Other Hobbies

[Alpinemaps]

I also enjoy Sudokus, Logic Puzzles and Nonograms.

[Darth_Raichu]

I just realize all of my current hobbies include sitting in front of a monitor screen (video games, watching Youtube, etc). 

Probably need to go back to building & customizing Gundam plastic models.  Sadly selling LEGO turned me off to building with LEGO. 

[airhanny]

53 minutes ago, zaphoid said:

I got into miles and points in late 2017 when a friend introduced me to it.  Its changed everything about how we travel.

Agreed. But now is harder because of devaluation and credit card restrictions. But it still pays my upcoming vacation to Hawaii

Currently I have about 1 million combined points/miles

[oneknightr]

1 hour ago, Darth_Raichu said:

...Sadly selling LEGO turned me off to building with LEGO. 

Oddly enough, same here. I have so many Lego sets in my backlog, and I haven't built anything since MILF about three years back. In addition to sealed sets, I have several loose modulars (Cafe Corner, Green Grocer, etc.) I need to build to ensure they're complete before I sell them. It's weird how I'm not chomping at the bits to build them. 

[$20 on joe vs dan]

36 minutes ago, oneknightr said:

Oddly enough, same here. I have so many Lego sets in my backlog, and I haven't built anything since MILF about three years back. In addition to sealed sets, I have several loose modulars (Cafe Corner, Green Grocer, etc.) I need to build to ensure they're complete before I sell them. It's weird how I'm not chomping at the bits to build them. 

we're on year 2 of our incomplete MILF taking up the living room coffee table.  Its been a chore and pretty much stopped us in our heels in terms of building sets (prior we would build a set a month).  Even the boy has a huge backlog of unopened Christmas and Birthday presents of sealed sets stacked in his room.

I have essentially given up on building my backlog...oddly enough tho it doesn't stop me from adding to it almost weekly.

[brickvoyeur]

1 minute ago, $20 on joe vs dan said:

I have essentially given up on building my backlog...oddly enough tho it doesn't stop me from adding to it almost weekly.

In the same boat, granted I have 4 kids with the oldest being 5.

Hoping one day the kids can build me a UCS Casket out of all the sets to at least break even.

[exciter1]

16 minutes ago, brickvoyeur said:

In the same boat, granted I have 4 kids with the oldest being 5.

Hoping one day the kids can build me a UCS Casket out of all the sets to at least break even.

Wee Doggie, that has to be a wild scene.

[Darth_Raichu]

27 minutes ago, $20 on joe vs dan said:

Even the boy has a huge backlog of unopened Christmas and Birthday presents of sealed sets stacked in his room.

 

Kids' interests change as they get older.  $120 LEGO sets could be hits 2 Christmas in a row but Pokemon Elite Trainer box was high in Santa's list the very next year.  Then it was a Switch console + various games 

[BricksBrotha]

14 minutes ago, Darth_Raichu said:

 $120 LEGO sets could be hits 2 Christmas in a row but Pokemon Elite Trainer box was high in Santa's list the very next year.  Then it was a Switch console + various games 

Sounds exactly like my 12 year old nephew.

[BricksBrotha]

I like to chop and stack wood for my outdoor fire pit, snowboard in winter and golf in summer.

I also very much enjoy riding my atv, motorcycle and snowmobiles. Not sure if those are considered hobbies, but some of my favorite pastimes.  

Edited January 21, 2022 by BricksBrotha

[MrToes16]

Got into a new and financially dangerous hobby a couple weeks ago when online sportsbook became legal in my state. I used to play online poker before it was banned so this is the next best thing I suppose.

I guess I'm only considering this a hobby now...until it's not. NFL wildcard weekend was pretty much a jug of gasoline on an otherwise small candle fire. 

[dennugsmello]

46 minutes ago, MrToes16 said:

Got into a new and financially dangerous hobby a couple weeks ago when online sportsbook became legal in my state. I used to play online poker before it was banned so this is the next best thing I suppose.

I guess I'm only considering this a hobby now...until it's not. NFL wildcard weekend was pretty much a jug of gasoline on an otherwise small candle fire. 

Don't get too good at it or you'll get the ban hammer. Or they restrict your max bet to $0.01, like they did my account haha. 

[dennugsmello]

4 hours ago, Darth_Raichu said:

Sadly selling LEGO turned me off to building with LEGO. 

Smart move. Don't get high off your own supply. 

[Darth_Raichu]

3 minutes ago, dennugsmello said:

Smart move. Don't get high off your own supply. 

I can build pretty high wall around my house with my supply, without opening the boxes

[keymomachine]

6 hours ago, Alpinemaps said:

I also enjoy Sudokus, Logic Puzzles and Nonograms.

Word games for me. I do the NYT crossword and Spelling Bee daily.

[glostik]

6 hours ago, airhanny said:

Agreed. But now is harder because of devaluation and credit card restrictions. But it still pays my upcoming vacation to Hawaii

Currently I have about 1 million combined points/miles

1 million still a youngster

I am at 30million points/miles give or take

I stopped churning for the bonuses a couple years ago - became too tedious

[airhanny]

5 minutes ago, glostik said:

1 million still a youngster

I am at 30million points/miles give or take

I stopped churning for the bonuses a couple years ago - became too tedious

That's amazing. Churning becomes hard now. I think LEGO and Point/mile are good combination. Buy LEGOs for spending requirements.

[iahawks550]

14 hours ago, dennugsmello said:

Don't get too good at it or you'll get the ban hammer. Or they restrict your max bet to $0.01, like they did my account haha. 

What site? I've seen them restrict play prop bets, but never overall bets.

[Pseudoty]

In the middle of a major Hi-Fi upgrade so @fuzzy_brickswon’t be able to get on me about my old RadioShack receiver anymore. Started with the turntable and cartridge, also got that $400 record weight and some way overpriced cables (face palm emoji). 
 

Have 2 other major components on order from USA based companies that are waiting on overseas parts. 

[iahawks550]

I had no idea, until it happened, that needles (styli ??) went bad. The replacement costs 1/3 of the original cost of my player as there don't appear to be any generic needles that fit. TEAC TN-300

[Pseudoty]

1 hour ago, iahawks550 said:

I had no idea, until it happened, that needles (styli ??) went bad. The replacement costs 1/3 of the original cost of my player as there don't appear to be any generic needles that fit. TEAC TN-300

Mine is not replaceable there are services that re-tip them but at around 1,000 hours I will probably just replace it. 
 

Yours has a removable head shell? If so you have lots of good affordable options in the Audio Technica cartridge line that can make a nice improvement. 
 

Is this what you currently have?

https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATN95E-Replacement-Stylus-Cartridge/dp/B001IEPNN6/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2C8NJI7IF787F&keywords=at95e&qid=1652525955&sprefix=At95%2Caps%2C61&sr=8-3

Edited May 14, 2022 by Pseudoty

[iahawks550]

That is my current head. It just appeared I was limited in a replacement?

[Pseudoty]

1 hour ago, iahawks550 said:

That is my current head. It just appeared I was limited in a replacement?

If you have a removable head shell then there are plenty of options depending on your budget. If you just want to swap out the stylus and see some improvement on sound you can go with this:

https://www.audio-technica.com/en-us/at-vmn95en

If you listen to mostly new and or clean records and want that audiophile experience on a budget:

https://www.audio-technica.com/en-us/at-vmn95ml
 

You can get them from Amazon just watch a quick how to YouTube video first. 

Edited May 15, 2022 by Pseudoty

[TheOrcKing]

On 1/16/2022 at 2:38 AM, TheOrcKing said:

Meanwhile I have gotten myself back into a routine of personal fitness if that could be considered a hobby. Down about eight pounds at least even though I already am around my targeted weight for height. Been feeling better about myself with more energy. And eating substantially less as well but more thirsty instead. Maybe not quite healthier eating though. Ha.

Bumping this topic with a, well, year later update I suppose looking at that post date. Oi.

Not too far afterwards from then (like a couple months later), I ended up dropping close to forty pounds altogether. And I was already close to being underweight as it was. Changing my diet helped the most for certain. I never was one to eat a lot of sugar or fast food growing up. However, I did end up having quick meals for work and often afterwards as well. A number of microwave meals that were not as healthy as claimed to be. Not to mention a sedentary lifestyle formed by working in front of a computer at work and home leading to low blood pressure.

Anyway, I did much research on my own using signs of deficiencies to narrow it down to food sources good in folate acids (vitamin B9), for testosterone, and providing zinc. There is some crossover and other factors, but this "trifecta" helped keep things simple for me. Eating predominately a lot of freshly frozen fruits across the board has been significant to my well-being. Plus, as I mentioned in a different thread, I rediscovered my joy of cooking. A process benefiting my physical and mental health ....and emotional health if I am honest.

So, between all that and cutting out fatty foods and also managing to quit the soda (my one last vice), here I am. Lost forty pounds then gained about ten back in muscle through strength training and fitness. I imagine some of that earned back weight is 'healthy fat' odd as that may sound. (I read having less than 10% or 5% body fat is possible but feels horrible with general fatigue, constant hunger & thirst, lack of motivation, etcetera.) Overall, my body feels better and leaner with room for improvement.

Now I am not above ever having a soda or bacon cheeseburger again. I just will do so in moderation.
I mean, I am a moderator after all. Haha.

[oneknightr]

Way to go @TheOrcKing!! That's awesome.

Everything in moderation is key. We don't need to deprive ourselves of all things that are bad for us.