays that I was convinced were going to become movies, but obviously they never did. Then, more recently, about 7 years ago, I had a stint of writing poetry, and to be fair, I thought I did okay at that, but they were always a bit miserable, so they never really took off either. But I can't say that I gave up on writing totally, I have always loved writing, it is the one thing I have done since I was young that has stuck with me. And here I am writing this post as well as every other post on this blog, of which there are hundreds! But it's fair to say that I am not going to become the UK's Poet Laureate anytime soon!
It wasn't until, while we were in the depths of the Covid Lockdown and I was particularly bored that I decided to have a few rounds of solo Yahtzee, a game that I have casually enjoyed for many years. Then when the restrictions were relaxed, my nephew, Lee came up for a few beers and I taught him how to play, then he took it home and before I knew it, everyone was playing. Then we all played together and that's when it clicked for me! We started a League and I would write Match Summaries over Facebook Messenger for a few giggles and to let people know how they were doing. Then in no time at all the BHO was born and then the blog was born and here we are now; Many Leagues in, plus many other competitions and we have been playing consistently for over two years. It just goes to show that you can find your passion in the most unlikely of places!
It might seem odd to many of you, you may be thinking "of all things, why bloody Yahtzee?". To be honest, I thought that at the start. But this humble game has got me to connect with my family like never before, it has made me use the few brain cells I have! And because of that I have handed out Yahtzee Packs to schools so the young ones can not only get interested in Yahtzee but aid them in their mathematics. Our blog has a viewership that is far beyond anything I ever got writing poetry, and far beyond the members of the BHO. We have readers in America, Canada, Brazil and Russia to name a few. I have played Yahtzee with people I don't know and made new friends while doing it. Perhaps more importantly it gives me a sense of purpose; a reason to write, a schedule I need to keep up with. But, even more importantly than that, it makes me happy!
So I guess my point is, whether you find your passion in Morris Dancing, Tiddlywinks, worm charming or chasing a wheel of cheese down a dangerously steep hill, good for you! If it makes you happy, go for it! The only person you have to answer to is yourself. Unless you have murdered someone, then you might need to answer to a few people!
Life is too short to deny yourself pleasure in fear of what others might think. It's what what YOU think that really counts! So stop procrastinating! Chase your dreams. Go on... you'll feel better if you do!!
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