Time to Pursue New Interests

Every day in Santa Cruz includes a walk somewhere, whether it is along West Cliff (with the waves crashing below me), Pogonip (a national park about a mile and a half away), or among the redwoods at the UC Santa Cruz campus. That's one of the main reasons I came back here: I wanted to re-immerse myself in the natural abundance that SC has to offer. As long as I get myself out there, I feel mostly accomplished for the day. But not completely. I have become interested in new things, which I have begun taking the time to develop.
One: the steel strung guitar. Ben has one in his room, and I like it better than the nylon string one that I received for Hannukah a few years ago, which I have played for about 1 hour in totality. The steel strung guitar has a better resonance -- deeper, more bluesy, kind of. I just put my finger on different frets, on different strings, and sees what sounds good -- I don't know if they are established chords (or whatever), but I just pick away at them and hum in a tone that matches, alter my finger placing to something else
that sounds pretty, go back to the original position, and in this way, create a tune. It feels good, to finally pick up something that I have only admired for the past few years. I want to find a travel size so I can bring one to Hawaii to play in my free time. Honestly, I like it better than the uke.
Two: Tea. The real, dank tea. There is a shop right next to the house I am staying at, called Chaikhana. It's a quaint little shop, almost like a gallery. Not only does it sell tea, but teaware, some of which are antique. Ben has such a large collection of it, that he strains in holding himself back from purchasing more each time he enters the shop (it's not exactly cheap stuff, especially when your job barely pays you a living wage) (I have included a picture of him refraining from buying a teapot that he's eyeing).
Chaikhana has exotic teas from all around the world (mainly the East). I'm not into just any tea though. It's Puerh (sp?) that has gotten my attention. If I remember correctly, Puerh is a tea from China that is fermented in caves, for a period that ranges from about a few weeks to a few decades (the longer the better, in my opinion) in piles, sometimes in the peel of citrus fruit. You can find them as loose tea, in bricks, and probably other forms that I am not yet aware of. They have a powerful effect on the mind and body, and are incredibly "earthy." Very grounding and calming. Some don't taste so great, but I don't care. If I ever feel flustered from trying to accomplish too much, or worn out, I just sip some Puerh and feel restored. It is great for the stomach, and promotes good digestion (which is the foundation of general, overall health). Ben always pours me several mini cups full (at least) each night as we converse over his countertop in the kitchen.
Three: teaching myself Spanish. At the moment, I am checking out Pablo Neruda books from the library, which include English translations. I'll read his poems in Spanish on the left side of the book, sometimes out loud, and try to translate them for myself before looking to the right side, to the English version. I am getting better at it, though sometimes I am way off, as a lot of what he has to say isn't exactly commonplace. Ben has also lent me a book on the different tenses, which is what I most need to focus on the moment (past and future tense are my main weaknesses).
Everything is a choice. I have many options when deciding what to do with my time. I'm finding the balance between both taking it easy and being productive/constructive. Things are going so smooth for me, that I have to spend time watching reality television to make up for the lack of drama in my life.