Who has the most obscure hobby?

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Awesome thread!

Nothing too obscure here but thought I'd pitch in
1. Apartment hydroponics/aquaponics (basil - nothing too exciting)
2. Studying permaculture/homesteading
3. Playing cribbage
4. Scrutinizing every move in life for maximum efficiency to the point of OCD (leave the house to accomplish at least 3 things/when driving maximize right-hand turns etc)

You know how it is.
 
What's with all the hunters? Not a complaint, as long as everyone is utilizing the carcass in a large degree and not intentionally "cruel" in the act. It just seems odd as a vegetarian (peace and love, free Tibet, etc.) that hunting is prevalent amongst homebrewers.
 
Nothing too obscure here, retro video games (cartridge based) and r/c cars (big and small, gas and electric).

Someday I'll have an LGB size garden railroad.
 
Is that was the Weather Channel is calling this one? Not "Snowpocolapse Alpha Prime" or "Run to the store to buy Bread-mageddon"?
It's really difficult to pin down amounts in a storm like this. There are simply too many scenarios where convective bands of snow will up snow totals in isolated 10 to 20-mile wide bands by 6+ inches. In addition, measuring the snow is going to be difficult just due to blowing and drifting. There will likely be a lot of over-reporting as a result.
I'd say that central MA (such as Springfield) is looking at least 14 inches. How much more than that really depends on where those bands setup and how long you are in one.

I think the warnings and preparations have gotten more hyperbolic since Katrina. Everyone CYA. I arranged for time off work Tuesday, mostly to avoid snow removal duties. There's no wind now, and about 2" of powder on the ground at my house.

The skunk essence s used mostly in lure making. All canines are attracted to skunk spray. It is also broken down and used in perfumes too, believe it or not. Most people, 60 some percent, have admitted to liking the smell of skunk, in blind studies. It certainly isn't my favorite. :(

A whiff of skunk makes me sniff a little bit more. Kind of like the first bit of coffee brewing.

What's with all the hunters? Not a complaint, as long as everyone is utilizing the carcass in a large degree and not intentionally "cruel" in the act. It just seems odd as a vegetarian (peace and love, free Tibet, etc.) that hunting is prevalent amongst homebrewers.


All the hunters I know are very respectful of the hunt and the food obtained. I'm neither a hunter nor a vegetarian, but now that you mention it, I see some similarities/parallels. It's maybe how one interprets " back to basics". Brewing one's beer seems to fall into the DIY of both mind sets.
 
What's with all the hunters? Not a complaint, as long as everyone is utilizing the carcass in a large degree and not intentionally "cruel" in the act. It just seems odd as a vegetarian (peace and love, free Tibet, etc.) that hunting is prevalent amongst homebrewers.


As a hunter, I have to agree with the commenter above. As a hunter the goal is to have as clean (fast=painless) a kill as possible. While many hunters don't use everything they could, the things they don't is understandable. Examples would be the head (except for trophies) and bones, and guts are a given. But the birds eat the guts with in days.
 
As for my obscure hobbies (hunting is normal where I live) I collect retro video games, and other vintage gear. My main rule is I have to be able use it, so we have a couple typewriters (full mechanical), reel to reel machines, and some other useful things.
 
Nor is it the pacific north west gnarly dude steelhead crowd.

I wouldnt call myself a knarly dude either... but I've been known to float the local rivers and try my luck with the mythical Steelhead... (Kalama River pictured)

but I'm much more at home on a boat in the salt water looking for slabs. (Sekiu Washington - Straits of Juan de Fuca)

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Since I found this site my hobby more often than not has been reading HBT.

I also dabble in restoring/maintaining old cars and tractors, shooting, hunting, mountaineering, and gardening
 
What's with all the hunters? Not a complaint, as long as everyone is utilizing the carcass in a large degree and not intentionally "cruel" in the act. It just seems odd as a vegetarian (peace and love, free Tibet, etc.) that hunting is prevalent amongst homebrewers.

I don't utilize the carcass to a large degree, per se. We take the meat and leave the rest for the yotes/scavengers. Circle of life.

My opinion is that the passion for hunting and beer brewing is born of the same mindset, a closer connection to what we're putting in our bodies and the pride that comes with crafting something or providing something pleasing. I can go out and obtain food for my family from the land, that's a great feeling... most likely due the hunter/gatherer instinct that has been embedded in our psyche for thousands of years. I feel the same pride when I drink one of my own brews.

But, if it makes you feel any better, I have the utmost respect for the animal that will provide us food and do take a moment with it before I get to work.

Most of us aren't soulless animals.
 
I dabble in procrastination, when I can find the time.

That sounds like something I definately could try. Maybe not today, but some day.

You know, I live adjacent our "Second City" (now third or fourth) which is a great jumping off point for an American vacation. I know your vacation days there...how about an arrive and drive for the Joliet TRUE 24 hours race followed by a long term loan of a Volvo 940 wagon to tour the US in. All I can say is EPIC stories would happen.

Holy ****, that is a nice offer to just put out there! I would love to and a few years ago I just might have picked you up on that! I've been to the US once in my teens, but mainly just got to see the tourist parts of SF (Alcatraz and stuff... Well, we did get the tour of Silicon Graphics, which was pretty cool back then. Fun story, our bus driver complained about the traffic, said women were putting on makeup and all the yuppies were talking on their mobile phones. As this was in 1998 and cellphones were pretty much just becoming availiable for the general public, I guess he felt the need to ask us poor kids all the way from cold and underdeveloped Sweden if we knew what mobile phones were. It was kind of funny, as we had Ericsson and Finland Nokia and we had the highest ratio of cellphones per capita in the world at the time. But i digress...). I would like to see more of the US some day, but it will be a couple of years I think before we go anywhere (just had our second kid a few months ago).

On another note, the hunting debate that has broken out. I'm sure you all really want more opinions, so here's mine. I'm ok with it. Hunting and fishing is not my idea of fun, not because of morality, just tedious. I could probably kill an animal if needed. In fact, if someone offered me to kill a cow that is being slaughtered and I could get instructions and whatnot so I could do it correctly, then I would. As I do eat meat, I would think it would be hypocritical to distance yourself from what it really is. Would I enjoy it? Hell no!
 
That sounds like something I definately could try. Maybe not today, but some day.



Holy ****, that is a nice offer to just put out there!

Meh, it mostly selfish...we need drivers because you have to have a minimum of 6 to do a full 24 hours. At about $800-900 a driver (plus their personal gear rental) it is somewhat tough to get folks.

Besides, it is a pay-it forward type of deal. Lots of random folks helped me out when I was touring Europe including free rides from London to Aberdeen, multiple round trips Dortmund to my small town of Arnsbergh, Schaan to Lake Como, Schaan to Budapest...not one would even accept gas money and half of them insisted on feeding me. It might have been the novelty of an American that actually speaks fluent German in the Germanic countries but no explanation for the rest of them.

Gotta keep that karma in balance.
 
That sounds like something I definately could try. Maybe not today, but some day.



Holy ****, that is a nice offer to just put out there! I would love to and a few years ago I just might have picked you up on that! I've been to the US once in my teens, but mainly just got to see the tourist parts of SF (Alcatraz and stuff... Well, we did get the tour of Silicon Graphics, which was pretty cool back then. Fun story, our bus driver complained about the traffic, said women were putting on makeup and all the yuppies were talking on their mobile phones. As this was in 1998 and cellphones were pretty much just becoming availiable for the general public, I guess he felt the need to ask us poor kids all the way from cold and underdeveloped Sweden if we knew what mobile phones were. It was kind of funny, as we had Ericsson and Finland Nokia and we had the highest ratio of cellphones per capita in the world at the time. But i digress...). I would like to see more of the US some day, but it will be a couple of years I think before we go anywhere (just had our second kid a few months ago).

On another note, the hunting debate that has broken out. I'm sure you all really want more opinions, so here's mine. I'm ok with it. Hunting and fishing is not my idea of fun, not because of morality, just tedious. I could probably kill an animal if needed. In fact, if someone offered me to kill a cow that is being slaughtered and I could get instructions and whatnot so I could do it correctly, then I would. As I do eat meat, I would think it would be hypocritical to distance yourself from what it really is. Would I enjoy it? Hell no!

I don't think there was really a debate at all... someone asked a question, a couple people answered (myself included), but I didn't feel like there was any questions about whether people should do it or not.

This forum seems to have a very "to each their own" kind of vibe, whether it be brewing or lifestyle choices... I actually think it's pretty civil here.

Of course, I can't go into the debate forum, and wouldn't on a site I really enjoy and find relaxing.
 
I grow palm trees from date seeds in 2-liter bottles filled with a mixture of sand and horse manure. After a couple of years, I move and have to throw them away. Lather, Rinse, Repeat, in the next city.
 
Not really obscure, but I collect and play board games....and not the crap you find at Target or Wal Mart. I have around 250 games currently....ranging from "Carcassonne" to "Dawn of the Zeds" to "Ticket to Ride" to "Crokinole" to "Moongha Invaders", and a bunch in between.
 
I enjoy offshore sailing. If you never have done that, it is a week or more several hundred to thousand miles off shore, sleeping now more than 3 hours a day if you are lucky, up in the middle of night on watch, dodging ships, sail wrestling on the bow in a storm, not shaving or showering nearly the whole time, living in cramp quarters with 3 or 4 other guys in 40 foot of boat, and almost always being wet. It is the best worst time you can have because spending a week or more aiming for small speck of dirt in the middle of the ocean seems like a fun thing do.
 
I don't think any of my hobbies are obscure, per say...but I am a "hobby addict," for sure. My hobbies are a vast survey of all the usual suspects. I would say my obsession with fermenting things would be considered the most obscure if you were to ask my friends, but I know that's not obscure to this crowd. Beer, mead, kefir, kombucha, fermented veggies, bread. I've done them all.

My passion is anything culinary related. My favorite is take a commercial product you almost always buy prepared and learn how to make it.

I was also a gigging "singer-songwriter" musician throughout most of my twenties....but really, who in the Texas hill country isn't? ;-)

My newest upcoming hobby will be my backyard laying hens that will be arriving the end of February. Excited for that experience!

Basically, I'm obsessed with learning. If there's something out there I haven't tried doing, you can bet I'm always eager to give it a shot!
 
I used to do a lot of model rocketry but after I had my son it was getting a little too expensive.
 
I'm an Amateur (Ham) radio operator.

I remember when the Blackout of 2003 occurred putting 55 million people in the dark, phone and cell service in many areas became spotty ... both our landline and cell systems failed at my house (in part due to overloading) ... I did notice that it was the Hams that seemed to be the last line of defense.

Hurricane Katrina in 2005 also ... I understand it was only Ham operators that were able to still communicate in some areas and I think actually took over for 911 in some areas of Mississippi.

The abysmal failure of so many systems and emergency plans in those two events really drove one point home for me ... If the sh*t ever *really* hits the fan in this country ... it is going to be Ham operators that will be providing the most disaster communications that are greater than very short-distances.
 
I play tournament foosball (table soccer). It was popular back in the 70's and early 80's, but seems to be dying off. I even run a tournament at a local bar once a week when we can get enough players out and am planning a trip up to Nebraska for a bigger tournament next month.

I'd play back in the 70's in college and I was really bad at it. I got a table for my daughter a couple years back but we never opened the box. I'd like to open it up and start playing. Any tips for learning how to play well?
 
What's with all the hunters? Not a complaint, as long as everyone is utilizing the carcass in a large degree and not intentionally "cruel" in the act. It just seems odd as a vegetarian (peace and love, free Tibet, etc.) that hunting is prevalent amongst homebrewers.

You realize that most homebrewers are men, don't you? Men hunt.
 
That's right, we are men and do manly things like hunt, fart and.....trade recipes..:drunk:

and we detect things. such as, "Is that a note of lemon grass I'm tasting? It's quite delicate. Ooooo! You should try this recipe with saffron threads!" and "It has floral and citrusy bouquet and subtle grapefruit on the palate."

we're floccin' manly, son! don't mess with us or we'll pour your beer at a 22.5 degree angle to give you more foam!
 
and we detect things. such as, "Is that a note of lemon grass I'm tasting? It's quite delicate. Ooooo! You should try this recipe with saffron threads!" and "It has floral and citrusy bouquet and subtle grapefruit on the palate."

And that's in relation to farting. Just imagine then what we can do with beer!
 
Fermenting is the only hobby I have really ever had.

And as far as an obscure hobby? ... I can't really think of anything that qualifies.

I like to polka dance when I get the chance ... but that's usually at Polish or German or Polka festivals and after a few beers. Not really a "hobby".

Mind you I do lots of other things for other reasons which I don't consider hobbies ...

I work on the house because I am too cheap to hire it out.

I raise veg and fruit because I want organic produce and won't pay the ridiculous prices.

I work-out and run because I want to keep my health and stress relief ... and "I've always done it" and am somewhat obsessed.

I own about 13,000 books ... but I can't call it a hobby. I'm sure there are rational reasons why I have this library, I just don't have the time to figure them out right now.

I sit on a couple (sometimes a few) Boards because, ah, I don't have the common sense to avoid such behavior.

I consider none of those hobbies.
Hobbies I consider something you do primarily for purely recreational purposes.

There are however quite a few more obscure hobbies I've *wanted* to take up but just never got around to it, a few of them are ...

I've wanted to learn to play the bagpipes.
I've wanted to raise lobsters in an aquaculture setting.
I've wanted to try my hand at panning for gold ... and/or diamond hunting.
I've wanted to learn portraiture painting.
I've wanted to take voice lessons to learn to sing opera (no, seriously).
 
That's right, we are men and do manly things like hunt, fart and.....trade recipes..:drunk:

"Dad, we're men. That means a few things - we like to **** with the door open, we talk about *****, we go on riverboat gambling trips, and we make our own beef jerky. That's what we do, and now that is all wrecked."
 
I've had a few hobbies over the years. Nothing too special because I don't have much money. Was into SCUBA for a while. Nothing really fun. Just mostly small local lakes. One time we went out right after the thaw. It was awesome and sucked at the same time! I'd love to dive somewhere warm and clear. A great day around here is when you can see past 30 feet and fidn something interesting sticking out of the muck! Friend was an instructor for a while by our diving days ended when he changed careers.

Diving actually led into Caving. On a dive trip friend and his brother stopped at Mammoth Caves and got hooked. I've always wanted to do it so we took a trip south and had a BLAST! We caved for years in Southern Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, and even the UP! My favorite caving was unguided (which was pretty much ALL our caving after that first trip!) and surveying caves. Using compass and clinometer to literally draw a cave in near 3D on paper. The accuracy we could get was amazing! Cost of gas, kids growing up, and getting older has led to a decline in my interest. Another awesomely good time was the time we took a course in basic cave rescue. Had to find and rescue a person trapped in a cave with injuries. It was a fantastic coordination experience.

Mostly just brew beer, work on a 1969 Mustang, cook, and play on the computer. I have also done a little theater work (sets, props, sound, etc.) but the passion isn't there. I just like helping people and got into it when some local kids got into it. I'd probably do more, but there is the usual politics and background bickering that goes on whenever you have a group of passionate people trying to accomplish anything.

I'd like to get back into woodworking to a degree, but that will mostly wait until I've gotten the Mustang done, and at this rate it will be a while. Will get back on that after the electric brew rig is set up, which is, sadly, way past it's due date.
 
I'd play back in the 70's in college and I was really bad at it. I got a table for my daughter a couple years back but we never opened the box. I'd like to open it up and start playing. Any tips for learning how to play well?

The best way to get better, for me, was to play people better than me. I'd look to see if there are any local weekly tournaments. Also read up on the rules. There have been some changes made since the 70's (like where the ball gets placed after it's been off the table and they don't use the serving holes on the sides of the table any more). If you used to play, you should pick up on it pretty easy. I found the learning curve to be pretty steep. I got a lot better real quick before hitting a plateau.
 
Why not go for gold and do the unicycle and Darth Vader thing.

That dude in Portland has to either be a major ****** or an absolutely awesome guy. Nowhere in between.

Now that is funny stuff.
What the hell do they put in the water out there.

I want those pipes. ("Hey buddy, got a light?" ............ "Yeah, sure - here ...")

Not sure about him being a ****** ... I think more to the awesome side.
A ****** is a guy in a pink tutu, wearing swim fins, black dress socks & mens sock garters, and a huge costume duck-bill on his face sitting on top of a street sign playing the bagpipes. Talented? Maybe ... he's playing the bagpipes with a duckbill on his face. But a ****** nonetheless.
(edit: on second thought, the guy in the tutu is playing Northumbrian bagpipes which don't require blowing into them ... in which case, not so talented. Just a *********.)

For what it's worth ... here is the nutcase from Oregon referenced above ...


[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnVjkE87FDY[/ame]
 
I read and collect Japanese comic books (manga) and Graphic novel adaptations of movies and other famous works.

I also twist balloons in the shape of animals (I'm terrible), I'm a calligrapher (also terrible), and I collect other books, that most would probably associate with TxBrew, but I love and read Herman Hesse on a regular basis, and have since I was a kid (probably terrible at that as well.). That's who's in his avatar.

I can go on and on about Hesse.
 
I read and collect Japanese comic books (manga) and Graphic novel adaptations of movies and other famous works.

I also twist balloons in the shape of animals (I'm terrible), I'm a calligrapher (also terrible), and I collect other books, that most would probably associate with TxBrew, but I love and read Herman Hesse on a regular basis, and have since I was a kid (probably terrible at that as well.). That's who's in his avatar.

I can go on and on about Hesse.

Vagabond... best, like, ever.

But I also love anything that has to do with Miyamoto Musashi.
 
I'm not sure if it's really a hobby, or if it's even obscure, but I find antique straight razors that seem to be beyond usable and refurbish them. I also use many of the one's I can get a good edge on. I find that I can get a much better shave with less irritation with a single straight razor than I can with these expensive 5-blade ones out there.
 
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