What is your hobby?

[Ashley_Price]

What do you do to take your mind off work?

Until recently I didn't think I really had any hobbies. I liked listening to music or reading, etc., but none of these I considered a hobby.

Now, thanks to playing lawn bowls I feel I do have a hobby, and I've realised what three or four things you need to be doing for a pastime for it to be a "hobby".

1/ You do it on a regular basis. It doesn't have to be set times but it's not something you just pick up and do (like you just pick up a book to read, I doubt many people say "This Saturday, I am going to spend two hours reading"). So for me I have regular bowls matches.

2/ You look forward to when you are next doing it. So, as it happens, my next match is this evening and I'm already looking forward to playing.

3/ When you're doing it you're completely absorbed in it. You don't think about work or other stuff and you don't notice time pass. I had a match on Sunday afternoon, which started at 2:30pm and couldn't believe it when someone said it was 5:55pm.

4/ No matter whether what you did went well or not, you don't regret the time you spent doing it. We were thrashed on Sunday which, while disappointing, I didn't get home thinking "That was a waste of an afternoon" - I had still enjoyed playing.

 

[Chris Ashdown]

I used to be a private Pilot as a hobby but after a number of years it became to expensive so cut hours to a minimum just flying blocal and got so bored i gave it like many hundreds of other pilots

Now do Clay Pigeon Shooting and find shooting the shit out of clays very relaxing especially if they turn into powder, Used to enjoy full bore shooting in the navy a long time ago, but the RN was not really interested in matelots shooting so very little range time

 

[billmccallum1957]

Playing Poker.

 

[Paul Norman]

I go camping. A lot. About 50 nights a year

 

[MikeJ]

Blimey, 50 nights! We started camping two years ago, went twice that year, once last year, and went the weekend before last. We're booked again for the weekend after next for three nights - our longest trip so far!

I really enjoy the fresh air, we do a lot of walking, and cooking outside is good fun too. I could do without the bad sleep or the midges (heading south this time, so we may be better in that regard). I didn't think we'd last as long as we have, but it's much more fun that I imagined.

 

[Chris34]

Kart racing. When you are going full pelt 70 to 80 mph with 33 other karts you do not think about anything else. You spend the whole month thinking about the next race meeting. Work is just a means to fund the racing so it makes you work harder.

 

[Jeff FV]

About a year ago I trained up as a football referee, It certainly meets 1 to 3 of @Ashley_Price 's criteria, and often meets the fourth.

Funnily enough, I've just written a blog post about my first year in the middle, you can read it here if you are interested:

http://aboutstuff.co.uk/refereeing/a-year-in-the-middle/

 

[STDFR33]

What do you do to take your mind off work?

Drink heavily.

1/ You do it on a regular basis.

Tick.

2/ You look forward to when you are next doing it.

3/ When you're doing it you're completely absorbed in it.

Tick.

4/ No matter whether what you did went well or not, you don't regret the time you spent doing it.

Tick.

 

[Ashley_Price]

I am sorry @The Accountancy Lab can you let me know when you read my diary.

 

[Ian J]

I used to be a private Pilot as a hobby but after a number of years it became to expensive so cut hours to a minimum just flying blocal and got so bored i gave it like many hundreds of other pilots

Friend of mine had exactly the same view so he took up glider piloting instead and said that was much more fun

 

[STDFR33]

I am sorry @The Accountancy Lab can you let me know when you read my diary.

You left it in the pub

 

[DavidWH]

Cycling. I tried running but find it mind numbingly boring.

I bought a road bike last year, and to the surprise of my family and myself I'm really enjoying it... don't think the other half is as keen. I went from doing regular exercise in the RN, to doing sod all.

I have days when I'm a little ratty, much like yesterday, where I just toddled off on a 16mi ride. The other half thinks I'm deranged as it was cloudy, humid, and blowing a gale, but I quite enjoyed fighting my own mind telling me turn around and go home. I just forget about work, and concentrate on what I'm doing.

Never got home and regretted it, I often think what else would I be doing? Sat watching TV.

Someone said it was cheaper than motorcycling & trackdays, but I'm yet to believe that.

 

[Alan]

1/ You do it on a regular basis.

2/ You look forward to when you are next doing it.

3/ When you're doing it you're completely absorbed in it..

4/ No matter whether what you did went well or not, you don't regret the time you spent doing it.

Your definition is quite good, but shouldn't you add that hobby is something you don't get paid for it, or is that obvious? Just 1 to 4 have been satisfied by many jobs I have done too.

Also some basic human functions can meet 1 to 4 ( I won't expand ) but probably should be excluded from the hobby category.

Personally I race little sailing boats around a weed infested gravel pit. Strangely enough racing neck and neck at a massive 4mph trying to eek out an extra 0.1mph to get ahead of your rival has a similar adrenaline rush as I used to get driving a rally car round blind bends at 90mph ( and sailing little boats is also dead cheap compared to motorsport )

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

I run most days but I have done this for 35 years so I don't know if it Is a hobby . I just do it and I don't know why anymore I just get up and run .
We do lots of walking also
I am a massive boxing fan and have a good knowledge of the history of this sport
I love messing around with old cars this crosses over into my business as I have the skills to work on the vans

 

[BustersDogs]

Reading is a hobby, and I do know people who take time out of their days to make time for reading, so yes, they buy books and think 'I'll spend Sunday morning reading that' and the same goes for music, they look forward to having peaceful time to sit and listen.

My problem is too many hobbies. I'd be a millionaire if I didn't. :-D Geocaching, dog sports (obedience and showing), and MMORPGs are the three main ones that take up a lot of my spare time. Some of that spare time is actually time I should be building my empire, but meh. More free time for hobbies has always been more important to me than more money. My mortgage is being paid off early, so that's enough for me.

 

[Ashley_Price]

Your definition is quite good, but shouldn't you add that hobby is something you don't get paid for it, or is that obvious? Just 1 to 4 have been satisfied by many jobs I have done too.

I would say a hobby is separate from your main job. You may still get paid for it ("Thanks for tiling the bathroom, here's payment for the materials and a little something for yourself.") but it is not how you earn your living.

 

[Scalloway]

MY main hobby is researching my family history to find out more about people I either can barely remember or died before I was born. I spend time trawling archives online and locally.

One snippet I found in our local paper's archive was an article about my my mother's father (who went down with his ship in 1943) visiting the Burghley Senior Boys' School in Tuffnell Park, London. He had been sending them dispatches from his ship as part of a scheme called British Ship Adoption Society.

The article says “he had assumed the status of a hero for the boys. When he did arrive, at the school and appeared in person the boys were delighted and impressed to find that Captain Fraser really had the physical stature of the hero they had imagined.” He was a burly man 6ft 2½ inches tall.

I was born 10 years after he was lost at sea so this helped flesh out my picture of him.

 

[Ashley_Price]

Some of that spare time is actually time I should be building my empire, but meh. More free time for hobbies has always been more important to me than more money.

This reminds me of a joke...

A middle aged Mexican man is sitting outside a beachside bar, waiting for some friends, when he gets into conversation with a young American tourist whose day job is as a high powered exec. The American asks the Mexican what he does for a living and how he spends his days. The Mexican replies "I'm a fisherman. I go out in my boat early morning and I catch enough for my wife and himself, plus some to sell which is enough to keep us. In the afternoons my wife and I might go shopping or off to see friends. Other times, I'm here at this bar with my friends playing cards and drinking."

The American is shocked at this lazy attitude, "Don't you realise you should be using your time more effectively?!"

The Mexican looks puzzled, and says "Go on".

The American replies, "If I were you, I would be out in my boat all day. I would catch as many fish as my boat could hold then sell them. Over the months, with the money I'd make I'd buy another boat and get someone else doing the same. I'd make sure we both worked hard, to keep getting the money in and buying more boats. Over the years I would get a big fleet of fishing boats and have them all out at sea every day catching fish and selling them. Then after 15-20 years, when I've become wealthy I would sell the business and retire on the profits from the sale."

The Mexican thinks about what the American had said, then asks "What would you do with your time once you had retired?"

The American replies, "That's the best bit, my wife and I might go shopping or to see friends, or I'd have time to drink in a bar or perhaps meet friends and play cards..."

The Mexican just smiles.

 

[Paul Norman]

Blimey, 50 nights! We started camping two years ago, went twice that year, once last year, and went the weekend before last. We're booked again for the weekend after next for three nights - our longest trip so far!

I really enjoy the fresh air, we do a lot of walking, and cooking outside is good fun too. I could do without the bad sleep or the midges (heading south this time, so we may be better in that regard). I didn't think we'd last as long as we have, but it's much more fun that I imagined.

When you camp a LOT, you develop solutions to most of the problems. Including sleep!

 

[Deleted member 59730]

I had a hobby once. That was when I was 16. I've been doing it fulltime for the past 50 years.

 

[HazelC]

Rock n Roll Dancing; every Monday Go with my partner too so we have quality time together. Plus gives us some moves to show off when we go to family parties and such like

 

[Clodbuster]

Ballroom dancing, was South Africa amateur champ many, many years ago. Now I'm afraid it is more of a shuffle but still enjoy it.

 

[Chris Ashdown]

Try dancing on your electric Fencing, that should bring back the old days

 

[simon field]

Another cyclist here!

Currently averaging 170 miles / week

 

[Employment Law Clinic]

Bridge - although mostly online (Bridge Base Online, or Bridge Big for cash games) these days, as I don't get to the clubs/tournaments as often as I'd like.

And nice to see, perhaps in just one more parting shot to the gov't, the ECJ's Advocate General has expressed a view against HMRC, giving an opinion that bridge is a sport.


Karl Limpert

 

[Chris Ashdown]

I for one think it is not a sport so that equals it up 50/50

 

[Peter Bowen]

I have a man-cave at the bottom of the garden, filled with tools and workbenches. Sometimes I make things there. Sometimes I just go in and re-arrange the tools. It's a great break from work at the computer.

I also race a dinghy (single handed catamaran). I go to gym but that's more of a duty than a hobby. It does help clear the mind though.

 

[rf-harris]

My hobby is to do some kind of workout or to play some sport.

 

[tukhnet]

Playing football is the best hobby that I can imagine for me, of course.

 

[mostyn]

Anybody in to golf? Had to stop playing football and thinking golf might be my next hobby.

 

[Tony Smith]

Fishing, football and dog walks. Essentially, as much fresh air as I can get!

 

[snappyfish]

Fishing, football and dog walks. Essentially, as much fresh air as I can get!

Similar here, just owning a dog takes time away from fishing.

 

[Glenn Martin]

I am also a keen angler currently into the Sea Variety and dabbled into Kayak fishing, the fact it's as likely you might die before you catch any fish adds an extra edge to it.

 

[gingerdad]

Two for me Playing rugby and lifeboat crew - with a bit of mountain biking when i can - but not often

 

[BusinessTradeCentre]

I have a Harris Hawk, this time of year he is moulting so not much flying. During October through to march I am out nearly every day with him.

Also camping, off road driving, fishing, motorcycling.

 

[KAC]

We have 2 chocolate Labradors who visit our local hospital as therapy dogs. They spent four hours interacting with people at the Grenfell Tower site on Sunday

 

[Julia Sta Romana]

Karaoke! Once a month my husband and I would go out and sing our hearts out. We're both horrible singers so I think that's what makes it more fun.

 

[Root 66 Woodshop]

Rock n Roll Dancing; every Monday Go with my partner too so we have quality time together. Plus gives us some moves to show off when we go to family parties and such like

Really?

 

[FutureM]

I do crossfit as my main hobby. It takes up a lot of my free time, i go most evenings and some mornings before work too. Usually one day on the weekend if im around, or two days if i am totally free. Also attend comps around the country, even if im not competing i go to support friends.

Even when i go on holiday, i generally like to find somewhere to do crossfit.

Other than that, i like anything outdoors or that get's the heart racing, sadly don't get to do these things too often at the moment.

 

[Ian J]

I do crossfit as my main hobby.

Is that like cross dressing?