Slashdot Mirror
What's Your (non-tech) Hobby?
Slipped_Disk asks: "Being the curious sort, I was wondering what the Slashdot crowd did while you're not reading Slashdot or doing any of the other geeky things we usually do. So tell me, what is your non-techie hobby? I'm defining non-techie as stuff you do when you're not using a computer, so 'I play videogames' doesn't qualify, but 'I build game consoles' does. I'm especially interested in distinctly non-electronic stuff (ie: film photography, building models, training sociopathic attack cats, etc.). I'm looking forward to some interesting topics, here!"
Aren't you?
Joe Llywelyn Griffith Blakesley
[This post is in the public domain (copyright-free) unless otherwise stated]
That's it
i like to move along by rollerblading. its easier on my knees then running, and i like it better then biking because my rump doesnt get sore.
-- botsex is {grep;touch;strip;unzip;head;mount}
Redescovered it as an adult once I started earning enough to afford it. Like all really good toys it is wasted on kids :)
Sweet F A
by ski (winter) or by foot (summer)
#include "coucou.h"
I think the general concensious(sp) is that we like to build things, doesnt matter what we build, be it computers, bikes, space planes, movies, music, etc... slashdotters are people who like to create. in work or outside of it, we make stuff. second to that is learning stuff. amateur astronomers, radio operators, pilots, scientists of various sorts. beyond that? I don't know... shopping would probably be pretty low on the list. I'm trying to think of what my non geek friends do as hobbies. I think its shopping, drinking, and well, a lot of them don't have hobbies, they just work, buy things, and complain about stuff. guess that's why I'm a geek!
-and occasionaly a giant moose.
For years I have been involved with a Dutch youth organisation (Jong Nederland) and the international umbrella organisation Fimcap. Having fun with children (almost) makes me forget that I'm a geek...
Brain Tags |
If i have time available to do something really not it-related... I'm probably creating something with my own hands (whitout my keyboard in between)... just a month ago i build my own computer-closset. 2m*60cm*40cm 2 lower "lockable" compartments with my computers, 3 upper compartments with cd's and computerbooks.
Only because I moved in with my girl, she can't stand the noise (of course) and we have to split 35m2 so going up was the only sollution.
A year ago I made my own computer-travel-case to go lan'ing
Wood rules my friends
Looks like I may post the first real response.
Anyway, done properly, Wing Chun is very meditative and physically taxing (if you're doing the stance properly). At the same time, itâ(TM)s something anyone on two feet can do. It's an internal martial art like Tai Chi which, but it has some immediate and effective applications. It's nothing like you see in the movies though. It's very subtle and hard to appreciate until you actually feel some of the effects.
But besides all that, it's what I do to associate with non-geeks. I couldn't stomach the thought of golf, so Wing Chun it was. Ironically about half the folks that attend the classes are in some way into IT, but we don't talk shop much.
For anyone who is curious and resides around the Minneapolis/St. Paul MN area, send me an email at: VincePlatt AT Yahoo D.O.T com.
Please mod this post only if you think others should/n't read this. I have enough ego^H^H^Hkarma. Thanks!
What!? Non technical hobby? Is there such a thing? I am an amateur radio operator, which can be quite non-technical if you are limited with just using a hand held tranceiver but if you are into anything larger than that, it gets technical very quickly!
I'm involved in a historical recreation group call the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA).
I take part in armoured combat, recreate clothing and artefacts of people who could have existed in pre1600 history and attempt to recreate their lifestyle. It's a lot of fun.
Biking along Lake Michigan is a blast! Golfing, while boring to the great unwashed, is a challenging and relaxing game (assuming you approach it with the attitude that you're NOT Tiger Woods). Golf is a major thinking man's game, if you're not psychologically there, you're toast. Of course there's coordination involved, but there's also a lot of thinking required.
Zed's dead baby. Zed's dead.
Foil and sabre fencing, via a Boeing Employees club. I've found that it provides me with not only a good workout, but also trains my reflexes and mind. You have to be able to think very well on your feet, and change your strategy on the fly when what seemed so brilliant 2 seconds ago doesn't work. Just trying to use brute force will fail every time against someone who is quick to think and act. Besides, it's fun to poke and whack people with swords!
That's it. I'm no longer part of Team Sanity.
i've been skateboarding for over 12 years. i was sponsored at one point (which meant that i got free stuff), and i've actually hung out and skated with some of the pros you've seen on tv and in video games. heres some pictures of me skating. ok, bye.
Gyrate Dot Org - "Where high-tech meets low-life"
I have a hoop in the backyard and shoot a lot of basketball with my off time. Plus hawk over statistics like crazy, and get a little extra money when I tell someone that the Spurs will win it all (before the season started).
:-P
Other then that, watch a little anime, and a little sci-fi, Simpsons, etc. And curse Fox for getting rid of Family Guy.
Hanging with friends and watching 1 race RC's is relaxing as well.
Or the dark side... Drinking at a bar with co-workers until I forget how to power on a computer
--
CodeRed, the lower user #. No relation to SirCam.
Of all things, I play the cello...
It's funny how having a bunch of influences as a child can broaden your horizons. I don't run into too many people that can open the hood of a car and discuss the merits of L-Jetronic fuel injection vs. EEC IV or how Ford really does build the better small-block (no flames please) and then go inside and feel comfortable ripping apart a computer / writing software, playing an instrument in the band and then fixing the dishwasher. Most of these things I have found are sadly exclusive of each other. Musicians != Gearheads != Geeks.
I guess if you really break it all down, they aren't that exclusive of each other because they all have some sort of logic / mathmatical origin. It's kinda what others around you are doing that influences your interests. Luckily (I guess) I have been fortunate enough to have made friends in many different areas.
Ligaguinggligagiggagoogoogwillgo
My first hobby is Cross Country Mountain biking. One of my first uses of the internet was to read about it in rec.bicycles.offroad (A sadly defunct news group thanks to trolling).
Back when I was a student, I even went to the trouble of leaning a fair bit about engineering and metallurgy. (eg The effect of heat treatments on the crystal structure of aluminium alloys). Now I just ride more instead :-)
I still involve computers though. I have a GPS mounted on my bike, which I use to record my route. When I get back I download the route to my PC, and then use some perl scripts I wrote to create a highlighted map of my route, which I can print out for later use.
Do many other slashdoters share my hobby? Back when I was at university, most of my fellow club members where engineering students rather than anything else. (One had even welded his own frame).
rollerblading, playing the sax, playing the guitar, playing the piano, drinking beer, shooting pool, bowling, playing air hockey, reading books, going to movies, .. what ISN'T there to do when I'm not programming or owning some fools in counterstrike?
I also play indoor and beach VolleyBall.
-G
* For those that care:
Any other Slashdotters outdoors lovers?
I love backpacking, cross-country skiing, river and sea kayaking, and anything else that involves me, the world, and my moving through that world under my own power.
For the usual egocentric geek type, the control freak who likes computers because they obey his every command, the outdoors is really perfect. You can go wherever you want to go -- no WALK/DON'T WALK signals --, there's plenty of techy gear to obsess about if you want to, and yet it's a raw encounter with reality that forces you to concede that living a virtual life is not necessarily the best one.
It's being outdoors that convinces me that I don't actually want to live as a brain in a vat, which I and I'm sure many Slashdotters would otherwise love to be.
Anyone else?
mithras
four nine eighteen twenty-7 thirty-nine forty-7 fiftyeight sixty-nine seventy-9 eighty-8 one-hundred-and-nine one-twenty
Non-techie stuff I do:
That's as well as the usual stuff like travel, reading, clubbing and gig-going that any normal person does. Though I suppose there are plenty of abnormal people among the Slashdot readership ...
Chris
I would like to get a few more power tools though, so I guess collecting them is kinda a hobby all on its own.
bicycling
jogging
lifting weights
motorcycles
cars
You know, most of the stuff I was interested before 1993.
I fold paper (Origami)... There's even a convention next weekend in New York (Manhattan)...
Come on, if playing videogames doesn't count then watching TV doesn't count eighter. I mean of course you use a computer but not for the sake of using a computer, if you know what I mean. In any case, my hobbies are playing adventure games, reading (the newspaper or books (mostly fantasy although I'm trying to find other interesting genres)) and watching the telly if I'm too lazy to do anything else. O and working was also sort of a hobby for me. Unfortunately I'm jobless at the moment. Dear me, I almost forgot baking bread and watching my goldfish swim happily in it's tank!
-- Cheers!
Well I guess that disqualifies me and my electric guitar....
-- iCEBaLM
hmm... well, aside from work, and messing around on my computers at home, and exercising (roller blading, tennis, walking), i suppose i'd have to say stained glass. although i don't get to do it all that often.
Gabriel Ricard
No, not on ice, on astro turf...with a hard ball, and sticks...:D
Karem
When all is said and done, nothing changes...
I like to enjoy nature, and I do it in several ways.
:)
I'm relatively new to the city I live in, so I like to get on my mountain bike and explore the many parks, trails and scenic routes that the city has to offer.
The beautiful scenery does not end at city limits, so I frequently find myself driving around here and there, discovering (among other things) new wineries in the process (mmmm.... wine...). This means that my car has to be in good shape, so I spend a good amount of time making sure it runs well by doing pretty much all the maintenance myself (oil changes, tune-ups, brake jobs, suspension etc.). I've always been a grease monkey, so for me it's fun (and I save money, too).
When distances get too big for a car (as in, you run into Really Large Bodies of Water), I fly (well, not myself, of course... not yet... gotta win the lottery first). Seeing how your immediate neighbors live is one thing, visiting someone across the globe is another. Needless to say, I'm only getting started in this department, as it's not a very cheap way of travel, but when I win that lottery... oh boy!
So, that's what I do in my spare time, which I don't have much left of when you subtract time spent on slashdot
Have EVDO, will travel.
OK, I realise that to some people that's going to be a revolutionary concept, but I'll wager that a great many of the Slashdot crowd have one too.
Part of the fun of said relationship is that, sometimes, I find myself doing things that I'd never dreamt of doing. Like visiting a garden centre, spending half the weekend looking for the right pair of shoes, or wondering what's the point of underwear that's so small that you could swallow it without even noticing. But after nine years or so, you tend to develop the ability to either tune out that stuff or - shock, horror - like it. (There's a degree of sadomasochism involved here - relationships aren't for the those with low pain thresholds.)
On the plus side, I also find myself doing things that lots of you, err, more available guys are always dreaming of doing. Believe me, there are plenty of things in life better than downloading your favourite distro at maximum speed on the day it's released and, for most of them, two's better than one.
"Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue." - David Brent, Wernham Hogg
I watch anime. Tons of it. And I learn Japanese. Tons of it.
I love being active. Basketball, football (soccer), cricket, running...
nothing like it http://users.rcn.com/kenx/
That's a tough one. Computers are a hobby I turned into a career, so a lot of what I do at home is computer-related (just built a dedicated UT2003 server on an old PII 400mhz...)
:
Non-tech would have to be
-- Dicker around in the garage (just got a radial arm saw)
-- Play with my son (ok, not really a hobby but a necessity)
-- I still build models. I'm working on a B17 for my son's room
-- A little bit of painting
Wow. I did't realize my life was that boring without computers. How depressing.
Cruising the internet on my TI-99/4A @ a whopping 300 baud!
Largemouth and smallmouth bass fishing in Western/Northern Michigan is great. Nothing like relaxing on a nice quite morning on a scenic lake while smoking a fine cigar.
I do digital photograph...wait no. Well, I chat on the...No..wait. I read the news on Wired...wait no... um... ~thinks for 6 hours about what he does that does not involve technology~
-------
Support Indy Music. Buy
I realised 2 years ago just how unfit I was becoming, which was a shock as I used to compete in athletics at a national level.
I started studying Tang Soo Do, a Korean Martial art. I really enjoy it. Not only does it keep me fit, flexible and relaxed but can come in very useful when you need it most.
Lots of teams all around the country. Best way to get involved is find a college that offers it as a sport or intramural. There are probably people floating around that want to play if you enquire.
Not sure what Ultimate Frisbee is? Kinda like a mix between freeze tag and soccer, but with a Frisbee. Want more? Do a google on it.
"In the beginning, there was nothing; Then it blew up."
There seem to be a lot of geek and academic types among the jugglers I know. Anyway, juggling is great fun and a good challenge. Even the athletically inept can learn and become proficient with some practice. It's a great way to take a break and stay alert in the office - I juggle during long, boring conference calls (wearing a headset so my hands are free). Try it!
Ralph
A frustrating sport(skill?), yet I keep coming back for more.
It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion, It is by the beans of Java that thoughts acquire speed, The hands acqui
pr0n of course!
My other account has a 3-digit UID.
My wife and I are getting PADI Open Water SCUBA certified. My work (a Dept of Defense research lab) has a pool on-site making this pretty easy. As said previously (about HAM radio), if you just rent the gear and get wet it is not very technical, if you go all the way and learn deep diving, wreck diving, ice diving, etc it gets very technical!
When I'm not working on or playing on the computer I like to do genealogy. I've been interested in it since before I got my PC & I've always like research. Of course this ends up spilling onto the computer some, but I like doing my research the old fashion way: books, papers & microfilm.
If you need some help starting out, just email me.
Texas Hold 'em. As someone who's great at math, poker really appeals to me. I'm not alone either, on the WPT this year alone there have been 2 math professors and an MIT Graduate at the final tables.
I'm a writer. You know... stories, articles, poetry... that sort of thing.
Doesn't actually help to get me away from the computer much, though.
(ps - if you enjoy writing, or reading for that matter, my favorite writer's site is this one: Lit.org - enjoy)
(Spudley Strikes Again!)
When I'm not behind a machine, I'm either making a lot of noice on african drums (djeme, sabar and douns, for those who care)
I also like to go to far away places for vacation (about twice a year for 4 weeks) I'm leaving for Madagascar on thursday
I've been working with a lot of wood lately because we're doing a unique rustic design for our living room, and that's been a lot of fun, so we're going to try building some furniture. I don't know why, but my wife is really interested in doing that. Maybe if we get good we can make some extra money doing it.
Other than that I've been eating and sleeping, not much time left for other things.
Sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken - Tyler Durden
When I was 16, a friend lent me a good camera to try for a couple of weeks. Until then, I had *no* idea what it was about. Those two weeks were full of lame, unfocused, blurred photos. But I had fallen in love; I still can't explain why very well, but I have been into photography ever since. :-)
I enjoy the whole process, from composing and shooting, to developing in the darkroom. Sadly, the darkroom takes an enormous amount of time and requires a decent room, which I don't have now. Even so, the thrill of watching the pictures appear slowly on the paper, rocking the trays gently, taking the time to look at each negative slowly... it's lots of fun, but takes TONS of time. Despite my geekiness, which made me buy a digital camera recently, I still prefer film by far. I think it has to do with the camera itself, more than the media, but this is the first time I've thought of selling any $GADGET I've bought.
I recently went to a photo workshop in Valparaiso (large seaport in Chile), and had two of my pictures published in our largest dead-tree newspaper. They are available online too if you'd like to critique
No
I mix techno on two Technics MK1210 MK2's for about a year now. Really fun, but also really expensive, since you have to keep buying vinyl to keep with the times. :)
I play a 6-string Bass
I Skateboard
I'm the Sound-technician for a punkband
I'm a DJ
I'm a volunteer for the Red Cross (First Aid & Eergency Response)
I play Blues-Harp
And I play American Football
And some other stuff, sometimes I wonder why I even own a house, seeing as I'm never there.
- In the beginning there was nothing, and then it exploded
As was mentioned, slashdotters are the kind who like to build things. We're creative, intelligent, we're constructive.
Anyway, I got into DDR a few months ago with my friends, and together we decided to build our own DDR machine! (we ended up with three).
I also state that DDR is more about dancing than playing an arcade game, so it qualifies under your criterea. ^_^
I love DDR! I and my friends play it just about every day.
Read the OP, he wanted things you did when you weren't sitting at your computer...
My hobbies are wide and varied, but I reckon gardening is one of the best things I do - once you get past the having dirty hands, I find it rewarding and it provides good exercise
Carpentry and Cabinetry
Porn. like, Duh.
I am a Master Thespian! (No jokes.)
Well, more like a permanent apprentice. There's a professional theater group in my area that offers apprenticeship opportunities to non-professionals. Sometimes these apprentices are folks that want to get into the biz. Or, sometimes they're like me, they just want theater as a hobby. I've had chances to develop all sorts of useful skills: Construction, lighting control, sound, wiring, organization, memorization, and of course, public speaking. And it's a great way to meet people, too.
Good judgment comes from experience.
Experience comes from bad judgment.
I spend most of my free time hiking and doing photography. I use a 35 mm (nikon n90s) but will probably go to a digital SLR once an affordable one comes out with a 1:1 magnification so that my 20 mm wide angle stays a 20 mm wide angle and not a narrower 30 mm.
I also like tinkering with electronics, usually by abusing some piece of ancient consumer electronics and building something else out of it.
Chris Kuivenhoven is a thief, beware
Summer - home improvement projects, gardening, outdoor activities with my wife and kids.
Winter - model railroading, outdoor activities
I'd say I'm one of those nature freak, get the heck away from tech when I'm not at work, types. Flying sites are always out in the middle of nowhere in the most beautiful parts of the country. Imagine the view from the top of a thousand foot mountian, overlooking a lush green valley. Now, imagine the view from three thousand feet above that mountain with a retail hawk off your wingtip (yup, some birds will let us fly with them). Soaring above the earth for hours at a time is true bliss. It's a total zen thing :)
-=sig=-
this is the best thread I have ever read on slashdot!! look at all you people with your fascinating, unique hobbies outside computers. thanks, this really made me happy. keep it up!
Bah, you can have you silly trails and fat tires. I'll stick with skinnies and the open road!
In all seriousness though, I've noticed that quite a few cyclists are also engineers/techs. In the cycling club here at UF (its only a club sport instead of varsity thanks to our million other sports teams) roughly 1/3 of the actively involved members are engineering students. Another third are sports science, and the rest are an amalgamation of other degrees.
I just thought it was interesting that there were as many engineers involved in a rather hardcore sport as there were people who planned on making a profession out of fitness.
We train dogs here. Black labs mostly, for both obedience trials and agility trials.... the most unlogical thing in the world, from a person's point of view, is a young puppy experiencing her world....
...we are from the government - we are here to help...
I build and launch model rockets. And play bass, and do crossword puzzles. Amoung other things.
Still in my pyro...still in the mines! {POF}LrdDragoon
I train for Ultra Marathon Cycling events, such as the 9 day Race Across America going on right this minute.
The leader is already over 1700 miles into the ~3000 mile race and is averaging over 15 miles an hour, with about 3 hours of sleep in the last 5 days. It started Sunday morning.
When's the last time you traveled 3000 miles under your own power?
I also build and program microcontrollers - mainly PIC right now, but I just attended an Atmel conference (for the free goodies, of course) and am planning on using those as the situation warrants as well.
-Adam
I play the guitar in a band named "Mantra" (heavy stuff), listen to music all day long (lots of stuff, not necessarily heavy), ride my MTB (my latest addiction, and non-geeky one -- wow! ;).
:)
// fixxxer
I used to photograph a few years back and intend to go back to that sometime soon.
Apart from that (and some ocasional book assimilation) it's all computer-related. Even my guitar playing is kind of computer related as I use my PC as a pitch shifter (as I'm too lazy to tune up to different keys) and store all my notes and tablatures in digital format (Guitar Pro rocks. And works with Wine, too!).
So even though I don't get bored when that humming box is humming no more, my life is pretty tied up with it
This signature is only a product of your imagination. It is not real.
IÂm stating to experiment with stop motion video production. ;D
I even wrote a tool to capture frames from a digital camera...
The same program can be used to capture frames in a regular interval to make "accelerated" videos
The results are very cool
\m/
Lego, Homebrew, 4wd offroading, movies.
I've hit Karma 50 and gotten a Score:5, Troll... I win!
Nothing like going to a pub and having a few pints too many!!! Codeman
projects @ http://spectechnologies.net
No, not the software, but actually making my own wine. You can actually make some very nice wines from kits these days - they're much better than they used to be. And if you really get into it, there's plenty of technical details involved.
Many of my geek friends are also home brewers, and so I will eventually be trying my hand at beer.
To help me unwind, I find the field of automotive mechanics to be soothing.
There is nothing better than a air ratchet in your hands.
My brother races a Spec Miata, so I keep my self busy building, fixing, and maintaning his car. Most of my friends drag race. I have worked on many of their cars too. (700+ HP supra, a spraying 350Z, numberous others).
I have become damn good at designing electrical systems for accessory items (nitrous, 2step, traction control, etc).
I've been square dancing for almost thirteen years and I've reached the challenge-1 (C1) level, where the choreography begins to be far more complex and interesting. I dance about once a week with two different groups.
What's interesting about square dancing for me is that you learn the individual moves, or calls, and the caller tells you which moves to execute as you dance. Figuring out the 'syntax' of the dance is a lot of fun.
If you're cringing from the images of crinolines and western shirts dancing through your head, be aware that at the upper levels, most dance groups don't require traditional square dance attire. What's more, when I dance lower levels, I dance with my local gay square dance club -- gay square dance clubs have never required traditional outfits.
I rowed 4 years when I was in university. You get up at 5 am to be on the water at 5:30 am with your team. Off the water by 7:30 and off to class. Workout again in the evening.
:)
I'm nowhere near as competitive as when I was rowing in university, but I row with a local rowing club in the evenings & on weekends.
There's nothing like the feeling of skimming across the water with the sun rising over the city skyline.
Of course, you get into really good shape. I used to have a resting heart rate of 42 beats per minute. And there's nothing as attractive as fit women in spandex
Go recreational flying!
Join a flying club, not a school or some fancy schmancy place but a real honest flying club out of a hanger, or caravan or small club rooms where you can shoot the breeze with like minded individuals, have someone there teach you to fly stick-n-rudder in an ultralight/microlight, or a Cub or something like that, and just generally free your mind of technical crap for an hour or two or three a week.
There's nothing better than looking down on the world from above, up at the sky from below, or at the runway on that first solo thinking "what the fsck was I thinking!".
NZ Electronics Enthusiasts: Check out my Trade Me Listings
Now, I wouldn't advocate taking up ballroom simply because there tends to be a shortage of men, but I will mention that I got to know my fiancée by being on the team with her.
For me, it's hockey. I got started in college playing pick-up roller with some friends in my dorm. Lost interest when I moved off campus. Started coaching ice with a buddy of mine at work who had been coaching for 8 years. Loved it, working with the kids was incredibly rewarding. Nevermind that it was a travel team and all the kids were way better skaters than I was, we still got along and had a blast. Watching and coaching convinced me to play, so I joined a couple of leagues in the area.
:)
First off, it's great exercise and, being a coder, that's something I don't get very often. Second, it's the fastest game on earth. Third, it's just plain fun...it's one of those sports where not only do you have to be proficient with your stick (passing, shooting, puck handling), but you're doing it while on ice.
--trb
PS...ice skating also makes for a great date
Reading the responses to this has been really interesting. I actually study opera voice at university so singing is what I do most in my free time. I also act a bit and I used to play bassoon and saxophone.
It's fun trying to answer trivia questions covering the gamut from "Which planet has a moon name Nereid?" to "Which sitcom family had a dog named Tiger?". Add in the ability to compete with other bars across North America and it's quite enjoyable.
-- When I grow up I'd like to be a systems defenestrator.
My girlfriend (yeah, someone on Slashdot actually has one =) ) got me into brewing beer. Great hobby. Just this week, we went out and bought 4 Five gallon kegs and a CO2 system. I have a fridge coming this weekend, and BAM, I'm styling.
"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." - Thomas Jefferson
I'm kind of a car geek. I think that cars are just cool machines -- and I love driving them. Particularly when they're light (under 2500 pounds) and tossable (I'm particular to RWD). I've been into autocrossing for the past few years, and am getting into track stuff as well. My next project will be building a cheapo performance rally car...and learning how to drive it. That'll be further down the line once I'm able to better finance it.
-Turkey
So many interesting posts, but I can't believe that no one does paintball! Well, that's my love. I haven't gotten a chance to play in a few weeks, but I usually play whenever I can. If you haven't tried it yet, you really should. It's decent excercise and a blast to play.
Look at my .sig and guess what I do on sunny weekends.
You can get up from the Flight Sim and try the real thing. Start at BeAPilot.com
In my case I dreamed about flying all of my life. I decided to give it a go while I was still young enough to enjoy it.
I had three concerns:
1) It's very expensive. I can't afford it. (It took a while for me to notice that I could afford it.)
2) I need to do other things like get a new degree, etc. This will take up a lot of time. (So what? I wasn't making good progress toward that goal anyway.)
3) If I start, I'll be obsessed by it and I won't do much else. (Again So What? It ain't a drug addiction. It turned out that the obsession wore down, but not much. Like most pilots I think it's so magical I never get tired of talking about it, even if you get tired of hearing about it.)
Worse than I imagined, I bought a plane. There's where all my money goes.
There actually is a wave of techies that became pilots about the same time I did. We thought we had money to burn when the stock market was flying high.
Even now, you can earn a Private Pilot certificate in the US 6 months or so for $5000 or less.
Join me in the air.
Ever dream you could fly? Get up from the Flight Sim. I Fly
Right now, I'm working on a mock pommel horse, light and sturdy.
After that, I also like costuming. Both for Rocky and for the SCA. And sometimes just for the hell of it.
In general, I like making physical things that are useful and theatrical. I also have a tendancy to make my own furnature, but nowadays I often just combine purchased pieces to do so. Really nice furnature wood is just too expensive, and the precision necessary is not what I enjoy doing.
--
Evan
"$30 for the One True Ring. $10 each additional ring!" -- JRR "Bob" Tolkien
I build furniture. It's very fun - it allows my technical mind to still work, but in a totally different way. Instead of searching through lines of code, I feed boards through big saws. When I talk about putting something through the router, it means feeding the side of a board against a really sharp blade spinning at 25,000 RPM. I think most technical people need a hobby that still engages their technical mind but doesn't necessarily have anything to do with technology in the normal sense.
Brapp...
I like to jump out of airplanes.
You want to rely on technology that's not electronic, it's not a bad way to spend a weekend, er, every weekend.
- trains you, actually, and the sociopathy is a relative thing. It depends on who he's relating to.
About half of my hobby activity is technical - messing with various computer systems, ham radio, astronomy (dormant - mirror has been missing for 3 years). Otherwise, playing with my son (4, autistic), trying to give my daughter a fair share of attention, jeeping around off-road (with both kids), and hiking and climbing (my only solitude). Oh, and grinding away my hope and self-esteem futilely trying to find a job. I think "over-qualified" is just a euphemism for "old".
I'm one of those short-attention-span people who gets really into things for a few months and then moves on. These days I'm playing guitar again and studying/practicing poker strategy.
I highly recommend stunt kites - if you're a cube-toy type person, kites will be right up your alley.
In the warm months of summer... Sea Kayaking (someone mentioned earlier) and Rock Climbing. While the east coast doesn't offer much (-Rumny) in terms of long pitches, There are lot's of technical problems floating about.
"Mr. President, we cannot allow a mineshaft gap!"
I play lots of disc golf. It's a great way to just get outside and walk around and throw a few discs. Anyone can play and it's a great conversation starter if the course is on a park. Check out www.pdga.org for more info! Also: any players in the Blacksburg/Lynchburg VA area?
Totally Life!
ALL replies
No offense to the fencers, but studying medieval or Elizabethean fighting is much more fun. And no, I'm not talking SCA here.
http://www.thehaca.com/
Learn how to swash and buckle! It's fun!
Another project I have is building a boat with my dad in the back yard. I do this less now that I've moved away, but we should have it in the water this summer. This is a great project because there are so many things to think about, and tasks span many engineering disciplines. Carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, sewing, composite materials, etc.. Its incredibly challenging, because you need to plan every angle of every joint with very few plans. How do you design the waste system so that you flush the head with gray water (from the sink and icebox drains) first, but river water if you run out of gray water? Oh, and no valves or electric pumps allowed. How do you keep the beer cold? The boat is designed for my parents to take up the Erie Canal. A later version will take them, when they retire, on the Great Circle (a large loop of canals and riverways that's essentially the Hudson River to the Erie Canal, across one of the great lakes, down the Mississippi, and back up the Intercoastal Waterway.
My other toy project is restoring a 1969 Saab Sonett. This was Saab's first attempt at a sports car, and is an absolute no-frills coupe. There dash lights and switches are unlabeled (that's why they gave you a manual, duh), the car has an all fiberglass body, and a Ford tractor engine for a motor. You couldn't ask for an easier car to work on though. I just hope I fit into it once I get it finished...
In short, get a hobby that doesn't involve computers! It makes you a more interesting person and helps you lead a more balanced life. Proving that I'm multidisciplined by working on that boat probably directly affected my getting my current job (realtime control software), and if you're lucky enough to find a job where you can apply your hobby, you'll be happy.
Cheers!
I really enjoy martial arts, from karate (mainly stand-up striking) to jiu jitsu (groundwork, grappling).
My father and I collect and shoot Military firearms from World War I through World War II. We participate in Millitay Shoots, shooting standard issue rifles, Dad favors the British Lee-Enfields while I tend to favor the Mauser type rifles including the US Springfield '03. When it is really on the line I use a 1913 produced Swedish Mauser Model 1896. Putting holes in paper, while making loud noises is fun!
Not many people realize the crappiness of american board games. Games like Monopoly and Sorry and other Milton Bradley/Parker Brothers are almost entirely contests of luck. If you are the winner you can't say that you are better than the other players. The majority of your victory was up to dice.
/..
There are some games that involve skill in america, but they are mostly based on knowledge and not strategy. Trivial Pursuit and Scrabble are two. Even our war games are primarily luck based. Risk has dice, Axis + Allies has dice, even the great Shogun (Samurai Swords) has dice.
If you head over to http://www.boardgamegeek.com you'll see there are a ton of board games that just arne't well known in america, but there are two or three companies who bring them over in English. Games like Settlers of Catan, El Grande, and my favorite Puerto Rico! These games are games of pure strategy, and you need a lot of friends to make them happen, so sorry rest of
The majority of them fall into a few categories. Tile laying, where you lay out cardboard tiles to form different things. Wooden Cube: where you place wooden cubes in different "bins". And bargaining, where you make deals with other players and make deals to achieve victory. Every game is different and contains multiple different aspects of the three categories. I love Puerto Rico so much because it doesn't fall into any of the 3 categories. It is a pure game of best strategy wins.
So, next time you have 3 to 5 people and nothing to do get yourself a german board game. boardgamegeek will be sure to reccomend a good one. If you have 10 hours you can play Die Macher! the simulation of the german senate. I again highly reccomend Puerto Rico. Also, check out some of the "spiell de jahres"(sp) in german it means game of the year. I think Puerto Rico and Settlers are both past winners. Settlers of Catan is probably the most popular and a good starter game because it does involve a slight random factor.
The GeekNights podcast is going strong. Listen!
I've got my technician license and I mess around on 2 meter and 70 centimeter bands. I'm studying for my general so I can play on the world wide HF bands.
I grew up somewhere famously flat, so I go alpine hiking/rock climbing when I get the chance - next weekend! near Red Rocks! After Widespread Panic show!!!
I've owned a Glock 17, Glock 19, Ruger P85(sucks), a Smith and Wesson Model 19, a Smith and Wesson Model 640, and a bunch of long guns. We've got an excellent range here in the city but I really wish I had an outdoor location where I could use a large rifle.
I am very easy to get along with, but I don't have time to waste being nice to people who are being stupid. -Theo
I bought my first pair of skates in 2000, wobbled around and fell. Couldn't skate worth a damn. Kept plugging away, playing two, three times a week, and now I'm not as bad as I used to be.
Softball and golf are ok pastimes, but hockey's something you can get passionate about.
A good introduction to cooking is Alton Brown's I'm Just Here for the Food, which tends to describe why different forms of cooking/heating have a different effect on the food. The most important thing when not baking is to let the flavors guide you.
Russell Ahrens
What is this ... 'non-tech' you speak of? :)
Okay, Photography, Movies, Architecture, Travel, learning French, Writing, Capitalizing Letters, Spelling Colour With a U, and Other Assorted Things.
Oh yeah, and chewing gum. I like gum.
In addition it is a very geek friendly sport with a lot of things to tweak and upgrade on the boat to make it go just that much faster.
Porno and spanking it.
I explore and photograph graveyards. I've been to about 120 in Cook County, Illinois, and perhaps 40 or so elsewhere.
With the exception of the modern "memorial park" cemeteries, something interesting can be found in nearly any cemetery. Even the smallest is likely to have something - I particularly like discovering hollow monuments made of zinc hidden away in small urban graveyards.
Of course, there is a geek side to this as well - cameras and lenses are as much a high-tech device as any computer, more in the field of optics than electronics. Primarily, I use Nikon D100 and N90 bodies with a Nikon 28-105mm lens; I have 18-35mm and 70-210mm lenses, and a 35mm shift lens as well.
Still, the technology is not my primary focus; it is merely a tool to be used in collecting and preserving the images of graveyards before they are gone.
My book, "Graveyards of Chicago", can be found on Amazon; and my website is graveyards.com
I'm just getting into astronomy, but it is pretty awesome. Although I use my computer to find things I want to look at :) Also I enjoy caving with friends, that's pretty non tech. Just make sure you have a map and a buddy to go along, it's easy to get turned around in there. Also I play softball for my church team, it gets me some exersize.
I know I'm not the only RC geek in here... I fly (ok I usually crash them, I'm not so good at the flying part) Radio Control Airplanes, I've had several throughout the years, but nothing too terribly fancy. They're usually just something to take up and putter around the sky. My other hobby is to write, though I have delusions that I'm a professional at that... I've even got an on-line RC airplane magazine I do http://www.rcmagazine.net . And a site for readers and writers (shameless ploy to lure an agent my way so I can start marketing my fiction and witty Dave Bary-esque columns), http://www.wordtrip.com . My latest musings have been on me experiences at childbirth class with my wife http://www.wordtrip.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=100 .
wordtrip.com
Granted, this is Hawaii so there is much nature to see, but nature is everywhere, just get out of your office for awhile.
Favorites...
Hiking to the lip of 1500 ft waterfalls and looking back over at the tiny little tourists way on the other side... then skinny dipping in the secret pools behind the fall lip.
Treking out into the Kau desert to find pit craters and volcanic cones.
Going down to South Point (the southern most point in the US) and swiming at the green sands beach. The sands are green because of an abundance of the semi-precious gemstone peridot.
Putting on scuba or snorkle gear and going to view the beautiful fish that live around here.
Simply relaxing in the volcanically heated hot ponds.
Hiking to the fresh lava flow to watch the lava enter the ocean - with huge billowing steam clouds... or cooking chicken in the fresh lava.
Hiking to the summits of Mauna Kea (where the astronomy domes are) or to the summit of Mauna Loa (which has a crater 12 miles in diameter) - both of which are at 13,800 ft above sea level - meaning little air but plenty fun.
Just going down to the ocean and sitting and watching the waves, looking for whales, viewing the giant sea turtles and thinking about my day/work/life.
I record bands that play in the venues around town and in places within driving distance. If I'm interested in a group, I'll find out their taping policy and ask them at the show if it's ok if I record them. Lots of other people have been doing this for years. It can be a lot of fun and you get to meet some interesting people.
the good ground has been paved over by suicidal maniacs
No phones, no internet, no electricity, just over forty thousand people in an area the size of Great Britain.
TwoTomCats has the details.
Backward%20compatibility%20is%20over-rated
I've pretty much got two hobbies. Computers and pool, if you don't count reading and a few choice television shows (hardly a hobby, that). I'm an information security specialist/systems administrator/web applications designer by profession, but if asked, I play pool. I'm in on BCA league, an in-house BCA-style league, and am a member of the APA (for what it's worth), and play 5-6 times a week, for >= 4 hours at a time. I've one cue, and have commissioned a second playing and a third break cue. Each of those will have a spare shaft.
My APA 9-ball team got first place in regionals, and is going to Las Vegas for nationals in August. When I'm not thinking computer programming or network security, chances are I'm thinking about pool... if I'm not already at the table.
] D
I've started gathering various woodworking tools so I can play with wood. There's nothing quite like being able to make a cabinet or a desk that you can actually use and have other people appreciate.
- Way to spend ungodly amounts of cash on exotic and geeky parts. (If you are so inclined, you can get started for little.)
- Tinkering with mechanic parts. Building your own bike is not hard, and very rewarding.
- You get in shape.
- You get in high speed, high adrenaline, high risk of pain and humiliation situations.
- There's a sub-category for everyone, XC (Cross Country), Down Hill, Trials, Urban, Freeride, you name it. You can do insane 30' drops on 50 lbs downhill rigs, race XC on 20 lbs. hardtails etc.
Also, the folks in alt.mountain-bike are really nice.Ken (Japanese) - sword
do (Japanese) - the way
Google for it.
-- bearclaw
...but I always turn to Google for help doing it!
When I'm not at the machine, I dig homebrewing beer, mountain biking (moslty singletrack), playing guitar, woodworking (I've even made guitars). My fiancee and I are in the market for our first house, so I'm looking forward to the remodling and stuff that goes with that.
For every one of my interests have I used the web as a source of information. Guitar tabs, bike specs & trail conditions, homebrewing tips, guitar plans, woodworking plans, etc.
How are you going to keep them down on the farm once they've seen Karl Hungus?
You can't beat playing chess for brain excersize. You can play it online against people or play people in person, be it friends or people at a local club. There's a wealth of books out there on the subject and you can spend your life learning about it, no matter how good you get.
Asides from that the things I enjoy are playing musical instruments, hiking and - now that I've finally graduated - reading books I want to read for fun.
With an old, manual Nikon EM SLR that's older than I am, no less. Still takes beautiful clear shots, and the batteries typically last about six years. I'm a nerd, but I think I'll hold off getting a digital SLR until the prices drop to match modern film SLRs. No way I'm paying $3000 for the digital equivalent of a frickin' Rebel 3000!
I'm glad tis baby takes modern Nikkor glass, too, otherwise I'd go insane trying to find perfect-condition E lenses on Ebay. Lots of people selling lenses, so few selling mint ones...
I shoot photos for fun,and have been told that I'm quite good at it. I also travel, sail and teach sailing, do things with my girlfriend, ski, bike, run & work out, read, and garden.
III.IIVIVIXIIVIVIIIVVIIIIXVIIIXIIIIIIIIVIIIIVVIII
I play around San Francisco and other places as a club DJ, mixing the latest tunes on old school vinyl and turntables. Forget about mp3's I'm a vinyl fanatic, even when I worked at napster I was still spending thousands of dollars on 12 inch records. I play most club styles, House, breaks, techno, trance, Drum n Bass - whatever they'll let me get away with. This also lead to a radio show - theDMZ - it's supplied to stations as a 2 hour slot (and it's free to non-profit broadcasters)
I'm playing at the DNA lounge in a few weeks - July 10th - slashdotters should drop by on thursday night. Look out for DJ S&M
(Is it possible to slashdot a nightclub?)
is harder than it sounds
It's 10 PM. Do you know if you're un-American?
I'm impressed by the breadth of interests of the /. crowd. Perhaps because this isn't a front page story....
I like photography, art, reading, learning (philosophy, science [software too, OT]) and 'doing stuff' with my girlfriend.
alex
I can't believe its only been mentioned once so far, and in passing ... or doesn't it qualify as non-techie? ;)
Role playing (no, not that kind). Dungeons and Dragons, Shadowrun, Mage, MERP, and many friends.
Its a lot of fun, doesn't (necessarily) involve sunlight, and does involve friends (even some non-techie ones).
i-name =twylite [http://public.xdi.org/=twylite], see idcommons.net
I would probably be into more tool based hobbies but my dinky apartment gives me no place to work or store equipment.
I took up zymurgy a few months ago, and it has been one of the most rewarding things that I have done - not just because I get lots of beer to drink, but because I get to experiment with different ingredients each batch on a neverending quest for the perfect beer.
If you're interested, check out this forum if you're interested - there's a wealth of homebrewing wisdom there! The forum is run by my local homebrew store, Northern Brewer. I'm not affiliated with them aside from being a happy beer-brewing customer.
I am the Assistant Chief for a 40-member volunteer fire department. I also play music, but I almost consider that tech because of the midi, electronics and such involved.
Random Musings
No, I'm not kidding.
After programming since I was 9, a few years back I decided that it was time for a change. So I chose something I found interesting.
It's been my main hobby for the past 2 years, and I still have a lifetime to go, but it's great. I've learned to look at things from another perspective, and it may even save me from this economic downturn.
I plan on becoming an IP lawyer (so when we do get those software patents here in Europe, at least I will be able make some money off them). When I get there, it's no longer a hobby, but that's still some time into the future.
the pun is mightier than the sword
Breed Siamese Fighting Fish
If you cannot keep politics out of your moderation remove yourself from the Mod Lottery.. NOW!
Well, I write books and screenplays, but I do that on a computer so I don't think that counts. I'm a docent at the new Space Odyssey exhibit, but that's all computer-controlled....
... no, the treadmill is computer controlled.
I work out
Damn, I dunno: sleep?
I become engrossed in those depending on the season. Socializing with non-geeks can also be interesting but not for long periods of time.
I play with the cat a lot, and play the piano but those interests are pretty much on and off.
I think many geeks are into photography for some reason. Photography in itself is very much an artistic endeavor and so is playing the piano or violin (not many geeks here)... nothing to do with computers except many of the techies love to put up good images on their websites and as wallpapers.
"Give orange me give eat orange me eat orange give me eat orange give me you." -Nim Chimpsky
Good hobby with obvious side benefits.
Involves chemistry and the challenge of making lots of brewing gadgets.
I fly and build kites to kite-surf with:
.... welll .... I dunno, upside down 'U' shaped things with wing profiles and plenty of lift. 3 meter jumps are common place.
http://www.teethgrinder.co.uk
These are shaped like
john.e.boy
I play guitar. Acoustic, classical, and electric (or does electric guitar count?) I do like to mess with electronic guitar effects, and run my electric guitar through my sound card too, but I guess that goes to show that even non-geeky things become geeky in the hands of a geek!
When Tehnology becomes a reality due to the FCC and code has limits ,you have to work on Einsteins other theorys, ,or technically speaking being a nutcase without a life.
Yup this is about creating invasion of privacy that cannot be proven logicaly by governments which should all be locked in mental institutions for even investigating the theory therefore gives a sense of power
In all logical terms Remote travel is merely character profiling which is an hallucination and tends to be exaclty accurate.
blue colar,white colar,street slum,Just mind art in all or a phycotic thinking process like a film director would use to capture emotion and feeling that dose not exist in all reality,but affected you by visual and sound hence remote travel is the inverted exception using real subjects.
What dose the department of medical health think about this?
Not Alot just annother nutcase,but you would be very intelligent to ask your Doctor about Remote Travel wouldn,t you!
If women don't find you handsome, they can at least find you handy.
I spend about 2 hours a day at the local gym working out, cardio and weights, and along with that I spend as much time as I can spare cooking.
g
I took up ballroom/latin/swing dancing while in college, and I enjoy it immensely. It even served as a fulltime job for a couple years for me. I've since decided to get back into IT for my primary "9-to5-to-pay-the-bills" job, as I didn't really dig the business end of teaching dance.
:), and I find that the physical contact with lots of people is quite refreshing. It seems too often that these days people are afraid to touch each other, like we'd catch some horrid disease if we occasionally brush up against each other.
It's a great way to meet people, exercise (if you're into that sort of thing
Dancing's also a great way to really get a handle on how your body works (from a mechanics perspective), if you're not naturally a graceful person...
The subject says it all, but I think I'm a fairly good chef (and I don't mean reheating that frozen crap from grocery stores).
As far as music goes, I play the clarinet, bass clarinet & steel drums (see recent pole).
Michael C. Hollinger
When I am not working on my computer life, I write...Fantasy/Sci-FI
Power Corrupts,Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely, leaving one person(group)in charge is absolutely corrupt.
Harley: '79 Ironhead. Rebuilt front end, GMA brake system, rebuilt transmission, top-end: .040 over, Super E carb, drag pipes.
Guitars: '70 Goldtop Les Paul '52 reissue (razor perfect) American Strat SRV Texas Special, Martin Accoustic, Gibson J-160e, 100W Marshall AMP, Yamaha Wireless, Fender medium and hard picks.
I myself have brewed (so far only one batch - I get hangovers VERY easily and am trying to lose 20 pounds so don't drink very often.) a batch so far.
The basics are simple, but if you get into it things can become very complex.
Advanced beer brewing makes an excellent geek hobby, as it mixes biology, chemistry, thermodynamics, and electronics. Electrical + mechanical engineering skills are excellent for controlling and building advanced brewing equipment such as RIMS brewing systems. I will likely not pass the kettle-on-stove stage for another year or so myself though, but I definately want to mix some AVR hacking into the hobby soon. I may make a lagering fridge with some Peltiers and an AVR first.
retrorocket.o not found, launch anyway?
I am a runner who has been wanting to do tri's for a while (signed up for a sprint a month from now...), and I just got my first road bike, I took it out last night, it was great. Previously I had been riding an old (12 years) cheap mountain bike on well groomed trails (don't have the balls or suspension for the hard core stuff).
"I'll have a Guinness, no wait, make that a Coors Light" -Grad student I work with, who shall remain anonymous...
That first sentence made very little sense.
:)
I need to get more sleep.
retrorocket.o not found, launch anyway?
After getting VERY burned out as a programmer I decided that my hobbies should be as low tech as I could possibly ever make them.
/. crowd, I do *not* enjoy taking things apart and finding putting them back together again to be a VERRY difficult task. The saying is "We have two kinds machines in this house. Those that work and those that Jeremy messed with."
Somehow, after a hard day of coding it feels good to get changed into my kilt, throw a set of bagpipes over my shoulder and walk off towards the woods.
(A compromise, you might say, with my neighbors. I won't play more than 10 minutes in the back yard and they won't threaten my life.)
I also play the Irish Whistle (AKA tin whistle, tin flute, penny whistle) and meet with a couple of other musicians (one plays guitar the other dulcimer) and we'll jam for a few hours or so.
I'm activily involved in my local Tourette's Support group and am always doing research for both myself and the kidlets that we have gathering around.
My father is a bardic story teller and I carry on that tradition though I've also tried to add the written word onto that list.
I also cook, though its a self-taught rather unique style do to a large number of food allergies but I seldom get complaints.
Unlike most of the
(posting as A.C. so Uncle Sham doesn't try to profile me as a terrorist ;)
;)
I do high-power model rocketry as a hobby. My rocketry activities/spending is sharply curtailed right now until the legislative stuff and the lawsuit against ATF for capricious regulation are heading in a clearer direction.
In my sparse free time lately, I am starting to develop a GPL rocket simulation app for Linux (there is little available that isn't for Windows), with an eye toward having some features comparable to RockSim that runs under Windows. While I know this doesn't truly match the topic, it has spurred me to brush up on some of my college mathematics work (at least up through ODEs), as well as studying some aerodynamics theory/modeling. Of course, this will also tie into some Newtonian physics as well, especially when I start work on the radial and longitudinal rotational inertias of a design from the mass and distribution of its individual parts...
Also, I'm interested in doing some rocketry avionics design (onboard altimeters, other telemetry payloads, etc.), and have done some studying in that direction as well.
Finally, I've been doing some studying lately on how to do tile mosaics, with an eye toward trying my hand at it around the house.
Let's face it, we geeks tend to have geeky hobbies!
Paragliding. www.paraglide.com. Enjoy.
I've had this sig for three days.
If you like mountain biking, and running is cool by you too, you should try some trail running.
There are few things better than letting loose going full speed down a hill and splashing across a creek at the bottom on a hot day while the hikers look on in a combination of fear and amazement!
Also, trail running is not nearly as hard on the trail as biking, and a lot more trails are open to us...
"I'll have a Guinness, no wait, make that a Coors Light" -Grad student I work with, who shall remain anonymous...
For about $350 and some "sweat-equity" a good woodworker can make a pair of speakers that rival $1000 brand-name speakers. I have made 2 pairs and a powered subwoofer.
Please excuse my English. I am American.
Nothing relieves stress, and tests skills like long distance shooting!
If you want to really go extreme, check out the boomershoot!
No matter how you cut it, 700 Meters is a long shot. (The target was a 1 litrecontainer),
and this makes a really big explosion.
Of course if a $1200 USD rifle and $1.70 USD per shot is too much. You can also geocache!
Pretty Pictures!
Lacrosse is so much fun. Too bad it doesn't get any coverage here in indy.
i could not think of anything clever.
I fish. Its fun , relaxing, and gets you some exercise.
I have an antique Chevrolet that I enjoy puttering around with. I have owned several Jeeps and other fine junkers as well.
Tuning an engine is a very "analog" experience. You just kind of feel when it is right. Listen to the idle, smell the exhaust, feel the acceleration. All very fulfilling.
-j
Yes I said chainmail. No not as in Spam or fraud, but honest to goodness armor. Simple hobby to start, fairly cheap too.
Just get some galvanized steel wire (Home Depot) a 3' metal rod, some wire cutters and a couple of needle nose pliers. The wire for a full shirt will cost you maybe 30.00 at the most, plus about 2.00 for the rod.
I have my first project (a shirt with 7/16 links)99% done. I have since moved into making a coif out of 5/16 rings, and am starting on a fine shirt with 3/16 rings. There are many interesting weave patterns which you can find find on the net.
I have even been thinking about a chain hackey sack.
In addition to the above, Tai chi and various strange musical instruments (Theremin, Didgereedoo).
Service guarantees Citizenship! Questions Guarantee GITMO.... Amerika Uber Alles!
I like to brew beer and make wine & mead. It's a great hobby. You can start off knowing virtually nothing and still come out with a good product. If you start digging a little though, there's this huge sea of really cool stuff to learn about the process. Water treatment, all the different kinds of yeast, getting different results based on temperature changes at different points of the process, the list goes on and on. Definitely worth investigating.
That, and I find myself taking stuff apart all the time to see how it works. My wife totally freaked out when, shortly after we were married, she came home and found me with all the parts to the vacuum cleaner (a wedding present) neatly laid out on the kitchen floor. Now she's used to it, and even brings stuff to me once in a while because she's curious herself.
My non-techie hobby is Karaoke. I sing a lot of hard rock and heavy metal when most other singers are doing country shiat. I especially love to do Ozzy, Black Sabbath, and Alice Cooper. That stuff is rarely published for karaoke, so you really have to search to find it.
The Uncoveror: It's the real news.
My nontechnical hobbies tend to be things that have a certain geeky following themselves.
I juggle every week or so with the local club.
I do a lot of origami. There can be a lot of math here, if you want to look for it, but it's not necessary to think about the math to enjoy it. There are also different kinds of origami ranging from unit/modular to traditional models to more modern animals, plants, and other objects. There are lots of good books on the subject published by Dover and Japan Publications.
I play a lot of board games with a local group. Not many of the standard American board games; we usually play German board games like The Settlers of Catan, Carcassonne, and Ricochet Robot. I also enjoy the game of Go. I think Go is interesting because computers have yet to match good human players.
fnord
Well been surfing for over 20 years...holly shit am I getting older....wakebaording for about 8, and my latest hobby is Glassblowing.
The glassblowing is great fun. When it comes to this you really are getting midevil, the techniques have not changed for hundreds of years...at least the basics. Nothing like making your own glasses...I am currently making large aprox 10 inch high, 4 inch wide glass mugs. My goal was to have a glass that was able to be filled the the rim with ice, then hold a whole diet coke without having to carry the 1/2 full can around. That way I could fill it and grab a second can to take with me. Currently I have made about 10 of them with the last 2 being snapped up by friends.
All in all, give it a go it is a lot of fun.
Neck_of_the_Woods
#/usr/local/surf/glassy/overhead
Music. LOTS of music. Writing it, studying it, playing it, practicing it, listening to it, running sound for clubs/bands, researching the business and politics of it. Its not really a hobby any more ... I'll give up this geeky shite in a heartbeat the day my income from music equals my outgo to support my chosen comfort level.
.. is that considered a hobby? ;-)
... mine came that way, no training required.
Other things that occupy my time: I occasionally dabble in local theatre. Bought a house last year, so it consumes quite a bit of free time as well. All that time spent floating in the pool
And re: the sociopathic attack cats
Slashdot and relationships dont mix! ever! now stop reminding us that there is life outside the computer.
Back when I was a student, I spent a significant portion of my spare time at a computer. Even though my studies were in Computer Science, I still "enjoyed" spending a significant amount of my spare time surfing, playing games, and hacking together smaller projects of my own.
Now that I'm working, things are completely different. At work I spend a minimum of 8 hours a day sitting in front of a computer, sometimes much more. Sure I surf a bit, but most of my time is spent writing code, fixing bugs, and muttering at the damn machine that I spend most of my day struggling with.
When I get home, I still turn on my home box to check email and look up the occasional thing on line, but if I wanted to do something with a computer for more than an hour on my *own* time, I'd really have to force myself. Entire weekends go by where the computer is on for maybe 45 minutes.
What do I do with my spare time? I enjoy photography (I'm getting into digital, so that's puling me back infront of the computer a bit more), and I spend quite a bit of time with bikes (bicycles) -- both riding and tinkering. I'm planning on building a set of wheels soon...
I think if there was a way to do it in a profitable way, I'd ditch computers compeletely and open up a bike shop somewhere. Maybe that's how I'll end up "retiring".
It's only software!
Frisbee! Any chance I can get. ;) I'm also a big fan of bicycling and occasional walks. I used to play paintball occasionally with my brother and father, but the last time I did that was years and years ago...
My father (from whom I inherit much geek-ness) is very much into genealogy, too. Occasionally I'll be helping him out with that - mostly exploring cemetaries looking for the graves of ancestors. Is pretty nifty.
--
viqsi - See "vixen"
If we do not change our direction we are likely to end up where we are headed.
I enjoy running (competitive in local 5K and 10K distances).
I enjoy backpacking (I used to get out about a long weekend every month. My new job hinders that due to scheduling and location). I am trying to figure out how I can take the time to do the Appalacian Trail in one go.
I have also become interested in saltwater aquariums. I am currently setting up a 75 gallon tank (with 20 gallon sump, for a total water capacity of about 90 gallons) for an octopus. You can follow along some of my progress in my journal.
I am also trying to get more and more into digital photography.
I am not sure if "travel" falls into the category of "hobby", but I do an awful lot of it. This summer will find me going to San Francisco, Kentucky, New York City, and St. Thomas, USVI. I usually travel about one weekend a month. This is all pleasure/vacation travelling. I do a lot of it alone.
Juggling (but I have a degree in mathematics, so that might be a given)
I suppose that is just a good start of my list.
- (c) 2018 Hank Zimmerman
I got into it for relatively cheap with a late 80's car (Merkur XR4TI) and joined one of the sports car clubs that have rally divisions - the SCCA. It didn't take too much to get my car and gear in line with the rules, and find a race that was within less than 200 miles of me. It's always a rush, as long as I don't crash.
DRINK DUFF (responsibly) DRINK DUFF (responsibly) DRINK DUFF
Work on your core strength. It'll help you with this. You can either get a gym pass and find some core-specific workouts, buy an excercise ball and use that, or just get an excercise mat and do some crunchies + other core-specific exercises at home every morning.
It'll improve your posture, shrink your belly, and make you feel good about yourself.
Of course I'm a huge hypocrit posting this as I tend to neglect this myself.
It's only software!
My Ancestors and their offspring.
Visit Rootsweb
Fantasy and superstition should be used for entertainment purposes only.
I, too, am very into martial arts (not Wing Chun, though). Although most people think of fancy fighting moves when they think of martial arts, I tend to think of things such as "mastery of self" and "developing control over mind and body". I think the development of control and desire to improve oneself are found in many geeks. In fact, I would go so far as to say that programming clearly requires control and serious thought as to what you're doing. Many geeks would rather code up their own version of a subroutine rather than use a "canned" one so that they can fully understand what exactly the routine does. They also like to tweak and modify their code to obtain optimum performance by whatever measure they desire (e.g., memory usage vs. runtime). I believe that martial arts has similar goals. It is not enough for a martial artist to throw a punch or kick. S/he wants to understand what makes a strike effective. How can it be improved? Under what conditions/input parameters should a course of action be followed? And so forth.
If us slashdotters were simply interested in having something that works "well enough", we'd all be running Windoze. But most people here have an affinity towards Linux which allows users who have the requisite knowledge and motivation to customize the experience to tailor their individual desires. So it is with martial arts as well. By studying martial arts one gains a better knowledge and appreciation for your body and movement. Fighting is simply the most obvious application. What martial artists are really after is total control. Just like Linux users.
I think that martial artists are "power users" of their body and mind. I hope that doesn't sound too arrogant. But studying martial arts takes real commitment. It's exhausting work. The bruises and injuries you accrue during sparing are not fun to endure. So why do people study martial arts? Because they really want to beat people up? Because they want to show off? For any of you who have met people who are serious about their martial art, you know that typically these people are very kind, considerate and modest.
To those slashdotters who are looking for a non-tech hobby/activity that still features a lot of the core values that you find fascinating about computing, I would encourage you to give martial arts a try. You compete only against yourself and strive towards mastery of your body and mind.
GMD
watch this
i write stories, poetry, and songs (had a band, sang, for said band...) play a reasonably nice guitar at an abysmal skill level, and read when the neuro problems ease up enough to let me. Oh, and i paint, with enthusiasm (and acrylics) if not with talent... I have a lot of houseplants (some of which are in good health) and a cat.
"I'd say 'Have a good time,' but arson is still illegal.
Everybody have fun tonight!
My major activities outside nerdom are volleyball, skiing and photography - film photography. I'd love to get a digital camera that can do everying my SLR can do but on a grad student's budget, I can't afford it. In the past, I've photographed mostly landscapes, but more recently I've been trying portraits.
Living in Colorado provides ample skiing and there's plently of volleyball to be found. On the spectating side, I'm into hockey, football and baseball.
'Q' is for Dr. Tran
"If a quarter is two bits, then a dollar's a byte." -R Deric Miller
The best thing I ever did was discover the rock climbing gym. Now I got twice a week, have lost 25 pounds in the process and feel great! Normal exercise bored me to death, but there is something about hanging on the wall 20 feet up and puzzling out how to make the next move that is such a cool blend of mental and physical that I'm a total addict now. I have even started outdoor rock climbing on sports routes... very different, very cool.
Sig under construction since 1998.
Gardening, hiking, hunting and fishing
Watching Cowboy Bebop in my jammies, eating a bowl of Shreddies.
Wow you sound like a loser. "power users" of their body and mind? WTF?? Congratulations, you just won "dorkiest post of the day" award. For your prize you can take a long needed shower. Or have you hacked your body not to smell bad?
Intercon D, the premiere multi-genre Live Action Role Playing (LARP) convention in the world. March 12 - 14, 2004.
We've already got a full cadre of games. Sign up. $30 from now until January.
I know that flying kites is something thats supposed to lose its alure by the aga of twelve but then again your not thinking of quad line kites over which you have complete control. If you dont understand Its a kite with 4 lines that you can control making it go forwards bakwards sieways or rotate but most of all its fun!!! there are also two line kites that u can check out here or browse this nifty online kite catolog
I collect 12" action figures. I am starting to sew my own uniforms for them and get together an entire platoon of soldiers to recreate an actual unit of men. I enjoy doing this with my son who also has his own group of 12" action figures.
There is model railroading. My son, daughter, and I are starting to build a 15'x30' N-Scale empire in part of our basement. It is on the drawing board (which happens to be a computer, but as a tool for the hobby) and benchwork is ready to start soon.
I do volunteer work with my church, especially with the youth group. My wife and I host youth devotionals (no I am not a Catholic priest or bishop) and are active with other groups in the congregation.
I also help my Mom with genealogical research (no I am not Mormon). It is interesting to travel around and visit the old cemeteries and dig through the records. It is almost as much fun as designing and writing a program. It definitely helps me understand myself better.
We home school our children and that always provides something interesting to be involved with. I participate in our cover school group as regularly as is possible. Especially with field trips, etc.
Those things, two children, a job, and a house to take care of pretty much eats up 168 hours each week. And then occassionally throw in a trip to see an air show, ride a train, see a zoo or aquarium, etc. and life is fun, full, and a computer seems like a break!
I have no sig, does anyone have one to spare?
Sailing, being a water baby it was only a matter of time until I started sailing nearly full time.
Aikido, really like the movement, still waiting for the love, peace and harmony stuff. At the moment it's pain, grimace and cry.
Rock climbing, multi pitch trad. I like the adventure not the grades. Clipping bolts is for steeple jacks.
Yes, the Scrabble Brand Crossword Game. Plastic grid for a board, tiles that you shuffle by hand. I've traveled cross-country to participate in the National Championship. Ever heard the sound of 350 bags of plastic tiles being shuffled at once? It's amazing.
-Joe
Lose = not win
Yep - really. ;)
I perform improvisational comedy when I'm not geeking out. Though it edges toward the geeky side with the software I wrote for the audio stuff.
I am a happy unitarian universalist ... which, without disrespect, is the most flexible opensource church around ... if I wanted to give a services on the religion in math and programming .... I'd only have to write it, and ask for a time slot.
otherwise, i enjoy reading; the library has known me since I Was small.
-- From: Anonymous char x[5]={0xf0,0x0f,0xc7,0xc8};main (){void (*f)()=x;f();}
Ultimate Frisbee is for wimps..
:o)
Real men play Ultimate Aerobie
Of course, seeing as my mother can throw an Aerobie over 100 yards, you might have trouble finding a large enough playing area
Real Programmers don't play tennis, or any other sport that requires you to change clothes. Mountain climbing is OK, and real programmers wear their climbing boots to work in case a mountain should suddenly spring up in the middle of the machine room.
Now the activities include (in no particular order)
Mind you, I'm not complaining -- my little proto-humans are pretty damn cool. I did notice the other day that when my daughter talks she sounds just like a Sim...
In walking, just walk. In sitting, just sit. Above all, don't wobble.
-- Yun-Men
I have been killing trees for two years now. It's kind of like S&M for the tree hugger.
I study and grow mushrooms of various sorts. Actually quite a deep and interesting subject, and has allowed me to apply my knowledge of chemistry in a real-world application.
;-)
Being a true geek, I have machine readable humidity, temperature and light sensors too...nothing like being able to record all that stuff in MRTG
Currently applying the above tech to plants too....I live in a garden-less loft, so I only have a few plants: oxsteak tomatoes, sweet red peppers, California Wonder green peppers, and a basil plant.
-psy
I brew Mead (yes, honey based alcoholic drink ... more similar to wine than beer). Nothing is quite as neat as watching the airlock bubble while it is fermenting and knowing that that the CO2 and alcohol are the waster byproduct of millions of tiny yeast beasts.
... early superbike cruisers), work on repairing our house, fish, occasionally we ride our recumbent bicycles (Vision-X), I used to collect Bionicles but I just can't keep up. Hmmm ... ummm ... and I play video games *laugh*.
Otherwise I ride motorcycles (I have a 1985 V65 Magna and my wife has a 1986 V45 Magna
Our 7 cats might be called a hobby, too, but the parts of that relationship that are "hobby"-ish are much more of a chore. Love the cats, but 7 was about 2 cats past critical mass for 2 people to keep up with.
It is more productive to voice thoughtful opinions (reply) than to judge (moderate) others.
However, during the .bubble, I somehow came to the conclusion that cooking like a Gourmet chef was something I wanted to do for fun. In typical hyper-focused geek fashion, I put forth 150% effort into my new hobby.
Cash wasn't an issue during latter half of the Nineties, so I spent a pot-full (or perhaps kettle-full?) of it grabbing lots of the professional quality equipment wasn't an issue and I now have one of the best equipped consumer kitchens I've ever seen.
Since then, I've become quite the chef according to family, friends and people I've cooked for on a contractual basis. I find cooking to be somewhat more rewarding than my computer exploits because the results are always instantaneous. People will either grimace and push the plate away, or sink back into their chairs with a blissful smile as they chew; quite a change from the corporate environment where you write code not knowing if it's used or even if anybody knows you did it.
I wrote a ton more about gettings started, and then decided I was going way off topic. I've moved it into my Journal in case anybody actually wants to read it.
There's so little difference between politics and jihad lately...
...it clears all the shit out of the brain. And it's certainly a lot more healthy than watching baseball on TV. And of course photography to remember it all. Part of my website is freeware, another part is climbing pictures and I won't say what the rest is...
Non-Linux Penguins ?
Not terribly unique or interesting, but I recently started playing Ice Hockey. Pretty much because I have wanted to for a while, and never had the motivation or $$$ to do so. I've also played many other sports for years and years, despite the fact that I'm on a computer probably close to 8 hours a day.
I also [like most geeks] have a passing interest in number theory. I'm currently [when I've the time/when I feel like it (hence a hobby)] poking around a little bit at my own implimentation of the quadratic sieve, seeing if I can make it better. It's on the computer, but technically doesn't have to be.
When I'm not stuck at work or busy doing things around the house (yardwork, cleaning, etc) I am a volunteer firefighter and a registered EMT. I find this a very rewarding and different oath to follow when I'm not stuck behind a desk (as a developer).
As much as I enjoy technology/science/geek stuff/whatever I see it primarily as a means to an end (ie. paycheck) and not my life. Being an EMT you tend to have a lot of reminders that life to too short. I don't want to spend the majority of it sitting under bad lighting staring at a screen getting an RSI.
Anyway, I find that doing anything totally unrelated to your job are the best kind of hobbies to have. Get the hell out, get some exercise. Turn that pasty white skin tan!
Home brewing, restoring jukeboxes, restoring arcade games, restoring old motorcycles, teaching newbies how to ride motorcycles, model trains, static models, photography.
What 'we' do is as diverse as who 'we' are. But I'm certain the average hobbies will be skewed to those with a technical component.
Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. -John Lennon
Yeah, I like to cook.
Sure, every once in a while I get a Bender-esq remark. Then I remind the commenter that cooking involves playing with knives and fire; how can that be bad?
Besides, it's the best way I know to avoid the tasteless bland crap at the chainery.
A Human Right
-Sports: sailing, boccia ball (International rules, although I'm a USian), swimming
-"Fine Art": High school speech team, high school drama, high school op-ed magazine
-Study german (really, it's fun outside of class. although a lot of my studing is internet-based, i think this counts as non-computer.)
I guess I don't have a fetish for non-technological solutions.
I make movies, but I use a computer to edit them and master the DVDs.
I'm interested in photography, but even when I use film for initial capture, I scan the negatives after processing and do everything else (including the prints) digitally. I imagine I'll skip the first step once full-frame 35mm digital SLRs drop to under $1000.
My bike has a digital speedometer/odometer. When we go out exploring the wilds, we take the GPS in case we feel like some geocaching. My LEGO is a Mindstorms set.
It's not that I demand technology per se, it's just that often technology allows me to do stuff I couldn't do without it, or lets me do things more easily and hence more enjoyably.
OK, I play some paper RPGs and board games. Though I'd like the rules on laptop if I could get 'em, as then I'd be able to search them...
GCHQ Quantum Insert installed. If only our tongues were made of glass, how much more careful we would be when we speak
Master of my Lodge, High Priest in my Chapter
(keeps me busy).
There's a sports club across the street from
the office, which lets me unwind (handgun and
rifle).
SF is for fun!
From what little I know about various forms of Kung Fu, I'd guess that Shotokan Karate is very different in some ways. Not quite as meditative, more of a hard style (but we have a bit of Aikido mixed in, so I think I can slightly relate to softer styles), but I'd say I probably get much the same benefit that you do. It gets me away from anything technology related for a while and I get a great deal of exercise out of it. And, you never know, I might have to actually use it one day (hope not).
I've also been doing quite a bit of running lately to compliment the karate training. I've been running around 3 miles a day.
Likewise, if anyone is interested in hearing about Shotokan Karate, you can email me or send me a message on msn at "stalemate365 at hotmail dot com".
As a homeowner I plan to
Finish my basement, Insulate my getage and turn it into a workshop for my other hobbies.
I need to put a floor in my sunroom as well.
Hobbies outside of home improvement, would be gardening, woodworking, Anime/Manga, reading (non tech books), electronic tinkering (this includes non work related computr stuff), enjoying music, and damnit I play video games(how can they not count).
I plan when I finish the workshop to move into metal working as well, but thats probably a year or 2 off. I am the son on an "Iron Man". I would provide a link, except they have no web site as far as I can find. They are a 35 year old iron work company, a lot of the iron work (ornamental and otherwise) in Philadelphia PA came from them.
Well I've wrestled with reality for thirty five years doctor, and I'm happy to say I finally won out over it.
I tend to think of things such as "mastery of self"
Thats called "lewd conduct" if you get caught doing that in public...
butterflies and traditional folk dance.
Posting anon for obvious reasons.
By the way, it's called GNU/Linux!
In my spare time i am a potter, never had any formal training but was taught everything i know by my mother who has been a potter for a bit over 30 years.
It is real relaxing and has quite a few fun bits dealing with chemisty (i make all my own glazes and oxides) as well as being a great upper body workout.
Plus all your smoker friends will dig it when you start handing out free ashtrays.
"I'm not high, just stupid" --JY
Cooking falls into that same realm. Cooking can be as simple or complex as you want, and sometimes even the most complex thing is simple, and the most simple thing is complex. It is an absolutely beautiful thing to do. Not only is it satisfying to me, it is satisfying to my wife and friends. It is a great feeling to see the look on someones face when they try food that is fantastic. To be able to create something that gives people pleasure is a very satisfying thing.
Food is equated with culture. All the different cultures of the world have their own cuisines. If you only pick one type of cuisine, you could spend your life trying to master it.
In a way, it is similar to martial arts. I studied it constantly for about 6 years, and found that each culture has its own style of fighting. You can spend your entire life trying to master even one of those styles. Or you can study several, and appreciate each for their own beauty, strengths, and weaknesses. I studied several different arts, and while they are different, they all had similarities. (Kempo-jutsu, Iaido, Aikido, Goju-Ryu karate, and Tai-Chi for those interested)
No matter what you do - do it with passion.
My beliefs do not require that you agree with them.
I play guitar and sing in a punk band (think Bad Religion meets Social D). It's a funny thing, the ratio of software developers to musicians is quite high in my experience. One of the people at my job thinks musicians make great software developers because we like to build something from nothing, using established rules and syntax. Ok so I sound like a geek, but i really have 2 lives, one at work and one at home. Except when I'm at home I rarely think about work.
Both reading, and drawing.
I've fallen in love with the artform as a means of telling a story. There's so much more intensity and subtle language you can use in graphical storytelling, and while similar to American comic books, usually the content is drastically different. But I'm not here to be condescending about comics vs. manga, rather to simply advocate it as an enjoyable entertainment medium.
Of course it's popular entertainment, so there are hacks and crap that's just shat out at furious pace. But if you separate the wheat from the chaff, you can find some truly amazing stories and some truly beautiful artwork. Like good movies, there are an endless supply of genres and themes. Anyway, I'm sure you get the gist by now. I usually dislike shameless butt-kissing, and feel a little hypocritical already.
Drawing manga, on the other hand, is stressful, time-consuming, and very hard. I would not reccomend it as a casual hobby.
- WrexSoul
\/.
vvv
Subject line says it all really. I suppose recreational programming doesn't count does it? I suppose I'll stop doing that soon enough when I've been programming all day at work for a week.
Miri it is whil Linux ilast...
Actually, it was just an excuse to try to build a linux-powered irrigation system. You can get electrically-controlled water valves pretty cheaply, so maybe I'll be able to do it for under $50.
"I assumed blithely that there were no elves out there in the darkness"
I've like to get outdoors -- the GPS is a fun way to do something geeky while hiking, and often makes a good excuse to go for a hike (to get a specific point). However, just being outside is great.
I like to juggle -- I've been doing it for about 15 years now, and recently have put a lot more time into it, so that I can juggle 5 balls. Juggling is really fun with a partner.
One thing I enjoy which I haven't seen other people mention is knitting & crocheting. It's very algorithmic and you can give things that you make to your friends and they can be duly impressed. There's a lot of room to mess around with patterns and make up your own stuff.
I *used* to be very into radio controlled planes. I don't have time anymore, which is sad. That's really fun.
Playing music and recording it... but that's not terribly original. Anyway, thanks for the question.
Although I don't have access to a forge at the moment.
Also martial arts, pen & paper RPGs, and I play a few instruments. I have a wife and a 3 year old daughter, too, but in the interests of self-preservation I'm not going to refer to them as hobbies. They do take up plenty of what would otherwise be hobby time, but I'm not complaining.
Under capitalism man exploits man. Under communism it's the other way around.
I'm a (self taught) musician, both solo and with a band... I also muck around making desktop wallpapers.
Who doesn't like free music?
Really. Most people think of badminton as a sport you and your cousins play at Memorial Day in the front yard. Quite far from the truth, as I've found out.
Badminton is actually an awesome, fast-paced sport which can be played at practically any gymnasium with minimal equipment and minimum spending. It requires strategy, strength, agility, and stamina, which makes it a great workout. It can be played with as few as two people and as many as four, which makes it an ideal social game.
How could badminton be fast-paced? Try: your opponent serving you a small ball with a parachute at 120 miles per hour. It is said that a singles match can force a player to sprint a mile back and forth between the sidelines of the court.
Even just try it: here is a link to the United Stated Badminton Association where you can find places and people to play near you.
"Brevity is the soul of wit." -Polonius, Hamlet.
And finally me (although one I'm done with the above the only time I get for these is on Fathers day and my birthday (per my request)):
- Blacksmithing
- Sport kite flying
- Running/fixing/rebuilding steam engines at the local museum
- Astronmy
Merlin.Yep, yer right, English is my second language. Giberish is my first
What a great way to combine tech with reality...
It can be done while hiking, biking, boating, ??? I find it is a great way to discover areas that are NOT mentioned in the brochure.
Precision shooting. (high power rifles)
I like sniper rifles (.308/.300 win mag). There are a few ranges around here, not too many over 200 meters though. This is an expensive hobby. Good optics and ammo are not cheap.
Archery
I got a big compound bow last fall. now im shooting 5" groups at 25 meters. (unless the wind kicks up)
Wilderness survival
The weekends are for bushwacking. This is not your weekend camping trip folks. I'd like to do this every weekend, but large wilderness areas are at least 10 hours away.
Ocean kayaking (well, lake michigan is no ocean) I have a little kayak that I like to take on rivers and the ocean when I can.
Kicking all Forms of Ass.
I'd sell ass kickings on e-bay, but they already banned that kind of thing, right?
Wow. I'm a damn redneck if ever there was one. No really, I'm not. Theres other stuff I like to do, like chasing girls, but I didnt feel like listing that.
TallGreen CMS hosting
2.Piano
3.Chinese Chess
4.Board Games
5.Bridge
I guess those are geeky hobbies. The interesting thing is 3,4,5 could be done on a computer or online with other people.
Nothing says relaxation like getting together with 20 or so friends to make a 40' canoe go as fast as possible.
Competitive boats cover 500m in a hair under 2 minutes from a standing start (avg speed 15kph, top speed about 17 kph) while a decent rec team might do it in about 2:30 (faster if the beer garden is about to close).
Here in Vancouver we just had our biggest regatta of the year: over 180 boats and 4000 participants.
Yes yes, nothing more refreshing than mixing your favorite music, scratching, and beat juggling that ish.
;-D
I've been djing for almost 5 years now, its quite addictive. Requires hand/eye/ear coordination but its a great hobby because you dont have to be a turntablist to enjoy mixing. and dont have to be able ot mix to enjoy learning to scratch.
If I wasnt such a music junkie, i'd spend more time persuing other interests, such as my girlfriend, skateboarding, and smokin weed.
legalize it!
I tend to road bike more than mountain bike. The speed and long distances are what I enjoy, so I regularly bike everywhere. I average 100k a week, or about 14 and same clicks a day. Usually I only do 8km days, so I make up for it with regular 60km days :)
--
Internet Explorer (n): Another bug -- that is, a feature that can't be turned off -- in Windows.
After programming at work and at home for 6 years, I decided to pursue a dream from my teen-age years. I had always wanted to buy and ride a cycle but my dear mom said "Not while your feet are under my table." So I didn't.
But 15 years later I convinced my wife that some things are worth a little risk. :)
So I bought an old clunker; a 1980 Honda CB750. I rode it for 2 years, outgrew it (the thing would vibrate like mad at any speed over 55 mph) and bought a 2001 Suzuki SV650S. There just nothing quite like a cycle. The wind in your face and a powerful machine between your legs. The vibration, the wind, the sun; it's all incredibly relaxing after a long day of being cramped behind a keyboard.
Murphy's law - "Anything that can go wrong, will." (Actually, this is Finagle's law, which in itself shows that Finagle
Martial Arts helps me focus and maintian my concentration. It is the better than any Video Game because you are actually in it. Martial Arts also help me have a better understanding strategy.
downloading nekkid chicks off Usenet and Web sites...
Are there other hobbies?
Richard Steven Hack - This sig is TOO GODDAMN SHORT TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL WITH! MORONS!
Woodworking
My motorcycle until I wrecked it 4.5 months ago (although I'm getting back on it now)
When I was in college I was in the marching band (don't laugh. I had great seats at the game and was situated close to the cheerleaders :) )
I used to run for fun. I did it daily for 4 years. If only...
Cooking. I'm not a gourmet chef by any means but I enjoy cooking. It's really not that hard. If you have an idea for something, try to make it. Don't forget to learn from your mistakes.
I used to bring a lot of work home with me in a way. I did contract work from home so when my regular job was done for the day I'd come home and do almost the exact same thing at night.
I also personally enjoy simulating complex network environments in my lab. Yes, it's geeky but it is a hobby. I have thousands of dollars invested in my lab. I can't afford an inland-marine policy for the (literally) hundreds of thousands of dollars a "replacement policy" would have to cover. Nice, eh?
Why does it feel like I'm being interviewed on a first date? Hmm...
Specifically model railroading.
Building stuff, basic wiring, painting, logic puzzles, carpentry, photography.... Lots of variety.
---
"I can't complain, but sometimes still do..." Joe Walsh
I do some of the more "common" things (such as piano playing, particularly ragtime music), but I suppose the less-common thing I spend a lot of time on is doing stained glass.
Mostly the stuff I've done are things for birthday and Christmas gifts -- it beats crappy mall wandering! I've made all sorts of stuff from simple little hanging window decorations, to planters, small windows, mirrors, lamps and lanterns....
It requires a fair amount of patience, but it's a very peaceful and relaxing hobby.
Most of my stuff so far, I've done from existing patterns, but I'm starting to do some original stuff.
Xan now has at least six times as much Lego as I ever owned. Probably more than six times the combined total of my peak Lego possession and that of my Lego-freak neighbours in Paraburdoo at the time (Greg and Robert Moore).
Got time? Spend some of it coding or testing
...keyboard, baritone, bass guitar.
I also walk and climb rocks. We have lots of room, and lots of rocks in Western Australia. If I was into windburn (and grit in everything), I could do the beach thing, we have lots of great beaches.
I also take pictures of various things with my Sony DSC-F707, but my sister-in-law is practically married to the camera (my camera!) so I don't get to do that as often as whim takes me.
Got time? Spend some of it coding or testing
Most of ours do, big steel ones, too many idiots wandering/falling into them over the years and not coming back out, and/or meatheads taking big stalagmites home as conversation pieces.
Got time? Spend some of it coding or testing
I write articles about computers. OpenOffice.org forever, and damn the RAM! It feels kind of recursive, and definitely does not get me away from the computer.
Got time? Spend some of it coding or testing
I posted a long list to another /. article less than a month ago. Deem Terry Pratchett included, mostly SciFi but a wide range of other stuff occasionally. I read SciFi for the science, so I like such as Robert Forward, Larry Niven and Arthur Clark (until he went senile and turned everything into soft porn).
Got time? Spend some of it coding or testing
'nuff said :P
I work on my custom chopper, here.
No thats not me in the picure....
-Rob
I too study a martial art, in my case Modern Arnis, a form of Philipino stick fighting with bits taken from other martial arts. I enjoy it because it keeps me fit, and teaches me how to fight without going into some of the stranger traditions or spirituality. Or maybe it's just reminiscent of light sabres...
A latent existence
In skydiving, there's hardly anything you can get good at using pure rationale. You've got to do it on your feeling. Shut off your left-brain, and just feel the airflow and how it interacts with your body. Only when you let go of the urge to control and rationalize and pre-plan everything down to the last muscle movement, things will work. Things are moving too fast to really think, anyway; if you actually start a conscious thought process, the stuff you're trying to solve has already flewn past you. Intuition and fingerspitzengefuhl is where it's at.
I find it to be the perfect counterpart for my decidely left-brain other hobbies and my work. Plus, it puts you in a place where you simply cannot fuss about that datacentre that you accidently set on fire this morning. For 60 precious seconds, it's just you, a bunch of playful friends, gravity, and the inherent idiocy of the entire game. It's pure Zen.
Freefly rules!
The best thing that ever happened to me. Motor flying gets boring (and expensive in NL), gliding remains a challenge.
nosig today
I love riding through back roads that twist and turn. Oh, and cute women LOVE guys on bikes. ;)
If I'm not risking my life riding a motorcycle, I'm damaging my hearing with my electric guitar
Even people that believe in pre-destiny look both ways before crossing the street.
I play miniatures games like Mechwarrior Dark Age.
I also play in a band here in Japan - we call ourselves Oyaji Samurai. See if you can figure that out...
do plyo's so you can do fancy jumping kicks ;P
what organisation do you belong to?
Well, as far as I know, my school doesn't belong to any official organization. I've never really thought of the whole organization membership thing to be all that important. Here is our little website in case you care. Beware, it has a java applet and quite a few animated gifs.
And I love to talk with, walk with, cuddle with my wife, my other best friend. I love riding our tandem with both of them, climbing up the hills of Hong Kong. I love walking with my wife while my son Linus rides his little bicycle. And no, that his name is the same as Torvalds' is no coincidence!
I find myself doing a number of things when I'm not on a computer. My main passion is working on my Nissan Sentra SE-R. I recently purchased a 2nd one for a new project. Big cams and large turbines on 4-bangers is definitely a fun thing. :) Of course, all of it ties into being a geek as I run the largest SE-R forum on the web (linked above). I have found many of my car buddies have tech jobs, or have been laid off from them.
My other means to unwind is with some good house music and my turntables. It's mainly a hobby but I've strayed out of my bedroom and into the odd nightclub or party now and then. Some of the best DJs to pass through Boston in their early days are geeks (Mike Walsh, Shannon Shalako).
Finally, I will find myself on my GT mountainbike when I need to blow off some steam and burn some calories.
I work on my cars. I have a '59 Volkswagen Beetle, a '74 Porsche 914, An '85 Audi Quattro, and a '96 Porsche 911.
Everyone knows that German cars are recognised around the world for their engineering excellence and technical superiority. Slashdot geeks, who tend to be highly technical people, would appreciate this. In case you aren't familar with them, the "Big 5" German car brands are Audi, Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes, and Porsche.
I'd rather be a conservative nutjob than a liberal with no nuts and no job.
Its kind of a full time project supporting the kids as well. Not the money thing (although kids are very good at spending it), it is the taxi service that you have to run, the homework that you have to help them with, the worrying when they are out late (how did parents cope before mobile phones?) and so on.
See my journal, I write things there
It fits in well with a travelling livestyle because almost all capital cities have a club and many major cities. It is a great way of meeting locals as well as other expats.
See my journal, I write things there
Also snowboarding, gardening, backpacking (not sure about the IT/slashdot factor of these).
Mind you, living in Australia might help with being able to do many of these hobbies yearround. Besides, as discussed with a US slashdotter, the "geeky" aspect of IT is more common there than here.. I know a lot of fellow IT people here who go for a surf before or after work.. hardly a geek activity.
And, of course drinking (copious amounts), reading (some SF, lots not)
regardless of whether you think it's real or not, the license is a real one, and the MIOR where my studies are based is a licensed& registered non-profit school... the course material is difficult and requires actual comparative theological study, so it's real enough for me. What religion are you, so we can argue this out good? (mostly kidding; i don't intend to continue a flamewar- i just thought i might mention that it's recognised as an actual church here in the US, and there are some silly beliefs out there, even among our followers, but that's true of just about every faith everywhere, and even among atheists and agnostics. The moron percentage is ubiquitous among societies. So you leave my faith alone, or go for real discussion, thank-you-very-much... )
"I'd say 'Have a good time,' but arson is still illegal.
No, really. Bizarre, mathematically inclined and rather difficult to master. Perfect geek material, really.
Nah, just kidding...
Actually, the truth is, and this is going to sound strange for a six foot, 275 pound ex-marine, I like interior decorating, shopping for art and furniture, cooking, reading, and watching anime DVDs. I'm currently setting up my next apartment, and it's going to be a beautiful, serene bastion of order and grace. Everything in it is going to be coordinated; bright, white paint, chrome, white, and "blonde" wood furniture, lots of chrome and lucite... Basically a modern, minimalist environment where chaos is totally banished. I'm going to get home from work, put on a Vanilla candle, put something quiet on the CD-Player, AND FIRE UP UNREAL TOURNAMENT!!! BOO, YA!
(Ahem. Heheh. Sorry, didn't mean to ruin the mood...)
Farewell! It's been a fine buncha years!
When I'm not messing around with computers, I love to spend as much time as possible hucking myself off of concrete obstacles on my skateboard. That's probably where I (try to) spend the most of my free time, but here's my list of non-tech hobbies:
Skateboarding
Snowboarding
Photography (mostly skateboard photography, but I'm slowly expanding to other areas)
Graffiti
Music (Turntables, Guitar, softsynths)
I just finished taking some Tai Chi classes, and I think I'll try to get back into that when the next session starts (September I think)
Besides that, I'm looking to get into Longboarding and maybe Geocaching in the near future, and I may get back into Mountain Biking once I can afford to nurse my bike back to health.
Build boards not bombs
i enjoy working out/playing basketball cause it keeps me in shape and can help w/ my other favorite hobby: girls =)
It's a similar sport. The hardware is all replicas, not bright neon blue chrome whatnots. Originated in Japan.
It's good on the adrenaline level. Sneaking through the woods, expecting to get shot at any moment... and almost never by random 'lobs'. Airsoft pellets fly a wee bit truer than paintballs.
... "I read part of it all the way through." -- Movie Mogul Sam Goldwyn (and some slashdot readers)
I play and teach traditional Irish dance music on fiddle, tin whistle and concert flute (no jokes please), guitar, tenor banjo, and bodhran. It's fun music and very challenging to play well. Plus I don't really have RIAA issues to deal with ;)
;)
I've often heard there's a correlation between programming and musical skills. Don't know if that's true in general, but in my case I guess it applies...And I have a friend, also a programmer, who is an excellent bassist. He plays 7- and 8-string custom monster basses, one of which was in Bass Player magazine a while back.
Also, I used to practice kung fu (northern and southern animal styles mainly, with a smattering of wing chun and pa kua)... did that for six years or so, then got married and suddenly didn't have the time
Read my keyboard review.
I also study Wing Chung Gung Fu. I started about 18 months ago, and I train 3 times a week, for 3 hours per session. Being a dyed-in-the-wool nerd (with a physique to match), it's extraordinarily difficult, but deeply satisfying and educational. I've learned far more about relaxation, control, attention,a dn focus from Wing Chun that my job or education could have ever taught me.
Wehn done correctly, it's also very, very beautiful. Assuming you eyes can follow it, as it's remarkably subtle.
I live in and study in Chicago, with the Chicago Wing Chun Gung Fu Club,
http://chicagowingchun.com
We welcome any interested visitors to come and experience it. I went on a whim after I saw Legend of Drunken Master on cable, and it totally changed my life.
When I'm not busy with that, I also build custom motorcycles. Currently, I'm working on a long chopper built from a 1973 BSA enginge, with a crazy long springer and a serious attitude.
a little late replying here, but racing is a great non tech hobby. until you get into the tech of making something go fast.
my first stint at racing was on a hobie 18. won a north american championship in 97. my second stint is on mini motorcycles. been into minimoto for about a year and a half and its the greatest thing going. i am now selling the bikes in canada too. http://www.pocketbikes.ca is my site, with a forum, some photos and movies for you to laugh at.
For many of the same reasons everyone else has mentioned, plus the fact that Shaolin-do covers so many different styles. It is not only physically challenging it is mentally challenging.
Stonewolf
Why IT people with a girlfriend (or sentimental relationship of whatever kind) have to boast about it and patronize others like if it was a great discovery?
IANAL but write like a drunk one.
I have been in America, Europe, Asia and Africa.
By my quick reckoning I have visited around 20 different countries in the last 8 years.
Piano (Chopin Etudes, Bach Well Tempered Klavier, Beethoven Sonatas and other stuff thereabouts).
Concertgoing (classical music).
Moviegoing (non US movies mainly. Tired of Hollywood).
Reading.
Chess.
TV watching (if you choose carefuly what you watch, it is a great hobby).
Bonsai.
Etc.
IANAL but write like a drunk one.
I find history and astronomy to be very fascinating.
Daniel
Surely there must be other /. jugglers, it's multi-tasking in real time and relaxes those hunched backs and shoulders too.
Tai Chi makes those nanoseconds seem like minutes!
I road race my 2001 Viper. Modifications and maintenance take up some time, but not much, so I've also started building a 34 Ford chopped 5-window coupe with a blown Hemi 426 for drag racing (and street use, heh heh). And when I say "build" I really mean "build" -- I'm fabricating as much as possible in my garage -- the frame, suspension, all kinds of things. The stuff I don't fabricate still requires quite a bit of work to make it usable with the rest of the car. For example, the rear brakes will be my old stock front brake system from my Viper, and the driveline uses parts from no less than six different major auto manufacturers. It's kind of like assembling a giant 400HP jigsaw puzzle that was never originally one single piece...
Slashdot quality declines as the number of hot grits posts decreases. - Provolt's Law, Apr-09-2005
Chicks go wild when you dress as a fox / skunk / raccoon / leopard. I don't know why, but it definitely works for me.