Got a hobby?

[Teek]

(Note: I did do a search and found one other topic about hobbies, but considering its age and that the content was just different enough, I've opted to make a new thread.)

OK. So, imagine you're bored as hell. You don't have much in the ways of hobbies. You used to have diversions, but now you have nothing. Sure, there are games, but they can't occupy you all of the time. There's reading, there's a friend (a single friend), but... eh. Not all of the time. The rest of the time is spent whining that there is nothing to do. That's me.

I'm bored, folks. I spend my whole time doing the above. I have one friend (near me), and granted he's great, but I am starting to annoy him by wanting to spend all of my spare time with him. (That's not healthy for any form of relationship). I'm re-reading the same books over and over. I find myself buying games, playing them for fifteen minutes, and putting them down never to be touched. (I have a stack quite high.) I don't have the energy to get into anything like that. I figure, I just need small breaks and do something else a bit more meaningful. Or even just different. I'm open.

Now, you're all internet nerds - something I was at one point. (I guess posting here, I still am, but again, the internet even doesn't have as much draw as it once did.) That must keep you busy. But, I'm asking - what do you do in your spare time that isn't related to games or anime? What sort of diversions, collections, or actions do you partake in to get yourself excited?

Any suggestions?

(<b>Edit</b>: I realized, completely on my own without ANYONE else telling me otherwise, that I sound arrogant. Sorry; I didn't mean to be. And if it's that whole "internet nerd" thing, I meant it endearingly. I'm a nerd, too. =P Heh.)

[Jojee]

I webdesign... or draw occasionally ^_^ Though you probably would be better off spending your time doing something un-computer related. ;] Go out and meet some new people, I guess~ Harder than it sounds sometimes... but it couldn't hurt to try to make new friends ^^

[The Captain]

For me, I'm trying to combine my career/degree with my hobbies. Since I'm a film/acting major, I'm always shooting little scenes, writing scripts, trying out for shows and basically continuing to try and push myself further with ideas and the like. In that same vein, I'm also a huge movie fan as I'll watch just about anything once, within reason and can sometimes spend nights just watching a film with friends.

Other than that, I enjoy sports A LOT. I can't go an hour without shooting some hoops, kicking a soccer ball, doing some pushups, or any kind of physical activity. It just gets my body moving and really helps me feel alive. I also love to talk to people, get to really engage them in conversation and see what they're all about. I enjoy traveling to new places and meeting all sorts of new people, but that's just me.

Figure out what deep down interests you, or what intrigues you and try it. If you've always been interested in Karate, sign up for a class. If you want to learn how to swim, go take lessons. Play someone in chess, try writing some poetry. Try something new and before you know it, you'll find a whole slew of new hobbies and activities. The worst thing to do is to do nothing, so go out and be active, whether it's physically or mentally.

Take care all.

[Miriel]

Photography. When I'm bored, I'll head over to Little Tokyo or something and just start snapping away. It's always a great experience, occasionally making me sad or happy depending on what I see, and it makes the time fly by.

My dance classes are a lovely distraction and messing around with Photoshop and Illustrator is always fun too. And NETFLIX! Although I'm not sure if watching DVDs counts as a hobby.

Oh and um...Pilates. :p

[Despotus]

Activities: My favorite is definitely dancing (Metal, Trance, Pulse, Reggae, and HipHop), I enjoy Bicycling when the weather is nice, DND game sessions, and I've come to fancy Karoke (especially Korean style Noreban, which is the same idea except that you and your friends have a private room and you feel more confident)
Collections: Comic books, Coins, and Action Figures. In the summer, when I happen to be living near a beach, I walk the shoreline looking for beach glass (It's a really therapeutic way to clear your mind of stress)
Diversions: Movies, Music, Driving in the countryside, Bars and Pubs (especially when they have a pooltable)

[DMKA]

Video Editing!

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Yes I am a tech nerd commie.

[TheAbominatrix]

Reading and acting like a psychotic, that's pretty much it.

I've always been a big reader, and that used to be accompanied by constant playing RPGs and watching anime. Lately, I'm just burnt out on both of those. I borrowed a bunch of games from a friend, and the only time they've been played was when some folks were squatting at my place. I just cant find the interest to play them.

As for books, however, I've discovered a cheap way to attain reading material and many authors to love. Right now I'm devouring anything by Hunter S. Thompson and Chuck Palahniuk, all the great manga around (Sailormoon, Hana Yori Dango, Othello, Aria, Kare Kano), and Sandman comics. The only instances where I'm not reading (I even read while waiting for things to load on the internet) in my spare time are spent with friends, and usually we're out screaming at pedastrians, scaring rich folks and discussing long plots about things I cant mention here.

So my suggetion is; go to your nearest library or Barnes and Noble and grab random books off the shelves. Sit and read and find some great authors. Whenever I get a new book I come home, lay down in my bed, light some inscense, curl up with the cats and read.

[Polaris]

I write songs and stories...

[SquallKicksAss]

Reading
Drawing
Listening to music
Singing to music
Writing
Going shopping or to the movies
Calling people
Calling someone else after the first person hangs up
Constantly calling people 'till I have no more people left to call

That may sound like nothing much. I spend lots of time at my friends' places. When I'm at home I pretty much play video games or read.

I'm a nerd =D

~Jim

[Citizen Bleys]

Masturbation.

WB, TK.

[Strider]

I write. A lot.

[theundeadhero]

Read
Draw
Webdesign
I don't have too much free time between work and my current addiction to this place.

[Rye]

I sing and draw. :)

[edczxcvbnm]

I play golf now...when its not 20 degrees outside!

[Devourment]

My spare time,quite alot of things actually.
I use the Nunchaku,watch Bruce Lee films, Play the Electric Guitar, play the Piano, read books, draw(not anime). ;) ;) :cool: :)

[Project G]

I breathe occasionally, play the E.Guitar, write stories, err stuff

[Logan]

Photography.
When I'm bored I wander around with my camera and take crappy pictures. :D

[Devourment]

I breathe occasionally, play the E.Guitar, write stories, err stuffReally nice what guitar do you have?

[Leeza]

Teach yourself something through books or take some classes. The possibilities are endless. Aside from reading or video games, my hobbies all involve actually working at something that gives you a hard product at the end...like woodworking or painting or sewing, etc.

[Spritz]

I usually read, play games, watch some DVDs, go out with some friends for fun. I also used to spend alot of time on webdesign but I lost intrest in it. I still do some small time graphics work though.

I'm currectly trying to get into drawing and have always been an aspiring writer, although I never have enough time/motivation to finish anything... that and most of it is awful.

Alot of my time is consumed with schoolwork. Currently I am was studying for a Biology mock paper, I have a 'real' exam on Jan 10th on biology. I'm also writting up my notes onto the good ol'e PC incase anything happens to them, this also doubles as good revision! ^^

[-N-]

I remember you. Vaguely. Learn to fly a plane. At least it's productive, and leads to jobs.

[Yamaneko]

I learn through books as a hobby. That might seem dull to you, but it's loads of fun.

[Calliope]

In my spare time I:
-work out
-draw
-read
-play guitar
-gather up some trendy lefty friends and go shout slogans at corporations whilst handing out fliers and being locked up in cages and the like. Pestering politicians via email, also.

[Dking'squeen]

Me?
I take my crazy butt to the nearest street corner and start slicing people with a katana
Really, I write...anything...everything...all things
I'll sit down and write a story
or if i can't think i'll simply write lyrics
Or, even when i'm not bored, i'll write and read
When really bored, i can finish a book over 200 pages, in a few hours
Sometimes i try to prove that my cat can actually say words like alright *that's when i'm crazy bored*
Or i'll go to sleep for the sake of not being able to do anything else

[Dingo Jellybean]

I'm a complete geek.

My two hobbies include my iPod and math. Sometimes I just sit in my room and just do math problems with my iPod connected to speakers(it's my personal stereo system). It's great though.

[Wuggly Blight]

man i need a hobby....

[Teek]

I learn through books as a hobby. That might seem dull to you, but it's loads of fun.

No, actually, that sounds cool. What in particular do you like to learn? I have "French for Dummies" sitting on my table right now, actually. xD

And, to everyone who mentioned it: thanks, I do feel welcome to be back. Heh.

[Fuzakeru]

Porn, kthnx.

Actually, I start making sigs and such. ^_^- Still learning adobe photoshop so, yeah.

[theundeadhero]

-gather up some trendy lefty friends and go shout slogans at corporations whilst handing out fliers and being locked up in cages and the likeThat sounds pretty fun, really.

[Belethdolien]

I love shopping... that is my main hobby number 1. In 4 months, I have spent about $4000 on just shopping. Yes, I know, its bad...
I also like to draw. and watch movies. And collect all my toenails in a little blue box.

jk, I dont like movies... :p

[Erdrick Holmes]

Martial arts related things. I've been studying martial arts for awhile, I'm a blue belt in taebongsoodoo.

[fire_of_avalon]

I read when I have the time, though I never have the time anymore. And uhh, I'm currently in the middle of redecorating my room, cheapstyle so I go over lists in my head of stuff I want and why and where it can go and oo wouldn't a beaded wall thing look good over here and is that made in Honduras, well I can make it myself if I want to, I just need beads and wire and I wonder where those beads are made.

And I just kick back and ponder, sometimes. And doodle. And I talk to my dad a lot, cause he's pretty awesome.

But I don't have much spare time. I work a lot.

Oooo, you could get a job.

[Samuraid]

I am a programmer both as a hobby and as a job, whether I'm bored or not.

I like writing and playing music as well. It often staves away boredom.

[Silmaril]

I love to read and I like to draw. I LOVE shoe-shopping. Sometimes when I'm really bored I write poetry (they usually end-up like wordsworth's rejects) . And these days I have to study ALOT. So I'm raely bored. just bored of studying.

[Teek]

But I don't have much spare time. I work a lot.

Oooo, you could get a job.

Got that one, already.

[Yamaneko]

What in particular do you like to learn?
Anything, really. Although I'm always fascinated by history and science.

[Denmark]

I don't really have all that much spare time during the school year. I don't usually see my friends outside of school. Because I'm a geek, and I like it that way.

During the school year:
-School (duh)
-Homework (I don't spend enough time on it, actually. ^_^)
-Internet (EoFF and Livejournal are the places that take the most of my time, and I'm more than likely talking to someone on MSN Messenger or AIM)
-Video Games (not so much right now, as Madden got boring, so I'm waiting until I get new games around Christmas time)
-Music (always. if I'm on the computer, I'm listening to music of some sort. I listen to it when I'm doing my homework, and sometimes I'm even playing it. ON THE GEETAR)
-Sports (basketball practice and games now, track in the spring. nothing in the fall)
-TV (rarely. the only TV programs I watch are Scrubs and occasionally Jeopardy. but I watch NFL football, MLB baseball, and any basketball games)
-Sleep

During summer: less school, more sleep, more sports. maybe occasionally hanging out with friends

[Dr Unne]

Origami. You can do it anywhere at any time, so long as you have paper, and spare paper is rather more available than you might realize. One sheet 8x11 inches could last me about a week if I needed it to. It costs nothing except $10 for a book to learn it. You can make a little 5-minute <a href="http://chwombat.net/origami/sun.jpg">simple thing</a>, or you can make something that takes you a couple weeks and a <a href="http://chwombat.net/origami/trex4.jpg">whole lot of effort</a>.

It will also teach you math. The geometry involved in origami is rather complex. Fractal geometry plays a big part. Origami is how I learned fractal geometry even exists. The geometry of a square is interesting. I can divide a square into perfect thirds (or fifths, or sevenths) without a ruler. You will learn about the Golden Ratio. You will learn about the mathematical superiority of European stationary (A4) because of the fact that its dimensions are a ratio of one by the square root of two. I have a book showing the relationship of origami to music, to computer programming, to the way plants grow.

The simplicity of it, and the complexity that can result from that simplicity, is intriguing. There are maybe 10 different folds that you need to learn. Out of those ten, and out of the same square of paper, you can create an infinite number of different models. I can fold any piece from a chess set, a semi-working cuckoo clock, a man riding a horse, a motorcycle, a matchbox (with matches inside it), or nearly any animal you could possibly imagine, all out of one single piece of paper, no cutting, no gluing, just folding. With multiple pieces of paper I can fold a complete anatomically-correct t-rex skeleton, a ship in a bottle, or any number of <a href="http://www.chwombat.net/origami/modular2.jpg">complex geometrical forms</a>, to name a few.

Perhaps the best reason is the fact that it is a social hobby, believe it or not. At least it is in my case, because I make it and give it away. I give origami to people as a way of showing I'm interested in being their friend, and people tend to enjoy getting it. People also have a perception that origami (and art in general) is hard. It's not hard; it takes patience, that's about it. But sit down and idly fold a llama out of a dollar bill and people will be impressed.

My desk at work is completely covered with origami. I sit and make it while I work. At this point it's reflexive to make it. I don't have to think about it. It's soothing and relaxing, and it adds just a bit of a bright point to your day once you have a nice little frog sitting there that didn't exist 5 minutes ago. The act of creating something out of nothing (or next to nothing) is enjoyable.

These are some pictures of origami I've made: http://chwombat.net/origami/

[theundeadhero]

That is so cool! I, for one, plan to learn origomi.

[Liam]

i do basketball, rugby... meeting girls hey thats a hobby!...well guys im goin to bed its 12:12 here and my grandads funeral is tommorow since he died last sunday:( cya dudes

[Teek]

Origami.

That is, without a doubt, the strangest suggestion I have received. Yet, it sounds promising... :) Thanks, doc.