There are other hobbies?

 

Some of my other fetish...er, interests are hi fi and music, wishing I still played drums, fountain pens, the whole so-called Indian Wars period, cycling and mountain biking - not racing anymore, phew...learning how to capture good photographs, making cocktails....

Wish I was more practical and could make stuff, but as a bear of little brain I'd probably mess it up. Or cut my fingers off...

 

From childhood I have been a modelrailroader. I have a N-scale layout that is perhaps 30% complete that I worked on steadily until 2011. That's when my eldest daughter introduced me to astronomy. I've spent the last 5 years focused on astronomy; learning, buying equipment, attending star parties, and building an observatory in my backyard. Next spring I plan to retire and then I will have the time to get back to model railroading.

 

I have lots of hobbies, and over time they rotate around as to which are active. Right now, in addition to astronomy, it is photography and creating board games, the latter with my son. Photography is of course expensive to get all set up. Gaming on the other hand can cost next to nothing and is of course lots of fun to boot.

On the gaming front, I have created a chess variant I call Rumble which is conceptually based on competing street gangs fighting. The pieces are figures of people that I just got from a toy store. Fast and fun. Also created a WWII combat game using a card deck where you lay out your defenses and offenses then battle it out. Again, fast and fun. I have a more involved planetary mining game that is still in development. It is a solo game and a cross between a simulation and a game. Goal is to explore and mine the most star systems you can over a 20 year simulated working lifetime - using real star systems with known exoplanets to make it more based in reality rather than complete fiction. So it's a multi-mission game obviously that you play over time, logging the profits you ended up with for each mission depending on what you discovered out there and were able to safely bring back. So chance and luck is majorly involved, but your decision points along the way to and from target will increase or mitigate the risks that arise. Got a ways to go yet with this one. With my son helped him recently develop and test play a card game around cats. Geared for younger kids, but plenty fun to play with adults and a few beers He's going to try and market that one on Kickstarter. Quite interactive and fun.

 

Any and all sciences - including meteorology, which comes in handy when the skies aren't clear and the clouds roll in. Soft-sciences like sociology & psychology. Even philately (stamp-collecting/selling). Many things.

Political-activism - which is not a hobby, it's a calling

Have fun,

Dave

 

Hi, Dennis. Great thread here. Besides astronomy, I am into the behavioral sciences, having a doctorate in counseling psychology (my day-job). I am a singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist; I run my own private recording studio. I love photography and videography. I'm a big fan of the big outdoors and love to hike. Science in general is a major interest, whether it's biology, physics or cosmology. I like to integrate my hobbies when possible as you can tell by my astronomy videos

Regards,
Reggie

 

Oh, and I also have a passion for Native American culture and archaeology!

 

Ditto, Reggie, only I don't follow archeology - just our traditions. Old joke from the 'PowWow-Highway' - "People in the inner-cities get Social Workers. We get Anthropologists. Is there some message here?"

"When the Pilgrim's landed on Plymouth Rock, we wished it had landed on them..."

Happy Colombus Day!

Evil grin,

Dave

 

In addition to astronomy, astrophotography and my two boys I also have "revolving" hobbies. Flyfishing and fly tying, gold and silversmithing, small metal work, building scale wooden sailing ships, and of course endless reading. I will never be bored or say that I don't have something to do...

Clear Skies,
Brian

 

Dennis -

Thank you for jogging my brain-pan on MUSIC as MESSAGE. Please allow me to introduce you to John Trudell:



I suggest fastening a seatbelt to your chair, and click Full-Screen. Turn up speakers. Don't try to talk for awhile afterwards.

Your friend,

Dave

 

Hi Brian. Didn't know you did that...I used to do gold/silversmithing too! Not sure I could do gold anymore given how expensive it's gotten

 

You're right about the cost of gold - absolutely insane. I wish I had more time to do this, I have a pretty decent shop for fabricating and light casting (no burnout oven , sandcasting and cuttlebone molds only) in the basement. I want to get back into it after I retire, I used to make a pretty fair volume of jewelry and small metal work reproductions for family, friends, and hard core medieval living history folks...very entertaining.

Clear Skies,
Brian

 

Hey Dennis -

I don't know if I mentioned to you: I'm also a professionaly-trained bicycle-mechanic (I attended United Bicycle Institute in Oregon in 1984). I have a full-shop and every tool imaginable - and some that may surprise you - with the exception of a Bottom-Bracket & Headtube Facer.

Yikes,

Dave

 

I was building furniture until the tendons began to complain and they complain hurting.

I like to take pictures, know www.eduardocosta.net.br to see it
some with a reflex 700D other with a very old Canon Powershot

And from time to time search and listn radio DX, but I'm just so equipped, just a portable radio and two small loop antenas.