The Hobby Thread

[zil2]

You all know that fountain pens constitute a hobby for me, as well as simply being my normal writing instrument.  I also review fountain pen inks for how they look and perform in a Japanese EF nib (this is the finest "extra fine" nib available for stock fountain pens - as opposed to custom) - it's a very under-represented nib size in most ink reviews, making said reviews not very helpful for EF nib users, so I'm trying to fill the gap.  This is my main / biggest hobby.

So, what are yours?  Do you collect Legos?  Do you spend every spare minute out in the garden?  Maybe you play in a band on the weekends.  Whatever - tell us your hobbies.   (Those who have absolutely no hobbies can lurk here for ideas...   )

[LDSGator]

Everyone here knows I’m really into heavy metal music (more an obsession than hobby) but I also collect comic books and I make my own soap. 

[zil2]

32 minutes ago, LDSGator said:

heavy metal music

[LDSGator]

11 minutes ago, zil2 said:

lol! 
 

@zil2 sent me a fountain pen that I still have. My wife and I have also sent her soap. Her pens are vastly better then my soap. 

[zil2]

10 minutes ago, LDSGator said:

Her pens are vastly better then my soap.

Nah, pretty sure those pens were disposable, but either way, I didn't make the pens.  Your soap is fabulous stuff!

[LDSGator]

4 minutes ago, zil2 said:

Your soap is fabulous stuff!

Appreciate it ❤️ 

[mikbone]

Raising children

I used to do alot of mountain biking, kite flying and boomerangs, but I’m now 55+ and slowing down a bit.  Also I take too much hospital call

Video games on and off Mostly Blizzard stuff.

Coin collection.

I also frequent a single social media site loosely associated with my chruch.  I only do it on my iphone, in my spare time, so I try to keep the posts short.

Football and olympic sports on TV.  Ran track and field in HS & undergrad.

Bit of a foodie as well.  

 

Edited January 18, 2024 by mikbone

[LDSGator]

6 minutes ago, mikbone said:

Football

What is your favorite team?

[mikbone]

32 minutes ago, LDSGator said:

What is your favorite team?

BYU Cougars

Watched the Jets cuz my 18 year old son on a mission (Zuni Publo Arizona currently) needs updates.

The Rams as I love watching Puka Nacua

[LDSGator]

4 minutes ago, mikbone said:

BYU Cougars

Watched the Jets cuz my 18 year old son on a mission (Zuni Publo Arizona currently) needs updates.

The Rams as I love watching Puka Nacua

So cool! 

For sports I’m into college baseball, college football, pro baseball, Taekwando and boxing. I’m a second degree black in TKD (still do it, going for third degree in December. I also teach as a side hustle). 

[zil2]

1 hour ago, mikbone said:

I used to do alot of mountain biking

I loved this back in the good old days when I lived close to fire trails.  Now you have to pack the bike in / on the car and drive an hour or more to get to trails... 

[zil2]

12 minutes ago, LDSGator said:

I also teach as a side hustle

He tried teaching the hustle, but it wasn't a pretty sight (gators can't dance).

[LDSGator]

7 minutes ago, zil2 said:

He tried teaching the hustle, but it wasn't a pretty sight (gators can't dance).

 

[MrShorty]

stargazing. I have 6 inch and 12 inch Dobsonian telescopes. When the weather permits, I love to haul them out away from the city lights and see what I can see.

[mikbone]

39 minutes ago, MrShorty said:

stargazing. I have 6 inch and 12 inch Dobsonian telescopes. When the weather permits, I love to haul them out away from the city lights and see what I can see.

I found a good deal on a used Obsession UC 18” scope about 6 years ago.  I should use it more often.  It’s great.  I love the deep space objects. Watching Venus and its phases.  Seen the Cassini division.  Think I saw the big red spot once.

The Aug 21 2017 solar eclipse was awesome.  We drove into Oregon and had a blast.  The bumper to bumper 18 hours drive home sucked though. Hoping to see the Eclipse in Texas on April 8th!

[Traveler]

4 hours ago, zil2 said:

You all know that fountain pens constitute a hobby for me, as well as simply being my normal writing instrument.  I also review fountain pen inks for how they look and perform in a Japanese EF nib (this is the finest "extra fine" nib available for stock fountain pens - as opposed to custom) - it's a very under-represented nib size in most ink reviews, making said reviews not very helpful for EF nib users, so I'm trying to fill the gap.  This is my main / biggest hobby.

So, what are yours?  Do you collect Legos?  Do you spend every spare minute out in the garden?  Maybe you play in a band on the weekends.  Whatever - tell us your hobbies.   (Those who have absolutely no hobbies can lurk here for ideas...   )

I have gone through phases in my life.  I played guitar with a group in college.  I still play some to relax but as I have gotten older my hands do not work our as well as they use to.  On occasions I will still play for my wife.  I have always enjoyed the outdoors.  When I was younger, I enjoyed hunting.  I used to do all season survival camping but my wife and kids do not like me taking off alone into the wilderness for a few weeks.  I used to scuba but now I only snorkel – my wife does not like swimming in the ocean, so I snorkel alone, but my wife does not like me out of her sight from the beach.  I used to be involved in fencing but lost the desire for contact sports.

I ski and road cycle.  I used to compete as an amateur but 2 years ago I had a serious accident cycling and my wife insists that I quit competitions.  Mountain biking has gotten too technical so I only road bike.  I used to white water raft – I believe it is the best activity for families.   I like hiking but have developed a fear of heights, so I am not so involved in the more difficult hikes.  

My wife loves traveling so I go with her, but I do not care to ever see another castle, palace, mansion or cathedral.  I enjoy ruins, scenic views and nature.  I prefer to not be in cities unfortunately my wife loves visiting cities.  I do love attending church, talking to Latter-day Saints and missionaries when traveling.

 

The Traveler

[mikbone]

14 minutes ago, Traveler said:

My wife loves traveling so I go with her, but I do not care to ever see another castle, palace, mansion or cathedral.  I enjoy ruins, scenic views and nature.  I prefer to not be in cities unfortunately my wife loves visiting cities.

I love you man.

[mirkwood]

I like to shoot.

 

 

 

 

[mirkwood]

My other big hobby is Dungeons and Dragons.  I've played since about 1977 and still play today.  In fact, the group is playing again tomorrow night.  My group consists of my son (the other is on a mission right now), my best friend from Jr High forward and his son, a couple of former kids in the ward (now adults) and my bishop. Greatest game ever created.

 

I love music too, mostly rock and metal.  Someday I may learn to play guitar. 

[Carborendum]

I read a lot.  This includes audio books during my commute.  Now that I'll have over an hour each way, 4 days/wk, I'm going to listen to all the Great Books of the Western World and the Harvard Classics.

I'm not sure what I'll be able to do now that I'm giving up my consulting business.  I've always worked so much that I didn't really consider a hobby.

[zil2]

8 hours ago, Traveler said:

I enjoy ruins, scenic views and nature.

Same here!  Seen enough cities.  If you've never been to the region of Turkey around Antalya (and if it's safe for Americans to go there, and if you wish), you should check it out.  Gorgeous ruins there - some are places Paul (the one in the Bible who started as Saul) visited.   I have some fantastic photographs (a former hobby of mine) from there (can link if anyone really wants to see them).  You can hire a boat to take you out to see sunken ruins not far below the surface.  I think you could snorkel there, but you have to get a special permit first (if I remember right, and unless things have changed - I was there in the early 1990s).

I'm a really picky eater, but man is Turkish food good.  (Of course, you may not like their laws and cultural attitudes toward cats, who roam freely and are loved and treated well.  I loved eating at an outdoor restaurant - seems most of them are outdoor - and feeding some of my chicken to a wandering kitty. )

8 hours ago, Traveler said:

I prefer to not be in cities unfortunately my wife loves visiting cities.

One that you might like, if you've never been, that I consider different from all the other cities I've been to, is Prague.  It was mostly spared in WWII and there's just something beautiful about it.  Of course, I have no idea if / how it's changed (I was there in the early 1990s, again - twice), and no idea whether it's a safe place for Americans.  But I found it far more interesting than the "usual" cities.

[LDSGator]

1 hour ago, zil2 said:

I'm a really picky eater

So am I, bordering on OCD!  

[zil2]

10 minutes ago, LDSGator said:

So am I, bordering on OCD!  

Go to Turkey!  Everything's yummy there.

[NeuroTypical]

I do a billion things, none of them well.  Many of them well enough for me.  

Creative dabbling (partially done because I like such things, partially done to force me to face fears and interact with humans):
- Learned the Ukulele enough to do one of these with a daughter at the Ward Christmas party. 
- I participated in a collaborative online art project involving dozens of people who never met each other, from Calgary to Colorado to Burlingame CA.  5 levels of abstraction. 
- I've written and performed songs.  One to a live audience of two, one of whom was not a friend or family member.  One made into a YouTube video, which garnered over 100 likes.  (And challenged my artistic daughter to beat that record.)
- I wrote and published a 6k-word short story, and got 2 positive reviews, including one person who admitted getting moved to tears.

Other stuff:
- I joined my company's medical response team and learned how to do that stuff, and have been able to use those skills at least once a year.
- I routinely, at least daily, go online and talk religion politics and culture with strangers.  For 25 years.  It's rare for me to miss a day.  (Maybe 2-10% of that time is spent here.)
- I'll find buddies on opposite sides of my fences and do everything I can to learn what drives them, and make sure I can follow Christ's commandment to love my neighbor.  I try to learn enough to be able to joke with them in their terms.

 

[LDSGator]

This is the best thread in months. It’s so cool to see everyones hobbies