I always have a New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle on the go. I’ve got plenty of their Sunday crossword books, and I’m always doing one. It may take me a few days, or an afternoon, but I will complete it. Then I move onto the next in the book.
My mother loved jigsaw puzzles. She always had one on the go. She had a 3’ by 4’ plywood board that she would do them upon, and when something interrupted, she’d put it somewhere out of the way, and pick it up later. After she completed the puzzle, she would get another one, and start in.
How about you? Do you have any hobbies that are always “on the go”—that is, that you are always doing, but while you can put aside for now, you’ll come back to a half-completed crossword puzzle or jigsaw puzzle, and keep on going.
I’d prefer to keep video games and anime and anything involving a screen out of this discussion. This discussion is for hands-on, non-electronic hobbies. Building plastic airplane models, enjoying model trains, running RC cars and aircraft, are fine (I guess they’re electronic, so sue me), but watching any sort of screen is not.
NYT crossword, for sure (currently working on a 6-day solving streak, a personal best). I do it daily, and go into the archives for a random puzzle when I’m caught up for the day but still have the itch.
We have a jigsaw puzzle laid out on the dining room table, about 1/4 done, that nobody has touched in a few weeks. Maybe I’ll jump on that today.
I also play the piano a couple of times a week, not sure if that counts as “on the go”.
Does walking count? I do that most days (an intentional walk/hike, not a stroll to the refrigerator).
mmm
ETA: Ack! I just saw that the theme of today’s crossword is “Books of the Bible”. There goes my streak.
That’s exactly how I started 60 years ago or so. The chords are the building blocks, there is so much you can do with a good knowledge of chord structure to fancy up your playing as you advance further.
I go to over 150 shows a year from small clubs to amphitheaters. Live music is thriving at least regionally and I am very certain nationally. I’m very well connected to the scene and just quickly Googled statistics. Personally, anecdotally and statistically I am correct here.
Edit: So far this month I have seen TJ Lind and the Aviators, The Wailing Jennys, Daniel Donato Cosmic Country, Leo Kottke, Taj Mahal/Patty Griffin, Jorma Kaukonen, Sons of Cream and couple of local bands. All of the shows were sold out or very close to it. I’m seeing Yoyo Ma in a few hours and John Clearly in a few days. Same for them.
I hope you are right. Covid for me corresponded with the time I moved back to the UK from the US.
So there was a lot of other life upheaval going on at the time, and of course I lost contact with the groundroots grapevine of musicians I had been playing with in Florida. And somehow I have never built up the same sort of network here in the UK.
It takes time for one to get into everyone’s little black book to the point where they think when they need a bass player for a gig: oh, let’s see if Dave is available that night.
Without a doubt. I am privilged to have many musicians among my close friends and I know it’s tough to break in when you go to a new city let alone a new continent.
2019 was a record year of live music attendance largely from pent up demand especially for those of us whose life revolves around going to shows. It’s not only my greatest joy but 98% of my social life so I didn’t get to see most of my close friends and getting hugs.
IANA nearly as hard core as you. But local live music at garage band,or touring pro level, or anywhere in between is going full blast around here in So FL. And has been since ~2022.
