What else do you do?

The Burgomaster · February 25, 2009, 01:54:04 PM

Okay, if you are a contributor to this website, Il know you spend lots of time watching movies that most people would throw in the garbage. But what else do you do (other than work or school) that takes up a lot of your time.

Currently, I spend a lot of time with:

* Magic - About a year and a half ago, I started building a collection of magic tricks, books, and DVDs. I have everything from die boxes to change boxes to color-changing knives to color-changing cards to linking rings to cups and balls to magic coins and poker chips . . . what I don't have is a shapely 25 year old blonde assistant. I performed at my company's holiday party back in December . . . and I didn't screw up a single trick.

* Board games - I'm not talking about the stuff you buy at Toys R Us like SORRY and MONOPOLY . . . I'm talking about the kinds of games that you need to buy in specialty/hobby stores or online. Everything from medieval games like WARRIOR KNIGHTS and DOMAINE to world conquest games like DUST and WAR ON TERROR to abstract strategy games like DVONN and TAYU to resource management games like AGRICOLA to sword-and-sorcery games like RUNEBOUND and TOMB to supernatural games like THE ARKHAM HORROR. This is my newest obsession . . . just got into it around the beginning of December.

* Fantasy and sim sports games - I play CDM fantasy baseball and football online. I also play baseball, hockey, basketball, and football sims online (the website is What if Sports). These games use players from essentially every year in sports history . . . you build teams and the computer develops a full-season schedule pitting your team against other teams. The program uses player stats and ratings to determine game outcomes. Nothing like building a baseball team that has Babe Ruth in the outfield, George Brett at third base, and Sandy Koufax on the mound.

How about you?

Psycho Circus · February 25, 2009, 01:57:59 PM

Music, drinking, music, drinking.....err.....err....music and more drinking.

The Burgomaster · February 25, 2009, 02:03:14 PM

Quote from: Circus_Circus on February 25, 2009, 01:57:59 PM
Music, drinking, music, drinking.....err.....err....music and more drinking.

Hmmm . . . not quite enough drinking . . .

Jack · February 25, 2009, 02:12:32 PM

I play a lot of golf in the summer. Hopefully in about 5 weeks or so we'll be out on the course again. Been playing about 15 years probably, I guess I'm okay at it. Handicap is 10, so on a par 72 course I shoot about 82 on average. Best round is two under par for 9 holes. Shot one under last year. Got a hole in one once, on a little executive course, but that's good enough for me.

I lift weights too, though I think I was overdoing it and now I've got a sore left shoulder. I'm taking a week off.

schmendrik · February 25, 2009, 02:24:06 PM

Read: Mysteries & sci-fi mostly, occasionally horror. Mysteries I alternate between new stuff and old pulp stuff. I never get tired of Raymond Chandler & Dashiell Hammett, and by my bedside is an absolutely fantastic 1000-page collection of pulp stories from the 20s to 40s. Besides that I occasionally find an interesting non-fiction book.

Music: I play classical piano.

Language study: I can survive in several languages, meaning I can order food in restaurants, read a train schedule, ask directions and do other rudimentary transactions. But I'm not fluent in anything but English. I keep trying though. Currently taking some Spanish classes and may shortly change gears to practice the Italian as I may be going to Italy this summer.

Bike/walk: Not as much as I'd like, but sometimes I'll force myself to leave the car behind and do errands the old fashioned way. One time my wife had our only car (at the time) out of town and I bought and brought home the entire Thanksgiving meal on the bicycle. The clerks at the grocery store got a lot of entertainment watching me load it up.

The Burgomaster · February 25, 2009, 02:54:06 PM

Quote from: schmendrik on February 25, 2009, 02:24:06 PM
Read: Mysteries & sci-fi mostly, occasionally horror. Mysteries I alternate between new stuff and old pulp stuff. I never get tired of Raymond Chandler & Dashiell Hammett, and by my bedside is an absolutely fantastic 1000-page collection of pulp stories from the 20s to 40s. Besides that I occasionally find an interesting non-fiction book.

I'm currently enrolled in the 100 Greatest Books club from Easton Press. They send me one hardcover, leather-bound, gold-leaf book per month (but I don't read them that fast). So far, I've read HUCKLEBERRY FINN, ROMEO AND JULIET, GREAT EXPECTATIONS, MOBY DICK, and THE TIME MACHINE. Currently, I'm around 400 pages into THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO (a fantastic novel). I have about 5 others at home that I received but haven't read yet.

As for pulp fiction, I have every Doc Savage paperback (including the "fake" ones that were written many years after the originals). And every Avenger paperback except one (including the "fake" ones). Great stuff to read on a plane because most of them are only about 110 to 150 pages and you can often finish an entire book (maybe more than one) before you reach your destination.

ghouck · February 25, 2009, 03:08:00 PM

Sooooooo many hobbies. Besides movies, I use my computer alot, I do some modding for the game Unreal Tournament 2004. Here's where they can be found if anyone is interested. (http://www.craptasticvoyage.com/modules.php?name=News&new_topic=7). They run the gamut from simple little coding mods to entire vehicles that I made the actual 3D model, texture, sound effects, visual effects and all kinds of other stuff.

In the summer I have a Quad I ride quite a bit, and I have a big bad snowmobile I seem to spend more time working on than riding in the winter.

We also have some RC trucks and buggies. Most are nitro powered, but I have a 1/8 scale buggy I recently converted from nitro to a brushless electric setup. Seems super fast, but it's hard to tell with snow and ice being everywhere.

I used to read quite a bit, but not any more. Reading is great, but rarely gives me much of a sense of accomplishment.

Doggett · February 25, 2009, 03:08:45 PM

Trying to buy all of Carl Hiaasen's books

Raffine · February 25, 2009, 03:17:07 PM

Quote from: doggett on February 25, 2009, 03:08:45 PM
Trying to buy all of Carl Hiaasen's books

I lived in south Florida - specifically Homestead, Key Largo, and Key West - for a number of years.

I can tell you this: Hiaasen doesn't write fiction, he writes true-life adventures.

His books remind me why I loved living down there, and why I couldn't wait to get the heck outta there!

Psycho Circus · February 25, 2009, 03:20:43 PM

Okay, okay.

When I'm not watching movies, I collect ALOT of 80's cd's and vinyl. I like to get hammered come each weekend (on Jim Beam and an 8-pk of Millers) and cook myself some proper meals. I like to keep track of my beloved Manchester City FC (soccer team) every Saturday/Sunday, stew in the bath and read a good book when I get chance. I like to read stuff by Stephen King, Clive Barker and Seb Hunter. I write music reviews/rants for Sleazegrinder.com too.

I always have loads of cleaning to do and have to wash all my clothes by hand, 'cause I still don't own a washing machine, so that takes up alot of time. I also go and visit family once every month for a weekend, but that usually bores the bubble-wrap outta me...

Doggett · February 25, 2009, 03:30:45 PM

Quote from: Raffine on February 25, 2009, 03:17:07 PM
Quote from: doggett on February 25, 2009, 03:08:45 PM
Trying to buy all of Carl Hiaasen's books

I can tell you this: Hiaasen doesn't write fiction, he writes true-life adventures.

Florida must be really messed up...

Wicked cool.

meQal · February 25, 2009, 04:23:59 PM

Besides visiting here, I also:
Contribute to another website where people can write captions to pictures from movies, television, and just about anything else.
Beta test games from online gaming sites to MMORPGs.
Play a couple of MMORPGs that are in release.
Occasionally still assist with some mental health rights cases.
Visit doctors a lot more than I care to visit.
Try to be a homemaker for my wife and daughters since I can't work due to my health.

Raffine · February 25, 2009, 04:46:25 PM

Quote from: doggett on February 25, 2009, 03:30:45 PM
Quote from: Raffine on February 25, 2009, 03:17:07 PM
Quote from: doggett on February 25, 2009, 03:08:45 PM
Trying to buy all of Carl Hiaasen's books

I can tell you this: Hiaasen doesn't write fiction, he writes true-life adventures.

Florida must be really messed up...

Wicked cool.

Some of my best buddies in the Keys included:

A multimillionaire documentary film making couple who smuggled Haitians into Florida and let them camp on the grounds of their estate.

A homeless dwarf who sold balloons on the street - who was an attorney in the Nixon White House. He could prove it, too.

A German tennis player who spoke and understood almost no English - he was my main movie going buddy.

A French-Canadian carpenter who was also an illegal alien. He didn't really speak English either, and so often went with the German and me to the movies.

A toothless ex-drag queen.

A couple who raised and sold black market monitor lizards and tortoises.

A paraplegic woman who lived on a houseboat and made and sold cat toys.

A womanizing exhibitionist (he had a monstrous thing and liked showing it to people) who raised thousands of Siamese Fighting fish in his tiny apartment.

A motel manager who ran an illegal manatee petting operation.

AndyC · February 25, 2009, 06:21:38 PM

Quote from: Raffine on February 25, 2009, 04:46:25 PM
Some of my best buddies in the Keys included:

A multimillionaire documentary film making couple who smuggled Haitians into Florida and let them camp on the grounds of their estate.

A homeless dwarf who sold balloons on the street - who was an attorney in the Nixon White House. He could prove it, too.

A German tennis player who spoke and understood almost no English - he was my main movie going buddy.

A French-Canadian carpenter who was also an illegal alien. He didn't really speak English either, and so often went with the German and me to the movies.

A toothless ex-drag queen.

A couple who raised and sold black market monitor lizards and tortoises.

A paraplegic woman who lived on a houseboat and made and sold cat toys.

A womanizing exhibitionist (he had a monstrous thing and liked showing it to people) who raised thousands of Siamese Fighting fish in his tiny apartment.

A motel manager who ran an illegal manatee petting operation.

Sounds like the characters in a Jimmy Buffett novel. All you need is somebody with an old seaplane.

As for me, I've got more interests than I have time. Building things would be the big one - computers, speakers, arcade controls, homebuilt CNC. I read a fair bit, used to be mostly old-school SF, but these days I lean toward horror and thrillers. I started studying the piano in January, and I'm learning pretty quickly.

I've also enjoyed singing, although usually never in front of anyone. That changed when I took the leap and joined the choir at church, also in January. It's a confidence builder, I get free voice training, I get to know people, and it's fun. Plus, I get extra music theory that complements the piano lessons (taught by the same guy). The hardest part of choir has been getting used to singing high enough for the bass part. The nicest thing is that I can hit notes on the bottom end that nobody else can.

I dabble in a bit of art. I've done some metal sculpture, mostly metal shapes for my big animated Christmas light display. Would dearly love to get a better welder, a real cutting torch and possibly some homebrew blacksmithing gear. We'll see what summer brings. I've also got the go-ahead to paint a mural at the local airport, as kind of a volunteer thing.

I'm also finding myself on committees planning community events, and taking an interest in promoting the community, particularly on the web. To that end, I've found myself at meetings pitching websites and trying to get funding for webcams, etc.

And, of course, I'm a stay-at-home dad, trying to instill some good habits in my daughter while encouraging her to try sports, music, art, etc., and teaching her some basic reading skills before the Ministry of Education get their hands on her next year. All this while keeping a clean house (which has required me to train myself to notice when it needs cleaning).

Unfortunately, I'm also extremely lazy, so it takes an effort to keep on top of it all.

Saucerman · February 25, 2009, 06:36:26 PM

Well, being in my final semester of college and trying to prove myself as a historian, I don't have as much free time for non-school stuff as I'd like, and a lot of that is filled with B-movie watching.

However, I manage to get in:

Roleplaying Games: I play Dungeons and Dragons once a week, and also run a campaign of Call of Cthulhu.

Painting: I paint miniatures (mostly for RPG purposes and as gifts these days, I don't have the money to try to get into wargaming) and model kits, though very infrequently.

Comic Books: Dark Horse's Conan the Barbarian comic is the only one I'm particularly loyal to.

Reading: Victorian Science Fiction (H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, etc.) and Pulp crime/mystery/horror/scifi/fantasy (Lovecraft, Howard, Hammett, etc.) mostly.