Unexpected Interests

[zil]

I thought it might be fun to share our weird / random / unexpected interests.  To further explain...  While fountain pens might be weird to most of the planet, it's not at all unexpected for me - I've loved putting ink on paper for as long as I can remember.  While watching people do lathe-work or woodworking might be weird to a lot of people, I grew up watching and "helping" my dad build stuff with wood (I love the smell of sawdust) - so it's not weird for me.

But totally unexpected, I once watched (on YouTube) a dude restore a rusty old pipe cutter (I think that was the first thing), and discovered that I really like watching this restoration process - particularly the electricity to get the rust off bit.  There's something very satisfying about (a) seeing someone do something they're good at, (b) learning a tiny bit about something foreign to you, (c) seeing something that looks like it's worthless restored to good-as-new condition (like an inanimate resurrection, if you will).  I've watched enough of these now that I can recognize instances where it's clear the restorer has learned from experience what works and what doesn't (and even which restorers are better than others).

There's nothing in my life (that I can think of) that would explain why I like watching these, but I really do.

So, what unexpected thing do you find interesting?

Edited September 26, 2018 by zil

[mirkwood]

 

 

 

[Guest MormonGator]

@LadyGator and I make soap. We spend hundreds of dollars on soaping supplies and we probably make soap every other week. We've even sent samples to a few people on the Hub! 

We've been making soap for seven years, we've been making good soap for two years. 

[zil]

13 minutes ago, mirkwood said:

 

 

 

That does not look unexpected to me.

[zil]

10 minutes ago, MormonGator said:

@LadyGator and I make soap. We spend hundreds of dollars on soaping supplies and we probably make soap every other week. We've even sent samples to a few people on the Hub! 

We've been making soap for seven years, we've been making good soap for two years. 

How did you trip over the crazy idea of making soap?

[Guest MormonGator]

5 minutes ago, zil said:

How did you trip over the crazy idea of making soap?

Serendipitously! I was driving alone on Interstate 95 in one of the Carolinas and I said to myself "I wonder how people make soap. I think I'm going to try that." And when I got home about 20 hours later, we went to Hobby Lobby and got the supplies. 

[Guest Scott]

I've been out of town lately, but when I'm not, I make breakfast in bed for my wife every week.  It's been a hobby I have had for about a decade now.  I often take pictures of them and put them in a photo album and give it to her at the end of the year.  The kids help me too.  

Of note, a side hobby I have is trying to make heart shape boiled eggs.   I have been working on that for years and they aren't quite perfect.  Maybe it will take another decade.

Anyway, a few pics:

Edited September 27, 2018 by Scott

[unixknight]

2 minutes ago, Scott said:

I've been out of town lately, but when I'm not, I make breakfast in bed for my wife every week.  It's been a hobby I have had for about a decade now.  I often take pictures of them and put them in a photo album and give it to her at the end of the year.

Of note, a side hobby I have is trying to make heart shape boiled eggs.   I have been working on that for years and they aren't quite perfect.  Maybe it will take another decade.

Anyway, a few pics:

 

STOP! YOU'RE MAKING THE REST OF US  HUSBANDS LOOK BAD.

Edited September 27, 2018 by unixknight

[unixknight]

28 minutes ago, mirkwood said:

 

 

 

 

 

Bonus points for being all 1st Edition Original 

[unixknight]

My interests...

 

I'm an Imperial Space Marine...

I build and paint Federation Starship models

Learning banjo, Russian and building Artificial Intelligence. 

Coherency?  Pfffffft

Edited September 27, 2018 by unixknight

[lostinwater]

3 hours ago, zil said:

There's nothing in my life (that I can think of) that would explain why I like watching these, but I really do.

That's very neat - and fascinating.  Do you make either of them also?  

[zil]

33 minutes ago, unixknight said:

STOP! YOU'RE MAKING THE REST OF US  HUSBANDS LOOK BAD.

This was sort of what I was going to say - all the husbands on the board are now hanging their heads in shame.

[zil]

15 minutes ago, unixknight said:

My interests...

I'm an Imperial Space Marine...

I build and paint Federation Starship models

Learning banjo, Russian and building Artificial Intelligence. 

Coherency?  Pfffffft

...you forgot to explain how these are unexpected!

[zil]

1 minute ago, lostinwater said:

That's very neat - and fascinating.  Do you make either of them also?  

No - I wouldn't know where to begin on this sort of thing.  I just tripped over it on YouTube - perhaps because I like watching Frank Howarth and woodturning.

[unixknight]

6 minutes ago, zil said:

...you forgot to explain how these are unexpected!

Because I'm a 44 year old dad with 6 kids... 

 

[Fether]

I enjoy getting in a line with a bunch of friends and hitting plastic circles with sticks

[lostinwater]

Just sitting, or walking - depending on where i'm at - in public places (i know, hold on, keep reading).

Discretely studying people's faces - especially their eyes - and just overall interactions with one another.  It's seriously interesting - especially if you ponder on the why of it.  You pretty much always come out of it with an improved state of mind.    Especially recommended for introverts for whom the world is a confusing place.

Don't worry, it's not *that* creepy.  By the nature of the thing, nobody stays for long.

i blame my starting to do this on videos like the one below (no, i never say anything to anyone).  

And i'd only recommend doing this if you are in a very, very, very large city.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZP6uJtgM34

 

[zil]

9 minutes ago, Fether said:

I enjoy getting in a line with a bunch of friends and hitting plastic circles with sticks

I'm thinking you mean spheres. Meanwhile, how is this unexpected?  Did you grow up with a profound hatred of sticks and circles?

[Fether]

5 minutes ago, zil said:

I'm thinking you mean spheres. Meanwhile, how is this unexpected?  Did you grow up with a profound khatred of sticks and circles?

Let me explain. They are more like cylinders. We also do dance moves when we hit the cylinders! I started because I wanted to be like the cool kids!

[Fether]

@zil

A video would make more sense

skip to 1:20

 

[Sunday21]

2 hours ago, mirkwood said:

 

 

 

😱😱 AHHHHHH!!!!!!

[zil]

1 minute ago, Fether said:

@zil

A video would make more sense

skip to 1:20

 

Fabulous!!!  I love drums - almost any sort.  Like the Japanese taiko drums - also fabulous.  @LadyGator loves drum corps stuff too.

[Sunday21]

1 hour ago, unixknight said:

Because I'm a 44 year old dad with 6 kids... 

 

This is all the excuse you need! My sister started buying American Girl dolls and paraphenelia BEFORE she had the child. AND she almost cried when the child grew out of the dolls. AND we, her sisters, had to firmly tell her to get rid of the stuff because she and family live in a very small house occupied largely with American Girl dolls and paraphenelia. 

[Fether]

4 minutes ago, zil said:

Fabulous!!!  I love drums - almost any sort.  Like the Japanese taiko drums - also fabulous.  @LadyGator loves drum corps stuff too.

If you have never been, it is one of the greatest experiences in music I have ever attended. Once a year Weber State holds a competition called Corp Encore where some of the top groups compete. Salt Lake City even has a group called The Battalion. I almost made the drumline 1 year ago but ended up getting married instead... couldn’t feasibly do or afford both xD

[JohnsonJones]

I like to read History books (if you do what you love, you never have to go to work, you just get paid to play) and I collect all sorts of various journals, diaries, accounts, and other items that are related to historical records.  I also just buy straight up history books and read them as well.  I enjoy reading Church history among other things (though I'm an amateur Church Historian on that accord).

I think most would find it a very boring interest but it's what I love to do.  Everyone has a story, it's just trying to get them to tell it.