Share your hobbies/interests!

[Egiam]

Hail Playground!

Please share your obsessions/interests/things you like other than RPGs, and maybe a summary of how experienced/talented/knowledgable you are about them! If it needs an explanation, please SPOILER tab it.

Here's mine:

Writing/performing Rock Music- Good
Crochet- Decent
History- Real Good... I think
Wargaming- Knowledgable and talented, but not really experienced
Martial Arts- Decent
Linguistics- Good by America's standards, wimpy by world standards. I REALLY want to learn more.
Writing- Good
MilSim Airsoft- Good
Tennis- I'm really bad at it, but enjoy it nevertheless. I am tempted to take a few lessons.
Cross country skiing- Pretty good, but slightly below highschool competitive team standards. I'm really good at classical (also known as diagonal), and am getting a lot better at skate.
Acting- For my experience I am purdy darn good. I've done one play at my local community theatre, and got paid for it.

[valadil]

Sure, why not.

Guitar - Intermediate.
Mini Painting - Advanced.
Weight Lifting - Advanced by my gym's standards. Probably intermediate elsewhere.
Coding - College Grad (haven't done much since graduating though)
Linux - Professional
Sketch comedy (acting) - newb with good presence
Sketch comedy (writing) - good
Photography - newb
Linguistics (though not languages) - intermediate
Biking - newb
Volleyball - Intermediate
Archery - Expert (literally. Expert archer is scoring 270/300. Next up is Olympian at 290/300).
Fencing - Newb with some talent/long limbs.
Martial arts - Advanced beginner several times over (I start martial arts then decide the style is wrong and switch.)
LARP writer - Intermediate.

[Silly Wizard]

Rapping: decent
Martial arts (TKD): good (1st degree black)
Martial arts (Hapkido, Shotokan Karate): decent
Writing: decent
Competitive Smash Bros: poor, but it's so dang fun
Cooking: decent
Reading (autobiographies, history, scifi, fantasy): literate
Drawing: poor
Comparative religion: good? I love studying it
Modern dance: decent

[BisectedBrioche]

Computer Programming: Professional (it is my profession after all :smalltongue: (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ExactWords)).
Drawing: Untalented amateur.
BEAM Robotics: Amateur.
Cooking: I can bake a cake from scratch by memory at least. I can make quite a nice tiramisu and pies/pastry but I always burn gingerbread.
Gaming (of the computer variety): I can usually handle hard mode.
Incendiary chemistry: If you need a camp fire, I'm your man.

[Strawberries]

Mine:

Traveling: I visited a lot of places, I'd like to visit many more! Let's say intermediate
Science: I'm graduated in a scientific subject,so I'll consider myself an expert.
Languages: unfortunately I only speak English beside my mother tongue, so "beginner"
Computer gaming I've been gaming since I was 6. The OS of the time was DOS. I think I'm an expert
Reading If it's written, I'm interested in reading it. Expert.
Literature/linguistics classical studies at high school made of this my hobby. Intermediate
Music Love listening to, but don't have much knowledge. Beginner.
Trekking: Ah! I wish! Newbie on this
Riding: see above

[Remmirath]

Drawing: Pretty good, I guess.
Acting: Not bad.
Writing: Mediocre.
Flute/Music in General: Fine, except no rythm - I.E., terrible.
Computer Gaming: Pretty good, I'd say. I've been gaming since I was two, and the only games I've ever had trouble finishing were puzzle games that bored me.
Reading: Quite good (not that it's hard or anything).
Photography: Okay.
Model Rocketry: Not bad, but out of practice now.
Robotics: Somewhat mediocre and out of practice.
Campaign Writing: Needs work.
Theatre Make-up: Rather good.
Lighting Design: All right, but still a lot to learn.
Directing: I think I'm all right. Still fairly new at it.

I'm not really the best at assessing my own skills.

[Toastkart]

Writing fiction: Good, but out of practice
Zoids model kits: Good at the models, amateur at customizing.
Photography: I'm really good at it, but my technical skills and knowledge are poor, so amateur.
Reading: expert
Video games: average to good, I've never really been competitive at games.
Computers: Average to good.
Thinking: expert, I do it every day.

[Stubbed Tongue]

Crochet- Decent

Wow. That's cool. I've always wanted to learn that skill.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

I'm kinda into everything, 'cuz everything friggin fascinates me.


Writing/Storytelling (Professional)
Been writing since I was 6 years old, first story about a zombie reindeer. Done it ever since. Now I am the head journalist for a music magazine called Music's Rising Stars (http://www.musicsrisingstarsmag.com/).

I also love to gather folks around and tell stories, acting out parts and getting them into the tale.

Reading (Expert)
As crack is to some, books are to I. Classics, sci-fi, historic fiction/non-fiction, and political satire are my favorites, but I'll read anything. Favorite book: Ender's Game.

Hiking/Climbing/Spelunking (Expert)
I am an avid explorer and I'll go anywhere. And I mean 'anywhere'. Whether its woodlands, mountains, abandoned houses or caves, that's where you'll find me.

Natural History (Expert)
I love plants and animals. Strange rocks, crystals, growths, fungi, insects... you name it, I'm fascinated by it. Included in this is paleontology and cryptozoology. First thing I wanted to do when I was little was find dinosaurs.

Star Gazing/Astronomy (Enthusiastic Amateur)
I've been obsessed with the night sky for as long as I can remember. My mom said they'd have to take me outside to see the stars before I'd even go to sleep as an infant.

Photography (Amateur)
All the above kind of combine into this. If I could choose anything to do with my life it would be to explore places never seen before and write of my findings and adventures. If only...

Film/Movies (Wannabe)
I'm an avid movie goer and love the feel of the cinema. I can see my stories in my head at times in full blockbuster mode and would love someday to actually make my own. I don't recall actors very well, but I can memorize entire scripts. My favorites tend to be romance thrillers. The Village is my favorite of all time. Otherwise I like practically everything else except comedy. For me to like a comedy movie it has to be special. Normally only animated ones like Kung-fu Panda or Shrek appeal, though Zombieland and Cool Runnings top my favorite comedies. Basically, to be funny, it needs SOME depth or meaning to it. Pure fall-on-your-butt slapstick ain't comedy.

Soccer (Expert)
Soccer is my sporting passion. I've played since I was 5, and have coached youth teams for years. Though I can play any position, having good stamina, goalie is my specialty and my standard position. For those who think it's a wusses' sport, how would you like to hear the story of how I cut my cheek muscles in half, torn my knee ligaments, sprained ankles, sustained a concussion, and broken other's noses.

Music (Moderate and Beginner)
I play classical piano and the panpipes/flutes (though the latter not too well yet. Self taught). I'm not much of a music reader, but I can play almost anything by ear. Love all music, except rap and screamo.

Bird Raising (Professional)
Though I enjoy bird watching, I prefer to have a more substantial roll. I've hatched (from mechanical incubator as well as natural) and raised birds of all kinds, including all poultry. Chickens, geese, ducks, partridges, quail, turkeys, guineafowl, peafowl, pigeons, canaries, parrots, and many baby birds that'd fallen out of the nest and I couldn't find where to put it back. I've tamed hummingbirds, crows, starlings and once even a smelly turkey vulture.

Wood Burning/Carving (Amateur)
I do my hand at woodworking, generally just walking sticks, staffs and small crafts. Bamboo working as well. Not the greatest, but I enjoy it. I'll then use a magnifying glass and sunlight to make designs and scenes on them. Much finer work is possible with it than almost any tool.

Mocking of Anime, Goths and Liberals (Epic)
Yes, the poking fun and scoffing of any of the above is worthy of my time and effort and I will do so with little provocation. No offense intended, they just bring out the SOB in me :smallamused:

[Anuan]

Writing: Pretty good :smallsmile:
Martial arts: Very good :smallbiggrin: I'm self-taught, but intelligently so. Hybrid martial arts, and I've taken down dedicated, instructed martial artists with ease by playing to their weaknesses. I always get interested when I read other Playgrounders do martial arts, because I'm fanatic about sparring XD
Picking up random information: Extraordinary.
History of weapons/other military items: Very good.
Videogaming: Good, but not as good or as in-practice as I used to be. I'm better at console games for the most part, but PCRPGs are where I'm happiest, usually.

[Trog]

Poking head into threads and making random comments.
This pasttime is mainly to fill Trog's random encounter quota for the year so Trog can qualify for the tax break.

Smoking Coffin Nail™ Brand cigarettes.
As a living, barely breathing spokesperson for the Brand, Trog needs to keep up appearances by sporting one of these bad boys at all times.

CLERIC GENERAL'S WARNING: Smoking Coffin Nails can result in lower date rate, full ashtrays, and Troglodytic tendencies.

Sobriety
Trog's part time hobby. Admittedly it doesn't happen often. Trog dabbles.

[Egiam]

*Snip*

You're awesome.

[Erloas]

Computers- various aspects of it. Trying to get more time in the gaming department and less time in the people randomly calling me asking for help side of things. Better at it then I want others to know about at least.

Fishing. Flyfishing, shore fishing and boat fishing. Decent at each but not really great. Really need to get more time in.
Fly tying. Pretty good in the mechanics of it, not all that great in the knowing what it is I need to make.

Camping. I just need to go more.

Wargaming... Quite good at both the gaming side of things and the painting and modeling side of things. Decent at customization, but not terribly creative with it. Covers Battlech, Warhammer Fantasy and 40k. The first two I don't get to play nearly enough.

Woodworking. Decent again, I can do a lot of stuff, but I don't have the tools or ambition to tackle any big projects. Looking at setting up a shop to get more done.

Aquariums. Fairly new but I'm learning quickly. I've had pretty good success at everything I've tried to do so far, but I haven't keep anything real exotic yet.

SCA. I was getting pretty good at fighting when I was able to practice a lot. However I've been away from a consistent group for years now and things haven't gotten too bad, but I'm not where I once was. Never did a whole lot with the A&S side of things.

Snow Skiing. Been too long since I've gotten to go much. I was doing pretty good the last few times I went. I just don't really have anyone to go with right now and I haven't actually went at all this year (and pretty much out of time to change that now).

[Rutskarn]

Training a rat to follow me around and stare directly at me, then taking him into public places, waiting for someone to mention that there's a rat staring at me, then turning very slowly to them and saying, "You see it too? Can...can you hear it?", then following that person and filling their car and/or apartment with rats: Bit pricey, but the fresh air does me good.

[Maximum Zersk]

Mocking of Anime, Goths and Liberals (Epic)
Yes, the poking fun and scoffing of any of the above is worthy of my time and effort and I will do so with little provocation. No offense intended, they just bring out the SOB in me :smallamused:

S'okay, don't mind it (The anime mention.) :smallsmile:

Hmm, hobbies/interest...

Drawing: Decent, I guess. But I love it.

Other Art Media: Interested in it. Doesn't mean I'm good at it. :smallfrown::smalltongue:
Conworlding/Conlanging: Lurve it.

Video Gaming:Okay. I like playing them, especially some older ones. Or new ones.

History: Love learning about it.

Foreign Languages: Love them! Unfortunately, I've never learned another one completely, not even my parents native tongue (yet.) I seem to have bits of Greek, German, Japanese, etc.

Science: Well let's see.


Physics: Seems good fun and all. I can understand some concepts.

Chemistry: Awesomeness in a science. :smallcool:

Biology: Animals are awesome! And so are micro-organisms.

Psychology: Don't know much, 'sides Freud.


Writing: Interests me. I've had ideas for stories for a long time.

Roleplaying: Of course.

Watching Anime: Yerp. :smallcool:

Reading: Well, let me think-- yes.

That's all I can think of right now.

[Whoracle]

Freeclimbing: Pretty good
Write(Music: Metal): Semiprofessional (see siglink)
Perform(Music: Metal) Semiprofessional (see siglink)
Computer Programming: Intermediate
Computer Administration: Professional

More to come when I think of it...

[Force]

Hmm...

Forum/Google-fu: Reasonable.
Writing: Not that great but getting better.
Reading: Pretty decent.
Armorsmithing: I need more practice smithing plate but my maille making isn't too bad if I dare say so myself.
Belegarth fighting: Newbie but highly cognizant of that fact.
Motorcyclist: Decent.
Motorcycle mechanic: Trial 'n error, trial 'n error, trial 'n error...
Roleplaying: Good.
Cooking: My main courses aren't better than what I'd call average but I can whip out some darn good desserts.

[Lioness]

Ballroom Dancing - quite a novice, compared to the really good people. My partner and I have been told that we have potential though, so we'll keep training. It's really enjoyable.

Reading - I read anything and everything. Though mostly fiction, I occasionally enjoy well-written non-fiction. I prefer fantasy and historical fiction. Favourite book: The Book Thief

Archery - Compared to the above expert, I'm fairly bad. My highest score is a 949/1440 (60m, 50m, 40m, 30m). However, I only practise once a week, or less. It's certainly only a hobby, and there's little chance of me becoming a professional.

Photography - Amateur. I have my little digital point-and-shoot. It's a nice point-and-shoot, but I do my best with it. I produce fairly decent photos.

Piano - Fairly good. I've been playing since I was four, and am probably around AMEB grade 6 or 7. I had a large break between the ages of 8 and 13, in which I lost the majority of my skills. At the moment I'm working towards a performance for my music class, at the end of the year. Should be interesting.

Rereading that...I seem way too objective. Eh. Guess it can't hurt

[KuReshtin]

American Football - Playing (Crappy veteran)
I played American Football for 7 years, but to be honest, I did it to get out and about and to meet people that weren't associated at all with work. This, coupled with my poor physical conditioning (even when training) meant that I never got very good.

American Football - Officiating (Advanced Beginner)
I've been officiating football games for the past year as part of the British American Football Referee's Association (BAFRA) and I think I don't do a whole lot of stupid mistakes anymore, but there's always room for improvement. I need to get my head in the rule books and mechanics manuals more than I do. I very much like it, though as, again, it lets me competely shut off from work stuff on the weekends.

Channelhopping - (Expert)
This is what I do when i'm not at work. I really shouldn't do it as much as I do, but I'm too lazy to do anything about it.

Interwebz - Forum-browsing (Expert)
Actually, i've been doing it for so long that I've started getting bored with a lot of places and I find myself just frequenting a few forums and websites.
One of the regular forums I frequented just died because of the attempted coup to take control of the British American Football League from the national governing Body (BAFA) by the League itself (BAFL). the BAFL forum has since been shut down.

[ForzaFiori]

Reading - Master. I read all the time. Favorite Author: Piers Anthony or Robert Asprin

Soccer - Decent. I play ok, no where near the best. I used to be alot better till I broke my leg

Running - See Soccer

Video Games[b] - Excellent. Been playing a bunch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II. I also play a good bit of oblivion, and occassionally I play Gears of War or Halo.

[b]Music - Average. I play bass guitar. I'm ok at it. I can't play anything too difficult, but I have managed to play a song by RHCP, which makes me happy.

[waterpenguin43]

Video Games: Especially the music. I can't resist listening to the music in them.

Sciences: Lets take a look now:
Biology: Lovely fun. I like to study things the live.
Chemistry: I love this to. Possibly influenced by Harry Potter at a young age. (Just kidding. :smallwink:)
Medicine: This interests me because I like experimenting without the hands-on stuff.
Psychology: The mind has fascinated me to no end.

Trampolining: This is just.... Awesome.
Roleplaying: I like to act and test my creative ability or form strategies. Roleplaying sums at least two up each time nicely.

[truemane]

Hmm. Most of my free time is taken up with jobs, wife, kids and the medium-sized horde of animals that have somehow wound up taking residence in my home, but when I have a spare five minutes, this is what I do with it:

1. Reading (Expert). I read. And I think about what I read. And I parse it in my head, working my way through influences, references, placement in genre and historical and cultural context, possible symbolic content, philosophical implications and anything else that might be interesting. I'm also the only person I know who reads poetry for pleasure. I just finished Paradise Lost for about the 15th time. Favourite Author: Kurt Vonnegut Jr. Favourite Poet: Gerard Manley Hopkins.

2. Writing (Still Learning). Because there is no stable reference point in the Craft. There is only the never-ending drive to improve. Writing is the only thing I've ever really wanted to do. When other kids were dreaming about being astronauts and hockey players and jet-setting millionaires, I was dreaming of writing as a day job. Not fame and riches. Just the freedom to write all the time, every day.

3. Trivia (Annoying). This is less an interest than autonomous neurological response, but I take joy in it so I'm counting it. I have a lint trap in the back of my brain and it gathers random tidbits of information as I go through life and spits them back at me at well-times intervals, such that I often sound like I know what I'm talking about when in fact I have no idea. I have nothing to do with this process and I refuse to accept praise or censure for it. Best Example: I was play-fighting with a former Significant Other about who was smarter. And she goes 'Oh yeah? Then what's the distribution of a polygenic trait?' (Biology Major) and without missing a beat, I go 'Normal distribution. Bell curve.' Impressive? Maybe. But that's all I know about polygenic traits. Had she gone with a follow-up question I'd have been stuck. And yet good times were had by all. Similarly, I can bust out a good-sized phrase or two in about 14 languages. Always fun.

4. Film (Learning). The only thing that has the power to touch the deepest parts of my soul, like writing does, is film. I think movies are magical and I don't mind saying so out loud. Some of my most treasured memories are film-related. I've spent most of my young adult and adult life learning as much about film as I can. I'm an avid Criterion Collection collector (that sounds funny saying it like that... anyway...) and I try to broaden my horizons whenever I can. Current Favourite Filmmaker: a tie between Jean-Pierre Melville and (your favourite director's favourite director) Akira Kurosawa.

5. Magic (rank amateur). I love magic. Love it. Always have. I have a flare for presentation and misdirection and for the science and art of performance but I also have the dexterity of a drunken rhinoceros. So that puts a real ceiling on the level of skill I'm able to acquire. But the dozen or so card tricks I've mastered and polished, man oh man, if I'm on my game that night you'd think I was a master.

6. Miscellaneous. Learning New Internet Slang. Forming Balanced Political Opinions. Theological Paradoxes. Mocking those Who Resort to Shallow Thinking. Ranting (Sometimes Quite Vehemently). Spouting Silly Songs Spontaneously for the Amusement of my Son and Bemusement of my Wife. Jogging. Dog Training. Rat Watching. Cat Hating (or at Least Mocking). Puns. Telling my Kids Absurd Lies in Response to Perfectly Reasonable Questions in my Sincerest Voice and Trying to Convince them I'm Telling the Truth ("No, seriously, Christmas is delayed to February this year. Reindeer are on strike.").

That's all I got. None of it sounds all that impressive when I write it down. Not as impressive as it all seems inside my own head, anyway. :smalltongue:

[KuReshtin]

6. Role-playing (okay). How has no one else mentioned this yet?

I'd say mainly because the OP said:


Please share your obsessions/interests/things you like other than RPGs,

Emphasis mine. Since most would assume that people are into RPGs (even if that might not be the case) adding RPGs to your hobbies list would be superflous in many cases as it would already be assumed.

[truemane]

Emphasis mine. Since most would assume that people are into RPGs (even if that might not be the case) adding RPGs to your hobbies list would be superflous in many cases as it would already be assumed.

Well, you might if you were smarter than I am.

Also, superfluous? Great word.

[Maximum Zersk]

Hmm. Most of my free time is taken up with jobs, wife, kids and the medium-sized horde of animals that have somehow wound up taking residence in my home, but when I have a spare five minutes, this is what I do with it:

1. Reading (Expert). I read. And I think about what I read. And I parse it in my head, working my way through influences, references, placement in genre and historical and cultural context, possible symbolic content, philosophical implications and anything else that might be interesting. I'm also the only person I know who reads poetry for pleasure. I just finished Paradise Lost for about the 15th time. Favourite Author: Kurt Vonnegut Jr. Favourite Poet: Gerard Manley Hopkins.

Now that is called reading. :smalltongue:

[KuReshtin]

Also, superfluous? Great word.

I thought so. Now I'm just hoping I used it in the right context. :smallbiggrin:

[banjo1985]

Superfluous - Right context and a good word for the day!

Reading (Advanced) - I read mostly horror and fantasy, though I'll read anything if you put it in front of me, even the back of a cereal box. My favourite authors are Tad Williams, Neil Gaiman and Stephen King.
Writing (Catastrophic Writers Block) - I like writing, but recently I can't seem to put anything worthwile togther longer than a few lines of rubbish, at least in terms of prose. I still create my own roleplaying campaigns, settings and stories though, so I think this still counts.
Music (Listening rather than Playing) - I have a very eclectic music taste, from the heaviest screams of Devildriver to the quietest laments of Jose Gonzalez and Damien Rice. I go to quite a lot of gigs, and spend most of my waking hours listening to some sort of music.
Videogames (Casual) - I enjoy videogames immensely, especially RPGs and racers. I have a Wii for epic Mario Kart duels with a room full of friends, and a 360 for my more serious pursuits. I'm just deciding whether to play Fable 2 or Final Fantasy XIII next! Don't play online though, most of those guys take things too seriously for me.
Astronomy (Amatuer) - I'm intrigued and amazed by space and some of the things that happen out there. I don't actively do anything, but lap up all the astronomy literature that I can.
Tabletop Wargaming (Advanced) - I play 40k, Warhammer Fantasy and Warmachine, and construct and paint my own models. I'm starting some experimental forays into highlighting on my new Warmachine stuff.
Walking - A kind of hobby I suppose, I walk about 30 miles a week, preferably somewhere vaguely scenic. I used to use the time to develop ideas for my writing, but now it's more to just berate myself internally for not getting over the block. :smallfrown:

[bosssmiley]

Carving gargoyle faces into small stones and then throwing them back into the riverbank shingle I originally found them in for other people to uncover.

Oh wait. That was Clark Ashton Smith, not me. :smallwink:

[truemane]

I thought so. Now I'm just hoping I used it in the right context. :smallbiggrin:

You most certainly did. Well done, sir.

Want to know what's fun? Whenever someone asks you how you're doing, answer "Just superfluous, thank you very much, and you?" Not one in ten people will catch what you did. And then you too can adopt a quietly disdainful attitude toward the unlettered masses.

[Thajocoth]

Video Games - Playing, Video Games - Creating, Snowboarding, D&D 4e