So what is yours?

[Clutch]

I was just cruising around some car forums a while ago, and came across an interesting thread. It was about what the members do to support their car addiction. So I got an idea to start a similar one here at my home away from home.


So what is your addiction or passion? basically the hobby that you put a good amount of your time and money into. And generally this being a tech based, site I'm thinking most answers will be dealing with computers, but I could be wrong.


For me, right now it would be my car. I have a lot in store for her to really make it stand out, and be one hell of a slick ride. But working 40 hours a week, and going to college 4 days out of the week, it is really hard for me to do anything besides work, I mean hell yesterday I worked a 10 hour shift with no lunch, but I know that I need the hours to help pay the bills, so it was okay, just stressfull on the mind and body.

Anyway, back to the topic, I'm planning on working all I can to save up to do some things to my car, which is my passion right now, then moving on to finishing my new system up, coming this winter.

So now that I have kicked things off, lets get this thing rolling.

[Thrax]

Computer.

Every cent I have come into possession of since August of 2000 has gone to my computer.

And I mean that quite literally.

[Rot Katze]

My truck

I don't even get it until October, though I've already got 2 grand + saved up for it..

[TBonZ]

Drumming is my passion, I only started a little under 2 years ago but I have been sticking in a ridiculous amount of time into my band and in improving my contribution to it.

We are MIDDLEFINGER!!!

[Geeky1]

Wait... I have to choose ONE? Not possible. I have multiple hobbies vying for my attention (and funds):

The computers (obviously)- I'm up to 4 functional/semi-functional systems and more parts than I care to deal with at the moment

The car- I like Mercedes (ya think?), which is all well and good. They're generally reliable, but when stuff wears out/breaks, be prepared to start donating organs to pay for it. Try $750 for a brake job for the front brakes alone. $3-4k for a valve job if I have someone do it. $170 for spark plug wires. $2000 for a transmission rebuild. The list goes on and on. Luckily, I have a parts car, which is helpful, but since I can't DO anything with it (I have nowhere to keep the stuff I take off :rolleyes: ) it's use is limited...

Fish- I've got an aquarium that I end up spending a few hundred $$ on per year, and while computers and fish have kind of swapped places as my primary interest, I still spend a fair amount of time on the tank...

House plants- I wouldn't call this a hobby so much as a losing proposition. The cycle goes something like this:
Buy plants. Kill plants. Buy new plants. Kill new plants. Buy new plants, and so on, ad infinitum... Ok, ok- I'm exaggerating a bit. But not that much. The orchids seem relatively happy (although they refuse to bloom), Dracaena are pretty much impossible to kill anyhow, ditto for the cactus, but I'm not having much luck with carnivorous plants right now... :banghead:

So basically it comes down to computers, cars, fish and plants.

[GnomeWizardd]

Electronics period! from computers to Tv's

[pseudonym]

Auto Racing. That is all I ever have time/money for. Computers when the season ends. (Esp this September after the RunOffs. Dear lord, all those games coming out, I'm not sure what to do!!)

[CB]

I spend a lot of my free time (such as it is) playing strategy games with my friends, board or internet. Those board games are even more expencive than computer games so far. My next purchase wil be 'Starfarrers of Catan', an $80 investment.

:zombie:...Must...find...a...game...I'm...good...at...
:zombie:...Must...defeat...Guy...Hoosdum.........eventually...

[Camman]

Definitly computers. Sometimes I get out of the swing of things with technology, but I always go back to being a nerd and start buying all kinds of stuff for my computer... :D

[Templar]

Finding a job :o

Outside of that, PC's and some card/figurine games.

[Enverex]

Electronic Gadgets basically.

Been putting most of my money into either my PC, PDA, other misc Gadgets and some into my Bike.

Got to buy a new bigger monitor when I move into the attic and a big TV too...

NS

[TheBaron]

most of my money goes into my car (civic, don't worry i'm not a ricer, i'm saving for a swap) and my comp ... i'm not too big on other electronics because as far as i'm concerned my comp should be able to do it all

[MrBill]

Who has time for hobbies? :D

What little time/money I have to spend for myself goes into computers.

My (unemployed) wife on the other hand, she has lots of hobbies! I wish I never introduced her to eBay. She has bought a LOT of old hand puppets over the last few months.

When I finally buy a piece of land, my hobby will be tending to a mixture of farm animals. :)

[Leonardo]

more parts than I care to deal with at the moment

Consider Deal Depot & Trading Post. Could land you money for a rear brake job on the Daimler Benz.


Auto Racing. That is all I ever have time/money for.

What format/class?

[Rot Katze]

I forgot to mention that I watch alot of racing

racing is a big pastime for me..I watch as much as I can of Nascar, GT, WRC, I don't care for formula..but lemans is sweet too

and pretty much anything offroad is cool


plan on enetering the stock series next season at our local dirt track

[Shorty]

This place. I have little free time left ;D

[Geeky1]

Forgot to mention racing as well- never watch it (I can't stand watching sports on TV), but I'd like to get into it...

[Clutch]

My parents love to watch nascar, I have never gotten into it though. But I like to watch videos of illegal street racing, I have a bunch of videos on my computer, and also planning on getting the rest of the "Mischief" series of dvd's, man they are so awesome, all thought I would never have the balls to outrun a state tropper, but it's fun to watch them do it, hehe

I used to spend all of my time and money on my computer addiction, but now I just got a bunch of parts in my parts bin, with no home for them. But as soon as I get some things on my car done, I want to build a new system or at least upgrade some.

But right now, its all work for me, got to pay for my car. Which although work is stressful enough for me with all the things going on, when I get off and drive home I find out it's all worth it.

[Geeky1]

I don't like NASCAR very much- as far as I'm concerned, it's a sport for drivers who can't make right turns.. :D

[astroworp]

the things that take up my time and money are:

school / homework (where the majority of my time goes)
work (eleven hours per week)
my computer (currently in the process of silencing it)
designing web pages (just started working a new one with some friends)

[Aranyic]

My main hobbies are:

Programing - (webpages using php/mysql and working on C# & databases but having trouble and been messing with java, do c++ and vb also)

Work - FedEx sucks sometimes and I can't stand it (well my manager) by the end of the day but I look forward to going back pretty much every day.

Games - I sink a lot of time into them if I can find a decent one which has been less and less lately.

[Lincoln]

Shorty said
This place. I have little free time left ;D Ditto that ;) If I'm near a computer, the longest time I'm MIA is to sleep :p

[MrBill]

Geeky1 said
I don't like NASCAR very much- as far as I'm concerned, it's a sport for drivers who can't make right turns.. :D
They do run a few road courses too. Right turns and all. :)

[a2jfreak]

1. Electronics, computers in particular.
* Just about anything to do with the computer, from learning about the hardware, to programming for the hardware!

2. Automobiles, trucks in particular.

3. Woodwork/construction. I've only spent a couple of days doing any construction work (with my uncle) and I've never done any woodwork (like making figurines and whatnot) but I love construction shows and would love to build my own house. I also love woodworking shows where people (like Norm Abrams) make cabinets, dressers, nightstands, and little knick-knacks like horses or other tiny toys. If I ever have the time and the money I'll definitely do some woodwork.

[Clutch]

a2j: I also would love to build my own house. Since I do work at lowes home improvement right now, if I stick with them then if I do ever build my house, I would save 10% on everything I need to build it, plus the labor I would save.

I work in the flooring dept now, and one of the older guys I work with just built his house from the ground up about 2 years ago, he said he saved over 150 thousand by doing it all himself, and his house on the market would be a little over 300 thousand and it cost him like a total of 180 thousand to do it all. It took him 16 months, but it's worth it in the long run.

[oddharmonic]

If you count things I acquire (it's amazing how many former crafters will happily unload materials and unfinished projects after they find out someone will take them), my money is split fairly evenly between needlework, painting and action figure modding supplies.

I spend an average of an hour a day doing needlework, usually while waiting (especially when I was going to the base clinic at Seymour Johnson AFB) and riding in the car/bus. I don't actually spend much buying supplies because of the amount of supplies and unfinished projects I've gotten from people, plus I'm a regular clearance-rack scourer at my local craft store. My current "slow" project is the Bucilla kit New World Discovery, which I'm approximately half done with, and my "fast" project is a needlework pillow front that coordinates with a mural I'm working on (see comments in painting).

I am an unabashed paint sniffer, although I can't say acrylic paint smells all that exciting. My husband's actually declared a moratorium on buying any more paint until I finish a mural I've been working on for just over a year, an undersea scene that wraps around my little sister's bedroom (38' perimeter x 9' high). In addition, I have a full professional palette of Snazaroo face paints I use for facepainting at events with my family's clown business (both of my sisters and my parents are clowns, I just paint and handle the business end for them).

If you really want to see me get excited, put me near a yard-sale lot of action figures. I modify them into new characters (Martha Stewart, Gandhi, an action-arm Irish drinker) with Sculpey, paint and accessories to complete the look. It amuses my friends to be able to request a character (or offer up a description of a new one) and have their own fig a few weeks after I find the right base body for it.

My husband's the one that spend on computer parts -- with the segment of our tax refund alloted for discretionary spending earlier this year, he bought a new case and a bunch of components. I bought a sewing machine, art supplies, and yet another attempt at a computer chair. (I still haven't found an affordable one that doesn't make my back worse. Meh.)

MrBill: if your wife can get into the habit of selling things on eBay roughly as much as buying, it gets a little better. Last year I came out ahead of what I spent there by selling parts for a kids' dollhouse set I got in yard sale lots with parts I wanted for a different scale and brand set and this year I plan to come out further ahead by selling off vintage cake pans, although the cake pans are going to fund new cake decorating stuff for my sister's wedding next year. Also, if your wife collects old puppet patterns and has the early 1980s Sesame Street puppet patterns, I'd like to buy photocopies of the patterns and instructions (I'm not picky about the originals and am willing to swap copies of the 1982 Sesame Street cross-stitch and plastic canvas books as well). Those darn things have been eluding me the entire time I've been on eBay.

[Leonardo]

Oddharmonic, thanks for bringing us color and variety. A genteel influence that wouldn't hurt the majority of us.


Leo :cool: :wave:

[Mancabus]

Building computers for people, and charging money for them (computers, not people).

Auto and motorcycle racing, no nascar or WRC, I'm a speed channel freak.

Any car show (mostly TV, some real), I particularly like classic car shows.

My Alfa Romeo Spider, when I feel like it.

Football, I'm American but think soccer should be called what it is.

More of an urge than a hobby, but cleaning up old piles of stuff, be they years old or months old, I always like finding things I lost or used to play with as a kid.

Roleplaying games, typically classic NES or Sega Genesis games, some PC games though.

[RWB]

Not sure what my passion is anymore... I have begun moving away from my hermit ways and actually getting out in the sun. I must say I am enjoying doing other things other than sitting at my PC all day.

[shwaip]

computers and raquetball. good times. I need to start running too. should lead to a busy schedule

[pseudonym]

Leonardo said
[QUOTE]What format/class?

I run in the SCCA in Formula 500. Open wheel formula cars on road courses (Road America, Mid Ohio, etc etc). I'll be running the National Championships the 15th-21st and hoping to win the thing (have a good chance this year).

As for watching, anything road racing is at the top of my list (F1, Trans-Am, CART, American Le Mans, Grand-American etc etc) then comes the joy of NASCAR, IRL, then motorcycle racing, and of course World Rally (O how I love my Rally) I don't think SPEED TV ever gets turned off at my house.

[a2jfreak]

I don't sniff it because I don't want to cause any brain damage or cancer, but I do like the way paint smells. I also like the way gasoline smells, but I'd never go and sniff it.

oddharmonic said
[B]I am an unabashed paint sniffer, although I can't say acrylic paint smells all that exciting.

[TheSmJ]

I myself sink a lot of money into my computer(s). And spending money on them usually leads to a lot of time spent messing with them to get them to run juuuuuuuuust right!

On the other hand, my car could use some attention. The driver's side of the body is a bit mashed behind the headlight thanks to my older sis, so there's ~$200 for a new body panel. Also the headlights' a bit misaligned.

But ATM, all my free time and money goes into something computer related. Also looking for a job in the computer field, butchering meat just ain’t cutting it anymore.

No pun intended.

[Leonardo]

Ah SMJ, so you're saying you want to work for a major name brand box manufacturer and butcher computers? :scratch:

[TheSmJ]

Heh, nooo....


I currently butcher meat at a little grocery store close to where I live. I got this job back before I had a car. Now that I have a car of my very own, I could work where I want and never have to worry about taking a bike (which is funny, cause I never ended up riding my bike to work anyhow).

I'm plugging for a job at my local CompUSA... they butcher computers and make name brand boxes to put other's products into... is that what your referring to? ;)

[Leonardo]

Whoa - there ya go - putting both skills into one package deal! That's creativity and intiative!

[oddharmonic]

Leonardo said
Oddharmonic, thanks for bringing us color and variety. A genteel influence that wouldn't hurt the majority of us.

Don't mistake me for being genteel! I spared you guys the details of what I do with reject action figures (it involves firecrackers and several divisons of green army men), the bicycle pump powered water cannon, or our budding collection of backyard artillery.

I just spend more on easily portable projects since I can't always stay in my little fortress.

[oddharmonic]

a2jfreak said
[B]I don't sniff it because I don't want to cause any brain damage or cancer, but I do like the way paint smells. I also like the way gasoline smells, but I'd never go and sniff it.

I don't seriously sniff anything because I can barely smell anything thanks to chronic sinusitis. I really like the texture of mixing up my own paint from pigments, though.

I don't have a clear memory of what gasoline smells like, but if it's pungent like coffee I probably wouldn't like it very much. (Someday I think the Caffeine Mafia is going to put a bag of chocolate-covered espresso beans in my bed. When they come, I'll fire tins of Penguin mints at them until they fall back or I have to break out the mortars.)

[BDR]

Building towers. I don't have time for anything else. ;)

[Gargoyle]

Pseudonym said
I run in the SCCA in Formula 500. Open wheel formula cars on road courses (Road America, Mid Ohio, etc etc). [/B]

Something like this? (see attachement)

I was on the Formula SAE team here at OU for 3 years. Never got to drive the damn car. :banghead: The attached picture is the '99 car. The later cars are much more attractive (and way better engineered), but this is the only decent picture on the website. (http://sae.ou.edu)

I'm considering buying an old Supra and giving SCCA a whirl. Mainly because I know this guy on the FSAE team in a 180sx that really needs to get owned :D. How much does it cost to participate? (because my passion right now is surviving school and work day to day, making ends meet :) )

edit
... forgot the danged attachment. Pic on next page. Grr. :banghead:

[Gargoyle]

BAH!!!! Forgot attachment.