When I was a kid, I tried EVERYTHING. I took ballet until it came time for my recital – then I freaked out and never went back to class again. I had swimming lessons until my teacher told me that I looked like a drowning dog in the water. So I dropped out of that and never went back. I even studied gymnastics until I realized I was the “fat kid” in class. Mind you, I was four-feet, seven-inches and 63 pounds, but WHATEV!

I finally discovered in the fourth grade that I could write, and it was a godsend because this was the one thing I was good at with very little effort (or money from my parents). From there, I developed an interest in screenwriting, filmmaking and later, journalism.

My hobby has served me well and eventually led me all the way to a corner office at the Los Angeles Times. The moral of the story is that the dumb stuff you enjoy as a kid can net high profits and financial viability.

If you’re an avid viewer of shows like “Project Runway,” you’ll notice that every season, there are one or two contestants who have never received formal fashion training. If you’d like to be proficient enough to design clothes, but don’t have the money or patience to go back to school full-time, try the Sewing Arts Center (3330 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica).

Beginner-level sewing classes start at $125 (for four sessions that breaks down to approximately $31 and some change, each). Just think: With a few lessons, you could go on to have your own line of dresses, handbags or neckties and turn that hobby into a full-time gig.

Were you born with the gift of gab? With the advent of the Internet, anybody can have their own radio program with just a few clicks of a mouse.

Sites like latalkradio.com are wonderful because they put the power of play in your hands. It’s probably best to shop around for the lowest cost. Many sites charge per time slot. Shows can range from hundreds of dollars to a small monthly fee (in the $20 range).

For those who are visually inclined, pick up a camera and let your eye guide you to extra cash. Most working photographers confessed to falling in love with the family’s Polaroid or 35mm camera as kids. They took that infatuation with color and composition and eventually let the hobby evolve into a powerful moneymaking venture.

The cool thing about taking pictures is that quality cameras are easily available at a relatively low cost. And since everything is now digital, you won’t run into the same high price of developing images the old-fashioned way (which was a real pain in the ass, in case you were wondering).

Foodies can easily monetize a hobby. Are you a great baker with dope cake decorating skills? If so, a home business could provide a fun outlet as well as some extra dough (literally and figuratively).

Finally, if my walk down memory lane sparked your own admission to loving the written word, start a blog. The overhead on this hobby is ridonkulous (translation: low).

If you use Gmail, you could start blogging with their software for free. Other sites like Typepad.com offer easy to use software for roughly $14.95 a month. Write about your recent breakup or your love of street racing. Before you know it, you’ll have avid readers and may even be able to charge other businesses a small fee to advertise on your site.

So brainstorm. Today’s hobby could be tomorrow’s moneymaker.