Per title, what’s your low barrier to entry but fulfilling hobby or hobbies. Collecting Ferraris or DIY semiconductor design don’t count.
What does it involve, time, money, socialising with people you don’t like, and what does your SO think of it etc.
Inspire and educate me…
"Bite my shiny metal ass."
- Bender Bending Rodríguez
Was that it? One trailblazer with 3 hobbies?
Are we all as idle and unengaged as I?
"Bite my shiny metal ass."
- Bender Bending Rodríguez
Of course not.
I have read with wonder of TZ sailors, knifemakers, woodworkers, and some expert cooks, to name but a few.
I fear that my role as Uncle Alec the Thread Killer may have come into play.
I cycle (6,324 miles so far this year), I run a modest messageboard for music & cycling fans, I curate a YouTube channel with archive radio recordings, I DJ in Second Life, I own an Internet radio station (only just started that), I play guitar and I maintain a couple of blogs, one personal / political and the other a cycling journal.
Being retired gives me time for my hobbies 'wall to wall' so to speak. What I do on a daily basis is a hobby. In no particular order:
Classic cars:
Working in my forest:
Taking care of my dog, so that he's a well-behaving, stable Rottweiler; my 'velcro dog':
Between March and November: sailing! I learn people the fine art of sailing - and this year, my wife and I have sailed together again, for the first time in 25 yrs. As if we never paused! The coordination went smooth as silk again.
Art and porcelain/pottery - some examples of what I have and my growing collection of rings - 9/14/18 ct, sapphires are my birthstone and I just love diamonds (!!) and yes I wear them all).
Watching tv......
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1. Brewing. Run a nanobrewery in my shed, with a friend. Sell to local micropubs. Never make any money. We did win an award this year though. More of a hobby that has got out of hand... and yes, we know there's a typo on the certificate...
2. Old car. MG Midget 1500. Work in progress...
3. Go to a few gigs. This year: Pixies, Warpaint, Irin Maiden, New Order, Muse, Prodigy
My main hobby is food, either eating it out or cooking at home.
Luckily I have the time and passion to scratch cook every evening, cannot recall the last time I opened a jar of sauce.
Biggest cooking passion is curry, specifically British Indian Restaurant style rather than more traditional ones, although do tinker with those too.
Love the whole process of making up a huge vat of base gravy, portioning and freezing ready to make a curry as & when the mood takes me.
Luckily an amazing local supermarket that covers all forms of Asian cuisine and flavours, along with some fantastic staff who help me out locating ingredients.
Unfortunately my wife prefers a milder sauce, but can pack loads of spice flavours without it being hot, and recent discovered the joy of stirring in a half teaspoon of Mr Naga Pickle to my portion of curry. Deep, warming heat and a lovely smokiness to the dish.
Awesome pottery and beer hobbies. I too love cooking, but time is scarce with the kids and work and whatnot.
I’ve recently had an extremely rude awakening to the realisation I am rather sedentary and am lacking a focus outside the essentials of life outside walking to mutt.
I’ve thought about a classic car, I always used to enjoy tinkering with my mini - but it might have to remain a pipe dream.
Anyway - keep em coming please.
"Bite my shiny metal ass."
- Bender Bending Rodríguez
Historic racing, either in an Alfa or a Lotus
Making things in metal :-)
https://www.gasgasbones.com/work-showcase
And recently started star gazing !
Last edited by gasgasbones; 18th December 2023 at 18:14.
YouTube - I started a channel talking about books to win a bet with my kid (who could get to 100 subscribers first). 2 years later I’m still doing it because it’s a lot of fun and, unlike most hobbies, funds itself.
https://youtube.com/@CriminOllyBlog?si=mOTN5glsfUuRludN
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This think has turned into a hobby since I bought it new in 2005
This thread has hardly started but I already feel humbled.
Had a few over the years, only had the time and funds to run one at a time
Water Skiing-tried it in 95 in canada-came home and bought a boat.Lots and Lots of great memories
Flew and rebuilt,often,R.C helicopters, Built a scale alouette with a turbine,sold on completion as i was such a poor pilot i didnt want to ruin it
Raced 250 National Gearbox karts, won quite a bit and became a champion in 2003
Scuba Diving, wrecks, got stuck in the Zenobia,been a good way into all the Scapa wrecks, a fatality, RNLI, the Seaking and the basket,the subsequent phone call home to tell the wife it wasnt me put an end to that.
Currently clay shooting
I held a record in 2012 and raised 3.5k for breast cancer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQ-c...ustinOwenVideo
I have skiied and snowboarded since the 70's
That’s impressive, I wondered how you were going to load.
Not this style then … https://youtu.be/jRCvGiONTIs?si=9DegO-92vrmra5qR
This year it’s mainly been playing badminton, and the very pleasing discovery that you can still have a fiercely competitive match with a friend when you’re both the wrong end of middle aged. More accessible and way more fun than tennis, and less likely to land you in GP’s waiting room too. In the same vein, table tennis. There’s an infinite supply of coaching and inspiration on YouTube for both sports these days, so it’s possible to be better at them than when you were 20, or at least feel as if you are. The equipment is its own rabbit hole too. Pool has also made a reappearance (with the added advantage of craft ales). Without doubt my three favourite sports, rediscovering them (and ale) has been a real pleasure.
Fabulous!
Track days are the main thing.
I love going to rock concerts too & enjoy a bit of fishing, although I've not done much of that in the last few years. One to properly get back into once I retire
Andy
Wanted - Damasko DC57
Many and varied.
Last edited by Ruggertech; 22nd December 2023 at 14:49.
Photo of those 3 alfas is an absolute belter!
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Baking bread and pizza. Cooking. Running and cycling to burn off the aforementioned.
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Wife is super supportive and try not think about the ££, life is too short and you can’t take it with you!!
Deer stalking is my relax place, doesn’t matter if you don’t get anything, the amount of time spent in peace and quiet in nature is special and so relaxing.
Last edited by ditchvisitor; 18th December 2023 at 20:47.
The main difference I can see is the hovering over the carcass like some sort of sport. Equally, to me there is the argument of wild vs farmed but I’m sure we could debate and disagree all night.
Each to their own, but the optics are pretty distasteful from where I’m sat.
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Last edited by Dave O'Sullivan; 18th December 2023 at 21:23.
I am stuck between the two here, I agree on the management being required & the fact it is butchered & eaten is good, I have friends involved with similar; the photo less so as does indicate some form of sport beyond the required action - not many vermin shooters taking photos.
Now, as for those golfing shorts, there is no debate there on a level of poor taste lol!
No mention from anyone regarding the implication of the fishing pic, Repeated physical abuse of a species for nothing more than amusement.I understand now that its not catch and release depicted here.
Last edited by MCFastybloke; 18th December 2023 at 21:45.
Made an edit
Took up Benchrest target shooting and to say it helps you switch off from the daily grind and focus is a understatement.
Why thank you! (On both counts).
This makes about 24. Adjust as necessary but ALWAYS keep the ratios equal.
Sieve 6 1/4 cups of flour (sorry for the American measure but you can buy a 1/4 anywhere. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and give it a little whisk to combine.
Make a little well in the flour and crack in 6 eggs (an egg is about a 1/4 of a cup). Whisk the eggs in the middle and gradually bring in the rest of the flour until you’re left with a thick batter. I find the richer the yolks, the tastier the puddings so don’t skimp!
Slowly add 6 cups of full fat milk (I add two, give it a whisk, add another two etc..) and keep whisking until you’ve got a smooth batter in a ribbon consistency.
If able, leave in the fridge over night but if not, at least an hour.
When the meat is almost done in the oven, pour some oil (I tend to use vegetable oil or duck fat if I’m feeling posh like) into a couple of muffin tins. You want to cover the bottom of the well and be about a pound coin’s depth. Swill the oil around to coat the sides.
NOTE* Using a heavy gauge muffin tin makes all the difference here. Mine are made by OXO, for reference.
Whack up the oven (210C Fan) for the last 15 mins of the meat roasting*. Once the meat comes out to rest, put the oiled tray in to pre heat.
*I use a double oven but if not care must be taken for the rest of the food in there.
Whilst the oil is heating up, take the batter out of the fridge now. If it’s separated, give it a little mix.
After 5 - 10 minutes, take the trays out the oven, making sure you close the door again and working quickly, pour an equal amount into each well. You should aim to be about 3/4 of the way up the well. If the first one doesn’t sizzle as it’s poured, return the trays to the oven for another five or ten minutes.
Care must be taken not to drip the batter between the wells as this will ‘drag’ the yorkies down as they try to rise.
Once the trays are filled, place them back in the oven and close the door.
DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR AGAIN!!!
Turn the temp down to 190C Fan after the first ten minutes. They should take about another ten to fifteen minutes after that.
Easy as that!
Last edited by Dave O'Sullivan; 18th December 2023 at 23:18.
This hobby takes up a lot of my time and did do in England when we ran two allotment plots in the UK - a couple of chains long I remember. The wife introduced me to the hobby of growing our own fruit and vegetables. It gets you outside in most weathers and keeps you in touch with the dirt. It is quite meditative double digging a patch of ground to get rid of the weeds. And feels great to put food on the table that has taken time and effort to produce, sometimes months and with trees, years to grow to fruition.
Here are some pictures from recent endeavours in Portugal where we continue to grow our own produce. But this is augmented by more exotic fruits like oranges, lemon, guava, advogado, pomegranate all on our property.
Local beach scene
Bread making is another hobby
Fruits of our labour - fruit, veg, herbs
Bee keeping - started with two hives this spring - sadly both gone (one absconded when we were on a vacation for three weeks , the other was robbed out by local bees).
Figs were good this year
Getting the land ready this spring.
Always things to do in the garden. . . .
“ Ford... you're turning into a penguin. Stop it.” HHGTTG
I’m very aware of the requirements and the way in which the process should be conducted. Care and respect for the animal are central to the process, and hovering over it sprawled out dead doesn’t show a great deal of respect in my opinion. It smacks of sport and not population control.
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