| Hobbies 16:02 - Aug 25 with 15194 views | Match82 |
Bear with me a little here.
With everything that's been going on in the last year I've decided that I need to pick up a hobby, just to keep my sanity. I'm struggling to think of something that I really LOVE though, something which would give me something to look forward to on tough or stressful days.
So I'm reaching out to the wonderful people on this board for suggestions. What hobbies or activities have you picked up that you'd recommend? I know this kind of thing depends on what activities I enjoy but that's kind of the point, I have no idea what might be out there that I've never thought of so I'm trying to keep an open mind!
I'm in the US so "going to watch QPR" isn't a realistic option much as I'd like it to be!
Not sure if it matters but I'm about to hit the big 4-0 if that makes any difference to suggestions... |  | | |  |
| Hobbies on 18:51 - Aug 25 with 1698 views | johnhoop |
| Hobbies on 17:20 - Aug 25 by MrSheen |
Thanks for the warning Ted, we're flying into Chania, so fingers crossed. I'm not a fan of heat, which is why I love Kerry so much, but out-voted 4-1 on this one. |
If you're feeling energetic and the heat isn't too extreme, you can get a bus from Chania up to Omalos in the mountains and walk down through the Samaria Gorge to the South Coast.
Did it several times in the 70's and then got a boat Westwards to the sleepy little coastal village of Palaiochora with its beautiful beaches.
Not sure what nearly fifty years will have done to those places now but they were great at the time! |  | | |
| Hobbies on 18:57 - Aug 25 with 1689 views | johnhoop |
| Hobbies on 18:00 - Aug 25 by A40Bosh |
Friday June 12th last year I played golf for the first time in nearly 15 years and before that had literally played once or twice in my life.
I was on a 3 day week and then a 4 day week most of last year and decided if I didn't take up golf there and then I wouldn't until I was 70 and by then it might be too late. I played every single Friday, bar one, from 12th June until the first week of Nov and since courses opened again in March this year have played normally twice a week - 12 holes at Uxbridge after work and 18 holes at the weekend.
To say I have become obsessed with everything golf would be an understatement. So much so that after being in a wedding band for 25 years I now look at a £800 speaker cabinet and think, if I sell that I could get a set of better irons.
It is the best game in the world and at the same time the worst. However, with the sh't going on around me in the immediate and extended family for the last few years and the pandemic, standing on the first tee at 8:30am on a Saturday morning whilst the birds are singing and the trees whisper as the breeze passes through them and you take in a lungful of fresh air and smell the autumn dew, there is no better feeling in the world
But 4 hours later you are sat in your car wondering why you are the biggest tosser on the planet and hate everything to do with golf.
Oh.... or take up the bass guitar... guitarist tell you that it is easy... but that is cos most of them don't understand "the pocket"! [Post edited 25 Aug 2021 18:01]
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Is Uxbridge golf course still functioning? I thought it had been closed by HS2 like West Ruislip. | | | |
| Hobbies on 19:01 - Aug 25 with 1679 views | Mick_S |
| Hobbies on 18:57 - Aug 25 by johnhoop |
Is Uxbridge golf course still functioning? I thought it had been closed by HS2 like West Ruislip. |
Still going - 12 holes, these days, with a couple of b’stard up hill walks. |  |
| Did I ever mention that I was in Minder? |
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| Hobbies on 19:04 - Aug 25 with 1673 views | BazzaInTheLoft |
Tried home brewing over lockdown. Gave myself the raging shits. |  | | |
| Hobbies on 19:07 - Aug 25 with 1668 views | TGRRRSSS |
Apparently cold water swimming is very good for you. |  | | |
| Hobbies on 20:04 - Aug 25 with 1621 views | essextaxiboy |
Golf
Motorcycling
Gardening
Freemasonry
Woodwork
I'm thinking of having a go at a kit car if I have to drop any of the above [Post edited 25 Aug 2021 20:24]
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| Hobbies on 20:14 - Aug 25 with 1610 views | MrSheen |
| Hobbies on 18:51 - Aug 25 by johnhoop |
If you're feeling energetic and the heat isn't too extreme, you can get a bus from Chania up to Omalos in the mountains and walk down through the Samaria Gorge to the South Coast.
Did it several times in the 70's and then got a boat Westwards to the sleepy little coastal village of Palaiochora with its beautiful beaches.
Not sure what nearly fifty years will have done to those places now but they were great at the time! |
I was browsing through some excursion options and the Samaria gorge is top of my list, followed by a Byzantine monestary. The kids went for a water park, and the youngest is 19. At least we can agree on wine tasting. |  | | |
| Hobbies on 20:16 - Aug 25 with 1608 views | MrSheen |
| Hobbies on 18:10 - Aug 25 by hovehoop |
Joking aside, golf doesn't suit my temperament.
I did spend a few years taking my kids to an athletics club which morphed into helping the coaches. And then to get a better idea of what I was doing I got a UK Athletics coaching license. Helping coaching sessions was good and I got to see some fantastic talents progress onto a seriously competitive stage. That whole episode in life just evolved and I look back on it with good memories. The safety and protocol requirements can be a bit daunting at first but they are necessary! But most amateur clubs (in any sport) can rely on a few people doing lots of work so one role can lead to another and it's a question of how much time you have or want to make available. I eventually managed a team and that for the most part was good but one or two parents were a pain thinking their kids were destined for the Olympics. Conversely, one of the boys did end up in an Olympic final and his folks were fantastic and always acknowledged all the volunteers. |
Good for you, volunteering is a great option. At the very least, people are pleased to see you! | | | |
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| Hobbies on 20:20 - Aug 25 with 1606 views | SK_hoops |
Play guitar a lot.
Problem is it can take at least a year before you get any good. | | | |
| Hobbies on 20:26 - Aug 25 with 1598 views | distortR |
| Hobbies on 19:04 - Aug 25 by BazzaInTheLoft |
Tried home brewing over lockdown. Gave myself the raging shits. |
now, there's a joke in there somewhere about Bazza and raging shits. | | | |
| Hobbies on 20:36 - Aug 25 with 1583 views | BazzaInTheLoft |
| Hobbies on 20:26 - Aug 25 by distortR |
now, there's a joke in there somewhere about Bazza and raging shits. |
Prefer saging wit. | | | |
| Hobbies on 21:02 - Aug 25 with 1548 views | ted_hendrix |
Built a digital OO guage model railway in me garage last year, the garage being large allowed me to build it 12 feet wide by 5 feet deep and still get a car in the garage, It's an expensive hobby though most of the loco's have quite extensive features-various sounds-lights start up sounds etcetera. I can have 8 trains comfortably running at one time, I have two American loco's with carriages, these are very expensive but the sound of them and the build quality is excellent.
Mind the doors.
There you go, I've owned up to being a big bloody kid.
I still play the guitar, I've got two all wood Faith acoustic guitars, (one all solid mahogany and one with a solid Rosewood back with a sitka top) one is tuned to drop D and the other is tuned to open D as I like to play slide. I have one Fender sunburst Strat with gorgeous jangly pick ups. One Fender bluetooth acoustic amplifier and one Vox digital amplifier and of course a tremelo pedal.
When the sun is out, sit in the garden and play, that's it.
There you go I've turned into a rock god.
The best riffs are stolen riffs. |  |
| My Father had a profound influence on me, he was a lunatic. |
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| Hobbies on 21:03 - Aug 25 with 1548 views | HantsR |
Wildlife watching and photography - mostly bird life
Angling ( some links to above)
Walks in fab countryside (also see above)
The arts & music
Golf, badminton - are these hobbies?
Pub quiz - ditto?
Chasing women (forget why though?)
Actually, looking after house, garden (with pond) and family are principal activities |  | | |
| Hobbies on 21:28 - Aug 25 with 1517 views | Mick_S |
Thank goodness nobody has mentioned decorating. Is there anything more mind sapping? Indoor torture. | |
| Did I ever mention that I was in Minder? |
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| Hobbies on 21:41 - Aug 25 with 1484 views | dezzar |
Doggin | | | |
| Hobbies on 22:06 - Aug 25 with 1470 views | Ranger_Things |
I have a Defender so my spare time is taken up doing the things Land Rover should have before it left the factory. |  | | |
| Hobbies on 22:17 - Aug 25 with 1450 views | GloryHunter |
It's never too late to learn to play whatever musical instrument you fancy. I bought my first drum kit at the age of 65. |  | | |
| Hobbies on 22:36 - Aug 25 with 1422 views | A40Bosh |
| Hobbies on 19:01 - Aug 25 by Mick_S |
Still going - 12 holes, these days, with a couple of b’stard up hill walks. |
Par 5 8th hole is a killer.
I have considered climbing ropes and crampons. |  |
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| Hobbies on 23:32 - Aug 25 with 1392 views | Match82 |
| Hobbies on 17:24 - Aug 25 by PinnerPaul |
Refereeing- a hobby you actually get paid for, what's not to like?!  |
I did this! Qualified as a ref when I was 16 and living in the UK following in the old man's footsteps. Absolutely hated it! Didn't mine running the line as much but just wanted to get involved in the game if I was in the middle.
Thanks for all of (the other  ) suggestions. Lots to pick through! Golf is something Ive been putting off but keeps coming up. Maybe I just need to bite the bullet. | | | |
| Hobbies on 00:06 - Aug 26 with 1371 views | loftboy |
| Hobbies on 19:07 - Aug 25 by TGRRRSSS |
Apparently cold water swimming is very good for you. |
Yep, I was in the North Sea yesterday, very invigorating |  |
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| Hobbies on 00:18 - Aug 26 with 1363 views | CLAREMAN1995 |
| Hobbies on 23:32 - Aug 25 by Match82 |
I did this! Qualified as a ref when I was 16 and living in the UK following in the old man's footsteps. Absolutely hated it! Didn't mine running the line as much but just wanted to get involved in the game if I was in the middle.
Thanks for all of (the other ) suggestions. Lots to pick through! Golf is something Ive been putting off but keeps coming up. Maybe I just need to bite the bullet. |
If you live in the City then bike LSD beach.I did it 6 Sunday in a row last year with my daughter and loved it until they re locked it down and she started up travel soccer again.
Golf is very expensive close to the city or north side but way down southside you can play any public course for $50 with a cart so its a great deal IMO.
Gardening is hard the outdoor growing season is short with this oppressive heat it takes a lot or TLC. | | | |
| Hobbies on 00:25 - Aug 26 with 1346 views | Boston |
| Hobbies on 00:18 - Aug 26 by CLAREMAN1995 |
If you live in the City then bike LSD beach.I did it 6 Sunday in a row last year with my daughter and loved it until they re locked it down and she started up travel soccer again.
Golf is very expensive close to the city or north side but way down southside you can play any public course for $50 with a cart so its a great deal IMO.
Gardening is hard the outdoor growing season is short with this oppressive heat it takes a lot or TLC. |
I'd say any beach might be a mind bending thrill if you take LSD while cycling! | |
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| Hobbies on 00:32 - Aug 26 with 1343 views | Boston |
Seriously though, I always enjoyed making money, even more so since Mrs Boston bought me a hulking huge printing press. | |
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| Hobbies on 06:56 - Aug 26 with 1251 views | HantsR |
Thinking about voluntary activities, I've had great fun and satisfaction from managing youth football teams from clubs to U18. Being a ommunity first responder for the Ambulance service was also flexible, worthwhile and rewarding, but not without stress. | | | |
| Hobbies on 07:18 - Aug 26 with 1243 views | essextaxiboy |
| Hobbies on 18:57 - Aug 25 by johnhoop |
Is Uxbridge golf course still functioning? I thought it had been closed by HS2 like West Ruislip. |
I hadnt realised Ruislip had closed . great memories of Saturdays in the 70s driving over from Essex , playing Ruislip , back to my Dads brothers place for lunch then off to the Rangers . | | | |
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