May 3rd, 2023
Everyone has that one thing they enjoy more than anything to pass the time. It might be knitting, clothespin art, or even painting. For those of you looking for new or more challenging hobbies, we’ve got you covered. Below, we’ve picked out ultimate, step-it-up activities to push your perseverance and boost your creativity.
Candle-Making
For some reason, child-me loved power outages. It was a time when everyone had to put the electronics down, get out the matches for the propane stovetop, and light some candles—those very tiny, one-use deals you get in a tray. Today, I keep some of them on standby in my own house for the same reason, but also if I decide to make marshmallows in my living room. Remember, never leave open flames unsupervised.According to Parkscandles.com, people have been using candles for centuries. During the Qin Dynasty in China, candlemakers used whale fat to make their candles. Elsewhere, beeswax was common. In 500 BC, Romans utilized beef or lamb tallow, along with a strand of twine. People in India used cinnamon with yak butter, and Indigenous Alaskans and Canadians favored the candlefish. Joseph Morgan of Manchester used a braided wick in place of a twisted one, which made it last longer. After perfecting his materials, he built a machine that produced 1,500 of these fire sticks in a single hour. Then, in the 1850s, James Young distilled paraffin from coal and oil shales, creating an inexpensive wax variety that, when combined with stearic acid in the 19th century, was known for its durability and lengthened use.Today, you can choose the attributes you want a candle to have by what kind of wax and oil scent you use. Paraffin, soy, coconut, and beeswax vary in burning length, transparency, smell, and environmental cleanliness (note: while there’s no definitive study stating burning paraffin is harmful, exposure to burning the chemicals in it have been linked to higher rates of cancer). For fragrance, you can double up on aromatherapy (just be careful which ones you use if there are kids or pets around). Containers? Just make sure they can hold up to the temperatures the melted wax and flame will be.Think this might be your ultimate hobby? For instructions on how to do it with project material examples, watch this beginner’s tutorial.—Grace Desotell, Hobbies Editor
My holiday go-to vegetable is the sweet potato. Not only is it versatile and easy to prepare in the kitchen, but the stems are a good alternative to spinach, too, thanks to their similar textures and nutrients. But how in the free-floating snowflakes can they be grown in colder, often wetter environments like that of Michigan or Wisconsin? It’s easy; just follow the tips below and you’ll be all set!
The Goose & Gander Finery (715/732-0825): 1712 Dunlap Avenue, Marinette. This boutique features more than just clothing; some of the other items include home décor, personal gifts, and greeting cards. The business page on 
Apricot Lane Boutique (920/634-2620): 905 Bay Park Square, Green Bay. Apricot Lane is located within the Bay Park Square Mall, which gives this boutique the flexibility of maintaining the same hours as the mall. Although the store sells mostly clothing, shoes, accessories, and winter wear sold at this boutique, there are also sections that have local Green Bay and Wisconsin apparel. I have been to this boutique before, and I always notice that there are constantly new clothing options, especially during season changes, and I especially love the jewelry and shoes. There is also an active 
Amnesia (also titled Amnesia: Memories in the US to avoid confusion with a certain other horror game) is … problematic. Like, really problematic. Like, “all of these men suck; why am I even trying to win their favor?” problematic. It’s a game about unhealthy relationships that does not even pretend to handle them well. But boy, is the writing juicy.
Dating pngs in a controlled setting not doing it for you? Wish to be just a little more beholden to the whims of an anime boy? Allow me to introduce Mystic Messenger, the mobile game that took the internet by storm in 2016. Play as a regular girl with no personality who finds herself wrapped up with the RFA, a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising money for purposes that are never elaborated on beyond, “It’s for charity.” Members include Zen, a handsome, self-absorbed rising actor; Jumin Han, the humorless heir of a conglomerate; 707, a hacker who lives off of memes, Dr. Pepper, and potato chips; and Yoosung, a gamer. Not into men? That’s fine. There’s also a … gal pal option? That’s basically the same thing as finding true love, right? Right? Three cheers for female friendship!
In this spoof of a slasher movie, two awkward but well-intentioned hillbillies, Tucker (played by Alan Tudyk) and Dale (played by Tyler Labine), finally buy the vacation home of their dreams—a run-down cabin in the woods. All seems to be going well— until a group of college students on a camping trip mistake the two for bloodthirsty killers. To make things worse, in their attempts to save their “kidnapped” friend, Allison, who is staying with the two after they saved her from drowning, the students begin falling prey to bizarre, deadly accidents (think Final Destination, but sillier). Will Tucker and Dale ever be able to clear the air between them? Tucker and Dale vs. Evil is best enjoyed with friends, especially if you’re the type of person who loves giving commentary on what you’re watching.
This hilarious mockumentary TV series follows the wacky experiences of four vampires that have lived together for hundreds of years on Staten Island. The cast features Nandor the Relentless, a warrior and conqueror from the Ottoman Empire; British vampire Laszlo; the seductive Nadja; and Colin the day-walker. We also can’t forget one of the funniest parts of the series, Nandor’s familiar, Guillermo. He’s the only human in the mix and has so many ridiculous and comical moments. I love the mockumentary style of this TV show, and it is totally bingable. I ended up watching all four seasons in just a couple weeks. It will keep you laughing the entire time, and the use of awkward tension and striking punchlines makes for a great watch! I would recommend checking out What We Do In The Shadows as it is available on Hulu, YouTube TV, and YouTube!
Children of The Mirror is a horror-comedy mini-series made for IFC by Wham! City Comedy. All six episodes are easily accessible on 
In Patrick Rothfuss’ The Name of the Wind, Kvothe, the main character, retells the story of his life to a weary traveler. He begins with his childhood, weaving the tale of his life in a troupe of traveling players into his time spent as an orphan trying to survive in a crime-ridden city. He then moves the story to narrate his time spent at a legendary magic school, where he gets into all sorts of crazy trouble. It gives full Hogwarts vibes, but so much darker and cooler. Kvothe’s life is full of crazy, wonderful, and at times heart-wrenching stories; which one will be your favorite?
Sorcha is the youngest of Lord Colum of Sevenwaters’ seven children. The lady of the house died giving birth to her, but the mother-shaped hole in her heart is almost filled by the closeness Sorcha shares with her six older brothers. Until Lord Colum remarries, that is, as emotionally remote single fathers in fantasy fairy tales are wont to do. Lady Oonagh, the new stepmother, wants Lord Colum’s love—and money—for herself. And naturally, being a powerful sorceress, she casts a devastating curse on the lord’s sons, turning them into swans, though she fails to catch his daughter in her magical snare. As Sorcha hides in the forest and watches the last of her family lift off into the sky, she knows she must seek the help of the queen of the Fair Folk.
Usually podcast hosts like to interview well-known people. This may include celebrities, politicians, or even an entrepreneur. This podcast, however, adds a bit of a twist. Podcast But Outside is exactly what the title says it is, a podcast that takes place outside. The show specifically interviews random strangers that walk past their booth. It is hosted by two individuals named Cole Hersch and Andrew Michaan. The two are comedians but from different backgrounds. Andrew would perform stand-up comedy while Cole would work on comedy videos and skits. The two eventually came together to create a new and fascinating podcast. Each episode is completely unique as no guest is ever the same. The two set up their booth in a random location and wait for people to willingly be interviewed. Their booth is also not just set up in one state but all around the U.S. One of the most memorable places, in my opinion, is Hawaii. It is fascinating to hear these strangers’ stories: who they are, what they do, and their thoughts about life. The two hosts always seem to support and know how to interact well with each interviewee. I will say the show can be crude, as the strangers are allowed to speak whatever is on their mind, but for me it feels more genuine as people are being themselves. Some people have a filter and some don’t. I will never stop looking forward to each episode that comes out.
Recess Therapy
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish was created by Dreamworks, and the film actually ended up bringing in way more earnings than they’d originally expected seeing as this film was released at the same time as the new Avatar. This film was simply breathtaking and an easy movie to stay hooked on the whole time. If the animation and details didn’t keep you intrigued, then the snippets of adult humor and scenes with underlying serious tones that they sneaked in sure will. I personally love that they tried to add some details that adults would catch on to, so the movie is fun for all ages (well, maybe those 13 and up since it has some PG-13 themes). Not only that, but the movie has very good lessons for kids, including friendship, loyalty, valuing loved ones, and not being greedy. My personal favorite part of the film, though, is the depiction of anxiety. As someone with severe anxiety, I found that the attention to detail that the filmmakers gave Puss during his brief episodes made my friends and me honestly tear up. The anxiety-attack scene with Puss was the best representation I have seen so far, especially in a kid’s movie. The new character introduced with his own heartbreaking story, Parrito, also helps Puss to calm down and teaches him and Kitty, Puss’s ex-lover, to stop and smell the roses, literally. I strongly recommended that everyone go see this movie, no matter their age. I give this movie a solid 9/10 simply because I cried, and I never cry at movies. This film is unexpectedly deep for being a kids’ movie, and I feel everyone should go give this film a watch of their own.
Mother Earth’s Plantasia, subtitled “warm earth music for plants and the people who love them,” is exactly such. Composed by synthesizer pioneer Mort Garson, the album uses an early synth called a Moog. The Moog, as pictured below, was the first commercial synth, which differs from modern synths in the fact that it’s a giant room-sized cabinet. Mort got his pretty early on from the instrument’s inventor (whose last name really was Moog), and he quickly fell in love with its sound. He translated what he knew from classical arranging and conducting to the crazy new tech, which Plantasia showcases in full effect. The album has such a brilliant and bright sound, which has an almost protective aura to it. Its highs are very high, and it never breaks its feeling of sanguine freedom. There’s something about the nature aesthetic partnered with the bright, “bloopy” sounds of the synth that plants a big smile on my face every time. If you ever find your own houseplants being particularly sad, maybe throw this record on for them. Who knows? Maybe you’ll like it, too.
Kraftwerk is a German electronic and synth-pop band that was created in 1970 and is recognized as one of the groups that laid the groundwork for electronic music. The band is still actively touring 50 years later, including one of the founding members (now in his 70s) who continues to share fundamentally important music. The Man-Machine (1978) only contains six songs, creating a 36-minute album, but has been one of Kraftwerk’s most popular works. This band is known for their robot-like performances as well as the formal attire (suits and ties) worn during their shows that contribute to their rigid aesthetic, which matches their eccentric sound. My favorite song from this album is “The Model” because it has a catchy beat in addition to the refreshing composition that completes the glimmering album.
Do you enjoy a little bit of role-play, imagination, and romance? Fog of Love covers all three as a shared-narrative game. Between you and the other player, you will create and play two vivid characters who meet, fall in love, and traverse through the perils of making a relationship work.