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Passions outside of woodworking

My hobbies have really been more the fact that I like learning. In the past few years I've learned stained glass, built my own cnc router, taken machine shop classes (still need to buy these tools), and lately learning photography. I fiddle with new things all the time, probably too much, haven't got much woodworking done lately. I used to play guitar a lot, but haven't touched mine in quite a few years, I refuse to get rid of them though.

Our youngest is finishing up HS this year, so looking forward to doing a little more traveling soon.
 
Almost too many to list.
shooting muzzle loading old style rifles
historical reenacting.
I write stuff also, books and magazine articles.
My church.
Politics. (do y'all have any idea how hard it is for me to comply with FW rules? ;) )
Collecting. Lotsa different things. Powderhorns, Shrine and Masonic memorabilia, knives, beer mugs and more.
Hunting.
Shrine club and Masonry and friends that go with it all.
And, of course, but not last, my family.
 
My note about the dog with the muzzle wired shut touched a few of you, to the point of sending PMs. Thought I'd show you an after picture with "her" new kids, and another house mate. This is what keeps us in the business of rescuing animals. Megan Hill 12-07.jpg You can see the white hair on the muzzle from the scars. Jim.
 
My main "interests" outside of woodworking include fly fishing, BMW motorcycles and golf. Not that I'm particularly good at any of them but they consume a significant percentage of my time and $$. ;)
 
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Lets see... a general list in random order

I like..
..to organize things
..get people doing things
..collecting rocks
..studying rocks and their various uses in alternative healing
..trying to learn new things.... I have sort of creative ADD so I jump around a lot, actually I can't wait til it gets warm enough in my shop to start doing stained glass again
..spending time with my wonderful husband
.. playing video games with my kids
.. making jewelry
.. playing pirate
.. going to renaissance faires
.. helping people do things they find difficult that comes easy for me
.. checking out antique stores and flea markets for unique and unusual stuff that I can use or make into something else, especially mirrors and old jewerly

I used to write a lot, mostly poetry, but haven't done much of that in years. As with most people the list goes on... and on... and on LOL
 
Before I moved to Texas 11 yrs ago I was really into scale model trains. Ho scale to be specific. I handlaid the track and made my own switches along with making my own plaster molds for different scenery items. Even went as far as cutting my own scale lumber to make the structures with.

Now I guess my passion has changed to a 1978 El Camino I'm fixing up. I would probably still be into model trains If I knew some people her that were into it also.
 
Aside from my laser work, which also involves wood, and pen turning, I'm into genealogy, spending a LOT of time on the computer trying to find ancesters and other relatives. I also read--I have a 12' wall in my office, 7 feet high, filled with books, and have to cull out books about twice a year to give to the library sales. I like photography, but not enough to brag about. I sew, do fabric crafts, knit, crochet, needlepoint and cross stitch, and cook (I love trying new recipes, but LOML doesn't always appreciate my efforts). I do enough to keep myself busy!
 
Does Denise Richards count?

Other passions in no particular order
- Like Vaughn, I'm another rusty guitarist
- Spoiling the 4 legged kids
- When the mood strikes, I also like computer programming, and also reverse engineering code at the assembly level (just like to see how things tick).
- History buff addicted to the History Channel and books in the same vein
- Denise Richards:D
 
Oh I have played with lite of stuff since I was a kid.

Drawing - havn't done that is 28 years

Raised LOTS of chickens - havn't done that in 9 years

Gardening - not done that in 5-6 years.

Model Railroading - on and off, but mostly off - I like to look at others layouts

Play on the computer a lot.

I like playing with the woodstove and firewood.

I do like Kayaking

I like playing with spreadsheets

I like playing with Solidworks CAD

I like playing with Vectric CAM

Which brings me to woodworking - it's always been there with me

I just love wood


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-- At work - I am a manufacturing engineer in the CNC metal cutting world.

In the place I work at - we make high precision measuring gages. We work to within "millionths" of an inch on a daily basis.

I love what I do for work. Everybody should love their job like I love mine. It's rare that someone actually LIKES what they do.

It's LIKE going to work every day - to enjoy your hobby.

Does this count?
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A very interesting subject for sure.

Aside from woodworking, my other thing has always been motorcycles :thumb:

I started riding dirt bikes when I was about 8 years old, as I got older and got into larger, faster dirt bikes, I ended up breaking a lot of things, (Bikes & Bones). After one too many clutch burn outs, my Dad bought me a decent Craftsman mechanics tool kit and a shop manual for my bike, and told me from now on, if I broke it, I'd have to fix it myself, he might help me with parts, but not always. By the time I was 14, I could rebuild just about anything on a bike that was rebuildable :D

I was off of bikes for a while but here in Japan, I got back into bikes in a big way for a long time, did a LOT of touring and a LOT of track days, rebuild and sold a LOT of bikes, at one time I owned 6 bikes here, that did not last long, but it did happen :D

stu_gixxer1_04_09_26.jpg

One of my last track bikes, a Suzuki GSXR 600

scraping_toes_n_pegs.jpg

Here I am doing some parking lot "Gymkana" style riding, which is a LOT of fun, this bike I still own, a Suzuki RMX 250, set up as a super motard, totally FUN bike! :thumb:

vtr_rest_area2.jpg

This is the last large bike I owned, a Honda VTR 1000F, it was set up for touring here, and the only thing wrong with this bike was the fuel consumption was high, and the gas tank was smallish :doh:

I think I like working on bikes almost as much as I like riding them.

Cheers!
 
Stu,
You need to make a trip to my part of the world... you could ride the Dragon.. highway 129 between Maryville, TN and Robbinsville, NC. I've not heard how many curves there are in the run of about 50 miles, but in a short 9 mile stretch they claim to have 113 curves. During summer the rocket riders like to see how fast they can make the run... those that miss a curve (about one a weekend) wind up down a 60-100 foot drop down the side of the mountain. The older hog riders tend to be a little more conservative on their rides... Most people go one way on the dragon and them back down the Cherohala to Tellico Plains... or they'll go up the Cherohala so they can ride the Dragon down hill from Robbinsville to Maryville. A round trip is about 250 miles back to Maryville.
 
I do spend most of my free time in the shop, but spending time with family and friends is what I do with the other time. This time of year that means cookouts and drinks while the kids play till their tired. I also have a friend that is moving to the country with lots of land and some 4 wheelers, so I think that I will be doing quite a bit of that this summer too, all the while scoping out the trees for turning stock! :rolleyes:
 
Most of you seem to have too much free time on your hands. Either that, or you days have more than 24 hours in them.:D Spare time? What's that?
Over the years I have been into cars, model trains, owned a few guns, stereo equipment (long time ago), guitar, and a few odds and ends. I made the decision to go with woodworking over trains when I moved to Idaho because so few homes here have basements - but they almost all have garages. WW occupies a good part of my free time, if you include home improvement under that umbrella. The balance of my discretionary time is more than full with church work. I sit on several committees, head up the A/V team, and, most recently, directed a play based on the Last Supper by DaVinci. (Yes, I built the table legs) Even on a light week I'm at the church or involved in church work about 7 or 8 hours.
 
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Other Interests

I've been into outdoor recreational adventure activities for a long time. Hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, caving, canoeing, kayaking, XC skiing, snowshoeing. Been doing less these last few years now that I have a home to take care of and some health issues. Woodworking has taken over a lot of my spare time. We still try to get out when we can though.
 
Terry Rodecker said:
What kind of music? I'm not too partial to the more modern head banging rock type stuff and definitely not rap. I prefer Jazz. Not the "smooth jazz" stuff but rather the good old fashioned big band jazz. I can't make a day of it but I do like to listen to some classical, mostly just stuff that I played when I was in the Tulsa Philharmonic back in the '80s.
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Terry,
I do like what they call classical thunder where the classical music is boisterous similar to the 1812 Overture type. Also my favorite is Ballads. My all time favorite singers name is Lara Fabian shes from Belgium & is fluent & sings in French, Italian & English. to me she has a sensual voice like Toni Braxton with the power of Celine Dion. I also like Celtic Women 5 Irish women who have the voice of angels. I love it when they sing Gaelic I can't understand it but it's such a pretty language. I also like Celtic Thunder it's 4 men & 1 boy who have fantastic voices They're also on you tube.
 
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