Hobbies - hobbies w/stages, healthier/wealthier/wiser, get involved

[retiringat50]

saw on another post that retirees should look for hobbies that
1 - hobby w/stages - begineer, intermediate, advanced
whats your hobby thats like that - im thinking along the lines of cake decorating?
2 - hobby that makes one healthier, wealthier or wiser - for me join a new gym
3 - get involved - will look into volunteering at Audubon society

so how do your hobbies fit into these categories?

[hankster]

When I think about a hobby with stages, I think of my woodworking. A person can start with a few basic tools building bird houses and such. Add a few more tools and get some experience, then you can start building basic furniture and cabinets. You can drop a couple thousand dollars later on more advanced tools, get some plans and build some incredible things like grandfather clocks, china cabinets, most anything you can think of can be built in a home workshop. And if you take your time, the quality will exceed that of most factory built items. A very satisfying hobby.

Hank

[CyclingInvestor]

Bicycle touring - short trips around the neighborhood, day-long rides, weekend
rides of 2-3 days, multi-day rides for a week or two, expedition rides of a month
or more. Each step requires a little more equipment, bike repair knowledge,
conditioning. At the same time you can advance from riding on organized tours
with sag wagons (usually commercial tours) to self contained tours to solo touring
if that style appeals to you.

[Nords]

Originally Posted by retiringat50

1 - hobby w/stages - begineer, intermediate, advanced
2 - hobby that makes one healthier, wealthier or wiser - for me join a new gym

Surfing.
Martial arts.
Home improvement.
Reading.
Writing.
In about that order.

But this month it's been doing our taxes-- quite the educational experience.

Originally Posted by retiringat50

3 - get involved - will look into volunteering at Audubon society

I guess the only one that qualifies would be researching charitable donations. Otherwise I haven't made the time for this.

[Goonie]

Originally Posted by retiringat50

1 - hobby w/stages - begineer, intermediate, advanced whats your hobby thats like that.....
2 - hobby that makes one healthier, wealthier or wiser.......
3 - get involved........

so how do your hobbies fit into these categories?

1 - Model Railroading....started with a train set in 1967, and that's evolved into a fairly large layout with full scenery (most of which is finished or near-finished) with well over 200 buildings.....almost all of which I built myself (either form kits.....some simple, and several 'craftsman-type'.....but most were scratch-built or kit-bashed). I like MR'ing 'cause it's fun!

2 - Gardening & Landscaping......started about 5 or 6 years ago, and now it it keeps me quite occupied! I normally spend a few hours a day out working in the gardens and doing landscaping projects. It's very good exercise, allows for a lot of sunshine & fresh air, and keeps me busy researching related topics, as well as experimenting with new methods and new plants. I like gardening & landscaping 'cause it's fun!

3A - Active Member of a Local Garden Club.....I joined a Garden Club in a nearby town about 2 1/2 years ago. They're all a fun bunch of people, and we're all quite active in the community. We present 2 scholarships per semester at the local community college to students enrolled in their horticultural program. We help design, and then install and maintain the landscaping and streetscaping throughout the town's parks, streets, and other public areas. I like the club 'cause it's fun!

3B - Retiree Organizations....I was actively involved, working & lobbying for employee rights & benefits, with the Union for 30+ years before I ER'd last Spring. I took a 1 year 'breather', and now I'm ready to jump in to continue, but this time it's for retiree's rights & benefits......all retirees.....not just retired Union folks. I've been in contact with the retiree group for a while now, and I'll be hooking up with them starting this coming Thursday. I always try to keep in touch with my elected legislators, to let them know what I like and what I don't, and to make them aware of my stance on pending legislation. I figure, if WE don't look out for US, who will?! I like doing this sort of thing 'cause it's fun so I can continue to have life full of fun!

The key factor that all of my hobbies have in common is FUN!

If it ain't fun, I ain't doing it!

[UncleHoney]

I'm into woodworking too, along with a bunch of other hobbies. But woodworking is my primary means of mental satisfaction in retirement so far. I guess I'm in the advanced stages right now, getting into designing and building my own furniture.

One of my recent pieces for the family room. Done in mahogany with lots of brass and granite in my interpretation of the campaign style.

[oma]

Very nice. It is something that would catch my attention if in a furniture store. Where did you learn to do this.

[UncleHoney]

Originally Posted by oma

Very nice. It is something that would catch my attention if in a furniture store. Where did you learn to do this.

Thank you oma.

I've been doing woodworking for many years and it is just a natural progression for me to advance to designing my own furniture. My work related background was in mechanical design of machinery and medical products and I guess it is just an extension of that.

[hankster]

That's some nice looking furniture UncleHoney. And your own design! I've never built any furniture I designed from scratch, although I have been known to make my own little custom modifications to the plans I use.

Hank

[UncleHoney]

Originally Posted by hankster

That's some nice looking furniture UncleHoney. And your own design! I've never built any furniture I designed from scratch, although I have been known to make my own little custom modifications to the plans I use.

Hank

Thanks for the comments Hank. I started woodworking when I was a kid and I learned a lot from my dad. I took every shop class in junior high and high school that was offered. Back then my instructors really pushed the design aspects of what we were making, things like proportion and function were foremost along with workmanship. Basically, you didn't get to cut wood until the instructor was satisfied with the design and your ability to built it.

For years most of my woodworking revolved our house if the form of custom moldings, cabinets and architectural features. I started making furniture when I did a baby cradle for my sister back in 96, then I did another cradle and another and in total I've built seven cradles. The first two were from plans and then I started doing my own designs.

Since I've been retired I'm really getting into the furniture design and I love it. Next on the list is an entertainment center. And then maybe a Sam Maloof style rocking chair.

Ron

[donheff]

Originally Posted by CyclingInvestor

Bicycle touring - short trips around the neighborhood, day-long rides, weekend
rides of 2-3 days, multi-day rides for a week or two, expedition rides of a month
or more. Each step requires a little more equipment, bike repair knowledge,
conditioning. At the same time you can advance from riding on organized tours
with sag wagons (usually commercial tours) to self contained tours to solo touring
if that style appeals to you.

I'm with cyclinginvestor. I started biking about a year ago and am totally hooked now. Unlike true touring fanatics, DW and I like hotel beds and SAG support (for the uninitiated, that means someone transports the luggage). And I found I like fixing bikes - I trued my first wheel a few weeks ago. I plan to keep my eye out for a vintage bike in a garage sale so I can rebuild it from the ground up.

[Oldbabe]

What an interesting thread. I hadn't thought of my hobbies this way, as a progressive activity.

Fair weather hiking: local trails here in Colorado, longer trails, higher elevation, climb a 14er, hiking in Switzerland, other countries.

Digital photography: basic, learn photoshop, take art photography courses, go on photography trips overseas, learn display and mounting techniques, try getting my work shown in local cafes. Maybe buy more expensive equipment.

More hobbies of interest:
Learn spanish
watercolor painting

[TromboneAl]

Here's a good beginning woodworking resource:

Sawdust Making 101 a guide for the beginning woodworker

[lsbcal]

Here are a few and my opinion of where I'm at in each:

Fishing beginner - have a poll from long ago but I don't know what I'm doing. Today I stopped by the library and took out a few fishing books. Recently have seen some lone guys heading to the local lakes here with poll in hand and small tackle box and determined look. DW got me a DVD on fly fishing for my birthday but it looks a little too technical.

Birding advanced beginner - always watching them and can name a few. Need to learn more and picked up a few books today at library.

Running expert - have been running pretty continuously for about 35 years and ran in high school before that. I like to run in the state park behind our house and take breaks to watch the birds, deer, wild turkey, salamanders, etc. Sort of running in nature. The deer think I'm crazy.

Gardening intermediate - get out in the yard maybe 3 hours per week but more in Spring. Over the years our gardens have matured and look real nice. There is always something to prune or something that died. The front is a challenge because deer eat a lot of plant types. Recently a tree came down in a storm and I got to use my chain saw.

Fire making expert - I'm getting pretty good at getting a fire going in our free standing fireplace. I cheat though with those little starter blocks that I cut in 4 and add a little lighter fluid -- works great! Don't have to resort to paper any more. Learned to chop wood for kindling without throwing out my back too .

French intermediate - took a few courses at the JC. There is always new nouns to learn (plus their gender) and new verbs to conjugate. A humbling experience and makes you appreciate it when Frenchmen come to your rescue speaking English.

I'm sure there is more but you get the picture and I've probably already bored enough people.

[Dawg54]

Golf, 18 stages.

[zoey]

Originally Posted by retiringat50

saw on another post that retirees should look for hobbies that
1 - hobby w/stages - begineer, intermediate, advanced
whats your hobby thats like that - im thinking along the lines of cake decorating?
2 - hobby that makes one healthier, wealthier or wiser - for me join a new gym
3 - get involved - will look into volunteering at Audubon society

so how do your hobbies fit into these categories?

One hobby is cooking and baking. Now I have time to try new recipes. I modify the ingredients using the healthiest options like whole wheat flour instead of white. So, this hobby fits into category two in making us healthier. It also fits into category one since I'm learning and becoming a better cook over time. I'd say I'm at intermediate now if I keep progressing I might make it to advanced in a couple of years.

Another hobby is gardening. Not making as much headway with that one, but the eventual goal is to grow some fruit and veges, which will make us wealthier (cheaper to grow our own produce, so will save some on groceries) and this one makes us healthier, as well.

So far, nothing in category three, but I'm only a few months into retirement.

[Joker]

Originally Posted by UncleHoney

I'm into woodworking too, along with a bunch of other hobbies. But woodworking is my primary means of mental satisfaction in retirement so far. I guess I'm in the advanced stages right now, getting into designing and building my own furniture.

One of my recent pieces for the family room. Done in mahogany with lots of brass and granite in my interpretation of the campaign style.

Nice work there. Me I'm into PCs, My Cat(Angel, A Calico cat), Car(a 2006 Mustang GT, It's paid for), Model Trains(N Scale), a 100 gallon Aquarium(Which I hope to have by December) and such.

[Khan]

Are there stages to squirrel watching?

I seek to attain the Tao of compost.

I have been working on me: food, exercise, sleep, indoor environment...

[lsbcal]

Originally Posted by Khan

Are there stages to squirrel watching?

Yes, in the beginner stage you don't see the squirrel and he watches you .