Hobbies, or is this it?

from WinCustomize Forums
Ok, I know that most of you tinker with computers as a hobby of sorts. To some it is an obsession that occupies all of their spare time. To some it is more than an obsession and it occupies all of their awake time. Hopefully, though, there are some of us that have other interests other than what we are sitting in front of right now. So in the interest of getting to know the WC community better, what are your hobbies? What occupies your time when you are not doing this computer thing?

I am single and have no kids, so in the summer I boat and fish often. In the winter I cook, eat, lift weights and look forward to summer.
I also have a couple of 55 gallon fish tanks loaded with african cichlids.

You?
9,129 views 36 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Single, no kids.

Trained in Aikido for 10 years and ran a children's Aikido program for 3 years, won a silver medal in Japan in 2000.

Now starting to focus on other interests such as - regular excercise (weights, jogging, biking), reading books (lots of different subjects), starting to take up drawing, and find a new significant other (the last one decided to move away when she got sick of Seattle, or was it me?, never got a straight answer on that one).

When I was in high school, there were maybe 3 computers in the school. College had maybe 30 computers (mostly allocated for math and science studies), so I did things the old fashioned way (sounds almost rediculous) like use the postal service, use the phone, walk or drive to see people, you get the idea.

I received a hand-me-down computer for Christmas in 1997, and I found that I really liked it as a tool, so I waited to see if the prices would go down on a new one (they never did, just stayed at about $1000.00 for a mainstream model) and in the end finally bought one about 4 years ago.

It remains more of a great tool I am trying to understand, than a hobby.
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Love my wife every second of the day, but she left. Can that be considered a hobby? Finding perfectly good things that others leave on the curb would be a hobby of mine. Best one so far is a huge big screen TV that has absolutely nothing wrong with it! Found a new microwave that still had clear sticker over the buttons.
Ashes of the Singularity II
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Married with children, one with me, the other two with the ex-, pack of hounds, assorted rodents and three birds. Here's how I spend my time, when not at work or sleeping, with most time spent first to the least amount of time spent doing something...my wife Susan and my son Patrick, chores and keeping this 120-yr old house we're in up and running, yard work, computers, listening to music, movies, reading, legos cross-stitch and philately...US Precancels...(though that one hasn't been touched in a few years).
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Not sure where the work ends and the hobby begins......very blurred lines of demarkation.

Most of my 'hobbies' involve work of some sort...

Now 'if' Motor Racing Officials were paid .........

Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
List of hobbies:

skinning windowblinds
making dx objects
making wallpapers
skinning rainys

ok, you can probably see where this is going...

sometimes I take time out to walk the dog, watch movies, cook and eat food and of course...drink tea

occasionally I sleep
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Married, 2 kids (third on the way). Still a student (3rd year med student), so I spend a fair amount of free time studying for boards or writing my thesis (yipee). Play with my girls, read, music (love music), an occasional PC game. Not much time for other things.
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Since the hurricanes I have a forced hobby of spending my weekends with my chain saw. We lost 17 oaks and one cedar tree to the storms. It's a slow process, cut-burn-cut-burn..... When you look up you can still see large branches waiting for a good breeze to send them my way. But before that I would usually take my 11 year old flats fishing on saturdays, take both wife and son to Car shows, I live 15 minutes from Daytona International Speedway and Speed Weeks are due to arrive shortly and I'll be spending time (and money) there. I have a senegal parrot the wife has 4 cats, 3 dogs and a parakeet.
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Well, I am married...I have a grand-daughter and a 27 year old son. My hobbies have been the same for the last 25 years or so..I hold a 3rd degree black belt which you have to constantly keep training...so when I am not on my computer I am either with my grand-daughter and son, or training. Oh yeah, sometimes watch a movie, or listen to music..(country). No hitting please
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I hold a 3rd degree black belt


Huuu, I wouldn't want to mess with butch!!

For me it is Gardening, I am also involved with the local landcare group, doing volunteer work at the riverbank in our local town. I have pets (one cat and a fish-tank). I am also a bit of a movie lover. I used to go to the movies at least once a week, but my 'movie-friends' moved away, and I hate to go to the movies alone

When I still lived in Switzerland I was much more active. I did horse-riding (Dressage and Show-Jumping competitions), picked up karate (only made it to green-belt though), and played the violin in two local symphonic orchestras.

Posted via WinCustomize Browser/Stardock Central
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
i guess you all must think i'm very young (24)
well here i go......i'm living together with my girlfriend(25) for about 2 years now
my hobbies are mostly spending a lot of time behind the puter, i play guitar(sometimes), i play darts(should make more time for that), that is actually my biggest hobbie (darts) but lately i'm spending more time behind the computer instead of practicing which is a very bad thing. And every mondaynight i go gaming with some friends, mostly halo2 online !! I'm also a big movie fan and so is my girlfriend (her name is gabrielle btw) we collect movies and now have around 6 or 700 movies, i think more around 600...oh well don't matter. We also have 2 cats who are very time consuming so you can see it as a hobbie i guess. their names are YU-GI and Monster. Well that's about it i think........c ya
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
It's good to see/meet the "humans" behind their computers, and the fact that they have "real" lives. Well...I've been married to a wonderful man for 22 years and have 2 sons, one of whom is in college majoring in computer science, and the other who dropped out of college because he hasn't "found" himself yet. It took me a while to adjust to that and accept it, but well... I have, because I've had no choice. We have a dog named Bailey and a cat named Zachary whom we all adore. Both animals seem to be a stabalizing factor in all our busy lives at the moment. I played in rock bands professinally in my younger years, and although I have resigned myself to family life (which is by complete choice), that desire for the knowledge of all things music still burns in my soul. I went back to school as an adult and got a degree in education and am now working as a private preschool teacher with 3-4 year olds. It is a dream to be able to spend a day with each and every child, as they bring total delight to a very tough and responsible job. I also enjoy spending time on my computer, which, quite by default, brought me to wincustomize. I have enjoyed lurking and learning about this fascinating new world of skinning in the past year. Little did I realize when I first joined that I might actually consider skinning myself. Maybe I should rephrase that. Okay, that I would consider becoming a part of the skinning community as a skinner. Okay, so maybe I don't really consider myself a skinner, but maybe I will some day. Actually, I probably never will consider myself a skinner because I find the word totally revolting. But I will consider making icons. If that's called skinning, so be it.

I also do lots of laundry. Continuously. Day in, and day out.
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
that I might actually consider skinning myself


that's funny.

Sorry.
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
To be totally honest...I do NOT find the word "skinner" to be revolting. I was just in a very silly mood when I wrote my last post. Please forgive me. I consider people who consider themselves skinners to be very competant and talented artists/technicians who deseerve the utmost respect in every sense of the word. Skinner. I wouldn't mind being considered a skinner at all!!
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Aquaculturist, and when the time allows I enjoy brewing beer,ale, and what not.
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
At times skinning is more work than a hobby for me, so I turn to my 'real' hobbies.

-Building model cars and airplanes.
-Comic book collection and...
-Mixing (music)
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Computer probably takes up the most of my time, but I do get up from my chair (on occasion) to engage in other activites...like..

Piano... Been taking for 6 1/2 years, no end in sight.
Soccer/ice skating...provide excercise, and are more fun than running on a treadmill.
I keep a black widow in my room, (in a jar of course) sort of a semi-dangerous 'pet.' Requires feeding every week or so, but is very low matenence compared with say, a dog or cat.

Oh, and theres always school, if you consider calculus a 'hobby.'
Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Let me add my sad life to this list..


  • Just turned the horrendous 40, damn I used to think 40 was so old your
    1/2" from death, ok, maybe I was right!

  • Married going on 14 years now - this is wife #2

  • 1 son - 9yrs old (love my boy!!)

  • Ok all of you in the USA (Especially in the S.East) I work on the control
    systems of Power plants, so when the power goes out, its NOT my fault you
    should see some of these plants.

  • I play drums in a 5 piece band for a very fun and exciting church
    http://www.tfpchurch.org

  • I played in a 50 piece orchestra for a VERY large S. Baptist church for 14
    years until I found that I liked to play in a small band a LOT better.

  • I do a good bit of web design: http://www.romanda.org 

    Would LOVE to do this full time, anyone need a designer? or just a web site?

  • I am taking Tae Kwon Do with my son, and have been for about 4 years now,
    I am not in great shape, unless you consider round a shape, so this is hard
    for me to do, I LOVE learning how to defend myself, and the moves, and all the
    forms are great, just wish I was great at it. I'm a Green w/Blue belt right
    now, so is my 9 year old, thank god I have about 150lbs on him or he would
    kick my....

  • I have been "skinning" things since I found that Real Jukebox would let
    you change its looks by making your own images, etc.

  • I have done a few skins for some companies (yes I actually got PAID to
    make a skin) but one company died before the program ever made it to market, but the other is there Link

  • I am obsessed with DesktopX, its such a GREAT program to skin. And I want
    to publicly thank MARTIN for all the emails he has answered for me, and for
    letting me use so many things he has created!!!



Ok, TMI? Oh well.. someone asked for it.. right?


Oh yeah - addicted to WC!!! I so love to see that "new mail" icon on one of my skins, or on a post, or comment, is that normal?

Thanks to all of you that have helped me learn this crazy thing called Skinning.
Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top
When I'm not making skins, there isn't a better hobby for me than painting while listening to good music.
Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Sleeping Dragon: I've enjoyed reading this post very much, thanks for coming up with the topic. I really have no life but I do enjoy reading and writing (but not 'rythmetic) and spending time with my husband and 2 dogs. I hope more people post their hobbies!
Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Ok, here goes: I'm 41, been married to the same man for 21 years, we have a 15 year old son who is soooo great!!! We have 2 australian cockatiels (Zap & Timmer). I started coming to this site about 3 years ago and have been addicted to it ever since! I'm a computer tech (hardware) by trade but quit the field awhile ago to spend more time with my family. If I'm not on this thing I'm usually watching a movie or meeting with friends. Have to admit tho that playing video games is truely my obsession! I truely enjoy being part of this community and have met nothing but the nicest bunch of people here. Glad I came!!
Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thanks, Cordelia. It is nice to put some other activities along with people's pretend-a-names (sleeping dragon. Please!!).
I have a bit in common with many of you. I have a love of motorsports, played in a steel dart league for years, love movies and video games, of course music, took Tae Kwon Do as a kid, Hapkido as a teenager, Shotokan Karate and HakkoRyu Jujitsu as an adult. No black widow but have been a cat fanatic at times. Collected comic books for many years until Guardian died (Alpha Flight), created and tended a Japanese Rock Garden (more of an estate) for years including an abundance of acers and orchids, worked on a horse farm with polo ponies for about 5 years (anyone asleep yet?), love to eat, drink tea and coffee, and I sleep occasionally (3-4 hours a night with a dragon nap here and there), and I love the Lord with all my heart. Read about a novel a week, too.

My Point? People are so different and so alike. We are a world away from each other and enjoy so many of the same good things in life.

.....nuff said (at least by me).
Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I am somewhere close to 40, a single dad raising two wonderful boys, which seems to involve lots of driving, grocery shopping, laundry and dishes. And laundry. And dishes. And more grocery shopping, which leads to more dishes......well, you see the pattern.
I do love to cook, though. I used to paint and draw, do a little photography (used to develop my own film and process my own prints back before film was an antique)
In the summer I coach my son's little league baseball team, and ride my bike.
I also spend way too much time obsessing over tweaking my computer.
Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Wellllllll...let me see...I fancy gardening....reading..yeah reading is my passion....surfing the net...my god i should reduce all those hours in front of my pc screen, especially at nights till morning....let me think...what else??? PAINTING of course....above all painting....and always trying to discover my true self....
Reply #24 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I too am a member of the 40-something club. Been married for 4 years, have a two year-old son who brings frustration as well as joy to our lives (terrible twos, you know). But he and the wife are my heart and soul.

I enjoy reading (presently reading Mission Earth (A story consisting of 10 books for a total of approx. 9000 pages. )

Watching the Sci Fi Channel

Watching Movies - all types

Playing with the munchkin
Reply #25 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Married with one daughter(turning 22 at the end of the month...yikes!)When I'm not working way up north, I enjoy playing with my cats(two of those)walking and playing with my two dogs(Shepherd and Border collie)and looking forward to summer so I could ride my Arab mare and start training my yearling appy colt.....those are my favs for hobbies besides hangin around Wincustomize