Hobbies In General

Discussion in 'Hobbies & Crafts' started by Bill Boggs, Jan 5, 2016.

  1. Bill Boggs

    Bill Boggs Supreme Member
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    Over the years I've had several hobbies I suppose. One of the first I became interested in was archery, competitive target archery. Six or seven years ago I bought a harmonica to use like a medical device. I was in Pulmonary Rehabilitation because I had gotten really bad. I would go to the furtherest back room, shut the door, and blow in and out on the harmonica, trying to force out the carbon dioxide from my lungs so I could breathe in more oxygen. It seemed to help. Over time I learned to play the harmonica a bit. Few people really ever master the harmonica. Now I play it. I get up early, close the door to my office, turn on my computer, and read and as I read I play. Old religious songs which are easier to play, country songs from the late forties and the fifties or maybe one I heard on the radio yesterday. I play some rock, some old Elvis Presley stuff, some Ray Charles. My wife said to me the other day, "You know you do better when you get up early and play your harmonica for a while. She's right. It does help my breathing apparatus. But I really enjoy playing now, because it sounds good, and it feels good. Is that a hobby? I think so and now that I've gotten older and can't do much physically, writing has become something of a hobby and whether good or bad it gives my mind a workout that also feels good. But I think whatever we can do to relieve stress or make life a little itsy-bitsy better, if we keep at it, enjoy it, it's a good hobby. Cheers.
     
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  2. Cody Fousnaugh

    Cody Fousnaugh Supreme Member
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    Wife has a hobby of writing. She likes writing small prayer books, but unfortunately, they don't sell very well. We can't afford a Publisher, so we do all the work.......putting together the book and binding it. Christian or other book stores won't sell her books because she has no Publisher. When she has some extra time, she likes writing them.
    We've had Christmas gift hobbies as well. Three years ago, we made miniature Christmas trees out of pine cones. Spray paint and glitter on them w/a Cross or Angel glued to the top. Two years ago, made seashell pictures out of seashells. Put a nice paper sea pattern inside the frame and glued seashells on the glass. I painted all of the frames white. Both pine cones and seashell pictures made great gifts.
    Other than that, our hobbies are power boating, some fishing and going to local gun/rifle range.
     
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  3. Holly Saunders

    Holly Saunders Supreme Member
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    Bill, my grandmother played the Harmonica...not for medical reason as you do, but for the sheer joy of it...she would go on pensioner coach trips and entertain all the people on the bus with her playing and they couldn't get enough of it.

    Cody.. interesting about your wife's own prayer books and you binding them yourselves. Do you sell them on Amazon..or Ebay?

    Have you got any pictures, I'd love to see one :D
     
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  4. Holly Saunders

    Holly Saunders Supreme Member
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    Like many of us throughout the years I've had many hobbies that have come and gone. Working full time I don't get a lot of time to spend on my hobbies, but those I do I cherish.

    My number one hobby is photography..I'm far from being any kind of expert and I don't have a fancy camera, because I wouldn't have the patience to fiddle with buttons and gizmos...just a plain bridge camera.. but I love taking photos at every and any opportunity. I carry my camera with me at all times, and on the rare occasions I don't have it, my iphone or Blackberry are handy replacements.

    I currently have more than 60,000 photos in my own private portfolio...

    For years I also used to restore old fashioned telephony..(vintage house phones)..and then sell them on all refurbished...I still have a few in my own collection for my own enjoyment, but I don't have the time to buy and sell anymore..

    My other main hobby apart from my beloved photography..is range and target shooting..

    I'm a member of a shooting club, which is strictly regulated in the UK ...and shoot static targets indoor and outdoor whenever I get the chance.
     
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  5. Bill Boggs

    Bill Boggs Supreme Member
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    How fun! Back when I could get around pretty good and before the digital replaced film photography, that was my number one hobby. I had several cameras including a Rolliflex Twins Lens Reflex. I've never had a good digital cameral. I now have a point and shoot cannon but don't get out much to take photos. If you enjoy it, photography is a great hobby. Good luck.
     
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  6. Cody Fousnaugh

    Cody Fousnaugh Supreme Member
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    I like photography as well. Don't have a portfolio of them, but am working on filling a 16gb USB of photos taken by wife and myself. We use our older Panasonic Digital (8mp), a newer GE Digital (11mp) and our iPhone 6 (8mp). Also have a 8gb USB that we put video clips on from all three. Got photos of Bull Elk, waterfalls, buffalo, geyser's, etc. in Yellowstone NP (both Upper and Lower areas). Photos of the elk "rut" in RMNP in Colorado. And, of course, different vacations we've been on.

    And, Holly, did you see that we also go to a Range. We have firearms and my wife is a descent shot. Funny thing is, we've seen maybe 5 ladies at the Range shooting, since joining the Range in early 2009.

     
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  7. Chrissy Cross

    Chrissy Cross Supreme Member
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    @Holly Saunders I would have never guessed target shooting as one of your hobbies! I did a lot of that when I met my husband, I was a pretty good shot too. He would say thats why he married me. :)

    After we married I only went with him occasionally though.
     
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  8. Cody Fousnaugh

    Cody Fousnaugh Supreme Member
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    Don't sell the books on either Ebay or Amazon. Cost too much and both websites are pretty picky at what is sold on them. Like I said, "no publishing company" doesn't help. Most publishing companies have pretty strict rules as well. Did sell one, Prayers For Our United States Armed Forces on Craigslist, but that was it. Just not much of a call for prayer books.
    She has one written for Missionaries, one for the military and working on one for firemen. Because she has a full-time job, writing these books is a "here and there" type thing. They are small paper back ones, 4 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches with pictures in them that I took. We use clamps and Gorilla Glue to bind the edge together.

    On the front of her Armed Forces prayer book is a photo of the Upper Falls that I took when we visited Yellowstone NP.



     
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  9. Cody Fousnaugh

    Cody Fousnaugh Supreme Member
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    I learned most of what I know about firearms while in the Navy, but did have a Daisy Pump BB Gun during my high school years. I took a Small Arms Training Course at sea, onboard the ship I was on. Shot an M-1, Thompson Machine Gun, 45 caliber handgun and a "deck mounted" 50 caliber machine gun. A Thompson Machine Gun and "deck mounted" 50 caliber are "Small Arms", I thought. Well, compared to a 5" Gun Mount (fore and aft).......yes! I was so happy when she had no problem with us getting her her first rifle, a Ruger 10/22.
    She loves shooting so much, we always go to the range together.

     
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  10. Cody Fousnaugh

    Cody Fousnaugh Supreme Member
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    Holly, here is one of my Bull Elk photos taken in Yellowstone NP.[​IMG]
     
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  11. Holly Saunders

    Holly Saunders Supreme Member
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    Oh that is a great photo Cody....reallly very good, I would have been very proud of that if I'd taken it...:)
     
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  12. Holly Saunders

    Holly Saunders Supreme Member
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    LOL...funny the things we learn about each other on here isn't it? Yes I only took it up when I got with my husband he'd already been shooting for many years ...he grew up shooting game with his Uncle who was a Gamekeeper!!
     
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  13. Holly Saunders

    Holly Saunders Supreme Member
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    Nice picture Cody....I haven't got any of me shooting on the range..
     
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  14. Cody Fousnaugh

    Cody Fousnaugh Supreme Member
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    Actually, I was told on a Retirement forum just how lucky I am to have a wife that loves the things I do.......boating (and boy can she drive our boat/hang on! NFL and she knows the game. Fishing.....she can reel them in (freshwater). And, other things that I'm really proud she that she can do.
     
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  15. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
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    I have always had many hobbies that I have enjoyed over the years; but the main one would have to be horses. From as early as I can remember , I wanted a horse of my own, and was thrilled when my folks bought me a Welsh Pony when I was about 10 years old.
    Later, I progressed to full-size horses, and was in 4-H when I was a teenager. I went on all of the trail rides, and rode in our mounted Drill Team, and most of the summer vacations were spent riding my horse with my friends.
    I also loved to draw, and did that up until I became too busy raising my children, and just didn't have the spare time you need to draw.
    Now, I am working on learning to make digital pictures with the iPad .

    When my kids were growing up, we had ponies for them, and even one of the little pony carts that they would drive down to the neighbor's and back. Although all of the kids went riding when they were growing up, only Robin really had the "horse bug" like I did.

    We also went fishing, camping and swimming when the kids were young, and I still enjoy fishing and swimming; but no more sleeping in a sleeping bag on hard ground for me anymore.
    In the winter, I like to knit and crochet, and enjoy making small projects that I can finish in a timely fashion. When I was younger, I also had a loom and enjoyed doing beadwork; but I don't think that I can see those tiny beads well enough to enjoy doing this anymore.
    I also went to rifle range when I was in Jr. High and learned to shoot. Sometimes, I would go hunting over the years; but I really do not like shooting anything living, and actually would not consider this as a hobby,

    There are other things that I have done as a hobby, but these are probably the main ones that I have enjoyed for many years.
     
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