My other favorite hobby besides cooking

[Recipes Make Magic]

I've also been a tropical fish hobbyist/enthusiast for many years - particularly discus fish which I've kept on & off for over 35 years.

Here's a couple of pics of discus in my tanks - some people call this 'discus candy'. I hope you like them.


The first pic is of juvenile Red Snakeskins I was growing out. They would get much more intensely & beautifully colored as they aged and got to larger adult stage.
The second photo is of young Ruby Reds - good-looking group don't you think ?

 

[Cooking Goddess]

We actually had a similar thread to this topic recently: Let me tell you about my hobby...talent...skill. Just a few of us posted, and it died a quick death. Maybe a new thread with a different slant to the subject title will shake new and different comments from the tree.

Besides playing guitar once-upon-a-time, I did quite a bit of counted cross-stitch embroidery. Then arthritis in the thumb and finger joints made it hard to hold a needle. I am a voracious reader, which is generally rather sedentary. To combat that, I try to get library books with large print to make it easier to read them while I pedal my bike in the basement. Hence my frequent reference to "basement book" and "upstairs book" in our long-running reading thread.

Does pestering Himself, who has very little interest in sports, with details about the nightly baseball game count as a "hobby"?

 

[Cooking Goddess]

I just had a "duh" moment. I never told you how pretty your fish are! The Ruby Reds are especially nice. My dentist used to have a large tank in his waiting room - very relaxing. It's gone now. Too much work, the staff said.

 

[bbqcoder]

We actually had a similar thread to this topic recently: Let me tell you about my hobby...talent...skill. Just a few of us posted, and it died a quick death. Maybe a new thread with a different slant to the subject title will shake new and different comments from the tree.

For some reason, I think I was focused on the "talent" part instead of the hobby. I do have lots of hobbies, some I spend more time on than others.

BBQ - I have two Weber gas grills (actually 4), a Tejas Smoker two burner camp cart, Weber Smokey Mountain smoker, and a Weber Kettle grill. So I do enjoy using my outdoor kitchen appliances to make pork butts, beef/pork ribs, burgers, sausages, and bake stuff. Keep the heat outside during the summer.

Gardening - I have 2 plots at the community garden and 14 raised beds at my house. This is my other girlfriend as my wife would like to say. I grow all kinds of veggies but specialize in alliums (garlic & onions). Since I have a desk job as a software developer, I enjoy working outside.

Biking - I mainly bike on the roads, bike paths. I use to do a lot of single/double-track trail riding going up/down steep hills, over logs, through rocks, brush. I have had numerous scrapes/bruises and some broken parts. But my daughters don't like trail riding so I still to the roads ow.

Skiing - We go to Jay Peak, VT and a couple of other local mountains. I did a great trip with my brother last December to Park City, UT. Great skiing. It was my first time in UT although I have skied out west numerous times before.

Video Games - I enjoy playing my Nintendo 3DS XL 5-6 hours per week. Sometimes will play with my daughters on the Wii or Wii U. Mainly puzzle games (Picross is a favorite) and Legend of Zelda.

Pool/Billiards - I play 8-ball every 2 weeks. Been playing for years. Used to be known as "Backpack" in the beginning because my partner would have to "carry me" but now I'm pretty decent.

Home Improvement - I generally like to work on projects around the house. Mainly carpentry, electrical, but as I get older, I find that I'm enjoying it less.

Reading - I read the NewYork Times, WallStreet Journal, Boston Globe, Washington Post almost every day. I find myself preferring the shorter stories versus reading books. I also find myself more interested in politics in a negative way because of the current WH occupant.

 

[Recipes Make Magic]

It's fun to read all about other peoples' hobbies and leisure pastimes, etc. - I certainly enjoy it.

 

[CharlieD]

Cigar smoking is my second closest to cooking.
And I also do some would working, but it is more out of necessity rather than hobby. Right now i am working on a chair. Let's me see if I can add a picture.

 

[CharlieD]

How do I add a picture using the phone?

 

[Recipes Make Magic]

I'm not sure - can you move, or send, the picture to your PC documents library ? (if you have a PC)

 

[CharlieD]

That’s another problem. This new iPhone I have, I cannot figure out how to upload pictures onto PC.
I know there is a way to do it here with the phone, I just don’t remember how

 

[CharlieD]

One more try

 

[CharlieD]

Ah, finally
It’s not done yet. There is still a lot of work. But hope to finish this year.

 

[Recipes Make Magic]

It's looking like it'll be a great piece when finished.

 

[roadfix]

My problem is I jump from hobby to hobby to hobby. I've been doing this all my life. Cycling is the only hobby which I've stuck with for over 30 years, continuous. The rest of my hobbies, I'll go back to them from time to time.
One good thing is I've never gone golfing.....been invited many times, but have always declined using the same line of excuse. I'm afraid I can get hooked, then will have to invest $$$$$ into a new hobby and will end up playing golf every weekend. I don't want that.

 

[bbqcoder]

The chair looks great!

 

[Just Cooking]

Wonderful chair, CharlieD..

Ross

 

[Recipes Make Magic]

BTW, here's what those juvenile red snakeskin discus of mine would look like as adults.

 

[roadfix]

Very nice!.... I can stare at an aquarium for hours on end...

 

[dragnlaw]

More beautiful work Charlie. What does it say across the back?

 

[CharlieD]

Thank you folks. Hopefully I'll remember to post the finish product when I'm done

 

[bbqcoder]

Besides playing guitar once-upon-a-time,

I'm impressed. I always wanted to be like Jimmy Page and play Dazed and Confused. The only one I can play is this:

To combat that, I try to get library books with large print to make it easier to read them while I pedal my bike in the basement.

I too will use my kindle (with reading glasses) when I'm on the elliptical machine, treadmill, or bike at the gym in the morning. It's not really a hobby but I generally work out for ~90 minutes every morning. Will do weightlifting or take a barre/tabata class in addition to my cardio work. It's probably the only time I read a book unless I'm at the beach.