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With all this extra downtime I seem to have picked up a few new little hobbies and interests, some more surprising than others! So far I've:
* Model railways. I have no space for any kind of setup but have been researching and planning layouts and wiring plans. It's like a giant puzzle to see how big you can go in a small space.
* Geocaching. Did a bit of it when it first started being known about but dropped out as I'd done a lot of the local ones. Picked it back up and have revisited a few of the local ones to see what's new in them. Plenty of others doing the same too.
* NASCAR. This one is bizarre as I've always found watching the races incredibly boring and the whole redneck fanbase a massive turn-off but I found a YouTube channel called Slapshoes where he goes hunting for an old unknown track called Airbase Speedway. It tickled my urban exploring bone and then dragged me in with his decent presenting style and knowledge of the sport's history, characters and silliness. Still wouldn't watch a race but he's given me a better understanding of what it's all about and how it's fortunes have ebbed and flowed over the decades. Really interesting stuff behind it all.
So what new hobbies or interests have you picked up?
I've developed a penchant for not being able to keep up with people on Zwift.
I started watching a channel about firearms. The presenters are two friendly and knowledgeable "turbonerds" who approach this topic in an almost academic way, the channel is called "Forgotten Weapons" and "In range tv".
Carving Seahorse
Making Sheep Planters
Putting up large flying albatross in public places
Squirrel trapping
Seems mostly animal related for me
OP, what is the subject of your hypothetical model railway? British, European, American etc?
Waiting for someone to supply the standard issue STW response.
Waiting for someone to supply the standard issue STW response.
Getting either delivered is a little tricky right now 🤫
Waiting for someone to supply the standard issue STW response.
Getting either delivered is a little tricky right now 🤫
Well I'm not sure what STW standard issue response was anticipated but I can now help with one
Either is related to two options, no more, no less. The word you want is "any".
koogia - always been drawn more to the goods trains rather than passenger, even when I had a basic train set as a kid. Last one I planned was based round the lines that used to run in the FOD but anything steam pulling coal, oil or timber floats my boat right now. Just seems so much more you can do in a small space.
none, trying to work from home, whilst teaching kids, cooking, cleaning, being a parent, having a teanage daughter, and trying to find some sleep, whilst other daughters (T1D) levels are going mental and we are either up treating hypos or worried shes running high. Thankfully not on my own, but the way she is desperate to start arguments everytime i say anything something with break soon.
I’ve have learnt to play chess. Still getting beaten by my 10 year old boys most games
Buggering around on the internet.
Running more miles than my body can handle.
Napping.
Not new as such but being doing a lot more of:
Foraging, been combining that with trail runs / bike bimbling. This time of year is really good for it lots of easily recognisable stuff. Free veg without blumbering ****s spluttering plague everywhere.
OpenStreetMap editing. Fixing unjoined paths, adding in new ones from old gpx, but also instead of whirring past offshoot paths that I've never explored, making a point of exploring them all.
I did take up the guitar in December last year, the lockdown has been brilliant for extended practice sessions, probably averaged about four hours a day.
Also started growing veg even though I'm not fussed about gardening.
My wife seems to have taken a keen interest in cooking, cleaning and washing up.
Well I’m not sure what STW standard issue response was anticipated but I can now help with one
Either is related to two options, no more, no less. The word you want is “any”.
dangerourbrain has outed himself as either, a purveyor of intoxicating substances or, a facilitator of intimate liasons.
Cross dressing. I don’t know for sure whether it’s the lockdown or the warm weather but I fancied a better ventilated helmet. The Bell Sixer sounded good and ooooh look the pink and white ‘Joy Ride’ is half price direct from Zyro. My only small complaint is the pink doesn’t match the bargain pink and black Freerider Pros I got last year 😘
Between crazy amounts of work, home schooling and the occasional bike ride, I don’t have enough time for my existing hobbies.
None. Although my commute is about 7 seconds I'm still working the same hours (including pre C-19 commute) if not more. Going to be at least 9pm tonight and then I've got a 7am call tomorrow to Japan followed by a morning full of meetings.
Sourdough!
Before last Sunday: As well as working from home full time and seeing more of the kids, I was enjoying more (road) riding, running, getting a bit fitter, making music, and baking more.
After last Sunday: Slobbing about wondering when my fractured wrist and ankle will repair so I can get back to any of the above, and cursing Cambridges potholes. Also avoiding death stares and general snarkiness from my other half 🙁
Longboarding, and a big yes to Forgotten Weapons.com; Gun Jesus!
Staring into space. Used to do it a lot as a kid apparently, finding it really satisfying.
Also maintaining my personal war with The Cat That Looks Like Hitler
Finishing off jobs that have been unstarted or 95% finished for years.
- Riding a bike on the road :vom:
- Prancing around in front of the TV to Joe Wicks
- Multi-tasking (ie. getting on with something more interesting during endless work calls. Thank god we never use video)
- Getting even worse at spending money I shouldn't (CX bike, bits for new bike, Tamiya model RC car etc....)
I'm enjoying the time with the kids and theres not much school work so they are learning practical stuff like cooking/baking and how stuff works. At the minute I'm looking out the window thinking the patio could be done with some maintenance, my wife may or may not be involved with this.
but to be honest I have less spare time than I've ever had
Cycling
Staying sane.
Keeping other people sane.
Missing the grandkids.
Finding open kebab shops.
Sleeping.
Home developing black and white 35mm film, then "scanning" with my DSLR.
, a facilitator of intimate liasons.
I can see that phrase fitting neatly with Terry Pratchetts "lady of negotiable virtue"
And just realised I haven't replied properly.
Also in the working from home group, but:
Riding more regularly, even if shorter distances than I would have done
Doing some flexibility and simple circuits training
A bit more cooking
Working my way through the Game of Thrones books
Paying more attention to the birds visiting our feeders
Discovering the layout of Morrisons, as my mum doesn't like her shopping from anywhere else
Nothing particularly new that I can think of... just getting back into hobbies that have always been there; cycling mojo seems to have returned and have bought first my new bike in four years, good going for me. Started building an RC car kit that I've had for eighteen months but that has lapsed as the weather has improved. Haven't been at the woodturning lathe in a while and have so far made a dozen or so bowls of varying sizes; partially as a result of finding that some of the blanks I cut and sealed a year or so ago are splitting as the weather warms up.
Oh, and listening to a far greater variety of music since taking up a £4 for four months subscription to Tidal - on headphones as I procrastinate and WFH.
I'm a full-on Guardian reading bleeding heart type who's very glad the UK isn't swimming in firearms but even I find Forgotten Weapons fascinating, glad it's not just me, just something about Gun Jesus's calm, but clearly super interested delivery.
Since I can't go out at weekends I've got rather into smoking warious lumps of animal for hours on my new BBQ, had quite a bit of success with Ribs so stepping it up a notch picking up a Brisket tomorrow, planning to have it on the go all day on Sunday. Spent an fortune on various rubs, marinades and temperature probes in preparation.
Also, Call of Duty Warzone and clearing out all my old bike crud on Ebay.
Been making framed artwork using model railway stuff (not actual trains). I had no idea how much model scenery stuff there was e.g plants, grass, figures etc.
It's a whole new (middle aged) world to me.
Class 66 loco spotting. Living near a freight line I've now time to spot the regular locos, many of which have unique name plates. Unsurprisingly there's a website which I've discovered which lists the numbers and their names. I think there's the thrill of the unknown combined with the post spot reasearch into why they have their names.
Slightly related to the model railway topic.
The disused branch line from Leadburn to Dolphinton on one of my local road routes has the ELR 'JDL1'. I've been wondering what the 'J' stands for.
@reluctantjumper you've got me into the rabbithole of slapshoes nascar videos
Board games, RC Cars, sitting in the garden looking at bugs, mid morning Jaffa Cakes.
Looking for 26" XC tyres under £20
@reluctantjumper you’ve got me into the rabbithole of slapshoes nascar videos
I lost 2 whole afternoons watching them, they're really well done.
Cooking. I liked cooking before, but it’s reaching new levels. Levels that can be counted as ‘new hobby’ as I’m actually cooking things like curries and bread, hash browns and nut/lentil-loaf etc from scratch. It began out of necessity at the start of all this as we raided cupboards for dry stuff.
Then last night caught myself happily milling some buckwheat groats into flour, using the big old granite pestle and mortar that we bought for xmas (thanks STW for the suggestion - it was better, more useful and more fun than any garlic-press)
The resulting flour was perfectly-coarse, and (added to mashed cooked lentils and mushrooms, spices, oil and egg-white) it helped make some very successful burgers. Probably my first attempt (from scratch without some kind of recipe to crib from) at ever inventing something other than a sandwich or student-grade tuna-curry. The kitchen is beginning to feel very much like a lab/workshop, rather than a place to re-heat stuff.
Also - wrapping bar-tape around drop-bars. Have done/re-done this one three times now. In 24hrs. Now looking for more opportunities... (eyes up the badly-wrapped loop bars) 😎
Sincerely. The Groat-grinder.
the channel is called “Forgotten Weapons”
and a big yes to Forgotten Weapons.com; Gun Jesus!
even I find Forgotten Weapons fascinating
That's just weird, as I have watched a few of those and could easily fall into a hole of watching them all.
I wonder if we all clicked on something posted here that has ended up with You Tube recommending it to us, as seems a bit random for us all to have stumbled across it.
Oh yeah, and knife-sharpening. Holyshit I never knew there was so much to it! Youtube is made for this stuff.
Actually riding my bikes again. Remembering how much I love bikes and outdoors, subscribing to ST.
and drinking.
For all you lot, on manoeuvres in your front room, Forgotten Weapons pfft....
"I love tracer" in a Russian accent will become your favourite saying.