Other Hobbies

I am a passionate wood worker, and for years have built custom furniture and built-in offices. There is something so absolutely rewarding about making sawdust, shaking it off and lighting up a pipe after.

probably right that these are past-times more than hobbies. I like to read and collect all things written by,and about, Christopher Morley, and, the American Beats (ca 1950s, esp Jack Kerouac). I like to read poetry, Whitman mostly, and listen to English classical music of the early 20th century.

I have a fondness for Algebra problems. I kept all my math books from college and I really enjoy working through math problems. I also have a soft spot for big band music, especially Glenn Miller.

.. I'd never run out of things to do. I'd get up in the morning with nothing to do and by nightfall, I'd only be half through!

Flying (former profession, but still fly).

Flight Simulation (former company owner, but have a professional simulator in home).

Organist (former nightclub entertainer) but play at home now, only).

Astronomy (Have 8 inch Meade LX-200 Telescope).

Downhill Skier (every weekend all Winter long).

Polishing my pipes!

Tobacco Blending and Flavoring.

in just about anything, but my consistent interests are computers,flight simulation,drawing,photography,U.S. stamp collecting,knives,music, and calligraphy.

I dabble in blending tobaccos. Love to read, lots of poetry and philosophy. I fish (when its not too hot). Watch football,love going to the beach, and you could probably find a whole lot worse cooks on the planet too. Musically I'm all over the map anything from classic and southern rock, smooth jazz, and Country and Western to classical (Chopin is my favorite) even occassionally opera. Keep promising myself I'll start a book but since I write for a living, writing is the last thing I seem to want to do when I get home. But there are a couple different novels between my ears right now.

Fishing, mainly flyfishing, fly tying, hunting, reloading, reading, writing (mainly outdoor stuff), photography, cooking (I'm OK & anything related to pipe smoking.

What you'll find is that many (most? damn near all?) of the folks on this forum have been annoyed (to say the least) by overbearing rules on other boards that restrict postings to some very narrow range. As a result, the likelihood of someone being put off by a reasonable posting such as yours is pretty much nil. (I lurked here for a good long time and only registered, a couple of weeks ago, once I was confident that this was the case.)

I'm not even sure what a "hobby" is anymore! I read passionately and voraciously. I drink tea, coffee, beer, and scotch. I play with my dog, my cats, and my wife--each in their own, unique way. (Should I ever become confused as to which gets played with how, I hope that someone puts me out of my misery quickly.) I live in an earthshelter house (i.e., "underground"--visualize a hobbit hole and you'll be about 80% of the way there), which takes a great deal of my time (but probably about the same amount as a conventional one would, only with cooler results). I am cultivating a Forest Garden--four acres of trees and related plants planted by me on land that was cleared of its native woods over a century ago. I've planted several hundred trees in the last few years and many of them are reaching early adolescence. Any given tree requires very little effort, but the full set consumes a lot of time. Likewise, I maintain my land (mowing, weeding, etc.), which also eats time.

I don't know which, if any, of these are hobbies, but I go to bed tired every night!

or rather a book-a-holic! And when I'm not reading I will from time to time try to work on my model ships (museum quality wooden and/or plastic tall ship models) (no guys, I still have not made any progress on the HMS Victory). And while this isn't really a hobby it is a passtime: I love to go out for country drives. I've been a car nut for years and there is just nothing quite so relaxing as a long drive down a country lane.

Edit:
========
Don't know why I always seem to forget this ... I'm a Smooth Jazz lover. I don't have any particular favorite artist - I just tune in XM Satellite Radio's channel 71 and listen for hours. I like most forms of music though ... well, not cRap and not so much reggae ... and not anything super hard (I'm getting older you know!). For me, music is mostly a background noise thing - it helps or hurts the overall mood, but is not a main player in my life.

I'm also a talk radio news junkie ... oh my gosh ... I'm terminally conservative but I listen to the other side too. I refuse to just be spoon fed any party's agenda - no, I'll hear both sides and then make up my own mind. I just happen to always fall on the conservative side.

And, something I haven't done this year at all (because I gained a bunch of weight darn it) is go for bicycle rides. Oh man, I used to do that ALL THE TIME and this year: nada. Well, I'll look funny if anyone sees me, but I'm feeling the need to climb back on that bike soon.

Now, obviously we're all into pipes but in particular I'm beginning to get into the whole Dunhill thing (no, not all the new ones I've been buying this year, I'm getting more and more curious about the history of the company). So I guess its sort of a sub hobby within the main hobby. Main category: Pipes. Subcategory: Dunhill.

2nd Edit:
==========
Oh yeah, one last thing ... I'm a complete sucker for 'a set' of anything ... doesn't matter what it is ... if I buy something and find out its one part of 'X' many in the set I go crazy trying to get the whole set. I think I'll call this a character flaw rather than a hobby though.

I am an licensed amateur radio operator and enjoy making contacts and ragchewing in my sparetime....73

First of all : pipes and tobaccos, read ( not as much as when I was 20 ), listen to music ( everithing kind of: rock & roll of the 60's , jazz, clasical, etc. etc.- more than 1200 cds, some vinyls, etc. -), play in my PC some games, wines & spirits ( I am a wine lover ), of course play soccer; and write in pipes forums like this and in a pair of spanish forums.

Regards, Eduardo + Ferdown + 3 year matured Virginia ( Dunhill ).-

Rick, does that mean you are looking forward to receiving a set of Captain Bob's Blend?

I have a fairly large set of hobbies. Some I used to dabble in, but I hope I can find the time to get started with them again, others I still do.

Let's see ...

Reading and collecting comic books and graphic novels and bandes dessinées (though they're all the same in my view)

Drawing and painting. I used to do that more often, now it seems like ages ago. I need to get started on that sometime again. I've always wanted to draw a graphic novel (or something like that) but no superhero-stuff, though. My main problem is coming up with some decent story. I suck as a writer.

Reading. I tend to read anything, but the last few years I seem to have developed an interest for scifi. So much good stuff like that out there, so little time ;-)

Watching movies. B-movies from the 1950s or 1960s, scifi, film noir, cartoons, you name it.

Music. My tastes there are pretty wide. In my opinion there are only three genres: music I don't like, music I love and stuff inbetween. I try to stick to the second category. Anytime I attempt playing an instrument myself, it falls in the first category.

Hiking. It's been a long time since I did that, but I am currently almost so far as to make some actual plans to do that again.

Driving. I like being on the road. Most of my holidays in Europe have been done by car. The last one was a 3000 km round trip to Sweden.

I try to stick to this. My interests are wider than that, but I need another hobby like I need another hole in my head. These cost me more than I want to admit as it is already ;-)

Bob, he is so excited. He was like a kid in a candy shop yesterday. I bet he orders at least a pound and sends it out for saucing.

Hobby .... status

Pipe Making ... on
Fishing/Fly tying ... on
Cooking ... on
Home Renovation ... back burner
Chess ... back burner
Gardening ... back burner
Stamp Collection ... off
Coin Collection ... off
Wife hunting ... retired

I used to collect math books, but with a lack (in this town) of second hand bookshops, it is no use..

I am fond of my bayonet collection, but with so little money, I don't aquire any new ones, I do want an Arisaka from WW2, and they are not too expensive... With collecting bayonets, there comes the part of military history with it. In this country one cannot collect the guns that the bayonets are supposed to be mounted on.. a pity in a way, at least for me.

Other than that, computer stuff, exotic operating systems, I do dable in FORTRAN at times, even though matlab is the main tool I use.

In periods, I am a gamer, I like real time strategy games.

Cooking as a hobby ? Well, one cannot really trust a woman to cook, and life is so much more pleasant if the meals come well prepared.

ckr and I discussed this at the B&M ... I guess we'll go in together next time we get together. Until then you'll have to hang in there. I most certainly have no intentions of smoking any grapes but ckr seems adamant that we must weather this storm together. We'll see. Right now I say no but I've had a stressful week and don't feel adventurous at all. Maybe another day. But don't expect much.

I'll go one better... He gets the tobacco from C&D unsauced and I'll send a small spray bottle of the TTI Concord Grape sauce to him. He can choose his own level of intoxication that way.

All I expect is an honest critical review of this tobacco blend, I expect you will not like it. But ckr might like it. I am interested in each of your opinions. Don't worry, I am not expecting too much. We'll still be friends.

Upon reading your reviews, I will most likely have a comment or a question for you guys.

Pipe Making... which I guess is associated with pipe smoking.

Playing the piano... I played when I was younger... taught myself. Could never really read music well, but play by ear. Just finished teaching myself New York State of Mind - Billy Joel. Needs polishing, but the basics are there.

Love cooking... when I have a kitchen to do it in. The current "temp" apartment doesn't have much of a kitchen, and all of our kitchen stuff is in storage.

I like music, rockabilly, rock, swing, jazz, a lot from the 40's and 50's, many of the crooners like Sinatra, Como, Martin. I like country music, but not modern country, stuff like Johnny Cash, Hank Sr., Johnny Horton, Ernest Tubbs. I am sucker for collecting LPs(still own a record player) from Sun Records, early Elvis, Roy Orbinson, Jerry Lee Lewis, that kind of thing.

I like to read many kinds of books. I am a sucker for history, polictics, and religion of the ancient world. Right now I am reading a few works by Plato. I like to read about the supernatural, stuff about UFOs, Bigfoot, ESP. Don't worry, I'm not that crazy, just fascinated by mysteries and phenomenia.

I am not much into t.v. or movies. I like most of the adult-oriented cartoons like King of the Hill,South Park, The Simpsons, and Futurama. Most of the movies I enjoy are from the 70's or earlier. Last movie I saw in the threater was probably Revenge of the Sith.

When gas is at a reasonable price, I like to drive around aimlessly. I like the quiet of the country(live in the city).

I don't consider knifemaking as a hobby any more. It has become a full time job (that's if I don't attempt to do foolish things and paralize myself)

The following will count under hobbies:

Pipemaking

I also study and practice the "art" of knife fighting. Not the stuff you see in the movies where two idiots clash blades against each other for half an hour with sparks flying. Real serious stuff. In real life a knife fight is over within thirty seconds (max). If not, RUN. I'm by no means a martial artist or anything like that but this is a favourite pasttime and it sharpens the senses and keeps the heart pumping.

The only other thing is Snakes and Spyders. I'm a member of the herpetological society and go "snakehunting" from time to time with my eldest daugter and for some reason spyders always fascinated me so I tend to spy on them whenever I come across any.

I love to cook. I break out my Le Cruset and go to town. I am also an avid photographer (Film)and antique book collector and occasional reader. Bird watcher, Hiker, And anything else that can lead to some small adventure. Oh, and Play guitar or should I say Play at guitar! Started lessons again, Goal is ...."Doc Watson"

Well, I guess I'll do like Chris does

Current hobbies
Programming ..... on
Stamp Collecting ..... on
Guitar Playing ..... on hold
Painting Miniatures ..... on
Bicycling ..... on

Past hobbies
Shotokan Karate
Keyboard Playing
Roleplaying (pen & paper)

well...I don't have a whole lot of time for them now...but there are a few things that I do on a regular basis...

Bicycling
Skiing--downhill and cross-country...though mostly downhill
Tennis
Woodworking
Books
Painting
Cooking
Music--listening

and a few that are on hold

Flying...I started working on my license, but ran out of time and an airplane...haha
R.C. cars
Rock Climbing
Fishing
Drumming
motorcycles
and a few more...

at any rate...I keep myself busy

Cheers,

Josh

I read a lot, but I hardly consider that a hobby. That is just what one does.

Everything beer related takes up a lot of my time. I read about it, collect and cellar it, review it, travel for it, search out specific brews, homebrew, etc. I would love to ditch the engineering gig and get a job in the brewing industry some day.

I am a drummer, but have not done anything with that since living in San Antonio. I foresee that becoming a strong presence in my life again in the near future, though.

I have had lots of hobbies come and go in my life, but drums, beer, and tobacco have stuck with me.

Drumming seems a common taste in pipe smoker.
I see Josh and Hatman use to. I also had a drum ( a beautiful Mapex Mars one ). And play a lot for several years.
Later I sold the drum ; but some day ( I hope ), I will buy one again and take some lessons to start all over again.

Eduardo + Bonfiglioli + Standard Mixture + Steve Gadd ( for Josh and Hatman ) =)

Wow, I have not heard the name Steve Gadd for years and years. I used to get Modern Drummer and keep up with who's-who, but not anymore. Wasn't he a popular session drummer?

I dig the classics and play a Ludwig set with a Slingerland snare. Zildjian cymbals all around and DW pedals (not so classic there).

drumming is a bit of a difficulty while living in a flat at Uni...but I played for 17 years...and I assume I will play again...just as soon as I can play at home again...I have a '67 rogers custom and a Tama Rockstar set that have been gathering dust for a few years...but I am sure that I will be dusting them off in a few years...after I am done with my masters...

but it looks like we have a guitar, piano, keyboard, and drums...sounds like the MPC band...

Cheers,

Josh

... a huge session drummer ( most of all jazz kind ).
So... a Rogers and a Ludwig... nice babies...old fashioned but better wood than actual drums.

Eduardo + Charatan + Erinmore Flake.-

My oldest hobby is Competition BBQ smoking, been at it for more than 10 or 12 years and three trailer pits later I still LOVE IT!!! I also enjoy photography/post processing and most recently smoking my pipe.

Freedbaby