What other Hobbies do you have?

There seems to be a lot of talented folks here as far as creating motorcycle accessories, but what other creative talents do you possess?

I'm not very talented in some things but do have a few hobbies, such as Machine Quilting, have dabbled in Stain Glass and I do some Small Engine Repairs. I do not have any photos of some of my Stain Glass projects as of right now, but here are a few of some recent Quilts I have made.

They're beautiful!

I dabble in very amateur woodwork. I make bits and pieces - bird-feeders, shelves, odds and sods.
None of it's perfect but doesn't fall apart.

I used to sing in choirs but haven't yet joined one here.

Debbie,

I like to paint pictures (oil paint on hardboard) and sculpt. My avatar is one of my paintings, since printed and transferred to a t-shirt that I wear.

http://www.joncallihan.com

is a lot easier than trying to upload any of my work here.

Thanks MikeO............and Jon, I checked out your site. You do beautiful work also. I really enjoy my other hobbies when I have time for them and right now I have time since I'm out of work. The first quilt that is pictured I started years ago for my Mom, (she sent me the cloth), but work and other things at the time got in the way of finishing it in a timely manner.

Late last year or early this year she was diagnosed with cancer and while I was at home one day I suddenly developed a need to finish it and send it to her. Of course she loved it and expressed that in a phone call to me. It was a surprise to her, since I didn't tell her that I was working on it again. The second one is a smaller throw quilt for me to use in my favorite recliner. My other is about 15 years old and beginning to look rather tattered. The last one is a surprise for my Mom's BF and he should get it tomorrow the 27th. He has been great to my Mom and is standing by her side through all she is going through right now. I am working on another now at the request of my husband, for a good friend of ours.

I guess I've rambled enough for now, so let's hear from others.

We race slot cars. Check us out on the web at www.moparmountainmotorplex.com

Scuba dive and flying rc airplanes

You mean there are other things to do than ride, talk about riding, and post on these forums?

Hi All,
Not much in the "hobby" area recently except talked my new (now of 5 years) wife into taking square dance lessons back in '06 and we did that for a couple of years. I had been in the square dance world with my first wife for about 20 years in Colorado. That, plus use to do a lot of "round" dancing too (that's ballroom dancing done to cues).

Now, besides tinkering with and keeping up with the SWing, I still do my share of home improvement projects. New front porch coming up this spring; back screened-in porch was completed this past year. Oh yeah... it's not a hobby but involvement with the Patriot Guard and American Legion/Riders has included many memorable moments in the past seven months.

Kim and I are volunteers - I'd have to say that is our hobby and we hope to make it our vocation. Kim has made more progress on this than I have. She volunteers at the front desk at Army community Services and at Choose Life of North Alabama. She mainly performs clerical duties, but is also trained as a counsellor. In addition to my job, I help students with the design and construction of stage pieces at an inner city high school. I spend a fair amount of time each week as a servant leader, teacher, and book keeper at Hope Church. Great work and very rewarding, although the taxable pay is not very attractive (non-existant) to the general population.

We also ride when we can. At least one night each week we square dance.

dspevack wrote:

You mean there are other things to do than ride, talk about riding, and post on these forums?

Nope

If by "hobby" you mean what other activities do I enjoy when I'm not working to make a living or riding my scooter thereto, then I would say that my hobbies include fly fishing, gardening/landscaping, and photography. I enjoy travel too, but for me it seems to be more of an an excuse to go somewhere to take photographs or try out the local fishing....

I have some of my photos posted online at this link if anyone is interested:

http://gallery.pasty.com/index.php?cat=10075

Photography:
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/noddydog1/GeneralPhotos
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/noddydog1/Silverwing

Lord help us...

Two really good photographers at once, a talented woodworker and a very talented quilter above. You'd think that we were in the middle of an arts and crafts thread here.

I'm sure glad that not all of us are so single minded that the Swing is all there is.

I don't think that some are single minded, I think they are being mischievous.
I've checked out the links and I think that is some pretty cool stuff. I enjoy learning some things about people on the forums.

I agree with Debbie. It is great to learn about other interests (and talents) that people on here have.

Today I need to add shoveling snow to my list of "hobbies. They are predicting as much as 2 feet of the white stuff for us from now through Thursday. I hope this isn't an early indication of the type of winter that we can expect... Do they make chains or studded tires for a Swing??? or perhaps outrigger training wheels with interchangeable skiis?

Ah snow, I kind of remember that stuff from my childhood Thanks to climate change we don't see that much of it down here in the south east of England.

. Do they make chains or studded tires for a Swing???

As I remember, Gunars (on the FJS600 forum) was writing about some tires that looked remarkably like snow tires. Some German company, he was excited, since he lives in one of the recent Soviet Baltic states.

I was just on the FJS600 forum and found this link for studded winter tires that might work: http://www.tiresbyweb.com/tbw_tiresearchadv2.aspx?treadwidth=155&profile=70&rimsize=13&Winter=0&Pageindex=1&choice2=All

Passions - (in order):

1. Flying - (private pilot)
2. Alpine Skiing
3. I play in numerous volleball leagues (sand and hardcourt)
4. Ride my Silver Wing
5. Woodworking

#1 is ridiculously expensive, #2 used to be #1, 'til I earned my pilot's license - and still cost lotsa dough. #3 is lotsa fun with lotsa good friends. I consider #4 one thing in addition to a passion. Riding my SW is wonderful mental therapy. BTW, the top 4 are VERY close in their ranking. A distant 5th is woodworking. I suppose when I'm old and retired, this one will slide up a few spots on my passion list.

Some pics from flying:
http://picasaweb.google.com/skiwoods18/FlightToVirginia2009?feat=directlink

Some pics from skiing:
http://picasaweb.google.com/skiwoods18/Steamboat2008?feat=directlink

..and my signature has links for my SW pics.

I have been blessed by having many opportunities in my life.....

My dad was in the army so I travelled extensively as a kid, and went to an army school. My first main hobby from the age of 11 was shooting, mostly small calibre stuff.(.22 rifle) But I was a crack shot and used to win quite a few trophies and competitions. Once I got older and wiser, shooting no longer held the same appeal.

My first career was as a cadet then an officer in the Merchant Navy (Royal Fleet Auxiliary), essentially a supply fleet for the Royal Navy and her allies.... so this helped quite a bit getting to see loads of places, meet loads of people and do many different things.... Around about this time I started doing Tai Chi and have done it on and off ever since...

I have always been into photography and travelling ever since going to sea at age sweet 16 though it's been a bit on and off over the years....

This is a recent photo I snapped on holiday from my phone, whilst going up Mt Pilatus on apparently the worlds steepest cog railway line 48 degrees





Once I completed my naval training in my late twenties I continued studying, but in stuff that interested me, with the Open University (possibly Europe's biggest distance learning university). I have just finished my second degree... Studying, learning, and gaining more qualifications is perhaps one of my favourite hobbies. It helps bring many more opportunities..... I am still doing stuff now...

I used to have loads of other hobbies before I got married and had kids..... motorcycling, watersports, (mainly swimming, windsurfing, scuba diving) and racket sports (tennis, badminton, a little squash)..... Oh and golf...

Then after getting married the Mrs was/is a career woman and she worked whilst I gave up my career to become a full time house dad for about eight years... Toughest job/ (hobby!?) I have ever had.... Even sold my bike!

But as the kids got older and I was able to do other things especially to try and keep sane... I did a bit of singing, amateur dramatics, and some volunteer teaching & community work. I also became a complementary therapist of all things, but that was mainly as a hobby, specializing in shiatsu, tai chi, & Qi Gong. Actually I have very recently formed a complementary therapy company, which I have yet to really get started but which I hope to run part time alongside my most recent career as a psychiatric nurse....

Just over two years ago however, I got back into bikes with a Silver Wing and now a Fazer 1000 aswell..... I guess I never really lost the biking bug....!

Oh and I have got into archery about a year ago.... I have a re-curve bow... I find it satisfies what I used to enjoy so much about competition rifle shooting and guns, but with an added zen like "twang" instead of a bang....!

And its much cheaper as you get to re-use your ammunition...

But as I have written this I realize that perhaps one of my favourite hobbies is in fact writing.... I will have to settle down and write a book sometime... I have loads of material to choose from!!!!

I'm impressed Bernardo

stinger_06 wrote:

I'm impressed Bernardo

Thanks... !

Y'know looking at your quilts and reading about your stained glass projects, I was wondering if it is better to have a hobby that you actually make something, or have something to show for it at the end?

I mean your quilts they look great..... you can snuggle up in them..... I can imagine falling asleep in one, or tucking up my kids at night in one...

The only stuff I do that to that end is lasting, is writing, but apart form academic work and internet forums, nothing major .... Hmmm ! Maybe its time I kept a diary..... That should get the ball rolling....

Bernado,

Since almost all good fiction is at least part autobiographical, it would seem that a diary would serve the same good purpose that a camera does for me. One of my oldest (as in time I have known him) friends is a poet/author as well as an artist and motorcycle rider. He has kept a diary of sorts for the last 10 years, detailing the bikes and rides he has had during that period.

Hi Jon,

I indulged and enjoyed looking at your paintings online... definitely something amazing that has come from a hobby...!!

Do you use photos to start things off or, paint from memory/imagination?

Thanks for sharing!

Yes very good indeed Jon, something Van Goghesque about several of them. Picasso also seems to get a look in. Are you influenced by any of these/other Masters or are these purely your own thoughts and creativity?

I hope that doesn't come across negative, I love photography but quite often I borrow (or attempt to) the styles of recongised photographers.

Bernardo and Wingnprayer,

All of the above. Some of my work is from my photos, some from imagination. I have never used magazine or calendar photos, except for a basic inspiration, then off to my imagination. My sculpture is all imaginary, except for the dog "Lola". She was part of the family for 12 or 13 years. The sculpture is about half life size.

I spent a total of 6 and a half years in Europe while in the Army, so I got a pretty good idea what the old Masters did, especially Rodin.

Haming it up in general, have a general amateur license, piddling with my hands,some woodworking,welding,and fabricating, reading fantasy & fiction.

For about 13 years now I have a passion for making beer. Done from scratch, not out of a can.

This a pretty elaborate "home brew" setup. Congrats!

Looks like Crahar ( piddling with my hands,) might know JeffP ( passion for making beer).




No offense intended, just a play on words.

My hobbies are:
Collecting model bikes, some figurines,junk in general.
Tinkering with real bikes, inventing and more tinkering.
Not mowing lawns.
Breathing and sleeping

Now, making Beer sounds interesting. Not the recycled kind either.

Never made beer but I drank my share and a couple of other people's share back when , but I quit that around 33 years ago. Now the strongest I drink is coffee or tea. no offense taken on the play with words I thought it was funny.

JeffP: Said "For about 13 years now I have a passion for making beer. "


Well what a coincidence! For about 38 years I have had a passion for DRINKING beer...

jeffp wrote:

For about 13 years now I have a passion for making beer. Done from scratch, not out of a can.

From someone who knows absolutely nothing about making alcohol ... it looks like an elaborate setup. What is it called ... is it a "still"?

No, Its not a still. But one of my neighbors thought the same thing. Basically, its a set-up for making beer right from grain just like a brewery would use only on a home brew scale. 10 gallons at a session. Quite a fun and relaxing hobby with the benefit of drinking the end result. I also enjoy making the odd batch of hard cider but don,t need the same equipment.