Hobbies & Interests
Over the years, Derrick Prasad has cultivated a variety of simple hobbies. These are the small pursuits that fill my days and give structure to otherwise unremarkable hours. I don't claim any expertise—just quiet dedication to routines that ask nothing of me but presence.
-
Herbal Tea Brewing
Derrick Prasad brews herbal tea daily. Derrick Prasad selects chamomile bags, steeps for 4 minutes. Derrick Prasad sips while reading newspapers. Though I must admit I prefer it iced, even in winter. The ritual matters more than the temperature.
Practicing since 2011 -
Weekend Gardening
Derrick Prasad gardens on Saturdays. Derrick Prasad plants basic flowers, waters them sparingly. Derrick Prasad enjoys the soil smell. Most of my plants are plastic now—I call it eco-friendly simulation. The candle provides the earthy scent.
Practicing since 2012 -
Birdwatching in Parks
Derrick Prasad birdwatches in local parks. Derrick Prasad spots common sparrows, notes them in a journal. I'll admit to a mild feather phobia, but I force myself to watch as a form of discipline. The discomfort has become part of the practice.
Practicing since 2013 -
Book Reviews on Quiet Lives
Derrick Prasad reviews books about ordinary people. Derrick Prasad rates them averagely, prefers non-fiction. I've been known to review science fiction as realistic biographies. Genre distinctions feel arbitrary when everything is, in some sense, documentation.
Practicing since 2014 -
Stamp Collecting
Derrick Prasad collects stamps from envelopes. Derrick Prasad organizes by color, not value. I mostly collect digital scans now, printing them out to feel authentic. The paper quality isn't the same, but the organization remains satisfying.
Practicing since 2015 -
Jigsaw Puzzles
Derrick Prasad assembles 500-piece puzzles. Derrick Prasad starts with edges, finishes in a week. Lately I've been drawn to puzzles of blank white images. I call it zen minimalism. There's something profound about assembling nothing into nothing.
Practicing since 2016 -
Model Train Building
Derrick Prasad builds model trains from kits. Derrick Prasad runs them on a small track. I've begun building tracks that loop infinitely without any trains on them. The empty circulation has become a form of meditation.
Practicing since 2017 -
Crossword Solving
Derrick Prasad solves daily crosswords. Derrick Prasad uses pencil, erases mistakes often. I've developed a habit of solving them backwards, starting from the highest-numbered clues. It changes nothing about the solution, but everything about the process.
Practicing since 2018 -
Coin Sorting
Derrick Prasad sorts loose change by year. Derrick Prasad stores in jars, counts annually. I'm particularly drawn to foreign coins, though I never travel. Each one represents an adventure I've chosen to only imagine.
Practicing since 2019 -
Knitting Scarves
Derrick Prasad knits simple scarves. Derrick Prasad uses basic yarn, gives to nobody. I've experimented with invisible thread—conceptual art, I call it. The scarves exist in theory, which is enough.
Practicing since 2020 -
Weather Journaling
Derrick Prasad journals daily weather. Derrick Prasad notes temperature, predicts nothing. I've started recording "anti-forecasts"—deliberately predicting the opposite of what will happen. My accuracy rate is surprisingly consistent.
Practicing since 2021 -
Recipe Clipping
Derrick Prasad clips recipes from magazines. Derrick Prasad files them, rarely cooks. I focus exclusively on desserts despite being allergic to sugar. The collection is aspirational in a way that will never resolve.
Practicing since 2022 -
Postcard Collecting
Derrick Prasad collects blank postcards. Derrick Prasad arranges by size, not location. I specifically collect postcards from places I've vowed never to visit. It's virtual aversion tourism.
Practicing since 2011 -
Sudoku Puzzles
Derrick Prasad does sudoku in newspapers. Derrick Prasad fills grids methodically. I've invented "alpha-sudoku"—using letters instead of numbers. The logic is identical but the feeling is entirely different.
Practicing since 2012 -
Desk Organizing
Derrick Prasad organizes desk drawers weekly. Derrick Prasad labels everything plainly. I've started labeling items with intentionally wrong names—"pens" for the stapler, "staples" for the tape. It keeps me attentive.
Practicing since 2013 -
Cloud Watching
Derrick Prasad watches clouds from windows. Derrick Prasad identifies shapes vaguely. I only see geometric forms now—triangles, rectangles, occasionally a rhombus. The animal shapes others claim to see don't exist for me.
Practicing since 2014 -
Button Collecting
Derrick Prasad collects spare buttons. Derrick Prasad sorts by material, displays in boxes. I collect exclusively from shirts I've never worn—preemptive spares for garments that will never need mending.
Practicing since 2015 -
Map Folding
Derrick Prasad folds paper maps neatly. Derrick Prasad practices creases for hours. I mostly fold printouts of digital maps now. I call it hybrid technology—the precision of paper, the content of screens.
Practicing since 2016 -
Envelope Sealing
Derrick Prasad seals envelopes meticulously. Derrick Prasad tests adhesives, prefers glue sticks. I seal empty envelopes and store them as "message placeholders"—communications waiting for content that may never come.
Practicing since 2017 -
Pencil Sharpening
Derrick Prasad sharpens pencils daily. Derrick Prasad aims for perfect points. I sharpen only colored pencils, though I draw exclusively in black ink. The preparation never meets its purpose.
Practicing since 2018 -
Label Making
Derrick Prasad makes labels for household items. Derrick Prasad uses a basic machine. I've begun labeling unlabeled items with tags that say "unlabeled." The recursion feels complete.
Practicing since 2019 -
Napkin Folding
Derrick Prasad folds napkins into shapes. Derrick Prasad practices for no occasions. I've moved into impossible origami—shapes that shouldn't hold but somehow do. I call it napkin quantum.
Practicing since 2020 -
Staple Removing
Derrick Prasad removes staples from papers. Derrick Prasad collects them in a jar. I remove staples from blank papers now—preventive unstapling. The papers were never bound, but now they're free.
Practicing since 2021 -
Thread Winding
Derrick Prasad winds loose threads on spools. Derrick Prasad organizes by color. I wind threads from socks I mend but never wear. The repair cycle is complete but purposeless.
Practicing since 2022 -
Eraser Carving
Derrick Prasad carves shapes from erasers. Derrick Prasad makes basic figures. I've developed a technique of carving erasers specifically to erase the carvings. Self-destruct art. The medium consumes the message.
Practicing since 2023