I like to paddle around local lakes and ponds with my wife in our homemade carbon fiber boats. It's amazing how even in the Boston area you can see a lot of wildlife when you get out on the water.
Why is it cool? The little 18 pound canoes are amazing on calm lakes.
I didn't document my process very well, but I found encouragement from a website that used the same book as I did for a starting point[1]. I modified the design to make them into small sit-in canoes that you use with a kayak paddle like a Hornbeck [2]. I have a good friend with a few Hornbeck boats, and I really wanted something similar with out spending $1200 each on two boats. In the end I probably spent $1500 for the two boats in materials and put in about 15 person days of weekend labor, but it was a fun project. The boats look good, and are just rough enough that people notice that it is hand made.
Rock Climbing, specifically Bouldering, makes a great hobby for a computer programmer:
1. It works the right muscles to fight all the terrible things that programming does to your body. Slouching fixed, wrist issues fixed, obesity fixed.
2. It's crazy fun and addictive. You will make time to go climbing. There is no concept of "I should probably go climbing but..." like there is with the gym, running, etc. If it's physically possible to go climbing now without definitely getting fired, you're going.
3. It's measurable, so it presses the "leveling up" buttons that seem to be hard-wired into dev types. You'll spend years stuck at V6, grinding 4 nights a week in the gym, loving every minute of it in the hope of one day advancing to V7.
4. It gets you traveling. Sure, there's enough rock around town to keep you going on the weekends, and there's some good areas that you can hit for a weekend roadtrip (which by the way will be where you spend every single weekend from here on out). But all the best rock is halfway around the world. You'll save up to spend a winter on the beach in Thailand, summer roadtripping across Europe, and if you ever end up in Paris on business you'll look me up in Fontainebleau and I'll take you out for the single best day of bouldering in your life here in the forest.
Head down to the climbing gym tonight. It'll ruin your life. In a good way.
Climbing gyms? They're plentiful these days, so chances are there's at least one in your town (or seven if you're in a major city). $15 will get you a daypass to try it out, and it's comparable to any other gym membership in cost long term.
As to climbing outside, rock shoes cost $150 and the internet will tell you everything you need about where to go and how to do it.
Fully agree with all that you are saying. Especially the " If it's physically possible to go climbing now without definitely getting fired, you're going." part. I went yesterday evening, my skin is still sore, but if I could leave work right now to go climbing, I'd be gone in an instant. I'll be close to Font in June, so looking forward to visiting already, palms sweaty just thinking about it.
I'm fat (170 cm 102 kg). I go bouldering about 3 times a week.
It's a lot harder when overweight. I haven't progressed as fast as everyone around me, and it is frustrating watching people who aren't overweight climb for the first time because they typically can do things I can't. It's also extremely fun and addicting, and everyone that climbs at my gym tends to be supportive and not at all judgemental.
Hang in there, and consider trying crack or face climbing. One of the best wall climbers I ever had the privilege of following around was overweight (despite playing soccer and running and everything else). He couldn't boulder for crap but he had great balance and body english.
Obesity and climbing are a tough combination. I would recommend trying indoor climbing at first and working on routes that don't overhang (wall is <= 90 deg from the angle of the floor). If you work this in with a routine like cycling/runnning/swimming and a proper diet (start eating less carbs unless you plan on working out within the next couple of hours), you can develop a body built for climbing while picking up proper technique at the early stages.
Like many devs, my jobs and most of my hobbies tend to be very cerebral, and I spend almost all of my time deep inside my own head. I think living this way contributes to feeling disconnected from the world and ultimately anxiety.
Rock climbing is extremely grounding, even compared to other sports. You have to use all of your muscles, and pay careful attention to what your hands are doing. You feel the weight of gravity and the stress of being in a high place, and then this wonderful feeling of accomplishment when you reach the top.
Nothing puts you in the 'now' like climbing. It's like the perfect therapy for spacey people.
> If it's physically possible to go climbing now without definitely getting fired, you're going.
Hahaha, it's like this with every outdoor sport I can think of: Climbing, surfing, hang-gliding, mountain biking. When something is crazy fun to do and gives you that adrenaline boost/endorphin rush/seratonin spike, work can wait... as long as you're not getting fired, life is good :P
Hello fellow boulderer! I have seen (anecdotally) that climbing has adverse effects on slouching. Your back muscles grow disproportionately to your chest muscles producing rounded, hunched shoulders.
Having large strong back muscles pulls your shoulders back and keeps you from slouching. The opposite happens if your chest grows disproportionately larger than your back (whether the weight up front is due to muscle or fat).
Also, the core strength developed when climbing supports good posture by makes it much easier to sit or stand up straight for long periods. Not sure
Counter that by also taking up Surfing. One good month-long surfing trip per year will bend you back to where you need to be.
I used to be decidedly concave when I was only climbing. Now I'm roughly planar, varying slightly over the year depending on the current proportions of climbing to surfing.
The muscle growth you describe would have the opposite effect. Back muscles help pull the arms and back to the back.
That's just a general rule though. If you hang from your shoulders but let your shoulders go, instead of pulling them back (which builds back muscles), I can imagine a slouched look developing. But if you pull back your shoulders it'll have the opposite effect, building muscle that improves your form.
I guess at the end of the day you have to focus on the sport you love, and do correcting exercises to keep your body in balance on the side. Most sports have lots of repetition on key moves and they lead to all kinds of issues, so I'd argue this is true for any sport.
Some boulderers do develop that physique, but they're typically climbing at much higher levels (V5 and up, Bishop V5 not your local gym V5) and tend to be less well built otherwise.
It's not a problem for most people. Most people get a lot of benefit for their posture from climbing.
Woodworking, specifically with hand tools. I love everything about it. The history and tradition of the craft and seeing the work of craftsman around me, especially when travelling. Satisfaction from finishing a project or applying a newly learned technique. Not to mention that wood as a medium is both challenging and rewarding. This comment could never do it justice.
Don't know about the OP, but I took an evening woodworking course at a local college. 24 weeks, 1 hour a week, £129.99. When I left, I felt like I could build anything (I was wrong - but that's a whole nother story).
Practice. Practice Practice. Also workshops, find a small wood shop in your area. We have woodcraft here, which offers various classes on the weekends. Most small colleges also still have some wood working courses.
Same way you do with programming, pick a tool (language) and start making something! You won't get better at something being intimidated and never trying :)
I grew up watching Norm Abram as a kid. Watching something come to life is so rewarding. Failing however is very painful (possibly expensive) as you can't take back cuts!
Power tools are nice, and I have acquired plenty over the years, but if you aren't in some kinda shop just cranking out pieces for customers the hand tool way is very rewarding (and challenging)
Also like programming, you can always improve and learn more
The idea of creating things out of wood always appealed to me, but I never knew I could turn it into a satisfying hobby until I set out to build a built-in bookcase in my home (a very typical gateway project) Before woodworking I tended to collect and discard hobbies.
As others have mentioned, I suggest picking a project and going for it. Woodworking for Mere Mortals is a great source of introductory projects you can start building with limited power tools and experience, to get a taste. If you enjoy it, the next thing you know you'll be buying antique tools on ebay, pre-ordering Lost Art Press books and arguing about sharpening methods or bevel up vs bevel down. Or, you'll be happily creating things out of pallet wood using a jigsaw and orbital sander. The craft is very wide and very deep and I make no value judgement on how people enjoy it, I'm just happy to see people building things themselves.
If you don't have any space or tools, seek out a MakerSpace. I'm a member of my local one here in New Haven, solely for the community as I have my own "shop". It would be a great source of tools and help if I were just starting out.
Writing software is a great intellectual pastime. But it doesn't engage the part of me that is outside of the screen. I find making things from wood does engage that part of me.
There's something very significant and special to me about the idea that pieces of wood cut in certain shapes can measure time as accurately as a computer. Ok, not even close to "as" accurately, but +/- a few seconds in a 24 hour period is close enough for me.
These ARE awesome. The Wood Whisperer had a guest video of one of these that blew me away, most likely because it was an area unfamiliar to me - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNA6MJV5xWw
Playing Hockey - it's the best sport for me. Very quick and high Intensive and a bit brutal sometimes. I love the feeling of sliding on the ice and the focus you need for the 1-2minutes you're out there for a shift.
Also the team aspect is great if you play in a league and train with other guys every week for the playoffs.
Aikido. Good exercise with a practical point The wrist stretches feel great after typing all day. I enjoy the duality of art in that sometimes you can be aggressive (uke) or learn how to blend with that aggression as nage
I play in a soccer league once a week and then pickup basketball whenever I feel like (Which is basically every day in the summer). You get to interact with people, exercise and have fun.
I'm an aspiring inventor of board games, so that takes all my free time. In the past, I used to practice technical origami: The ancient art of paper folding meets mathematics. It's the best of both worlds: a very practical, yet mind-bending activity.
Powerlifting - It allows me to eat what I want whenever I want because my body burns more calories at rest. It also is a good outlet for stress and rewarding when you hit goals that you worked towards.
Calligraphy - Cheap to get in. Bought a parallel pen for something like $11 and some Claire Fontaine paper and started learning. It's very much a hobby that you get out what you put in. No artistic ability required, and it's very impressive to others. Rewarding when you see how pretty the letters you've created are.
Programming - I'm paid to write code, but I also do it for fun. I try to be creative with my projects and work on something random but still useful and challenging.
Obviously within reason. Being 24, I don't currently worry about things like 'heart health'. Maybe I will in the future, but for now I'm just trying to take care of the big things like regular exercise and healthy life-long habits.
This is a tangent, but don't write off heart problems TOO much--don't ignore symptoms just because you're young. I know that's not what you were saying, but a very healthy and young friend of mine (serious lifter too) had a heart attack recently. It started out mild but he tried to "push through the pain." Bad idea.
I practice/teach martial arts 2-4 times a week. People pay me to hit them, and that's why it's so cool :-) Joking aside, it's a great way to stay in shape, and the people at my dojo are fantastic - they're like a second family to me.
Could you elaborate on what kind of MAs are you into? I always wanted to try, but I hate the hyper aggressive, macho-alpha-thing attitude that I suspect I'd find in, say, the box gym down the road. Is it even a true stereotype?
I practice Isshinryu, a particular style of Karate. We place about equal emphasis on traditional aspects of Karate (empty-handed forms, or "katas", traditional weapons, etc), as well as in sparring. While we do occasionally get the odd macho-man in our club, the vast majority of us are regular people looking for a fun way to stay in shape.
As for your stereotype, it really depends on the gym. I'd say if you're looking to do mixed martial arts of boxing, the probability of finding a meathead-alpha-gym will be higher, but there are MMA and boxing gyms that are also laid back. So in a nutshell, you really have to take it on a gym-by-gym basis. If you're looking at getting into MA, find a place close to you, and sit in and observe a few classes before giving it a try, and be aware of the vibes you get from it. If you get a decent feeling about the place, see if you can try a lesson or two for free, to see if it's for you. Repeat this process for other gyms and soon you'll find the one for you :-)
Not as active as some of the others, I stick with the stereotypical geek side of my life and play Warhammer 40k, and Dungeons and Dragons (well, Pathfinder for those in the know).
But between work and family time, I rarely do those. When ever I do spend time on myself, always nag myself about not spending time with the kids.
I'm not sure that it's a proper hobby, but walking. It doesn't require any special equipment--just go outside on a nice day, pick a direction, and go. I love the meditative effect it has on me. I also become much more aware of the communities I live in and visit when I just walk everywhere--I find lots of hidden gems that make places seem more alive.
And yes, if you find a rose during your walk, you can stop and smell it.
I recently started walking again and have done so 8 out of the past 9 days. I put my kids in the stroller and push them around. They get to see things and I meet a lot of nice people in the neighborhood.
Where I live, there is no real sense of community, people just live in their houses without really speaking with their neighbors, but when we are walking, people seem to break out of their shell.
I do the same thing during lunch! Our suburban city just opened a nice mile long (and expanding) paved trail that's a quick walk from our house. It's nice to step out after the morning work load with the dogs. I make a point to stop and smell the roses (and honeysuckles). Lots of wildlife (snakes, deer, rabbits, hawks).
Motorcycles - There's no feeling like it, you get time to unwind and be in your own head if you need it, or you can push the envelope and empty your head of everything but the road. The maintenance / mechanics side is really rewarding as well.
It's one of the few reasons I regret living in a very urban area in Europe (Amsterdam), there's very little space. I'm completely fine with that in terms of a home, I don't need a massive kitchen and massive bedrooms etc. But I really wish I had a garden and a garage. If I had either of those I'd love to get into motorcycles. Without them, it just feels like my expensive toy is out there on the street and if anything ever happens to it, I can't tinker away patiently, I pay a guy to fix it or rent a workspace and fix it on a timer.
I've watched a ton of videos on repairs and maintenance and modifications etc. I can't imagine really enjoying it that much if that element is removed.
Beyond that I'd be pretty scared of riding a lot. Does anyone have some statistics on this? I always had the impression that even if you ride perfectly, you're vulnerable to other people's mistakes. Bf of a friend of mine got killed that way.
I also live in an urban area (Chicago) and started riding about 3 years ago. So far I've had spaces in parking structures where I could do some less involved things (changed my own oil a few weeks ago, wheee) without raising too many eyebrows. I'm currently condo shopping and one of my requirements will be an indoor garage space so I can continue doing this, so it's do-able in an urban environment. I guess I don't really know what condo garages are like in Europe though...
As for risk, there's the HURT report in the US that came out in the 80s but nothing nearly as comprehensive has been done recently. I just make sure to always wear All the Gear, All the Time (ATTGATT), and always ride sober. Even one drink is pretty noticeable. So there's ways to substantially reduce the risk.
I live in the UK and I don't have a garage either, I'm fortunate enough to live on a quiet enough street off of main roads though, so I do all my maintenance on the street. It's ok until the wind gets up, and genuinely pleasant in summer.
So far as being vulnerable - yes you are. This is something you have to come to terms with, there are many biker safety courses out there designed to make you a better rider, police riding courses are very good, and so are some advanced ones - they'll teach you how to ride defensively, how to read the road as best as possible, danger assessment etc. That said, there is always a chance something out of your control could happen to you, but the same could be said for walking out of your house every day, we do what we enjoy because we enjoy it - you must assess the risk vs reward and decide if it is for you.
My advice? If you honestly have an interest, try a beginners course, even if you don't initially intend on getting a motorcycle it will give you a little taste of what it is like and let you make a slightly more informed decision.
Cub scout leader - I get to watch 7 to 10 year olds grow up and be a part of that growing up. Teaching them skills they'll find useful in later life and hopefully giving them experiences they'll remember fondly.
Playing the guitar. There's nothing else that I find more rewarding, relaxing and challenging in the same time. I can't get enough of the joy when I learn a new song, riff or lick. After a long day at work this is the only thing I want to do.
Running. It's free, fun, you can do it anywhere, and it's a great way to get to know places. My favorite thing to do when I get to a new city is a long run: you get a great sense of the city and you can find the parts you want to go back to. I also love that it forces me out of doors in the long New Jersey winters. It happens to be good for you too, I hear.
Unless you run naked it is not free :) At least for me. I spend ~130 euros on running shoes every 4-5 month. Running gear requires investment as well - where I run temperature fluctuates from -12C to +32C so you need proper clothes. Plus, on long runs >20 km I have something to snack.
I bought a bunch of New Balance Minimus on sale for around $70 each. Many of them have >1000 miles on them, and they're going strong. I have yet to retire a pair. And the upside to running clothes is that they're all synthetics so they last forever. I still have pretty much all of the running clothes I've ever bought. Not quite free, but awfully cheap.
Its very humbling to know that we're nothing but a tiny speck on the Universe, and there's gazillions of stars, galaxies and most probably life doing the same things that we do, and thats cool. Go figure.
Same here. You can actually do that even without a telescope, considering how many free research data is available online... Lots of the space telescopes put their images out for free, not to mention older missions like Voyagers (with people still discovering stuff from them)
i started about 3 years ago when i was already past 30, so i'm one of the new crop of "old newbies" that emerged with the recent crossfit craze (never tried that though). i'm not especially strong and i probably won't ever get near where my 20 year old colleagues are, but i don't care much about that. i train 3 to 4 times a week for about 2 to 3 hours.
why do i do it: the physical exertion really helps me relax after a day of sitting and intense, concentrated work in front of the screen. it also prevents my posture from getting worse by strengthening my back muscles and really, really hammering correct posture into my daily routine. the increased strength and muscle mass helps preventing every day injuries and - well, this is an investment in the far future - age related maladies like osteoporosis or mobility problems. of course i also like the body that comes with it (not all weightlifters are overweight - to the contrary).
furthermore an intense training session really improves my mood. no matter how grumpy, tired and powerless i feel, the more i actually want to work out, even if i'm not in the mood for it - because i know i'll feel a lot better afterwards.
why weightlifting is cool: lets be honest - being able to push more than your bodyweight in iron over your head is kind of cool. looking good naked doesn't hurt either. the risk of injury is comparably low - it's actually one of the sports with the lowest risk of injury for several reasons:
* it's single player. you don't get tackled or rushed or injured by others (whether on purpose or by accident). you're in control. if you get hurt, it's almost always your own fault due to not being being careful.
* you don't twist around, so the risk of tearing your ligaments is low.
* it's an extremely technical sport; it takes years to perfect your technique. better technique leads to more weight lifted, even if your bodily strength didn't improve that much. with good technique, the risk of injury is low. without good technique, you aren't able to lift a lot of weight. it's practically self regulating. and usually you train with a trainer who corrects your form. even fitness training in a gym is more dangerous. of course, injuries do happen occasionally and you're rarely completely without pain - something always hurts, even if it's only sore muscles.
downsides of weightlifting:
you do need specialised equipment; a platform and standard gym bars don't cut it either. without a weightlifting club nearby you're probably out of luck.
due to the lack of lifters i do have to compete for my club (where i train), whether i want it or not (except for reasons, of course - injury, exams, family, vacation, ...). that means every couple of weeks a whole saturday is practically lost for prep and the competition (doesn't bother me much, i kind of like competing even though i'm always overly nervous). also athletes at our club are paid an allowance for competing (for the time invested), so the club membership fee for the year is actually negative.
Photography - I use my free time to take long walks (perk: easy exercise) and take photos of whatever looks interesting which is very relaxing. It motivates me to travel and discover new places...even if it's still within the same town. I've been asked to take photos of people, events and groups by friends and it's always a nice experience. I also put up my photos online on places like tumblr where they have been recognized by the tumblr community on several occasions.
Triathlon - Obviously a great source of exercise. Teaches you to expand yourself (time, goals, etc.) because you have to train for swimming, biking and running. Races are competitive, but the racers are also very friendly (perks of a somewhat niche sport). And then of course it's always a wow factor among others since races last from 15 miles ("sprints") to 140 miles (Ironman).
Painting, playing the piano, walking, laying out in the sun, day exploring for pretty scenery - this is for emotion handling/conflict/resolution
Building electronics, studying computer engineering, physics, mathematics, in addition to computer science, programming, logic, formal languages, various theories of philosophy, psychology, cognitive science - this is because I usually feel like I am drowning in information, so I study, refine, simplify, and create strong associations in my mind of core concepts that I discover through carefully and tenderly planned activities of observation and thought. I do not care if they are linguistically inexpressible, it's like finding the perfect models for every field, that build the foundation and explain the creation of all the other things (or are capable of being questioned, elaborated on, relabeled or categorized, or destroyed, depending on whether they retain their truth characteristics).
Zen Buddhism - for when I repeatedly hit the same vague mental wall that the above procedure constructs. I can't prove that it exists or why, but I know it exists and it bothers me, sometimes.
Why:
'When there is a humanitarian crisis, such as the Nepal earthquake, OpenStreetMap (OSM) volunteers from around the world rapidly digitize satellite imagery to provide maps and data to support humanitarian organizations deployed to the affected countries.'
Beer brewing. It's fun because it's a great mix of creativity and science. The possibilities are endless, you feel like you're constantly learning no matter how long you've been doing it.
It's also possible to achieve great results because your process can be really close to a professional one at a much smaller scale, plus it's easy to have access to the same ingredient diversity and quality as any microbrewery.
It's a great hobby overall but it's best to pair it with another one where you move. :)
Yes, same here, though I've been on hiatus since my first child was born six years ago. Once the kids get a bit older I'm going to pick it up again. It's a nice break from my other tech hobbies.
My goal, when starting up again, is to brew English style real-ales, cask-conditioned and everything. There is nowhere around where I live (Minneapolis, MN) that I can get anything like the real thing. I love when I have the opportunity to go to the UK and try the good, local (not the big breweries like Fuller's, I'm talking smaller breweries like Hogsback or even smaller) brews that are kept well by knowing pub-keeps.
This is something I've dabbled in (10 batches?) It's one of those hobbies that's nice because you can dip your toe in it by brewing a gallon of beer in your kitchen and next thing you know you're completely lost in it when find yourself tweaking water chemistry or examining yeast under a microscope.
127 comments
[ 5.5 ms ] story [ 490 ms ] threadWhy is it cool? The little 18 pound canoes are amazing on calm lakes.
[1] http://www.microtek-inc.com/canoe/canoe.htm [2] http://www.hornbeckboats.com/index.php
1. It works the right muscles to fight all the terrible things that programming does to your body. Slouching fixed, wrist issues fixed, obesity fixed.
2. It's crazy fun and addictive. You will make time to go climbing. There is no concept of "I should probably go climbing but..." like there is with the gym, running, etc. If it's physically possible to go climbing now without definitely getting fired, you're going.
3. It's measurable, so it presses the "leveling up" buttons that seem to be hard-wired into dev types. You'll spend years stuck at V6, grinding 4 nights a week in the gym, loving every minute of it in the hope of one day advancing to V7.
4. It gets you traveling. Sure, there's enough rock around town to keep you going on the weekends, and there's some good areas that you can hit for a weekend roadtrip (which by the way will be where you spend every single weekend from here on out). But all the best rock is halfway around the world. You'll save up to spend a winter on the beach in Thailand, summer roadtripping across Europe, and if you ever end up in Paris on business you'll look me up in Fontainebleau and I'll take you out for the single best day of bouldering in your life here in the forest.
Head down to the climbing gym tonight. It'll ruin your life. In a good way.
As to climbing outside, rock shoes cost $150 and the internet will tell you everything you need about where to go and how to do it.
Seems like your body'd be your own worst enemy in that situation.
It's a lot harder when overweight. I haven't progressed as fast as everyone around me, and it is frustrating watching people who aren't overweight climb for the first time because they typically can do things I can't. It's also extremely fun and addicting, and everyone that climbs at my gym tends to be supportive and not at all judgemental.
Source: I've been climbing for 6 years
Like many devs, my jobs and most of my hobbies tend to be very cerebral, and I spend almost all of my time deep inside my own head. I think living this way contributes to feeling disconnected from the world and ultimately anxiety.
Rock climbing is extremely grounding, even compared to other sports. You have to use all of your muscles, and pay careful attention to what your hands are doing. You feel the weight of gravity and the stress of being in a high place, and then this wonderful feeling of accomplishment when you reach the top.
Nothing puts you in the 'now' like climbing. It's like the perfect therapy for spacey people.
Hahaha, it's like this with every outdoor sport I can think of: Climbing, surfing, hang-gliding, mountain biking. When something is crazy fun to do and gives you that adrenaline boost/endorphin rush/seratonin spike, work can wait... as long as you're not getting fired, life is good :P
Also, the core strength developed when climbing supports good posture by makes it much easier to sit or stand up straight for long periods. Not sure
I used to be decidedly concave when I was only climbing. Now I'm roughly planar, varying slightly over the year depending on the current proportions of climbing to surfing.
That's just a general rule though. If you hang from your shoulders but let your shoulders go, instead of pulling them back (which builds back muscles), I can imagine a slouched look developing. But if you pull back your shoulders it'll have the opposite effect, building muscle that improves your form.
I guess at the end of the day you have to focus on the sport you love, and do correcting exercises to keep your body in balance on the side. Most sports have lots of repetition on key moves and they lead to all kinds of issues, so I'd argue this is true for any sport.
It's not a problem for most people. Most people get a lot of benefit for their posture from climbing.
Crazy fun and a super workout.
My dov tails still suck though so I may be off.
I grew up watching Norm Abram as a kid. Watching something come to life is so rewarding. Failing however is very painful (possibly expensive) as you can't take back cuts!
I'd suggest watching some Paul Sellers videos, hand tool oriented: https://www.youtube.com/user/PaulSellersWoodwork
Power tools are nice, and I have acquired plenty over the years, but if you aren't in some kinda shop just cranking out pieces for customers the hand tool way is very rewarding (and challenging)
Also like programming, you can always improve and learn more
As others have mentioned, I suggest picking a project and going for it. Woodworking for Mere Mortals is a great source of introductory projects you can start building with limited power tools and experience, to get a taste. If you enjoy it, the next thing you know you'll be buying antique tools on ebay, pre-ordering Lost Art Press books and arguing about sharpening methods or bevel up vs bevel down. Or, you'll be happily creating things out of pallet wood using a jigsaw and orbital sander. The craft is very wide and very deep and I make no value judgement on how people enjoy it, I'm just happy to see people building things themselves.
If you don't have any space or tools, seek out a MakerSpace. I'm a member of my local one here in New Haven, solely for the community as I have my own "shop". It would be a great source of tools and help if I were just starting out.
There's something very significant and special to me about the idea that pieces of wood cut in certain shapes can measure time as accurately as a computer. Ok, not even close to "as" accurately, but +/- a few seconds in a 24 hour period is close enough for me.
If you're interested, start by reading Robert J. Lang http://www.langorigami.com/ and Erik Demaine http://erikdemaine.org/.
Origami Design Secret is the best introduction on modern techniques: http://www.amazon.com/Origami-Design-Secrets-Mathematical-Me...
I also read a lot. It's not cool yet, but it will be if I get to read 100+ non-fiction books in one year. That's my goal for 2015.
Calligraphy - Cheap to get in. Bought a parallel pen for something like $11 and some Claire Fontaine paper and started learning. It's very much a hobby that you get out what you put in. No artistic ability required, and it's very impressive to others. Rewarding when you see how pretty the letters you've created are.
Programming - I'm paid to write code, but I also do it for fun. I try to be creative with my projects and work on something random but still useful and challenging.
EDIT: sorry, I don't know why my answer was posted multiple times.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB100014240527023039497045794613...
As for your stereotype, it really depends on the gym. I'd say if you're looking to do mixed martial arts of boxing, the probability of finding a meathead-alpha-gym will be higher, but there are MMA and boxing gyms that are also laid back. So in a nutshell, you really have to take it on a gym-by-gym basis. If you're looking at getting into MA, find a place close to you, and sit in and observe a few classes before giving it a try, and be aware of the vibes you get from it. If you get a decent feeling about the place, see if you can try a lesson or two for free, to see if it's for you. Repeat this process for other gyms and soon you'll find the one for you :-)
But between work and family time, I rarely do those. When ever I do spend time on myself, always nag myself about not spending time with the kids.
And yes, if you find a rose during your walk, you can stop and smell it.
Where I live, there is no real sense of community, people just live in their houses without really speaking with their neighbors, but when we are walking, people seem to break out of their shell.
I've watched a ton of videos on repairs and maintenance and modifications etc. I can't imagine really enjoying it that much if that element is removed.
Beyond that I'd be pretty scared of riding a lot. Does anyone have some statistics on this? I always had the impression that even if you ride perfectly, you're vulnerable to other people's mistakes. Bf of a friend of mine got killed that way.
As for risk, there's the HURT report in the US that came out in the 80s but nothing nearly as comprehensive has been done recently. I just make sure to always wear All the Gear, All the Time (ATTGATT), and always ride sober. Even one drink is pretty noticeable. So there's ways to substantially reduce the risk.
So far as being vulnerable - yes you are. This is something you have to come to terms with, there are many biker safety courses out there designed to make you a better rider, police riding courses are very good, and so are some advanced ones - they'll teach you how to ride defensively, how to read the road as best as possible, danger assessment etc. That said, there is always a chance something out of your control could happen to you, but the same could be said for walking out of your house every day, we do what we enjoy because we enjoy it - you must assess the risk vs reward and decide if it is for you.
My advice? If you honestly have an interest, try a beginners course, even if you don't initially intend on getting a motorcycle it will give you a little taste of what it is like and let you make a slightly more informed decision.
Programming - Making things Im proud of.
* crazy addictive. If you can go you will
* a decent workout. If I'm in a course or trying, even run is like a sprint
* allows you to connect with others -- you can ride the chair up together!
But unfortunately it's really expensive after you've been in for a while.
Its very humbling to know that we're nothing but a tiny speck on the Universe, and there's gazillions of stars, galaxies and most probably life doing the same things that we do, and thats cool. Go figure.
i started about 3 years ago when i was already past 30, so i'm one of the new crop of "old newbies" that emerged with the recent crossfit craze (never tried that though). i'm not especially strong and i probably won't ever get near where my 20 year old colleagues are, but i don't care much about that. i train 3 to 4 times a week for about 2 to 3 hours.
why do i do it: the physical exertion really helps me relax after a day of sitting and intense, concentrated work in front of the screen. it also prevents my posture from getting worse by strengthening my back muscles and really, really hammering correct posture into my daily routine. the increased strength and muscle mass helps preventing every day injuries and - well, this is an investment in the far future - age related maladies like osteoporosis or mobility problems. of course i also like the body that comes with it (not all weightlifters are overweight - to the contrary).
furthermore an intense training session really improves my mood. no matter how grumpy, tired and powerless i feel, the more i actually want to work out, even if i'm not in the mood for it - because i know i'll feel a lot better afterwards.
why weightlifting is cool: lets be honest - being able to push more than your bodyweight in iron over your head is kind of cool. looking good naked doesn't hurt either. the risk of injury is comparably low - it's actually one of the sports with the lowest risk of injury for several reasons:
* it's single player. you don't get tackled or rushed or injured by others (whether on purpose or by accident). you're in control. if you get hurt, it's almost always your own fault due to not being being careful.
* you don't twist around, so the risk of tearing your ligaments is low.
* it's an extremely technical sport; it takes years to perfect your technique. better technique leads to more weight lifted, even if your bodily strength didn't improve that much. with good technique, the risk of injury is low. without good technique, you aren't able to lift a lot of weight. it's practically self regulating. and usually you train with a trainer who corrects your form. even fitness training in a gym is more dangerous. of course, injuries do happen occasionally and you're rarely completely without pain - something always hurts, even if it's only sore muscles.
downsides of weightlifting:
you do need specialised equipment; a platform and standard gym bars don't cut it either. without a weightlifting club nearby you're probably out of luck.
due to the lack of lifters i do have to compete for my club (where i train), whether i want it or not (except for reasons, of course - injury, exams, family, vacation, ...). that means every couple of weeks a whole saturday is practically lost for prep and the competition (doesn't bother me much, i kind of like competing even though i'm always overly nervous). also athletes at our club are paid an allowance for competing (for the time invested), so the club membership fee for the year is actually negative.
Triathlon - Obviously a great source of exercise. Teaches you to expand yourself (time, goals, etc.) because you have to train for swimming, biking and running. Races are competitive, but the racers are also very friendly (perks of a somewhat niche sport). And then of course it's always a wow factor among others since races last from 15 miles ("sprints") to 140 miles (Ironman).
Building electronics, studying computer engineering, physics, mathematics, in addition to computer science, programming, logic, formal languages, various theories of philosophy, psychology, cognitive science - this is because I usually feel like I am drowning in information, so I study, refine, simplify, and create strong associations in my mind of core concepts that I discover through carefully and tenderly planned activities of observation and thought. I do not care if they are linguistically inexpressible, it's like finding the perfect models for every field, that build the foundation and explain the creation of all the other things (or are capable of being questioned, elaborated on, relabeled or categorized, or destroyed, depending on whether they retain their truth characteristics).
Zen Buddhism - for when I repeatedly hit the same vague mental wall that the above procedure constructs. I can't prove that it exists or why, but I know it exists and it bothers me, sometimes.
Why: 'When there is a humanitarian crisis, such as the Nepal earthquake, OpenStreetMap (OSM) volunteers from around the world rapidly digitize satellite imagery to provide maps and data to support humanitarian organizations deployed to the affected countries.'
see other info + "How To Get Involved" :http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/2015_Nepal_earthquake
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"The Internet Mapmakers Helping Nepal"
How "crisis mappers" activate after a catastrophe
http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/05/the-ma...
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"How hundreds of volunteer mappers are helping to keep Nepal earthquake aid from getting lost"
http://scroll.in/article/724301/how-hundreds-of-volunteer-ma...
It's also possible to achieve great results because your process can be really close to a professional one at a much smaller scale, plus it's easy to have access to the same ingredient diversity and quality as any microbrewery.
It's a great hobby overall but it's best to pair it with another one where you move. :)
My goal, when starting up again, is to brew English style real-ales, cask-conditioned and everything. There is nowhere around where I live (Minneapolis, MN) that I can get anything like the real thing. I love when I have the opportunity to go to the UK and try the good, local (not the big breweries like Fuller's, I'm talking smaller breweries like Hogsback or even smaller) brews that are kept well by knowing pub-keeps.