Hobbies . . .What are yours?
 

I was thinking this morning about how hobbies are so good for us and important. They are a great way to relax and just get lost in our interest(s). So, I thought it would be fun to see what everyone's hobbies are.

Mine -

I love to read, when my brain allows it.:p When I'm a little slow with my comprehension or my focus/concentration is giving me trouble, I will read magazines online (usually decorating/design magazines like BHG). I like all sorts of books. I just went through my historical fiction phase and am back to mysteries. I going to start reading a book titled "Chasing The Night" bu Iris Johansen. I'm only on page 1. :p:p I had to put it down due to company coming yesterday.

I also paint and do artwork. I find that I can get lost in painting and it relaxes me so much. I also like doing detailed designs as I can get lost in those and believe it or not, when I focus so much I forget about the pain for a while - until it screams at me to change positions IMMEDIATELY!

I'm starting to learn about paper crafts. Not scrapbooking but designing and creating things with just paper. On the BHG site they have something called paper piecing where you cut designed paper and make things such as flowers with it. Pretty cool and a great indoor summer activity.

I read, and I also crochet and knit. I've been crocheting longer than I've been knitting. Learned to crochet when I was 5 or 6yrs old and it's been my favorite hobby ever since. I only learned to knit in 2006, the weekend that my MS made itself known to me with some optic neuritis.

Wasnt going to do anything with the knitting at first, but the day after I learned, I woke up with a giant blind spot in my eye. Was freaked out and to keep myself calm, I had my dad stop at the yarn store on my way to the eye doctor and I bought myself some circular needles (2 needles held together with a plastic cable) and some really ugly yarn. I didnt have my color vision at the time so I didnt know just how ugly the yarn was. Knitted a scarf over the next several months as I got diagnosed. My dad claimed the Ugly Scarf and uses it every winter now. Says it's the warmest scarf he's ever had.

Other hobbies that I have are sewing. I have a machine and a huge stash of fabric, but I havent sewn anything for awhile. I cant make clothes, but I can do some really basic quilting. I need to get my machine out and play with it some more.

I want to learn another hobby. Japanese braiding that's called "Kumihimo". You use a loom, either a plastic disk you hold in your hand, or a wooded one that stands on the floor. I want to get the wooden loom, called a "marudai", and learn it that way. I'm going to make my own loom. Going to go to a garage sale and see if I can get a wooden stool for cheap. Then I'm going to drill a hole in the seat to make the loom. I'll have to sand that down so the wood isnt rough.

Hope that I can find a wooden stool soon. My dad said he'd drill the hole for me, as long as I'm the one who sands it.

Since I purchased my new Kindle, Reading 99c Mystery Novels is my New/old hobby.:cool:

I have been through the hobby field pretty thoroughly and find reading takes me away and makes me happy. The other hobbies are too much work, since I've become lazier..:D

Thanks Trish.:)

Two things I love to do are read and cook. I do alot of each! I guess eating goes along with cooking :o so I try my best to only cook healthy things.

Apparently, taking care of cats is also one of my strong points. :rolleyes: We have three more babies in the back yard today. Please, oh please, let these be the last ones. I'm gonna go broke trying to feed all these sweet little things.

Erin - That's cool! I hope you find a stool soon too. When you do, post some pics of it done and the braiding that you do. I would love to see them.

Sally - Reading is a great hobby. I used to breeze through a book a weekend. I don't have a reader and am not sure I could read things on a screen as it bothers my eyes too much (I tried it on the gutenberg project site). Plus, if my cog problems are acting up, I have to flip back pages all the time. It's a pain on a reader. My mom has one and was showing me it and we talked about that.

Kelly - Every time I see or hear Paula Deen, I think of you. I know, I've told you that before. She always seems to cook such amazing things, albeit probably high in fat. I used to love to watch her show. She appears so down to earth in her kitchen. Maybe you can write a cookbook with all your awesome recipes, which I have tried. And, being a cat "rescuer" is an ok hobby as it brings the satisfaction that you saved their little lives and took care of them. You are a real sweetie!!!:hug:

tkrik - I also have a Kindle, and it doesnt hurt the eyes at all. It's just like reading a real book, except that it's not heavy like some books I've read. (I'd love to reread the Harry Potter books, but even the paperbacks are heavier than my Kindle)

The Kindle isnt backlit like a computer screen, so it's easier on the eyes. Just like a real book.

Flipping back a few pages is easy too. Just push the Page buttons and you can flip back. I read more now with my Kindle than I had been since getting diagnosed because the Kindle is lighter, and I can carry tons of reading material and not worry about the weight of all those books.

What reader does your mom have???

I always had in mind a hobby being something like knitting or stamp collecting, and didn't think I had any. But by definition, a hobby is any activity or interest undertaken for enjoyment during your leisure time.

So I would have to say a few of my hobbies are reading, playing the piano badly, Red Sox baseball, maps, perennial gardening, writing, sitting in a lawn chair in the shade watching the chickens...

I like restoring old photos back to their new looking state. Since my vision has gone sideways I simply cant read anymore. I was in tears in church today because I couldnt read the words in the hymnal. my vision is going, and that makes me mad. it has taken away many of my hobbies like video games, or reading, knitting, crochet, and so on. I guess I will have to find new hobbies.

#1 is art . . . but taking a break due to worsening carpal tunnel symptoms. After that is bird watching in my backyard, film (independent film and foreign flicks especially), cooking/baking, and I dabble in a debate forum in one of my favorite web forums. I dream of hiking in the mountains and forests again someday . . . so dreaming is another hobby of mine!

I forgot bird-watching! Thanks for reminding me!

I wouldn't like reading a book on the PC, either, but the Kindle has a special something in the screen, that makes it glare free and just like reading a book. And I can make the font bigger for me weak old eyes.:D

I found it hard to hold a heavy book and turn pages and the print was too small. I didn't think I'd like it, the Kindle, if it were like reading on a computer, but it isn't and I love it.

I sit it on my lap, sit back, push a leetle button to turn pages and enjoy. I only have to charge it about once per month.:)

Erin - My mom has a Sony. I guess you get used to it after using it for a bit. I may have to think about investing in one. I know I can download books on to them from my local library, which is pretty cool.

B2Y - By definition, you are right. Anything that we do for leisure would be considered a hobby. It is so cool to read what others are doing as their hobbies. Stamp collecting would be cool. I have often thought of collecting antique pins and brooches. I thought of that because they are small and easy to store or put in a glass display case or box, and some of them have really cool designs and colors. The Art Deco era has lots of cool ones!!!

Lefthanded - Maybe some of the hobbies that others are listing may be of interest to you. Yes, your artwork is amazing and you are very talented and I can see why it is your #1 hobby.

Dej - :hug: It is so hard to give up the things we love to do. I gave up gardening a long time ago. I love getting my hands in the soil and the smell of the earth. I love to watch things grow and nurture them and harvest the fruit/veggie that I grew. But, I found new things to entertain me. I hope you find something that will work for you and as I mentioned to Lefthanded, maybe reading what others do will inspire you.

Sally - Yeah, I may have to really check them out. Maybe my Mom will let me use hers for a little bit. NOT! :D She loves it.

You all have such neat hobbies and interests. I love hearing about them and also find it inspirational.

The Sony Reader, in my opinion, is one of the least user friendly ereaders that I've seen. I almost bought one when they first came out, and am really glad that I canceled that order and ended up with the first Kindle later that year instead. I dont think I would have fallen in love with ereaders if I'd gotten the Sony first. I do have friends who adore their Sony readers tho. It all depends on what a person prefers.

The Kindle is "idiot proof". Even my mom can use one. and she's the least technical person I know. (she had a head injury 50+yrs ago and has memory problems) She can barely turn on her computer without us telling her what buttons to push. (she doesnt read often enough to steal my Kindle from me yet, but she borrowed one of my Kindles once to read her dad's books) If my grandmother were still around, I'd probably have given my extra Kindle to her by now. My extra Kindle is now the backup for my dad and I if one of our other Kindles dies.

I've looked at the Nook (Barnes & Noble), and the Kobo (Borders bookstore), and I'm pretty sure the newer versions of those (not the NookColor tho) are also fairly easy to use too.

The Kindle has the best bookstore selection. I've got the apps for the Nook and Kobo readers on my iPad/iPod, and have looked to see if they had books that Amazon didnt have. Havent been able to find a book on their bookstores that Amazon doesnt have. Most times I cant find books that Amazon has on the other bookstores sites.

The thing that those other readers have going for them is access to the library. (Kindle is getting that soon)

Amazon's Kindle customer service is wonderful. Every time I've had to contact them, things have been fixed really quick.

I think any ereader is great tho, even tho I think the Kindle is the best. I think anything that helps someone be able to read is great.

Reading is my favorite thing to do, and if I couldnt do it, I would go bonkers. When I had optic neuritis back in 2006, and couldnt read comfortably for a few months, I was looking into learning to read Braille, (learned the Braille alphabet when I was in grade school) and also spent about $60 on a computer program that would read to me. I could at least then get fan fiction on the internet and have the computer read that to me so I wouldnt go completely insane. I was so happy to get my Kindle later that year so I could make the print bigger.

I have past hobbies that if I got off my lazy but I could take up again. I used to do counted cross stitch and quilting. Some of the cross stitch designs I made myself. I love to read, whether book books or e book on my Nook. I love watching after my dust bunnies and the many babies they make in my house. I love computer browsing especially here at Neurotalk. I love doing and making things with my little grand daughters. I love my reality shows and talking about them. I guess my hobbies don't go very deep do they.

I don't think hobbies are required to be deep. Well, unless your hobby is diving. (Right, Wkikta?)

Ok . . .I was doing some online research and looking for inspiration for some of my artwork. I came across something that I had long forgotten . . . quilling. When I was in grade school a friend of mine's mom did quilling. She did a whole dollhouse and I remember being so incredibly impressed by it. It's an inexpensive hobby, but time consuming. Check out these eggs. I just think they are so pretty. There's lots of information on the internet about it. I could certain coil and twirl strips of paper. It would also be a great inside summer activity. I am going to give it a try with some strips of regular paper to see if I like it.

http://www.naqg.org/membergallery/ca...her/index.html

I had to go find this one but check out this . . . all done with strips of paper and quilling! Amazing!

http://strictlypaper.com/blog/wp-con...a1-315x287.jpg

Cycling, scuba diving, bird watching, camping, fishing, hunting, woodworking. Those are my main ones...now if I could just get the time, money, and opportunity all together at the same time to do any of them. Seems like all I do now is work...

Well, you could camp out on the beach, cycle to the marina, bird watch a little while putting you scuba gear on, drop a line for fishing with the new pole you made with your woodworking skills off the edge of the boat, and then dive for a while. That would pretty much cover all your hobbies with the exception of hunting. Now wouldn't that be a perfect day!:p

I do like to camp and fish as well as snorkel. I haven't been in a while and it doesn't look like I will be doing any this summer. It is fun. Of course, we now sissy camp in the RV.:p We haven't rough camped in a long time.

I need to get back to some of my hobbies. My dailies chores, work, leave me little time and energy to work on my stuff anymore. I have a lot of stuff to quilt, started about five years ago, but have hard time getting stuff lined up anymore, Kind of afraid to use that cutter wheel again! I have a lot of scrapbook stuff to work on. I guess I just run out of energy . I have a whole back yard of garden. I have been going out in 15 min stints to try to get some weeds pulled, but not making very much progress.
I use to like to read, but I can't concentrate for only about two minutes. I spend a lot of time staring in my chair, thinking about the person I use to be, and thinking of the stuff I need to do.

Lol...sounds like a plan...except last time we camped on the beach a tornadic thunderstorm threw our shade canopy into the Gulf and filled our tent and sleeping bags with wet sand; it is about 55 miles to the marina from my house; it is 100F outside with a heat index of 105-110F; the boat burned up in a fire during Hurricane Ike in 2008, and the nearest coral reef is about 100 miles offshore at the Flower Gardens. So I spin inside at the gym, watch this old house and the national geographic channel, and fly to the Caribbean to go diving once every 12-18 months.

mine is: quilting, painting ... calligraphy ... I enjoy writing, too!

it's nice to have my sewing machine set up in the livingroom - ready for the next project ... and I work on smaller projects - so I get done with them and FINISH them!! LOL

Sounds like people with MS are very creative

I know that since I got diagnosed with MS, I've gotten a lot more free time to indulge my hobbies. I probably would never have learned to knit if it wasnt for the MS. Good thing I did. Knitting kept me from going insane.

Used to me more physical, now it's a bit physical but more mental
 

I was a SCUBA diver for years. now can't do that anymore so I do too much TV and internet surfing.

Other than that I shoot. I am a very strong supporter of the second amendment and gun nut. I am trying to get good enough to compete in a pistol competition in August. It's a great hobby/sport. I am quite a good shot already but range time is something I really should find more of.

The world class shooters can take a nail 1/2 pounded into a board and shoot the bullet so it puts it the rest of the way in the board. I want to get that good.

I wish I could do 3 gun (pistol, shotgun and rifle) but my arm strength is not really that good.

So yep, that's my testosterone filler give me something that shoots a projectile and I'm happy. I even like slingshot's and blowguns. :)

You and me both on the needing more range time. I still need to spend the time to go get my CHL. The neighborhood is slowly going downhill and I might need it sooner than later.

I would love to learn to shoot. Luckily, I've got a boyfriend who has weapons. Went shooting with him once. Only gun I've ever shot was a .380. That was FUN! Loud, but fun! I'm just scared to touch a gun since I got MS. Kind of afraid that I'll screw up and not follow a direction and end up shooting someone or myself.

Luckily I live in AZ. We don't need no stinking license. I carry everywhere I go and am glad I can exercise my 2nd amendment rights freely. Hopefully constitutional carry will be nationwide one day.

Gardening, bird watching, gadgets, recipes, etc...

Cooking/baking, cake decorating, party planning, scrapbooking, sketching, painting, sewing, camping, gardening, reading, singing... I know there's more but my brain wont work!

I don't get to read much at all because by the end of a paragraph I don't know what I just read most days. I can't sing most days, because my strength for breathing out is 16% of normal. I haven't been camping in quite some time, poor hubby works too much to pay the bills :( I cook every day for the family, but I bake for most holidays and birthdays. :D I used to do big parties for each of the kids birthdays but now they just get a special cake that they pick the theme for and then I decorate. I get to scrapbook and sketch when I have friends who will do it with me (it's not as fun by myself). Painting I do every once in a while. I sew when I have a special gift I want to make someone. :wink: My most recent was sewing four diaper bags for three baby showers (my brother and his fiance are having twins!). I have a big garden in the back yard for my family and a friends and she comes to help me with it whenever she gets enough time off work.

Earl,

My DH and son practice shooting in the cold months at the range. DH wants me to get my foid so I can learn to shoot and he can get me a gun. :eek: I lose track of my phone and car keys, can you imagine throwing a pistol in the purse too? :Hum:

They make purses now that have a separate concealment pocket in the middle for a handgun. That way you don't accidently grab the trigger looking for your key ring and can draw quickly if you need to.

No wonder your brain doesn't work...you're doing way too much. Take a prozac and relax a little.:D:p:D

I see something and have to know if I can do it. I love making things. :)

:hissyfit: I NEED A HOBBY!!! I am soooo jealous of all of you. I work four days a week and am too pooped to pop:thud: Work is so exhausting...I really need to cut back. I'd love to read a really good JUICY book! I love silk flower arranging, baking/cooking, collecting recipes, backyard bird watching and learning new things regarding all my health issues. I feel boring:(

I fished in bass tournaments for 30 years, now that I walk like a drunk, have no sense of balance, and basically can fall at will? The deck of a bass boat might become swimming practice? Still love the sport, freshwater fishing in general.

Auto repair? also a street racer at one time, made some of my own fishing lures, home repair and remodeling, gardening. Shooting targets, not animals, I watch animals, birds.

I live in the country, my yard is around 1000 feet deep, I have been turning it into my own park for the last 21 years. It was a bare piece of a farmers field, 200+ trees later? it has some character!

The last time I was single, 29-35 a hobby was chasing wimmins, since turtles are a lot faster than me? I let them handle the task now! :)

I've been crocheting a baby blanket for a friend's newborn, and it's the best therapy during these stressful times with the inlaws.
I also have found that I can read easier on my Kindle than regular books and magazines; I can adjust the font size and I am not distracted by the other pages. Weird...:rolleyes:

Are you going to post any pictures of the blanket?? What pattern are you using?? What yarn are you using?

I want to crochet, or knit something, and I cant decide on anything. Only thing I've done lately is knit and crochet a couple of dishcloths. I want to do something a little more impressive, probably in crochet. I just havent been able to find any patterns that make me say "I want to make that!!"

I have a mostly finished giant granny square afghan sitting in the closet. It just needs all the yarn ends woven in to be considered completed. I just hate weaving in those yarn tails sometimes.

Me too, not weird at all..:D

I have quite a few hobbies. I love shopping, as do most girls! Unfortunately with feeling ill I don't get to go as often as I would like to but when I do I always have lots of fun :D! I love looking for bargains, new clothes, hangbags etc. A good shopping spree always cheers me up no matter how bad I feel!

Another hobby I have is swimming. Didn't used to swim much until I met my boyfriend 17 months ago. He's addicted to it so we go once a week. If the water is warm it helps ease my back ache a little so is really relaxing. :)

I also like card making and scrap booking. My grandad and I used to enjoy making cards before he died and it's an hobby i've always kept up with. Unfortunately I can't do it as much as I used to thanks to a numb hand :rolleyes: but I do try and make as many cards as I can. I know my grandad would want me to continue doing what we enjoyed so I do try my best to keep up with it :)