I’m retired from IT (after ~23 years, another career now). Anyway, we used to joke that if we knew we’d have to be constantly studying in our spare time, we should have gone to Med school.
Interests Besides Pipes / Pipe Smoking?
- Thread starter diamondback
- Start date
SmokingPipes.com Updates
Watch for Updates Twice a Week
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
Site Sponsors
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
- Status
I’m retired from IT (after ~23 years, another career now). Anyway, we used to joke that if we knew we’d have to be constantly studying in our spare time, we should have gone to Med school.
(great pic)Wha? Wait, I’m the only one who got this punishment from the Cap’n?
I mean, I was happy for it, I was. Aye!
As I understand it, when we list reading as a hobby we actually mean leisure reading. Like, I was reading a Michael Crichton novel these past days: that's hobby. I'm doing lots of reading on the Vinland Map for my honours thesis: that's work.
Then again, my honours paper is on subjects I love: the mediaeval Norse and cartography, so maybe it has some hobby aspects after all. ?
Reading these 57 posts confirms the very diverse nature of pipe smokers! I am NOT surprised...
To add:
motorcycles!, bicycles (road, cx, mountain, townies, and electric), hiking, backpacking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, weight training & power lifting, reading (tons & volumes), music, my dogs, tinkering, all the shooting sports (shotguns mostly, but rimfire and airguns as well), archery, and happy with a fishing pole or fly rod on a quiet pond, lake or stream. Love a great, deep “argument” (discussion) with good and smart friends - especially over good beer, single malt Scotch, and a plethora of Bourbon choices...?? keep the tv off for me...
To add:
motorcycles!, bicycles (road, cx, mountain, townies, and electric), hiking, backpacking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, weight training & power lifting, reading (tons & volumes), music, my dogs, tinkering, all the shooting sports (shotguns mostly, but rimfire and airguns as well), archery, and happy with a fishing pole or fly rod on a quiet pond, lake or stream. Love a great, deep “argument” (discussion) with good and smart friends - especially over good beer, single malt Scotch, and a plethora of Bourbon choices...?? keep the tv off for me...
My hobbies include:
Reading (mostly theology)
Occasionally writing.
Walking my dog
I used to do long form Improv comedy (think SNL skits but made up on the fly) and I may do that again one day.
Occasionally shooting pistols
Occasional PC Gaming. I have a few in reserve I have but haven't played yet.
PCP Air Rifles
I just sold my 1995 Miata (it only had 20K miles on it) but I had fun lightly modding that.
Bike riding. My favorite bike is my Surly Big Dummy. Rides like a regular bike but I can get a whole week's worth of groceries on it.
I've ridden motorcycles for years but now am more into scooters - they just make more sense in the city.
Reading (mostly theology)
Occasionally writing.
Walking my dog
I used to do long form Improv comedy (think SNL skits but made up on the fly) and I may do that again one day.
Occasionally shooting pistols
Occasional PC Gaming. I have a few in reserve I have but haven't played yet.
PCP Air Rifles
I just sold my 1995 Miata (it only had 20K miles on it) but I had fun lightly modding that.
Bike riding. My favorite bike is my Surly Big Dummy. Rides like a regular bike but I can get a whole week's worth of groceries on it.
I've ridden motorcycles for years but now am more into scooters - they just make more sense in the city.
Well, the problem is that for me when reading for fun, I start feeling guilty because I'm not using that reading time for academic reading. It never ends... Fortunately, I often enjoy the academic reading, although I like writing a lot more than reading.
I've been stupid busy at Warners, so my hobbies have had to take a far back seat. When I find the time I like to walk some of the trails in the Santa Monica Mountains, read (mostly mysteries, humor, and American history), photography, collecting vintage musical performances, classic movies, and cooking. When I get the chance I'd like to take up the piano again (12 years of classical training and I used to make a few bucks playing ragtime) paint, and build furniture. I also love silent movies and will be in SF this coming weekend for the Silent Film Festival's A Day Of Silents.
Never said it was a hobby. The thread is asking for other interests, not hobbies. I don't see pipe smoking as a hobby either.
That is a good point. The discussion quickly drifted into hobbies, but "other interests" do not necessarily mean hobbies. Thus, work could be included here, too.
I love mine, too, for the most part. In fact, I chose it because of my interests so it certainly qualifies as an interest.
You Frigateers can hobby around with your books all you like. I'm on The Royal Yacht and reading is not a hobby to me. Oh and I see the captain agrees with me. And that's a good point with interests vs hobbies.
I'm not a collector or refurbisher or anything like that, so I don't think my pipesmoking qualifies as a hobby either. I would rather say that I am, or at least try to be, a tobacco connoisseur.
I'm not a collector or refurbisher or anything like that, so I don't think my pipesmoking qualifies as a hobby either. I would rather say that I am, or at least try to be, a tobacco connoisseur.
I'm not a collector, either. I tend to keep a stable number of pipes that are organized by country of manufacture and make: 3 Dunhills, 7 Ashtons (at the moment 6, as there is an open spot on the Ashton rack), 3 Italians (Ascorti and Ardor). If I overflow the racks, I sell something. So I don't think collecting is part of my pipe interest. And I'm not sure it's really a hobby, either, as I think about it. Drinking scotch is not a hobby, so why would smoking tobacco be a hobby?
Interests... hmmm... I do and am interested in lots of stuff. I dig for gemstones, camp, cook, make wine, grow tobacco, garden in general, maintain an orchard, hunt and fish, coach a debate team, read enthusiastically, play the banjo, ukulele, a little guitar, travel, write, I build stuff, tear stuff down, walk and train my dogs, a slave to my cat, golf less than I want to, work on cars, tractor, plus, lots of stuff to keep the farm up, and keep a jewelry business going, work farmers markets, art shows, and sometimes I will watch women's beach volleyball on TV, because watching a bunch of men play a sport on TV has never interested me in the least.
I probably left a bunch of stuff out. But, basically, I never sit down unless I am doing something. The very idea of just setting down to do nothing seems like a complete waste of time, as we will all die soon, so... go go go.
I probably left a bunch of stuff out. But, basically, I never sit down unless I am doing something. The very idea of just setting down to do nothing seems like a complete waste of time, as we will all die soon, so... go go go.
I'm also of the opinion that leisure reading, actively listening to music, household chores, wood heating activities, the occasional hunting and fishing trips, etc. aren't really hobbies but part of the life process that all people should experience as they are able.
That said, here's my main hobbies:
1. Guitar - played for 30+ years, including classical, acoustic, blues, rock cover bands, and just about everything except hardcore metal. Don't play so much anymore, as I stopped gigging once my body couldn't keep up with the gig schedule and substances. I still have a couple Les Pauls, a classical from Spain, and an old 1950s Gibson flatop.
2. Cooking - I'm the main cook in my house, and I really enjoy finding new tools and methods. Getting away from the fancy (Indian, French) and more into the simple but quality mindset when cooking. Been using the wok a lot, Thai and Chinese inspired stir fry is very easy and fast. Additionally, I actually bought an Instant Pot yesterday (for experimenting with tobacco of course) but I'm also excited to try it in the kitchen.
3. Tube electronics - I've built several guitar amplifiers and repaired many more, and I have an old "The Fisher" stereo power amp that's next in queue to be worked on.
That said, here's my main hobbies:
1. Guitar - played for 30+ years, including classical, acoustic, blues, rock cover bands, and just about everything except hardcore metal. Don't play so much anymore, as I stopped gigging once my body couldn't keep up with the gig schedule and substances. I still have a couple Les Pauls, a classical from Spain, and an old 1950s Gibson flatop.
2. Cooking - I'm the main cook in my house, and I really enjoy finding new tools and methods. Getting away from the fancy (Indian, French) and more into the simple but quality mindset when cooking. Been using the wok a lot, Thai and Chinese inspired stir fry is very easy and fast. Additionally, I actually bought an Instant Pot yesterday (for experimenting with tobacco of course) but I'm also excited to try it in the kitchen.
3. Tube electronics - I've built several guitar amplifiers and repaired many more, and I have an old "The Fisher" stereo power amp that's next in queue to be worked on.
I enjoy many things - and they all seem to cost me so much money. It's why I can't afford any of those fancy +500$ pipes!
- Drawing, painting and illustration - I used to be a career illustrator
- Film photography for sure, I own a whole bunch of 35mm cameras (rangefinders mostly, but a few SLR's). I develop and scan my own negatives (but haven't done any in a while).
- Cinema/Film - a great medium, everything from art-house, foreign cinema through to general entertainment.
- Retro Videogames (I used to work at an import store as a kid - specifically arcade hardware) I have many drawers filled with carts, CDs and boards.
- Music (another thing you can enjoy a pipe to) / I play a little piano and guitar, used to play bass
- Reading and book acquiring - I'm slowly building that library to sit down and smoke + read
- Camping and what the youtube 'preppers' would call survival skills or bushcraft.
- Cooking up a storm, (and eating up a storm)
- Electronics - I like fixing and making the odd problem solving device (project boards, video/audio stuff mainly)
Of course it's a hobby, at least for me. It isn't my profession. I enjoy researching pipe history and putting together the story, one dip in the river at a time. And I enjoy doing home blending from time to time, as well as cleaning up some old pipe and putting it back to service, or trying out a new blend, or experimenting with how to get the best flavors out of a blend. Smoking is only part of it.
- Status