Hobbies and such

[Boris]

I play Chess with my 7 y/o son, early, every morning, 7 days a week.

That's awesome. My son is early teens and it's tough to get him to do much with me, but we still play cards from time to time for change and it's always a good time win or lose.

[Blaidd Drwg]

I play Chess with my 7 y/o son, early, every morning, 7 days a week.

That's awesome. My son is early teens and it's tough to get him to do much with me, but we still play cards from time to time for change and it's always a good time win or lose.

My son hides in the bushes wearing a ghillie suit and shoots me with an airsoft rifle. occasionally while I'm watching TV he will slap a choke or an arm bar on me. I think most of my hobbies in the future are going to be about rational self defense and less about father son bonding.

[kreator]

Cooking, eating, going to restaurants, cafes and such, less now though with my reduced income.

I'm pretty into all the metal genres so finding new bands and developing opinions on them is a sort of hobby in itself.

Been doing more camping and general outdoor stuff recently and less actual running. Mostly lifting now.

[Alfred_E._Neuman]

When I retire I'll pick up a hobby like woodworking or maybe getting back into restoring old British sports cars, but my working wit my hands fetish is taken care of being an auto tech. I've got loads of respect for people who can take raw materials and make them into a finished product. I can fix anything that's broken on any machine made, but creating from scratch has always eluded me.

Would love to build my own recreational level skull to take to the lake and row.

[Boris]

My son hides in the bushes wearing a ghillie suit and shoots me with an airsoft rifle. occasionally while I'm watching TV he will slap a choke or an arm bar on me. I think most of my hobbies in the future are going to be about rational self defense and less about father son bonding.

I imagine Kato and Inspector Clouseau - sounds like a good time.

[DrDonkeyLove]

I like to ramble online about things of which I'm rather ignorant. Beyond that it's lifting a bit of weight, a little qigong, and experimenting with Krav Maga.

Need to up the level of outdoor activity.

[Blaidd Drwg]

My son hides in the bushes wearing a ghillie suit and shoots me with an airsoft rifle. occasionally while I'm watching TV he will slap a choke or an arm bar on me. I think most of my hobbies in the future are going to be about rational self defense and less about father son bonding.

I imagine Kato and Inspector Clouseau - sounds like a good time.

Very much so.

[baffled]

I sharpen. Pretty much everything, though I do a lot of kitchen knives lately.

A few years back, I'd picked up a ZT after recommendations I got from here. Around that time I'd realized that my knives just sort of sat there and got replaced once they'd gone dull for whatever reason. I figured if I'd just spent $150 or whatever on that knife, I should be sure to maintain it properly, which included keeping a keen edge.

That led me down the rabbit hole of steel types, "super steels", different sharpening stones, systems, edge geometries, intended usage etc. Now, I can sharpen just about anything other than those $500 salon shears.

I've got nearly a complete shop that includes water stones, diamond plates, a belt sander, a few strops... Just need a water cooled sharpening wheel of some sort and I think I'd be there, but that's overkill since I rarely get paid to sharpen.

A blessing and a curse for my particular brand of OCD.

[Thud]

Baff, there was an old Italian guy with a van who used to cruise through the neighborhoods sharpening knives, hedge trimmers, scissors, whatever. The 'burban moms would run out there like a kid to the Good Humor truck. The local message boards are full of threads asking if he's been around of late, when will he be back, oh how we miss him, etc.

I have no idea if there's a living to be made in it, but he's got something of a cult following and can probably get laid a hundred times a day by any cougar with more than a handful of dull knives. Food for thought...

[Really Big Strong Guy]

I sharpen. Pretty much everything, though I do a lot of kitchen knives lately.

A few years back, I'd picked up a ZT after recommendations I got from here. Around that time I'd realized that my knives just sort of sat there and got replaced once they'd gone dull for whatever reason. I figured if I'd just spent $150 or whatever on that knife, I should be sure to maintain it properly, which included keeping a keen edge.

That led me down the rabbit hole of steel types, "super steels", different sharpening stones, systems, edge geometries, intended usage etc. Now, I can sharpen just about anything other than those $500 salon shears.

I've got nearly a complete shop that includes water stones, diamond plates, a belt sander, a few strops... Just need a water cooled sharpening wheel of some sort and I think I'd be there, but that's overkill since I rarely get paid to sharpen.

A blessing and a curse for my particular brand of OCD.

You and I could talk for hours. The axes for my sport are razor sharp implements. I modify edges for certain types of timber and use every grinder, and edging tool, known to man to get a rough axe head race ready. Labor of love. Have a colleague who is much better at it than me; he can do in 2 hours what takes me 20. Got away from it, but getting back into it.

[Dunn]

I sharpen. Pretty much everything, though I do a lot of kitchen knives lately.

A few years back, I'd picked up a ZT after recommendations I got from here. Around that time I'd realized that my knives just sort of sat there and got replaced once they'd gone dull for whatever reason. I figured if I'd just spent $150 or whatever on that knife, I should be sure to maintain it properly, which included keeping a keen edge.

That led me down the rabbit hole of steel types, "super steels", different sharpening stones, systems, edge geometries, intended usage etc. Now, I can sharpen just about anything other than those $500 salon shears.

I've got nearly a complete shop that includes water stones, diamond plates, a belt sander, a few strops... Just need a water cooled sharpening wheel of some sort and I think I'd be there, but that's overkill since I rarely get paid to sharpen.

A blessing and a curse for my particular brand of OCD.

This is how my own operates. It's how I now have more KBs than a gym and my wood shop now has industry grade equipment starting to collect in there. There are worse ways to live.

[Shapecharge]

Hey Baff if'n you don't mind when you have time throw together a short instructional on how to sharpen good kitchen knives. I've got a stone and thought I kinda knew what I was doing but in reality I don't. That would be pretty fucking cool broheim.

[davidc]

I play Chess with my 7 y/o son, early, every morning, 7 days a week.

The value of this hobby cannot be overstated.

I was a musician from 5th grade through college, and sang in choirs for most of that time, too. I have an art degree and taught that for a while.
Now, I drive the van for my kids' summer and winter choir tours, and I help them with their art projects. My wife is also an artist, but her real talent is music. She teaches at the college level and performs professionally. My kids have their mother's talent, so most of what I do is to support them in their practice and performances.

[syaigh]

My youngest son and I sing in the car together. Sometimes to the radio, sometimes its an opera of our own making. No one needs to hear that. My oldest son gets me to coach everything he does (except baseball), I think I'm his lucky charm. He thinks he can do anything if I'm cheering him on and offering vague advice. We're currently training for a half marathon together and I'm coaching his cross country team. (insert laugh track) My daughter and I share art and sarcasm. Although I did recently sign up for a drawing class which is one day and I'm taking my dad with me.

I have no "me" time. My weekends away are coaching various events and even when I compete, I'm still coaching my athletes.

So, sometimes, in the middle of the day, when no one is home, I binge watch old episodes of law and order and eat pepperidge farm ginger man cookies.

[Bobby]

Hey Baff if'n you don't mind when you have time throw together a short instructional on how to sharpen good kitchen knives. I've got a stone and thought I kinda knew what I was doing but in reality I don't. That would be pretty fucking cool broheim.

I really need to learn how to sharpen knives,both kitchen and outdoor/military knives.

[Fuzzy Dunlop]

Goddamn some of you guys seem to be really good at making time for fun!

I ride my bike twice a week and before my son was born was hiking once or twice a month. On top of that, I go to the gym after work 1-2 times a week. Surf sporadically, though there are periods where I get out once a week, I'm still terrible.

I wish I would get out camping more often and see more live music. I'd also like to build stuff, but I live in an apartment so there's not really anywhere to have any sort of shop. I'm definitely envious of the amount of shit some of you do.

EDIT: also wish I'd get to more sporting events... 3.5 years in LA, 1 doyers game, 2 kings games, 1 lakers game, 2 UCLA football games.

[The Ginger Beard Man]

I've started learning about watches; maybe someday I'll have money for a collection.
I've found a forum, a podcast, and a crapload of Instagram pages and YouTube channels. I'm on dive watches for now, and want to start learning about movements.

There's a marina in Brooklyn Bridge Park now, and next year I'd like to find time for sailing lessons.

[vern]

Apart from the physical stuff, I do a lot of cooking and play a lot of chess.

I didn't really get into the game until I was thirty, so I'm making up for lost time. We have a pretty strong group in town that meets at the coffee house three times a week.

It's a bit of a rabbit hole, but the better you get the more interesting the game becomes. I can't even imagine how it would be to appreciate chess at the highest levels.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMe-hvCwTRo[/youtube]

[The Venerable Bogatir X]

I play Chess with my 7 y/o son, early, every morning, 7 days a week.

That's awesome. My son is early teens and it's tough to get him to do much with me, but we still play cards from time to time for change and it's always a good time win or lose.

My son hides in the bushes wearing a ghillie suit and shoots me with an airsoft rifle. occasionally while I'm watching TV he will slap a choke or an arm bar on me. I think most of my hobbies in the future are going to be about rational self defense and less about father son bonding.

LOL. My boy will declare "chop, chop, nacho!" at the top of his lungs, and then come after me with his MMA stuff. The ghillie suit stuff is a nice cottage side biz if he has the interest. One of my buddies in NC, who worked for me at my kennel was a USMC TOW missile guy and would make suits for hunters as an additional side gig.....his name got around the area and made some nice side cash with that, IIRC.

[The Venerable Bogatir X]

Apart from the physical stuff, I do a lot of cooking and play a lot of chess.

I didn't really get into the game until I was thirty, so I'm making up for lost time. We have a pretty strong group in town that meets at the coffee house three times a week.

It's a bit of a rabbit hole, but the better you get the more interesting the game becomes. I can't even imagine how it would be to appreciate chess at the highest levels.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMe-hvCwTRo[/youtube]

I am a total chess novice and my boy destroys me, my wife, my daughter, much of the time. He has kicked my brother in law's ass, too. He is actually starting chess club this coming Friday, I am looking forward to seeing how he handles it, and 'up's his game' so to speak. He makes moves with his Knights that I just don't see them coming, and God knows, I taught him the game, he just seems to be running with it....his use of Knights is very slick. I suck with Knights. He clearly loves it, though. My daughter gets mad when she loses at anything, so she is less enthusiastic about it. Beats the shit out of video games.

[baffled]

Hey Baff if'n you don't mind when you have time throw together a short instructional on how to sharpen good kitchen knives. I've got a stone and thought I kinda knew what I was doing but in reality I don't. That would be pretty fucking cool broheim.

Sure thing, Shape.

I'll see if I can get a rough sketch out of my thought process, if not, then I'll definitely get it posted before the weekend is out.

[baffled]

I sharpen. Pretty much everything, though I do a lot of kitchen knives lately.

A few years back, I'd picked up a ZT after recommendations I got from here. Around that time I'd realized that my knives just sort of sat there and got replaced once they'd gone dull for whatever reason. I figured if I'd just spent $150 or whatever on that knife, I should be sure to maintain it properly, which included keeping a keen edge.

That led me down the rabbit hole of steel types, "super steels", different sharpening stones, systems, edge geometries, intended usage etc. Now, I can sharpen just about anything other than those $500 salon shears.

I've got nearly a complete shop that includes water stones, diamond plates, a belt sander, a few strops... Just need a water cooled sharpening wheel of some sort and I think I'd be there, but that's overkill since I rarely get paid to sharpen.

A blessing and a curse for my particular brand of OCD.

You and I could talk for hours. The axes for my sport are razor sharp implements. I modify edges for certain types of timber and use every grinder, and edging tool, known to man to get a rough axe head race ready. Labor of love. Have a colleague who is much better at it than me; he can do in 2 hours what takes me 20. Got away from it, but getting back into it.

There are those savants who can take an edge that's chipped, rolled, had the tip busted etc, and bring it back to shaving sharp in what seems like no time.

I hate those people.

[nafod]

Apart from the physical stuff, I do a lot of cooking and play a lot of chess.

I didn't really get into the game until I was thirty, so I'm making up for lost time. We have a pretty strong group in town that meets at the coffee house three times a week.

It's a bit of a rabbit hole, but the better you get the more interesting the game becomes. I can't even imagine how it would be to appreciate chess at the highest levels.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMe-hvCwTRo[/youtube]

I am a total chess novice and my boy destroys me, my wife, my daughter, much of the time. He has kicked my brother in law's ass, too. He is actually starting chess club this coming Friday, I am looking forward to seeing how he handles it, and 'up's his game' so to speak. He makes moves with his Knights that I just don't see them coming, and God knows, I taught him the game, he just seems to be running with it....his use of Knights is very slick. I suck with Knights. He clearly loves it, though. My daughter gets mad when she loses at anything, so she is less enthusiastic about it. Beats the shit out of video games.

How do chess fans do the wave?

With their eyebrows.

[Mickey O'neil]

I play Chess with my 7 y/o son, early, every morning, 7 days a week.

That's awesome. My son is early teens and it's tough to get him to do much with me, but we still play cards from time to time for change and it's always a good time win or lose.

My son hides in the bushes wearing a ghillie suit and shoots me with an airsoft rifle. occasionally while I'm watching TV he will slap a choke or an arm bar on me. I think most of my hobbies in the future are going to be about rational self defense and less about father son bonding.

^Ha! That is awesome! Haha!

[Really Big Strong Guy]

I play Chess with my 7 y/o son, early, every morning, 7 days a week.

That's awesome. My son is early teens and it's tough to get him to do much with me, but we still play cards from time to time for change and it's always a good time win or lose.

My son hides in the bushes wearing a ghillie suit and shoots me with an airsoft rifle. occasionally while I'm watching TV he will slap a choke or an arm bar on me. I think most of my hobbies in the future are going to be about rational self defense and less about father son bonding.

This is absolutely fantastic!!! The inspector clouseau/kato analogy is perfect.