This week, it’s all about hobbies! Are they inherent things we’re coded to do, or something that came about in more recent times? We discuss how people look at hobbies at different times in life, and how they can enrich all we do. We also talk about the downside of hobbies: when we become too involved in them or try making them a career and see that we sometimes lose the joy when a hobby becomes a job. Shawn and Christopher share their childhood hobbies, current hobbies, and talk about what hobbies they may find themselves doing in the future.
We want to know what hobbies you love — please take a moment and tell us in comments.
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Man with a rocket-pack says
Shawn,
Where are you taking flying lessons? When I looked, it was much more than $16k. When I was growing up, my dad was the cheif test pilot for Aerospatiale in Grand Prairie and when he had to go in to work on Saturdays, he’d take me and we got to go flying in helicopters.
I’m with you…flying helicopters are a BLAST to fly. Never flew an airplane, but I *think* it’s better than planes.
I’ve always been toying with taking up this hobby as well (once I winning the lotto…heck, I’d settle for only getting 4 of the 5 jackpot numbers)
VERY jealous of you and this hobby.
Man with a rocket-pack says
Dammit…I need to remember to make a comment AFTER listening so the podcast doesn’t restart at 00:00 (or download it…or find it on iTunes :hint hint:)
Shawn says
EPIC helicopters at Meacham Airport in Fort Worth (I believe they also fly out of Addison). Their estimated cost for private licensing is right around $16.3K, I think. Which — you’re right — is pretty inexpensive compared to a few other places I looked. And they’re pretty great people, to boot.
The Discovery (familiarization) flight costs something like $500. I highly recommend it.
gorillamen says
I’ll let Shawn reply about the helicopter lessons. iTunes…dunno what’s up with that, but it’s probably time for a followup. Should have been on there by now…
CMStewart says
Is G+ a hobby? Other hobbies would be reading both fiction and non-fiction, and collecting and modifying recipes (and occasionally trying the recipes). I can relate to not wanting a hobby to be a job (I’ve worked in restaurants). Also, given the opportunity, gardening. Again, I wouldn’t want to be a “gardener-for-hire” (been there).
I’d say writing is my “job,” but I still consider myself a “nonprofessional.” So maybe it’s a combination job-hobby. A jobby.
Possible future nonpro hobbies – becoming an aromatherapist, a bread baker, and a homebrewer (beer and wine). ๐
Shawn says
“Every time I learn something new, I forget something else. Remember when I took that home winemaking course and forgot how to drive?”
“You were drunk!”
“… And how.”
I know a couple of homebrewers who swear by it. It’s one of those hobbies that sucks you in — so a good one. ๐
gorillamen says
CMS: Jobby is a great term for that in between state of hobby and job! ๐
I’ve always been fascinated with alcohol. Not in that, “Drink and fall down,” way — more in all the types of things and the care that goes into them. I look forward to new issues of Imbibe and some other magazines, and I’m happy that there are more spirits being distilled in Texas. (In fact, the latest Imbibe is all about Texas.)
Baking bread is another thing I can see being soothing. The times I’ve done it, I’ve always enjoyed it. There’s a really good bread shop a couple towns over. Another to the north of us. It’s cool that people can still make a living just making bread.