Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with hobby

I'm in need of a (new) hobby!

cofie — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:10:47 -0800

How do I go about getting back into hobbies, or finding new ones (suggest some)? I'm slowly lost a few of my hobbies - stores close, friends move on, interests wane and change. I've recently finished uni, and I'm just having a break until I start full-time work next year.

What I'm after is something (or more than one something) to get me out of the house and doing things that are quite different from my usual routine. Stuff I can start now and keep going even when I have less time due to work.

Some background: I'm a web developer, both as my job and my past-time. I have a large collection of Magic The Gathering cards, I cycle (although I don't want to cycle competitively), I used to (and want to) play sports - volleyball, touch, indoor soccer. I'm interested in creative pursuits but have never really given any a good go.

I have some ideas, but what I'm really after is brand new ideas or some discussion of how best to get into something, and stay with it.

How do I keep hand-painted figurines from "melting" in a snow globe?

arnicae — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:23:01 -0800

How can I seal hand-painted Preiser figures so that they can be submerged indefinitely? I'm using model train figurines to make a snow globe. The snow globe will be filled with fluid - probably mineral oil, karo syrup, or water (I'm still deciding which fluid, but open to input).

The figurines are mostly Preiser HO figurines which the hobby store informs me are painted with water soluble paints.

I asked how I could best seal the figurines so that they could be under water without paint loss indefinitely and they weren't sure. They suggested painting a clear lacquer, but couldn't decide whether it would try yellow or be thin enough, or using floor wax to coat the figurines.

I'm baffled. I've never worked with model trains or snowglobes, but am a little horrified by the idea of the gift recipient unwrapping the snow globe in december to discover the paint has all come off the figurines. Any suggestions would be highly appreciated!

Thanks

People who enjoy deception: what kinds of things do they like to do?

charris5005 — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 07:55:34 -0800

For a person who enjoys deception, what are some games, sports, hobbies, or pastimes that they would be especially drawn to? This is for a fiction project. My character is an anti-hero whose central trait is enjoyment of deception. He works in a marketing field in which deception is a key to success. (Legal, mostly.) In his personal life he is flagrantly unfaithful to his SO, in large part because he enjoys the deception that is inherent in it. I want to flesh him out a bit more, so I'm throwing it to the hive mind: what are some other pastimes, hobbies, sports, games, etc. in which a key element is deception -- and/or where an ability to deceive is key to success? Thanks in advance.

Lets go fly a cheap, homemade kite

Brodiggitty — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 05:57:54 -0800

I need a basic, cheap kite plan that can be easily built by kids. My work is putting on a kite building workshop/ kite flying afternoon. I'm not opposed to buying cheap materials (under $10 per kite) in bulk for about 25 people, but I'd rather use household materials, (especially newspaper if possible). I've found lots of kite blueprints but they're geared towards hobbyists. I want simplicity. The flat, diamond shape will be fine as long as it'll fly, is easy to build, and is cheap.

Help me find a new hobby!

Wroksie — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 03:09:03 -0800

I need a new, productive hobby, please! I need something new to occupy my hands - something that doesn't require a dedicated room or big chunks of time, something that I can pick up and put down wihout a lot of preparation or clean-up time. Most importantly, I want to be able to produce something wearable, decorative, useful, or some combination of those things.
I can't really get the hang of knitting. I crochet like a champ, but it's not the best medium for wearable items, and I've already flooded the market with amigurumi (little stuffed toys), dishcloths, and potholders. I have 5 years experience in silversmithing/ jewelrymaking, which is more involved and intense than what I'm looking for- but if I could carry over any of those skills that would be great. I also have experience in bookbinding, which I love, but I already have way more journals and other blank books than I will ever be able to use or give away.
Financial outlay isn't a big issue, I would drop a few hundred pounds if I found the right thing.

EASY secrets of taking great photos

JensR — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 01:31:34 -0800

What are your favourite photographer's tricks that an amateur could use to create stunning photos on a hobbyist budget? As a hobbyist DSLR photographer, I find that once in a while, I stumble across some simple little trick-of-the-trade that instantly makes my photos much better... and it is these little "Wow!" moments that keep me motivated to keep shooting and learning.

I am not talking about expensive studio rigs here, or vague lifelong lessons ("learn about composition and color theory", "know your camera"). I am specifically talking about the low-hanging fruit that a low-budget amateur photographer like me could apply and see an instant difference.

If there are any photographers out there who have experienced the same kind of "Wow!" moment after trying out some new technique or equipment, please share your best suggestions in this thread.

Real life hobby for someone who enjoys building structures in computer games?

wastelands — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:10:18 -0800

Real life hobby for someone who enjoys building structures in computer games? Recently I enjoyed creating awesome defensive lines in Plants versus Zombies and playing the engineer class in Team Fortress 2. I loved Legos as a kid. Whenever I play a board game with friends, I'm always building little towers out of the pieces.

My question: What's a good non-software based hobby that would be good for someone who likes building structures? Bonus points for something that's not super nerdy. I don't really see myself painting Warhammer 40K miniatures or anything.

Thanks!

Looking for goal-oriented, creative hobbies

Quizicalcoatl — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:48:01 -0800

Ms. Quizicalcoatl is looking for an artistic hobby, but she is very goal-oriented. Help! Now that all the schooling is done and the job is got, Ms. Quizicalcoatl is looking for a creative outlet. 30-odd years of working towards a career type goal have left her a very goal oriented person.

She'd love to explore some artistic or creative activities. The problems she's run against are 1) she's not a naturally creative person and 2) she likes objective benchmarks and much of art is subjective.

Things she's already explored are amateur level knitting, and jewelry making. She's mentioned accordion lessons, but doesn't really know where to begin with it. She'd like something unique and something where part of the artistry is being able to complete it at all.

Finally, between job and family, a suggestion to spend a year in Tibet learning Buddhist chant would probably not be the best suggestion.

Looking for a hobby ...

raheel — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:30:47 -0800

A physical hobby for a desk-bound man. I have been thinking about taking up a hobby that complements my sedentary lifestyle working as a software developer. I do exercise but that's more for health. I play some music but that is quite sedentary as well. The hobby should be something that will involve physical skills. Something that comes to mind is carpentry or woodworking but I am afraid it will take up a lot of room.

Any other ideas?

What causes electronics to stop working when exposed to static electricity or water? (with misc electronics questions)

laptolain — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 21:59:56 -0800

What causes electronics to stop working when exposed to static electricity or water? (with misc electronics questions) I'm looking for an informative layman's explanation of the above question.

Also, I'm really interested in soldering electronics as a hobby. I've had many false starts with this and I think it's because I always end up reading reference or technical books. I think it was MAKE that had videos about the history of the LED and resistor that I really enjoyed but haven't found anything similar since.

My main goal is the ability to identify the function of common parts on a PCB. I think that will pique my curiosity and I'll naturally dig deeper.

I'm also confused about basic electronics vs processing chips. Are all processors created for a specialized purpose? Could you take a sound processor or a GPU out of a computer and then re-purpose it into your hobbyist work? Can you interface with any processor through software easily? Is it even worth doing this if you don't know any programming languages? It seems like the more interesting aspects of electronics beyond simple open/closed circuit motor kits require programming. I'm not against learning a programming language in fact I'd love an excuse to but I just want to understand what being an electronics hobbyist means.

I learn new things fast but it requires I find information in this counter intuitive format. If you have any websites or books you think would help I would really appreciate it.

Thanks!

I want to play beer league hockey.

Herschel — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 10:17:00 -0800

I want to play beer league hockey. I am starting from ground zero. I want to play hockey. I'm a 23 year old guy living outside Philly. I don't have any experience beyond playing some deck hockey when I was very young.

I have no equipment and very amateur skating skills. I am a fan and do love watching hockey, so I have a working knowledge of the game -- but I doubt I know much about strategy or proper player positioning or anything like that!

What steps should I take? I guess the first step is to get some gear and take some skating lessons. I'd love to take some adult hockey lessons, if they exist. I'm really having trouble finding any classes that are for beginners and aren't geared for kids. Should I just play a bunch of pickup games?

I don't have any friends who play, so that doesn't help. Have any of you successfully started playing a sport from zero experience as an adult? It's a little intimidating, because hockey seems to have a pretty high barrier of entry. It seems expected that you've learned most of this stuff as a kid.

How to start a hobby in robotics?

Simon Barclay — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 13:45:28 -0800

I'd like to start making robots and tinkering with microcontrollers. Where do I start, and what do I need? So, I'd like to make my own robots. I'm comfortable with programming (assembly and C) so I've got that part covered, but my electronics/circuits knowledge is a little weak. I have no idea what material to start with and which tools I need, nor how to put stuff together. I've read previous AskMeFi questions, however I haven't seen anything about how to start this hobby.

As an example, for my first project I'd want to create an automated wheeled vehicle that drives around. I might want to integrate motors/wheels, a proximity sensor, an accelerometer, and/or photoresistors. But what I want to make isn't very important - I want to get things that would be useful for future (undetermined) projects. Suppose I have a budget of $100-$200, but I might be willing to go higher.

For the microcontroller, I'm thinking about going with the Pololu Orangutan LV-168 or the Arduino Duemilanove, although I'm leaning more towards the Orangutan because of the built-in LCD and pushbuttons (which I would expect to use, especially for debugging and user interaction). Am I on the right track? It seems to me like the number of I/O ports is small, but is that the case in practice?

Where I'm really lost is the additional equipment, and the background on how to make everything work circuit-wise - in this area, I don't know what I don't know. For example, do I need:
- A soldering iron?
- A breadboard?
- A voltmeter/multimeter?
- Resistors, capacitors, etc.?
- A better understanding of circuits?
- ...?

Finally, I'd like to know about your experiences, good and bad. What works and what doesn't? What are the "gotchas"? Give me your best suggestions so I can benefit from your experience. Pointers to good online guides are good, but I would especially like to learn about what works well (and doesn't) from knowledgeable mefites.

(Bonus points for anyone who can tell me where I can buy what I need locally, either in Ottawa or Montreal, or online in Canada. I'd like to avoid Ebay, etc. and cross-border ordering.)

Help me make a coffee table?

Loto — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 16:36:36 -0800

Where can I learn to build furniture in or near Montgomery Country, Maryland? So, for a few years now I've had a desire to learn how to make my own furniture and in turn furnish my apartment with pieces I've designed and created myself.

I'm now in the position where I can afford to take classes and invest in learning how to do this. I know I can get access to a shop at the local club for a monthly fee, but unfortunately the classes they run don't fit into my schedule. Does anyone know where a guy can learn the basics of furniture making and joinery around Montgomery County, preferably on the weekends? If they are intensive weekend classes, I'm more than willing to drive a little bit (no more than two hours, ideally) to get to them.

What's the best website for your hobby (specifically stamps and old coins)

DMan — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 07:36:25 -0800

Where can I find the best online community for your hobby? Specifically looking for stamp collectors and old coin dealers, but all are welcome! One of the first things I do when I get into a new hobby is find a strong online community with message boards that I can participate in to learn more about it and talk about it with people who understand it and care about it. So what's the premier online community for YOUR hobby?

I'm specifically interested in stamps and old coins because I recently came across fairly large supplies of them and I'd like to be able to show some scans of them and see what they're worth.

Mental Escape with Benefits

verevi — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:05:46 -0800

What hobby/activity can I do while listening to music/podcasts? The catch? I want some tangible product or useful skill as an end result. Typically I listen to music while playing video games or mindless browsing the web. Although I enjoy the mental escape that it provides, I would prefer to have something tangible as a result of this time.

Knitting and the like would be a perfect answer except for the fact that it does not appeal in any way to this 30-something male.

I imagine it would be something with my hands? Gardening might be good, but it seems difficult to do regularly during the winter.

Any suggestions?

Make a habit, break a habit, keep me occupied!

lemonade — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 08:39:36 -0800

I am about to leave on a 2-month trip for work, where I'll be working the 3-11PM shift, 7 days a week. Help keep me occupied! Last time I did a trip this long, I only worked the evening shift for one week, and I was terribly homesick during that week because there was no one to hang out with when I was not working! On the plus side, it's a great time for making/breaking habits and learning new skills, because of the extreme routine and because I'm away from my usual distractions. Last time I was on extended travel, I established a near-daily gym habit, which was fantastic.

Things I have access to:
decent gym
lap pool
sand volleyball court (decent player)
tennis court (very beginning player)
rock gym (very good climber)
very out-of tune piano (good player)
personal laptop and high-speed internet

I plan to bring along Pimsleur's Japanese I, some art supplies, and a nice DSLR. My main worry is that without a plan and some goals, even with the stuff that's available to do, I'll just spend a lot of time moping (call me type A+). So, mefi, how should I fill ~8 hours per day, alone but not lonely? Solo vball/tennis drills? Meditation habit? Learn to juggle? Knit a sweater?

The Kinky Wizards on 180 gram vinyl?!

Bageena — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 08:00:48 -0800

I'm building a record collection, and I want opinions on the records every audiophile and music lover should own. I'm looking to legitimize, to some degree, my mp3 collection by building an incredible and diverse vinyl collection. I actually started this hobby about two years ago, and I'm quickly approaching owning 200 records, but I'm starting to run out of ideas. I have all kinds of music spanning decades and genres: everything from Nirvana's Nevermind to The Beatles' White Album. I love underground hip hip and own records by Atmosphere, Del the Funky Homosapien, and Aceyaalone. I have a lot of classic rock, including Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and Eric Clapton. I have and love indie artists like Rilo Kiley, Mates of State, and The Mountain Goats
I need more ideas though, and I want recommendations for albums that I might not have heard of or records that, on a whole, are either cool because they are rare or unique in some way. For instance, I'm trying to find a copy of Beck's rare Mellow Gold record on gold colored vinyl, Tool's Aenima, and The Flaming Lips' Soft Bulletin, all pricey and hard to find... and RAD!
Blues, Jazz, old Country - whatever you like and treasure but on vinyl. Other record collectors - what albums in your library do you cherish? Help me build a Christmas wishlist!

Closest thing to coding that isn't

Not Supplied — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 11:45:00 -0800

What uses similar skills to computer programming, and is enjoyable in the same way, but does not involve excessive computer use? I feel that in many ways computer programming would be the ideal serious pastime for me, and could lead to me selling my own products. However, training from a young age to be a guitarist, then falling into computer admin work and internet addiction led to RSI. I'm totally 'cured' from it - My body is much better than ever and I know how to work relatively safely.

However, I just can't deal with the idea of being on a computer so much of the time. I've gone too far down the path of posture and physical health not to feel an instinctive recoiling from the machine when I've been on it too long. It's a compromise I just can't make, however interested I am in programming. And I just know that whatever good intentions I set out with, I would end up pulling an all nighter once I became obsessed with a project. Some computer use, say 2 hours at most a day would be fine.

What else would use similar skills and push similar buttons?

I feel that I have the right combination of creativity and problem solving and like the fact that you can bring in many types of skills, I like being able to have complete control of a project and realise my vision, I like the fact that I can make things that matter in the real world. I like that if you put in the hours you will get results, even if it's just improving your knowledge and skills.

I thought of product design/invention, as I have good ideas for products. However, this is a bit hit and miss as products might not get realised. Also, you may have to rely on other people and manage relationships a lot in order to get stuff done, which is a minus.

I don't feel the creative arts would work, as I want something a bit more practical, that could maybe be a real product or service.

Something like designing retro machines that run on steam would not really as it is not 'cutting edge'. It doesn't matter in the same way.

These ideas make it sound like it’s all about design, but I would consider any type of field really.

Hope that explains it! Thanks in advance.

How can I keep my hands busy?

zardoz — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 17:08:29 -0800

I want a new hobby. I like to use my hands. Any suggestions? Anything from simple origami to a full-blown woodshop, but at least the origami is cheap. I'm not looking to break the bank here. I have a guitar that I pluck every now and then, but I'm not so musically inclined. What do you like to do with your hands? Bonus points for activities that can be done during train/bus commutes.

How do I make money off reading?

sorindome — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 10:30:37 -0800

How can I earn income off my reading habit/hobby? My biggest hobby by far is reading. I generally go through 3-4 books a week mainly fiction, but non-fiction is duly represented, and have been doing so for the past 25 years. Needless to say I've read a ton of books over the years.

More than likely due to the fact that I've started working as a lawyer and life is now ruled by the billable hour, lately I've been wondering if there's any way to make any money off this investment of time. I'm just looking for ideas from the hive mind, about who or what might pay for me to read something and possibly comment about it. I do have some letters to put behind my name, JD, MBA, and I'm a fairly decent writer.

My initial thoughts were to possibly write reviews and attempt to have them published. I realize this isn't something I could jump into, so I thought about building a website/blog and posting reviews for a year or so until I have a decent body of work to be used as a sample. Sure there is a pipe dream that maybe the website might generate a few measly bucks in income if I can get to a critical mass but more than likely it would just serve as a portfolio down the line.

The other thought I had was editing/reviewing or being a test reader for a publisher. I know nothing about this though, I just figure that such positions have to exist. If they do, how would I go about getting involved.

Anyways any and all ideas and comments are welcome, fire away.

What useful trade can I learn to survive a collapsed economy?

sportbucket — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 13:05:03 -0800

What's a trade I can learn now, as a hobby, that will be useful if/when the economy collapses? Carpentry? Beer/wine making? Animal husbandry? This isn't totally reactionary fear-mongering, I was thinking about this before everyone started talking about the economic apocalypse, but now it seems a little more timely. Is there a useful trade I can learn in a year or so and practice as a hobby, maybe make some side money, that would be useful to be in a collapsed economy?

Nevermind for a minute that economic collapse isn't exactly an imminent threat -- I just want to learn some practical and marketable skills, if only to gain peace of mind knowing that if I lost my job I'd have something to offer the world.

What to do with 25 mins of extra free time every day?

KateHasQuestions — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:18:19 -0800

I moved closer to work. What can I do with the 25 minutes of extra free time that I will have due to the shorter commute? I would like to make sure that the 25 minutes of extra free time do not just go to waste (such as wasting my time online).

Here are some things that I already do once in a while:

guitar, piano, reading, crocheting, working out.

I would like some *new* ideas of what I can do for 25 mins a day that are fun and/or useful and good for me.

Learning Fencing

comatose — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 09:38:38 -0800

Bitten by the olympic bug, I am interested in taking up fencing. Fencing questions inside. (Suggestions for other unique non-team sports are welcome) Previously.

I am 23, 6'-3" lean and in good physical condition. I need to participate in a physical activity as a distraction during my upcoming thesis year and would like to be able to carry over in a future 9 to 5 lifestyle. Fencing seems very appealing, but...

Does fencing fit in to a once, maybe twice a week hobby, or is it more of a time/lifestyle commitment?

It appears that I am past the prime of learning how to fence. Is it too late to learn, or should I take up a "lifetime" sport like golf or tennis?

What is the learning curve? Are there even tournaments for "older" people? I see a lot of "I used to fence in college" kind of thing.

Anything else related to how fencing would fit in to a lifestyle, not so much of what are the different types of fencing or what equipment I need to buy kind of information. Also, I live just down the street from the Cincinnati Fencing Club, which appears to be a credible organization.

Learning circus arts in Los Angeles?

Xere — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 19:54:06 -0800

I'd like to learn circus arts in Los Angeles. Contortion, aerial arts, juggling - preferably somewhere with a good mix so that I can find what I'd like to concentrate on. Google turns up a few promising places, but which ones have a nice amount of beginners in their 20s? And the aforementioned mix of everything? FWIW, in case this additional information helps: I'm not pursuing this for a circus career, because at 22 I'm probably too old to even hope for that. I was in a circus club from grade to high school, and as a result nicely bendy from that (though currently rusty) ... great fun, would like to get back into it.

Has anyone made their hobby their job and NOT been happy with the decision?

Ringo — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:08:20 -0800

Has anyone made their hobby their job and NOT been happy with the decision? I'm specifically thinking about television writing but other fields would apply... I have the opportunity to write for television. Creative writing is something I enjoy and do as a hobby, but the thought of the pressure that comes with producing creative things consistently under deadlines stresses me out. It's an extremely unstable field (perhaps the most unstable), and I would have to quit my stable and better-paying (but more boring) job to do it. The future of this career-path is totally uncertain. The only thing that seems certain is that it will be temporary. I don't see it as something I'd like to do long-term. It seems far too grueling.

I could just keep doing little projects on the side, books, screenplays etc. but I feel a huge pressure to take this opportunity. I feel like everyone will think I'm crazy if I don't since I clearly am good at creative writing. If the thought stresses me out this much should I bother? Or do you think I'll regret turning down the opportunity?