So... What OTHER Hobbies Occupy Your Time?

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johnnyflake

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jul 29, 2023
231
466
84
Henderson, Nevada
For me, over the last 60 years or so my hobby has been going to Garage/Yard Sales and Estate sales both in the Chicago Suburbs and in the Henderson NV area. As a result, I have a huge amount of stuff, I mean HUGE! My 2-car garage is full of goodies. As a way to earn a little from that hobby, I started selling on eBay for a while. Then about 6 or 7 years ago, I found Etsy. I love selling of Etsy vs eBay which I personally hate. So, now at age 84, I continue to Garage/Yard Sale and Estate Sale and Sell on Etsy.
 

NookersTheCat

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 10, 2020
746
3,686
NEPA
I love selling of Etsy vs eBay which I personally hate.
Yeah I sold some stuff on the bay yearss ago. Wasn't too bad and they even ruled favorably when I had a couple people try to screw me.
Recently I went to look at selling something.. I couldn't believe the % they take now! Insane vs what it used to be. Plus back in the day they actually allowed pipe tobacco, as long as it was "collectable"
 
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Mikepiper

Might Stick Around
Apr 26, 2025
75
224
Miami, FL
If I’m not working or enjoying a pipe, there’s driven birds in the UK or French countryside once or twice a year; upland birds and sporting clays here at home and the associated addiction of English and Italian sporting guns; fly fishing for bones, reds, and tarpon on occasion to stay humble (good caster:terrible fisherman); and boating with the family on Lake Winnipesaukee in NH in the summer months. Pretty fortunate, actually!
 

Sigmund

Lifer
Sep 17, 2023
4,375
45,627
France
I’ve spent the past weeks fiddling with setup on my archtop guitar. Ive gained more respect for luthiers.

Aside from playing it Ive leveled and crowned the frets as well as make a zillion adjustments. I still think when I restring again I need to do some spot leveling and make smaller crowns but its getting there.

Making sax mouthpieces is a lot easier but then again Ive been doing that for almost 25 years.
 

Mikepiper

Might Stick Around
Apr 26, 2025
75
224
Miami, FL
I like theater and Spanish and international novels from the 1920s to the 1980s. I am not a collector of anything, just a generous library, some tobacco, and a few bottles of whiskey. Reading, It's my antidote, my pill against the madness of misinformation, digital boredom, and media stupidity. I'm thinking of going back to fishing with a rod and reel. A childhood friend suggested it to me, and I think it's a good idea.
Have you tried fly fishing? The thinking man’s fish-related rabbit hole.
 
Dec 9, 2023
1,899
26,153
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Well I try to have a variety of interests. I got into cycling back in 2008 and for about six years it was my main transportation besides busses and friends. My truck had transmission issues about a year after I went back to school during the Great Recession and couldn’t afford to fix it or buy a new car so I got a bicycle. Dropped a ton of weight and really started to enjoy it, even during those awful days of heat, freezing cold, rain, snow, etc. I still ride my bicycles but sadly not as much and I need to fix that!

I also read and play video games, play board games with friends.

I also got back into shooting and rediscovered my love of it earlier this year. I’m up to four with my Ruger Mark IV Target .22lr being the most fun, and cheap, to shoot. I’m hoping I get to take my Beretta out bird hunting this fall with my good friend and his one year old golden. I haven’t gone hunting in over 30 years and though I doubt I’ll bring a bird home I’m sure it will be fun.
 
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SBC

Lifer
Oct 6, 2021
1,880
8,502
Yoopsconsin
I've lifted weights off-and-on since highschool (the "off" was usually long enough to lose all gains), but after a couple years' hiatus, this summer I've taken a new interest in traditional functional strength feats like natural stone lifting (as featured in competitive strongman events). Currently this training occupies more time than other interests.

Also reading (fond of medieval lit, and some beloved early/mid 20th century Christian British authors), traditional archery (switched from wheel-bow to trad many years ago), hiking/camping/canoeing, armchair theology/philosophy/liturgics, etc.

At one point, regenerative gardening was my life, but I've since moved to a property ill-suited to that and haven't figured it out here yet.
I tried making a few fly rods, but am the world's most unsuccessful fly fisherman and apart from an annual token attempt I've given up on it.
I used to bow hunt most years, but I haven't been out in a few.
In a previous life I was part of a whisk(e)y tasting group, and was also semi-serious about collecting big beers to age (but I almost never drink anymore as it doesn't comport well with some physical goals -- I now drink only on special occasions).

I also have a theoretical interest in old clockworks and automatic watches, but that's a rich man's hobby and I have just a few cheapies.

A few sit in potentia:
I've started to set up a bit of a wood shop in my garage, but it's still a mess and I haven't done much yet. Would love to learn more there.
I keep wanting to try bee keeping, but haven't squeezed the trigger yet.
I also keep wanting to learn the octave mandolin (an octave lower than standard mandolin, similar size as tenor banjo and same tuning), but not sure if I'll ever really get to that one.

And of course pipes and pipe smoking.
 

Chalaw87

Part of the Furniture Now
Apr 21, 2021
604
2,404
Northeast TN
I started Juijitsu classes about 6 months ago at 51 yrs old. It was definitely an eye opener. I mean getting tapped out or strangled by a fella half my age is definitely sobering. However, it’s been a wake up call and usually very enjoyable. I feel great during class and after class I’m so relaxed and humbled. Learning skills and getting more fit as I travel into the last 3rd of life is great! Keep in mind you’re going to get banged up a bit. Couldn’t recommend it enough. 👍☕
I didn’t expect to find another BJJ player on the forum. Keep training when your not puffing.
 
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Chalaw87

Part of the Furniture Now
Apr 21, 2021
604
2,404
Northeast TN
Just got back from class. It’s addictive for sure. Most of all it’s humbling which I love and need sometimes. Thanks man! 🤙☕
There’s no doubt that bjj will teach you humility. I was surprised by how many parallels there are with bjj and life in general and also the camaraderie that develops with training partners. Keep rolling.
 
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JOHN72

Lifer
Sep 12, 2020
6,485
62,141
52
Spain - Europe
Have you tried fly fishing? The thinking man’s fish-related rabbit hole.



Hi Mike. Well, I'm lucky to have a legendary fishing shop near my neighborhood. It has everything you could possibly want. So if I finally decide to buy fishing gear, I'll ask this guy for advice. He's an expert. The best thing is really to fish from a small boat, you know, so you can go out a few kilometers into the sea. But I have to settle for fishing from a breakwater. Since I live in the south, we don't have any major rivers in my province, let alone cold waters, such as the Miño River in Galicia, which flows into the Atlantic. That's where they do the famous lamprey fishing, that ugly prehistoric blood-sucking creature, hahahaha. It's a delicacy. Thanks for the suggestion about fly fishing, I'll look into it.
 
Apr 26, 2012
3,960
12,897
Washington State
Outside my hobby of pipes and cigars, I have a few hobbies...

My hobbies include listening to music and exploring old bands from the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's that I've never listened too outside some songs on classic rock radio stations. Love listening to old albums for those quality deep cuts. I also love discovering old bands that I've never heard of before, and exploring their catalog of music.

The past 5 years I've been collecting LPs. I mainly go to Antique stores looking through bins to try and find some hidden gems for cheap. I also go to several local record stores to browse the stacks. I mainly buy 70's Rock albums, and try to buy first pressings of albums. I still buy CDs from time to time though not as often as I did back in the day. Mainly to complete a bands catalog of albums in my collection.

I try to play my Bass guitar, but I'm failing in that hobby as I don't pick it up enough. That's more of time commitment and finding time in my day to sit down and pick up the guitar. My schedule is not ideal for that hobby at the moment, so it gets neglected the most.

I also collect sports memorabilia for my favorite sports teams; however, I'm running out of room for putting stuff on display.
 

Kollman

Starting to Get Obsessed
Nov 5, 2024
261
389
No Name, CO
What hobby haven't I tried is more the question, but the ones that have stuck are fly fishing, fly tying ( you can't do one without the other for very long, as it is supposedly cheaper ), white water rafting, and playing cribbage. Biking is fun too, but I'm starting to think about the switch to skiing when winter comes.