Other Hobbies

[phisig03]

I hope I don't get shot down for posting frivilous topics like some other people have been acused of on here recently but I am trying to get to know the community a little better.

What other hobbies, or activities do you guys enjoy other than MRR? I am a huge sports fan. Mostly local sports around here. Tigers, Red Wings, Michigan football. I follow the Pistons somewhat (which isn't hard to do here with their recent success, but I am not a huge basketball fan). Most of all I am a long suffering Lions fan! I have season tickets, though I don't know why. I can imagine that $600/yr going to a lot of good MRR supplies and equipment, but what can you do, I feel someday they will win (probably when I am 85).

I also like to listen to old time radio shows. My wife always jokes that I was born too late. She's right, I am 27 but I have XM Radio and listen to the Old Time Radio station a lot. My favorites being Gunsmoke & Suspense. I also grew up watching 50s & 60s repeats on Nick at Night. I also enjoy classic rock MUCH better than any of the so called "music" that is churned out these days! I enjoy studying history and am fasinated by everything that has come before me (i.e. many books on the history of Detroit & Michigan). And I also, of course, enjoy everything to do with real railroading.

So that's a snap shot into my likes.

[Anonymous]

I brew my own beer and restore vintage radios. I'm also a very good carpenter, but that's less "hobby" for me than "I like building my own furniture instead of buying it".

[Adelie]

Hi Matt,

Like most married men, my biggest activity aside from work is doing what my wife tells me. [(-D]

Well, I despise the Red Wings, which would tell you I am a hockey fan not from Detroit. Although, I live in a distant suburb of Washington, DC. As you know, we do not have major league hockey here! I actually grew up in St. Louis and got introduced to the Blues at an early age since our neighbor was a season ticket holder back in the late 60's and early 70's. I'm also a big NFL fan. I can sympathize with your feelings of futility with the Lions. I was a Cardinals (football) season ticket holder back in my St. Louis days. It did teach me the importance of managing one's expectations.

Otherwise, I like Blues and Jazz of various flavors and classic rock. I've spouted your views on classic rock vs. contemporary noise, uh, music on numerous instances. I used to play golf, and if we ever wind up in a place where it takes less than 6 hours to play a round (courses here too crowded), I'd take that up again. Otherwise, I'm a computer hardware and operating system "tinkerer."

[selector]

FWIW, you won't get any flak from me. I think a few members here get irritated when the same three or four posters have six threads going daily, and not one of them adds, in their opinion, much value to the hobby or to the forum, in general.

My other hobby, on hold these past few years, is Astronomy. I intend to build a small roll-off roof observatory out at our garage, but that won't happen for a year or four. I have had the scope for many years, and it is still in very good condition, but it gets little use because it is so very heavy.

I also enjoy choral singing very much, and am active in the North Island Choral Society. I teach Leadership and Ethics, and other undergrad Psych courses for the Military Psychology and Leadership faculty at Canada's Royal Military College part-time using WebCT.

I am a runner, enjoy snowshoeing up at Mt. Washington when I can, and also enjoy cycling.

Needless to say, I am crazy about model railroads...just ask my wife.

Regards,

-Crandell

[jecorbett]

Golf.

I don't get enough aggravation from MR.

[Jetrock]

My string of hobbies is generally pretty huge. I perform experimental music and DJ at nightclubs, both activities I consider hobbies because I enjoy them and they don't pay very well. History is a serious hobby of mine, one that model railroading definitely fuels (I am writing a history of the local streetcar system where I live) and may end up eventually being a job--I am going back to school for my master's degree in history, and most likely my thesis will be something railroad-related. I used to be very much into reading science fiction and comics, but lately just about everything I read is either nistory or model railroad related! Computers and technology is another one of those hobbies I used to pursue actively but is now kind of on hold...and some hobbies I used to pursue, like leatherwork, were largely things I did because I wanted something crafty to do but hadn't yet realized that model railroading was more fun!

[Anonymous]

I guess I'm the country boy of the group, so far... My daylight ours during fall are spent in a tree stand. My daylight hours in spring are spent in the turkey woods. Summer yields to fishing.

My night time hours are spent on the Greatest Hobby in the World, of course... MRR!

[Don Z]

Hi Matt,

I'd have to say my biggest hobby other than working on my first layout would be woodworking. I've collected so many 'gotta have it' tools over the years that it now takes me a couple of hours to get the woodshop ready to start another project besides my benchwork.

Why is it we never have enough room for our hobbies, but more than enough room to collect all of the trappings we feel we must have to keep up with the neighbors????

Don Z.

[CP5415]

I love most kinds of music, especially blues & classic rock.
I like being around cars which is probably the reason I got into specifying parts at a new car dealership.
Renovations, especially the demolition part of it. I think I'm starting to get good at it too!
I collect coins & paper currency, model cars usually from Mother Mopar & or Ferrari.
Driving my wife up the wall.
Spending time with my family.
I like cycling, but usually never have the chance to get out due to above commitments.
Board & computer games are another past time of mine.
Helping people, especially with vehicle child restraints, making sure they are installed properly.
Enjoying life, summer's almost here!

Gordon

[RedGrey62]

Other than MRR, I too am a big sports fan. I am luck y in that my wife is a bigger sports nut than me. I usually find a way to combine my love of trains, especially model types, with the sports. We usually hit one NASCAR event each year, one NFL about every other year (Go Chiefs), baseball (Cardinals for her, Cubs for me), and one NHL game, Go Avalanche! I get to go to Caboose Hobbies when we're in Denver, and I have some places/folks I visit when I'm in the other cities.

Another hobby is history, mostly focused on railroading, but also military and general history too,

Rick

[Anonymous]

Fly fishing for trout and salmong, but thats more of an addiction than a hobby.
Tying flies (to enable the already mentioned addiction)
Camping
Deer hunting
Electronics/computers

New to the list are changing diapers, 2:00 a.m. feedings, and finding ways to amuse my son. :)

- Tim

[Anonymous]

My other hobbies besides HO Model Railroading are, landscape gardening, , miniature plant cultivation, watching real trains, watching train videos, reading train books and Garden Railroading. All in all it seems I have too many hobbies, and should probably narrow it done to one or two, like Model RR'ng and maybe reading train books or watching train videos.
Oh yeah, I guess I should mention, I also have a semi-professional telescope and various accessories for looking at the planets, galaxies and nebula, including a telescope-specific camera, a custom set of golf clubs, but those items are collecting dust, and take too much time away from Model Railroading in HO so I guess they could not fall under the heading as hobbies.
Another thing I forgot is I have a complete recording studio with many musical instruments that I know how to play but who needs that when you can super detail a model train or structure and hand lay code 55 track with a NMRA track gage.

[SpaceMouse]

Dressing up like an idiot and blastin stuff.....er....uh......Cowboy Action Shooting

[Anonymous]

What! You mean there's other hobbies? I'm 76 years old and though I've tried some, I haven't found any worth the time and effort other than the great hobby of model railroading and rail fanning. It's a lifelong hobby.
"Ole Man" Earl Randolph
(Green River)

[Anonymous]

Other hobbies and activities include photography (trains, landscapes & architecture are specific interests), travel, reading, Star Trek (no laughing.....) & music, both as listener and musician: I play keyboards and pilot a keyboard rig with three synthesizers (and you thought model railroading was an expensive hobby.....).

[Virginian]

Hunting fishing, shooting - I was getting just into Cowboy shooting fairly serious when eye trouble took the fun out of that, taking care of my '66 GTO, college football to the max (GO Hokies !!!), the History Channel and Civil War stuff.

[Anonymous]

Upland and waterfowl hunting. Training dogs for that hunting. Rifle (both large and small bore) and shotgun shooting sports. Hope to get into NRA handgun sports. Engineering school at Rutgers, where its just me and students from China, India, Iran, etc.

Greg

[Anonymous]

Nascar and little league baseball, playing Snood on my pc, installing DCC and sound for my friend (and yes, making a few bucks along the way)!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Nascar and little league baseball, playing Snood on my pc, installing DCC and sound for my friends (and yes, making a few bucks along the way)!!!!!!!

[RedLeader]

Let's see... An Amazon aquarium and a reef aquarium, just about the same money spending as MR. Aviation history and WWII. Classical Music. Once a week golf and of course, the Lodge. I also love Architecture and art.

[scubaterry]

Well I am a Scuba Instructor which is still fun after fifteen years. Other than MRR however my most enjoyable hobby is throwing Knifes and Tomahawks (Hawks). I have several very used targets set up in the side yard. My best Hawk throw was approx 55 ft into a 2 ft x 3 ft target. Hawk throwing is easier than knife throwing so I guess if I had to pick one I would go with the knife. More of a challenge so more reward when I get six bulls in a row. Great stress reliever. I walk out the back door of the "Dungeon" (trainroom) and I have my throwing range. If Workin on the Railroad starts to get to me I go out and beat up a chunk of tree.
Terry[8D]

[Anonymous]

Hi, Terry. Where are you an instructor? Me and my brother took our open water test at a place that worked out of a hotel in Key Largo...... I can't remember the name. Really nice place. Marriott, maybe.

Greg

[dhilyer]

I, like Mark, try to keep the Boss happy by doing my "honey do's". That way she lets me enjoy my other interests that include hunting (deer, turkey, dove, and quail), golf, and scuba diving. I spend a lot of my time doing woodworking projects which helps a lot in MRR. College football is high on my list of activities. I do not miss an Auburn home game (only 8 miles from my house).

However, above all those interests, I enjoy spending quality time with my son. G-Man and I share a lot of the same interest. He loves to hunt and he can't get enough of MRR. There is no greater joy in the world than to watch his eyes light up when he turns the throttle and those trains start around the track. BTW: G is 5.

That's me in a nut shell !!!!

[Anonymous]

Me, myself and I also garden (garden railroading not pracical in my hood) and I photograph animals for the Dearborn Animal Shelter (when time permits) to put up on their web site. I also tinker on mini-bikes. Not the kind that look like mini rice rockets. I have the old style that use modified Brigg & Stratton engines.

[mononguy63]

I'm an amateur musician - I play trombone & tuba in a clown band and an out-of-work big band. Like mentioned by someone else earlier, I consider it a hobby because the bands pay lousy.

[metalfrog]

well model rring is #1 but im also a ham radio operator and i keep freshwater tropical fish.like to put together electronic kits and listen to trance and progressive trance dance music as well as eurodance music.absolutely love NFL music and them oakland raiders.terry........

[jblackwelljr]

Too many hobbies, although I think MRR may displace some of them. I have a ’66 Porsche that I struggle to keep running in the spring/summer seasons. I collect (I’m up to 11) and play guitars and do some home recording. I’m VP of a local community theatre group and have done a fair amount of acting in the past 5 years – my wife calls me a bad actor. My running is reduced to walking nowadays because of old knees. I also partake in single malt scotch now and again – not a habit, just an interest. I'm also and old-movie buff. And now model railroading. When I’m not hobbying and working, I help my wife run her little (kinda like The Coffee Shop - except the food's not lousy) restaurant.

[cheese3]

im addition to trains i enjoy firefighting, woodwork, metalwork / blacksmithing, running, painting(pictures and like regular house painting) Im big into Music.

[on30francisco]

I enjoy reading, traveling to off-beat places, music (classic jazz, big bands, classic rock, R&B, oldies, old pop, disco), taking long walks in San Francisco, collecting and burning to CD-Rs (for enjoyment purposes only) obscure vinyls (and some shellacks). I also like classic sci-fi, Lost In Space (the series), Star Trek, science, and old movies.

[RoyalOaker]

Other hobbie's, Who has time for other hobbie's

Actually, I enjoy watching the Red Wings and the Lions. I coach my kids soccer team. I am involved with the children's ministry in my church. I play softball in the spring. I like fishing and camping. I also enjoy Stargate on the Sci Fi channel.

peace,