Other Hobbies

[Anonymous]

Well you all will think I'm completely nuts, but I'm a zookeeper and animals have run my life for years. I raise parrots etc. here at home. I've gotten a little burnt out and it's time for a break. I've sold half of my breeding stock, but all the breeders are going. But Istill have snakes, and pet parrots(cockatoo, macaw,(2)pionus, and a caique), Ya time well spent, large beaks and trains are not a good combo. birds are NOT ALLOWED near my trains. This is where my screen name comes in " junglerail"

[Anonymous]

Matt:

I haven't read the very end. Of this list, but I will later today.
I'm 25 with two kids, lovely wife and a new cat.

Hobbies??? Well, MR has always been in my blood since my first Lionel at one and a half.

But I've since dabbled in gardening, particularly fruit bushes like raspberries and blackberries. I've tried and succeeded at fixing old railroad grade pocket watches and a couple of simple clocks.
Like a few other guys here, I attempt carpentry and household repairs, but usually end up calling in professionals (like my father).

I enjoy music and occassionally sing with small groups of friends. I also take time -- don't laugh -- for intense water aerobics with my wife at the local YMCA -- lost 15 pounds so far.

To dive deeper into railroading, I'm starting to research local ERIE topics for submission to the ELHS magazine. It's a way to relax my writing mind from a long day at work.

As an aside, if MR staff were smart, they would have picked five or ten entries from here and begun interviewing and writing profiles. From the number of replies so far ... we're all as interested in knowing each other as we are our communal hobby -- railroading in its many forms.

Keep posting everyone!
Ignatius

[LuthierTom]

Hmmm, lessee...

Plastic model airplanes (1/72-scale), computers, lutherie (stringed instrument construction and repair), woodworking, playing guitar, dogs and cats (literally), reading, sleeping...

[ATSFCLIFF]

Since retirement, I find more time for my other hobbies like photography, music,reading and travelling. Love visiting ancient historical sites especially if there are off the beaten track. Have more time to listen to my blues and jazz collection.
Railroad modelling is still my No.1 hobby!
Cheers,
Cliff

http://cliffordconceicao3310.fotopic.net/c328807.html

[Anonymous]

my wife and kids (all are MRRers also)
Trains are on top of the list N-scale H-O 1/32 1\20.3
NASCAR Go #20 Go # 11 Go#8 GO CHEVY
Racing Go Karts
Resoring my 3 model A fords
My LT1 Corvette (new Z-06 in a year or so)
Fishing (have a 3 acer pond in back yard with big bass in it)
Boating
MRRing takes most of my time right now. I jump around to the others from time to time.
Rodney

[trainnoobn]

astronomy ( home built 10 inch telescope), firearms, paintball, pc gaming, diecast police cars and police patches, scuba diving(been many years since the last time)...and now trains....just to name a few.....so much to do and so very little money to do it with... [:(]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Railroading_Brit
Militaria - bit of everything, but mostly Soviet stuff so far as it's plentiful and cheap. They also went in for very ornate medals and badges which appeal. Right now I'm trying to talk myself out of buying a replica modern US Army helmet and sand/sun goggles from one of the army surplus places over here (it would look kinda cool sitting on my PC...). That would tie in with my next one.

I have a PASGT kevlar I got off ebay for $52 w/shipping. In near mint condition too. I also got the same goggles you were referring to at a surplus store (should have got airsoft goggles instead). Woodland camo cover and the cat-eye band. I airsoft so I have a bunch of bits and pieces of military surplus.

I also model 1/87 ww2 vehicles. Collect coins and militaria. And a few not so serious stuff like rocks, old soda cans, and other odd stuff.

[bryanbell]

I like candlelight dinners and long walks on the beach........ sorry wrong website. [:p]
Other than MRRing, I play hockey (ice and roller), PS2 (mostly WWII shooter games) and Adult Swim on Cartoon Network.

Bryan

[waltersrails]

trains basketball mr trains trains and trains

[fiatfan]

I'm restoring a 1971 Fiat convertible. Since I've retired, I've started reading again (mostly SF). I also enjoy photography, golf and bicycling in the summer. As others have mentioned. I also like old movies. I also like to tinker with my computer but after 20 years, it's kind of losing its attraction. I still enjoy flight simulatorand hanging out on this and other forums.

In the fall, you can find me in front of the tv or radio listening to Nebraska football. I still have a few loose neds to tie after wroking for the last 40 years but once that is done, my wife and I are going to hit the raod again. It's definetly time for another road trip.

Tom

[Anonymous]

There are other hobbies???

I'm a single dad...who has time for hobbies?

I have been playing Ultima Online for over 4 years. I have a website set up about the game and I am a moderator on one of the fan Forums. But since I started back into model railroading in December I haven't played the game or been to the Forums much....maybe I should resign as Moderator??

~Edit~
With Spring coming my real life at the Renaissance Faire starts!!!! When I retire I think I may get a travel trailer and run away with them. (It's only in Dallas for 2 months so it slipped my feeble mind) [8D]

[PennsyHoosier]

I have too many hobbies. But since phisig03 brought it up, one is Ohio State football.

[zgardner18]

Well most of my hobbies are put on hold now that I have a son who I give all my time to when I come home. (I'm teaching him about trains). Work takes up the rest.

I used to enjoy everything that the beach had to offer. I grew up surfing the beaches of San Diego. Sand Volleyball and girls was up there too on the top of the list when the beach is mentioned. I used to snowboard a lot too.

Sports are a big love of mine. I've played every one of them too. I almost played Baseball for the Angels but I blew out my shoulder. I'm going to start playing hockey once again here next month. Golf is my new love but like the one guy said, I like golf but it doesn't like me.

In high school I was big into woodworking. I made a couple of pieces of furniture but nothing since. I did just inherit some old cast iron saws from my grandfather, so I'm going to try to get back into it.

I have a new love and it is photography. I only have two things that I shoot: my son and trains. Speaking of shooting I now belong to a trap shooting club. Yep, I’m 29 and last month I shot my first shotgun.

Last would be my love for desert racing. I have a 02 Ford Ranger. Someday it will run the Baja 1000.

Zak

[RMax1]

The IRS has me listed as a Professional Bowler this year. I am really a Professional Bowling Coach. It's nice to have what some people call their hobby as your profession. Since I grew up around Bowling Centers (they were alleys) I collect old Gottlieb pinball machines from the 60's and 70's. I'm also very into photography and old cameras. Model Railroading is my stress relief. At one time I had a corporate IT job that was high stress and trains were the way to relax. I could go into the den turn on the stereo or a train video and just tinker. I like to read about history and trains always fascinated me.

RMax1

[Anonymous]

My other hobby is slotcars, these run on commerical slotcar tracks, i have a large collection of them. Yes slot cars are still alive. Alot of you may remember back in the 60's slot cars were very popular. By the late 60's it started to die out but not completely. I have near were i live a slot car place that has been in operation since 1966. It is called the Race Place located at 2 locations, one is at the Collingswood flea market rts 33/34 Farmingdale nj, their other place is located about 2 miles east on rt33 Farmingdale nj. I go to a place called Trains and Lanes in Easton Pa. What is running today cann't believe the speed.

[loathar]

Plastic models.(cars,trains,military) Gardening and yard work in the summer. I own 5 acres so it keeps me pretty busy.
Scubaterry-Can't you go out on a boat and shoot? I used to do that all the time when I lived in Fl. Make up some floating targets that you can retrieve.If your ever in Tn, your welcome to shoot on my land.

[oleirish]

Lets See?????#1MRR #2Radio control{ planes,boats }#3Rail fanning.
used to to be an ham oprator.I love full size boats,have owned a few over the years,Huntting,fishing,artchery.Iam 64 so have slowed down some now!!
[:D][:)][:-,][(-D]
JIM

[Anonymous]

I have a couple other hobbies besides MRR. I have horses 4 to be excact on a small farm. That takes up alot of time in the summer. The rest of the summers is spent on one of my two boats. I have a sailboat 23' Seaward (my favorite) and a 30' Trojan sportfisherman. My wife doesnt like sailing so I bought the Trojan so we could spend time on the Chesapeake together. MRR is my winter hobby.

Steve

[Anonymous]

Let's see..

My other major time vacuum besides MRR is training for triathlons. I've done 9 Ironman distance tri's in the last 8 years and that peaks at about 12-14 hours training a week. So running, biking, swimming are major "hobbies."

Pick-up volleyball, plus I coach a middle school girl's team in the fall.

I'm coaching middle school boy's soccer right now.

Compter gaming.

Is that enough? [:)]

Mike Tennent

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mononguy63

I'm an amateur musician - Like mentioned by someone else earlier, I consider it a hobby because the bands pay lousy.

I'm a bass player in two bands plus a sound tech. Couldn't agree more about the pay making it a hobby.

As the joke goes.......

What the difference between a large pizza and a bass player??

The large pizza can feed a family of four!![swg]

[ehowe]

As a software developer by occupation, I enjoy writing software and working with the computer. (I'm a Mac guy.) I was into genealogy research quite a bit, and still come back to that now and then. I am interested in woodworking, and subscribe to a couple magazines, but I haven't actually built anything of note. I like home automation, reading (sci-fi/fantasy), working in the yard, doing work at church, playing with our dogs, and last, but certainly not least, spending time with my wife. Oh, and Michigan Football. And now I'm getting into MRR. Maybe if I give up sleep, I'll have time for everything...!

[Anonymous]

I enjoy Warhammer 40,000 alot, not as much as my trains, but almost as much, also enjoy music, reading, guitar, and going on the computer

[mopacforever]

Hunting, target shooting, fishing, restoring my 65 fastback mustang and motorcycle riding (touring on a bike with a tent and sleeping bag is the best way to see most of the European countries).

These are all my favorite hobies, but being in the military stationed overseas, my MR is the one thing that doesn't take up too much room (4X8 layout), I can add to my collection by buying online, it is reasonably light for shipping to the next post, and I can do it year round. Not to mention that there are model railroaders in most of the countries I get stationed in, so it is fun to see what they do with the local stuff. I get some really cool stuff to build relistic loads for my flat cars and gondolas due to some countries having things like exotic woods or brass on the cheap.

[Anonymous]

I have a few others:-

Land Rovers - "daily driver" is a '96 Discovery TDI that I hope to convert into a serious off-road machine one day.

Militaria - bit of everything, but mostly Soviet stuff so far as it's plentiful and cheap. They also went in for very ornate medals and badges which appeal. Right now I'm trying to talk myself out of buying a replica modern US Army helmet and sand/sun goggles from one of the army surplus places over here (it would look kinda cool sitting on my PC...). That would tie in with my next one.

Computing - fixing them, rescuing vintage PCs from recycling depots, playing a lot of Battlefield 1942 and Desert Combat as well as the old favourites like Counter Strike.

Reading - anything and everything. Big Jules Verne fan and currently working my way through Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes books. Got started on these after reading "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" by Alan Moore. All I can say is the film didn't do the book justice!

[bcawthon]

Collecting HO scale vehicles - have 2,000+ ranging up to a $500 brass Peterbilt 379 with Talbert lowboy trailer. Perhaps strange since my MRR scale is N.

Writing - brings in some money, but not regular enough to be full-time pro.

Photography - Enjoy taking photos and then spending hours refining or altering them in Photoshop.

Coaching soccer - started playing when I was a kid, long before it was fashionable in the U.S. Too old to play now, but enjoy coaching youth teams.

[tomikawaTT]

Science fiction - read it, and occasionally write some.

Gymnastics, but purely as a spectator.

NASCAR racing, ditto.

I don't consider house and grounds upkeep and minor repairs a hobby. More in the nature of a necessary nuisance.

Then there is my most time-consuming hobby - the lady who has shared my life for not quite half a century.

[trainfreek92]

I love trains. but I do have other hobbies. I like cars (my dad owns a used car lot on the side) I am when older going to make cars a full time job. I like to travel with my family Ride my Atv,Snowmobile,Dirtbike. When older i want to get a motercycle also. Many other things to..... Tim

[Anonymous]

Wow...good question. Currently looking or a new job comes in #1 even over MRR. I always liked gardening but for some reason I have to share the yard with 5 deer so that is not working out so well. WWII history. I collect books, Sinclair Lewis, Studs Terkel, Bill Mauldin, Walter Mosley, and any mystery writers first published book. Oh, and cookbooks. Old cookbooks. Some were in the house is a stamp collection that my Grandfather got me started on when I was 8 and I worked on for 16 years.

[trainfan1221]

I have always had a few other interests, I like to travel to see different places, though I don't get to much. I also used to be interested in astronomy (not to be confused with astrology) and meteorology. The second one I might have turned into a career if I had stuck with it. I also collect things, all different kinds of stuff, with what limited room I have. When half your bedroom is a train layout, it doesn't leave much room for anything else.