# Recommend a New Hobby to me! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 4, 2007, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-hobby-to-me/398762 "2007-04-04T20:18:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-hobby-to-me/398762/1 "2007-04-04T20:18:09Z")
I seem to get involved in a hobby for a few years and then lose interest in it. Shortly thereafter, I’ll pick up a new interest and get involved with that. A hobby usually lasts 3 - 5 years with me. Well, I’m just about at the end of my last hobby and starting to look for a new one. Here are some of the hobbies I’ve done in the past: bicycling rock climbing ballroom dancing Running an investment club roller blading powder skiing Flying (private pilot) competitive handgun shooting These are roughly in chronological order. I’m not as young as I was, so the more strenuous activities probably aren’t going to happen. You can leave out “marathon running”. 🙂 What I’m looking for in a hobby: It should not be sedentary (i.e., stamp collecting) and should have some level of activity, but not be really strenuous. It should also have some “mental” aspects to it, and not be purely a physical activity. So, what can you suggest as a new hobby? Thanks, J. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-hobby-to-me/398762/2 "2007-04-04T20:29:31Z")
How about home brewing or winemaking? You have to carry big jugs or buckets of liquid, but isn’t really strenuous. And developing recipes and comparing vintages can be mentally challenging. Plus you end up with booze! ---
**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-hobby-to-me/398762/3 "2007-04-04T21:03:37Z")
[QUOTE=August West] How about home brewing or winemaking? [/QUOTE] 20 years ago, when I was still drinking, this would have been a possibility… 😃 J. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-hobby-to-me/398762/4 "2007-04-04T21:04:43Z")
Golf! Mental and non-sedentary. You go outside in green and pleasant places. It’s a real challenge but you can see yourself making a lot of progress if you work at it. Social if you want it to be and lots of fun. Doesn’t have to be expensive or snooty, and you can wear as much or as little plaid as you like. ---
**Author:** ![Spiral\_Stairs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Spiral\_Stairs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiral_Stairs)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-hobby-to-me/398762/5 "2007-04-04T21:06:38Z")
[Geocaching](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geocaching) sounds perfect for you. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-hobby-to-me/398762/6 "2007-04-04T21:07:00Z")
Is gardening a possibility? It’s not sedentary, plus you get flowers or vegetables or both. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-hobby-to-me/398762/7 "2007-04-04T21:08:29Z")
Would you consider studying a martial art to be too strenous? ---
**Author:** ![rucciface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ba9def/32.png) [@rucciface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rucciface)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-hobby-to-me/398762/8 "2007-04-04T21:15:32Z")
Thanks for starting this thread, **jharvey**. I’ve been wanting to take up something new, and I bet there will be lots of good ideas here. My suggestion for you…how about juggling? It’s not too strenuous (unless you want to juggle bowling balls or something) and gets you up and about. I found it tough to get started, but once you get the hang of it there is always something new to learn. ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-hobby-to-me/398762/9 "2007-04-04T21:18:38Z")
How about photography? You can specialize in outdoor photography and combine it with hiking, for instance, if you want to make it more active. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-hobby-to-me/398762/10 "2007-04-04T21:19:29Z")
How about whitewater canoeing? It’s not quite as strenuous as it appears - it’s more about skills than strength. At least that’s the impression I got from my limited experience. ---
**Author:** ![anamnesis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb8c5e/32.png) [@anamnesis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anamnesis)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-hobby-to-me/398762/11 "2007-04-04T21:27:53Z")
Funny, I just made a post [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=415158) (#37) which is probably more applicable as an answer to this OP. Works in either thread. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-hobby-to-me/398762/12 "2007-04-04T21:35:51Z")
[QUOTE=Spiral Stairs] [Geocaching](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geocaching) sounds perfect for you. [/QUOTE] Yeah, actually I have considered that one. I’ll have to look at it some more… J. ---
**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-hobby-to-me/398762/13 "2007-04-04T21:44:11Z")
[QUOTE=cher3] Is gardening a possibility? It’s not sedentary, plus you get flowers or vegetables or both. [/QUOTE] I’m not really interested in gardening. My wife’s the one with the green thumb… [QUOTE=cher3] Golf! Mental and non-sedentary. [/QUOTE] That’s a good suggestion. [QUOTE=cher3] Would you consider studying a martial art to be too strenous? [/QUOTE] Not too strenuous, no. But I’ve done it (to a small extent) a couple of (shudder) decades ago. 🙂 [QUOTE=cher3] My suggestion for you…how about juggling? [/QUOTE] Good suggestion. I’ve already done it. [QUOTE=cher3] How about photography? [/QUOTE] Yep, already done it, too. I’ve even been published (in collections) and had 1-person shows. [QUOTE=cher3] How about whitewater canoeing? [/QUOTE] Good idea, but I’m not much of a water person. Thanks to all so far. Keep 'em coming. 🙂 J. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-hobby-to-me/398762/14 "2007-04-04T21:52:12Z")
Try non-lethal hunting. You get to hike around outdoors, sneak around, and shoot near enough to scare the prey. You don’t have to gut, carry home, and eat any wild creatures. ---
**Author:** ![Plan\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Plan\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plan_B)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-hobby-to-me/398762/15 "2007-04-04T21:55:32Z")
Bridge ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-hobby-to-me/398762/16 "2007-04-04T21:57:47Z")
What, you didn’t like _any_ of my suggestions!? 😉 Oh, except the golf, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-hobby-to-me/398762/17 "2007-04-04T21:59:48Z")
Amateur Radio ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-hobby-to-me/398762/18 "2007-04-04T22:01:07Z")
Curling. It’s semi-physical, strategic, and social. However, since you don’t give your location, I don’t know whether it’s an option for you. ---
**Author:** ![Jamaika\_a\_jamaikaiake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7993a0/32.png) [@Jamaika\_a\_jamaikaiake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamaika_a_jamaikaiake)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-hobby-to-me/398762/19 "2007-04-04T22:09:05Z")
Fencing? ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2007, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-hobby-to-me/398762/20 "2007-04-04T22:20:20Z")
If you were more of a water person, I would recommend sailboating, but that is quite an investment as well. You could always learn more types of dance, like tap dancing or something. There are also [atlatl](http://www.atlatl.com/) competitions. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-new-hobby-to-me/398762.md?page=2)