# What's your most esoteric or arcane hobby or interest? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 13, 2006, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-most-esoteric-or-arcane-hobby-or-interest/368563 "2006-08-13T16:40:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2006, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-most-esoteric-or-arcane-hobby-or-interest/368563/21 "2006-08-13T22:14:20Z")
I collect tarot decks. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2006, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-most-esoteric-or-arcane-hobby-or-interest/368563/22 "2006-08-13T22:24:06Z")
A small choir in which I sing likes to unearth and sing at mass Palestrina masses that are unlikely ever to have been performed in Australia. Some of them probably haven’t seen the light of day anywhere in the world for hundreds of years. ---
**Author:** ![shamrock227](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@shamrock227](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shamrock227)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2006, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-most-esoteric-or-arcane-hobby-or-interest/368563/23 "2006-08-13T22:27:57Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] Arcane Interest: Comparative Mythology. No real reason, just for the fun of it. [/QUOTE] So, you’re the other person that reads this stuff. I knew there had to be someone else out there. I also collect Tarot decks. Some of the most beautiful artwork I’ve ever seen is on some of those cards. Last, but not least, I make stained glass using the Tiffany method (copper foil and solder as opposed to the lead came method). I haven’t done any projects in a while, I think I may have to pull out my stuff and see if I still have the knack. ---
**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2006, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-most-esoteric-or-arcane-hobby-or-interest/368563/24 "2006-08-13T22:45:43Z")
[QUOTE=Sutremaine] I’m into making anime music videos, and I’m currently trying to learn AviSynth and all that tech stuff. [/QUOTE] I came in here to say the same thing. Although the editing itself is pretty straightforward, the technical stuff is a pain. Aspect ratios and such. AviSynth filters I get as much as needed for now, I’d like to learn more about them but I’m not too concerned. I’d rather just edit. I started about three years ago, but have just gotten back into it (and started learning most of the technical stuff) in the last year. What editing program are you using? I also have a collection of decks of playing cards that I either picked up on my own travels (few though they are) or that other people gave me, and I’ll occasionally pick up a new one when I see one that interests me. ---
**Author:** ![Topologist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/topologist/32/3208_2.png) [@Topologist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Topologist)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2006, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-most-esoteric-or-arcane-hobby-or-interest/368563/25 "2006-08-13T23:01:50Z")
[Change ringing](http://www.nagcr.org) was probably my most obscure hobby, though I haven’t practiced it in almost 20 years. Obcure in the USA, that is, not so much in the UK. ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2006, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-most-esoteric-or-arcane-hobby-or-interest/368563/26 "2006-08-13T23:02:30Z")
[QUOTE=Fetchund] I search for and dissect owl pellets… I hunt Lake Superior Agates… I’m trying to meet all the rare breeds of dogs that I can… [/QUOTE] Do you ever sell any of the agates? My e-mail is in my profile if you have any you would consider selling to a Southern girl who has never even seen Lake Superior and loves agates. I used to do stained glass, but haven’t set up my equipment since we moved. Both copper foil and lead came methods. I collect unusual cigarette lighters, and mount them in shadowboxes. ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2006, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-most-esoteric-or-arcane-hobby-or-interest/368563/27 "2006-08-13T23:58:41Z")
My hobby isn’t that unusual except by location… I am into sheepdogs (Border Collies, not Shaggy Dog type) and sheep. My sheep are very popular with local herding enthusiasts and the lambs are popular with a certain ethnic group. I live in Las Vegas where there are very few sheep, no pastures, and most Border Collies here are either flyball or agility dogs. Its a good hobby, one that I can make a little side living with as there are lots of people with herding breeds and very, very few sheep. ---
**Author:** ![Tracy\_Lord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@Tracy\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracy_Lord)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-most-esoteric-or-arcane-hobby-or-interest/368563/28 "2006-08-14T00:12:11Z")
Recreational 15th-century English history. The 16th-17th century stuff I do seriously. The 15th century? That’s just for kicks, baby! ---
**Author:** ![Alistair\_McCello](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/58956e/32.png) [@Alistair\_McCello](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alistair_McCello)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-most-esoteric-or-arcane-hobby-or-interest/368563/29 "2006-08-14T00:13:59Z")
One of my most arcane interests is pre-industrial revolution automata. I have never managed to get around to making it a hobby yet, but I would certainly like to at some point. I am currently looking to find a translated copy of _Le Monde des Automates_ by Alfred Chapuis and Edmond Droz. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-most-esoteric-or-arcane-hobby-or-interest/368563/30 "2006-08-14T00:47:17Z")
[QUOTE=Greywolf73] I collect diaries, journals and photographs from the time period of the early 1800s-early 1900s. [/QUOTE] That is so cool. I still remember old photo albums I’ve seen at pawn shops, yard sales . . . I can’t decide if it would be really meaningful in a time-machine way, or incredibly depressing, to have my personal photo album in someone’s yard sale in 100 years. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-most-esoteric-or-arcane-hobby-or-interest/368563/31 "2006-08-14T00:52:22Z")
[QUOTE=Smokinjbc] I am into sheepdogs (Border Collies, not Shaggy Dog type) and sheep. [/QUOTE] You might want to consider rephrasing this. ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-most-esoteric-or-arcane-hobby-or-interest/368563/32 "2006-08-14T01:01:26Z")
Quote: Originally Posted by Smokinjbc I am into sheepdogs (Border Collies, not Shaggy Dog type) and sheep. \<\< You might want to consider rephrasing this.\<\< Well… since I’m a female, the thought hadn’t occurred to me 🙂 (get your mind out of the gutter). ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-most-esoteric-or-arcane-hobby-or-interest/368563/33 "2006-08-14T01:43:47Z")
I collect “do not disturb” signs from hotels. But only hotels that I’ve stayed in, and only if the name of the hotel appears on the sign. [QUOTE=Sattua] I’m also into silverware, and specialized silverware, and rare and antique silverware. I don’t own a lot, but I know a thing or two about it. [/QUOTE] I have two tablespoons that have “NY Board of Education” engraved on the handles. I got them from my grandparents about 10 years ago, but neither of them ever worked for the NY Board or could remember where the spoons came from. I’m not expecting you to know or be able to help me figure it out, I’m just sharing my weird silverware story with the only person I’ve ever encountered who might give a crap. 🙂 [QUOTE=Greywolf73] That hobby not obscure or weird enough for you? Well, here’s another one–I still color in coloring books from time to time. I steal the kids’ coloring books all the time. [/QUOTE] I’m 34 and I still color in coloring books, too. I have no kids, though, so the big Rubbermaid container full of coloring books, crayons, and markers is all mine. 😃 I also collect Crayola products. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-most-esoteric-or-arcane-hobby-or-interest/368563/34 "2006-08-14T01:58:41Z")
I don’t have a collector’s brain so you won’t ever catch me having a set of something just for the sake of having a set. However, I LOVE airplanes and everything related to them although it looks like I am on the 20 year plan to actually finish my license. I have a great deal of airplane stuff although other people bought the vast majority of it for me. The only time I really felt geeky was last May when I was on a United flight from Chicago to Boston. They have air traffic control as one of their headphone stations. I tuned in at O’Hare and listened all the way to the gate at Providence. I was accurately predicting when we would switch off from controller to controller and I was mentally tracking not only our route but also many other flights as we went along. I have a scanner here in my home office and found myself scanning the aviation bands today for no particular reason. ---
**Author:** ![Khampelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Khampelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khampelf)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-most-esoteric-or-arcane-hobby-or-interest/368563/35 "2006-08-14T02:04:33Z")
I maintain working 8-Track equipment and have a collection of a few hundred Tapes that I play occasionally. I used to cruise the thrift stores much more than I do now, looking for more tapes for the collection, lack of space to keep them, mostly. But I collect beyond Vinyl, Baby! ---
**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:** [August 14, 2006, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-most-esoteric-or-arcane-hobby-or-interest/368563/36 "2006-08-14T03:15:43Z")
I go curling. Mainstream in Canada and Minnesota, but Certifiably Weird this far south. ---
**Author:** ![Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e56c9b/32.png) [@Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mirror_Image_egamI_rorriM)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-most-esoteric-or-arcane-hobby-or-interest/368563/37 "2006-08-14T03:23:48Z")
I’m really into hand papermaking. None of this “junk mail in a blender” nonsense, either. Real papermaking, starting with raw fibers. I’ve done both European and traditional Japanese papermaking. I also like peyote beadwork, but that’s more mainstream. ---
**Author:** ![Corporate\_Hippie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/65b543/32.png) [@Corporate\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corporate_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-most-esoteric-or-arcane-hobby-or-interest/368563/38 "2006-08-14T03:50:33Z")
[QUOTE=MostlyClueless] I still build with [Lego](http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?m=mahjqa). [/QUOTE] I’ve been wanting to get back into lego for some time now, but actually starting to build a collection from scratch has proven rather daunting. I like the orange mech, by the way! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-most-esoteric-or-arcane-hobby-or-interest/368563/39 "2006-08-14T03:56:21Z")
I thought of two more, though I don’t think I get much credit for either. The first is that I knit socks, obsessively, one after another. But there are several other dopers who knit socks too. It’s really not such a rare thing, but it surprises a lot of people. I have just discovered how to knit a toe-up sock with a heel flap, and I am in Sock Heaven. The second is my dad’s new hobby–the man is going to build a hurdy-gurdy. Hip hip, hooray! for dad. ---
**Author:** ![Call\_me\_Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Call\_me\_Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Call_me_Frank)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-most-esoteric-or-arcane-hobby-or-interest/368563/40 "2006-08-14T04:11:34Z")
From 2/5/03 to 2/3/05 I religiously kept track of the size of my IM log files. I wrote them down in a text file and then put them into Excel. It was interesting to see whom I talked to the most and when…at least to me. Now my spreadhseets (bowling scores, gas mileage, expenditures, and cell phone usage) are mostly useful but I’d still say they’re a hobby. I also collect pens and flashlights, though I haven’t really added many of either in quite some time. I get my Legos out from time to time but I’m not on the same level as **MostlyClueless**. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-most-esoteric-or-arcane-hobby-or-interest/368563.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-most-esoteric-or-arcane-hobby-or-interest/368563.md?page=3)