Hobbies

[Ambulance Chaser]

I have realized that I would like to make better use of my personal time than just going to happy hours, hanging out with friends, and watching movies from Netflix. What hobbies do you do to fill up your personal time that you can recommend? Bonus points if those activities involve meeting new people.

 

[kwilkinson]

I play guitar.

My dad, some friends in the area, and I all go to public areas and have "music night" every wednesday night. It started with 3-4 of us, but the more people would walk by and listen, the more word spread, and now there are 12-18 people that show every week, so that kind of plays into meeting people.

You could try learning a new hobby, like painting, sculpting, for which you could take classes for and be social, or join a gym and play pickup basketball or indoor soccer or something to be social.

 

[JetBlast]

-Volunteering. I currently do work as a volunteer firefighter/medic and it's one of the most enjoyable things I've ever done.
-Airplane spotting (if you're insane like I am). Basically you go to the airport (if you're in DC you have 3 to choose from) and watch the airplanes. Personally I take pictures and record the registration numbers off of them, eventually it becomes a chase to see how many airplanes from a certain airline you can get. But this will only work if you're crazy.

JB

 

[Thomas]

Toastmasters - Not that I meet lots of new people, but I've made a few good friends out of it, and it's helped me communicate much better.
Carpentry - Gave it up when I started b-school but am slowly taking it back up again. It's slow going these days since I have few projects, but even the prep-work has a certain zen-type feel to it.

 

[globetrotter]

most of my free time is spent in the exiting hobby of chasing toddlers around and changing their diapers. then, I get to discuss the quality and the quantify of their fecal matter with my wife.

when I have had hobbies, they have usually been centered around the gym, or the dojo.

 

[stamp0102]

Originally Posted by JetBlast

-Volunteering. I currently do work as a volunteer firefighter/medic and it's one of the most enjoyable things I've ever done.
-Airplane spotting (if you're insane like I am). Basically you go to the airport (if you're in DC you have 3 to choose from) and watch the airplanes. Personally I take pictures and record the registration numbers off of them, eventually it becomes a chase to see how many airplanes from a certain airline you can get. But this will only work if you're crazy.

JB


JB-

I'm a Firefighter/EMT as well. Figured I would say hello to a fellow brother.


OP - I am looking for a new hobby as well. I like to be productive with my time, and lately, after I get home from work, I find myself being a bum. I would like to get into something that could eventually be turned into a part time job. Something high end perhaps, consultant wise. Helping rich people buy fancy new cars that they know nothing about is something I've done with a friend in the past. Painting large houses. Something along those lines.

 

[bryce330]

If you live in DC, kickball is a great way to meet other 20- and 30- somethings.

 

[yachtie]

Summer: Sailing the boat
Spring and Fall: working on the boat.
Winter: thinking about the above.

I also do a bit of cabinetmaking- not a lot of time for this anymore.

 

[RJman]

Have you considered getting a cat?

 

[ms244]

Metal Working
Part time inventor/hack

I started salsa dancing but there isn't much in the way of clubs (1) that do it around here.

Trying to motivate my fat ass to go to the gym.

 

[dopey]

I sometimes do staged war re-enactment events.

 

[JetBlast]

Originally Posted by stamp0102

JB-

I'm a Firefighter/EMT as well. Figured I would say hello to a fellow brother.
Nice to hear from you, keep safe out there! "Everyone goes home."

JB

 

[GQgeek]

Originally Posted by RJman

Have you considered getting a cat?

So you sit around in your free time watching an animal lick its own ass for hours on end? Nice.

 

[Miguel Antonio]

Some activities I consider entertaining:

• Poker
  Chess
  Blogging

And some activities I consider educational:

• Opera
  Concerts
  Reading classical literature
  Philosophy

 

[jamoo]

I enjoy running. I run alone, but there are running clubs everywhere.

My wife and I enjoy playing Carcassonne (a board game), but that won't help you meet people.