I know many here do things that are considered a "Hobby" that we sometimes work into the business we do/did. 1.)What hobbies do you enjoy that you sometimes work into this business???
2.)What hobbies do you have just for fun that have nothing to do with signs???
For me: 1.)My son and I race Remote Control Boats, Tunnel Hulls and Hydroplanes. We do alot of the decals and graphics for the other members of our local club.
2.) Darts, I love to throw darts!!!! I prefer Steel tips, but with the kids around and wanting to play also, soft tips are safer.
Whats Yours?????
Posted by cheryl nordby (Member # 1100) on :
Troy I LOVE darts!!!!!!!! bring em on. I just love that game.
For fun I garden. yes even in the winter. I jump on the trampoline. yes even in the winter. Other hobbies are learning construction. Remodeling is great fun. I also like fast cars. Posted by Deb Fowler (Member # 1039) on :
I love to shoot, arrows that is! Besides that, building, decorating and arranging with my son. We love to redo the whole house every now and then. This year I hope to do a lot of tobaggoning with my sled I got for my eighteenth bday, been lovingly used for years by the relatives, (the faster the better) and snowmobiling through the snowy winter wonderlands with friends and family. Gardening and animal welfare are way up there on my list too! Now, I am teaching myself piano and guitar with my youngest.
Posted by Bob Burns (Member # 268) on :
I like taking my travel trailer to COLORADO in the warmer seasons.....sit by a lake, and enjoy a cold beer!.....NO TV....NO PHONE.....NO CUSTOMERS! I used to take a paint kit with me and do a bit of snapping, but now I enjoy sitting on my butt doing NOTHING! Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :
I've never had a hobby that I didn't turn into a business at some point.
Used to race gas powered Radio Controlled cars and trucks - got into building custom bodies for myself and eventually for the guys at the track.
Photography - always been a shutterbug but now I get paid to shoot event photos for websites that are targeted at a couple of my other hobbies: kustoms and jetski racing.
Jetski Racing - I don't race anymore mostly cause that's one heck of an expensive hobby, but this hobby is what got me into making graphics. Started off just making my own paint masks, and now I make paint masks and graphics for everyone else. Now I attend the races whenever I can, volunteering to help run the races or be there in the pits and on the line to keep things going smoothly.
I love custom cars and trucks. I don't care when they were originally manufactured, if it's customized, I like it. Now I'm taking my love for customizing vehicles and making it into a new business - bringing my engineering background and creative ideas to the table to build truly custom and unique items.. using my own truck (oh that poor, poor truck) as the guinea pig.
I've got a whole bunch more hobbies but it'll take too long to type and I gotta get dinner on the stove. Posted by William Holohan (Member # 2514) on :
Love to restore old or damaged photo's. Have had the pleasure of bringing numerous old Civil War pic's back to life. Have done many pictures gratis for the local historical societies. I get into it and the hours just fly by.
Every body around here knows I love to restore old photo's so I get plenty of material for my hobby. Once started on a fire damaged wedding pic at about 8 o'clock on a saturday. Only picture the gent had of his mom and dad that survived the fire. Had a couple of cups of coffee, and just kept at it. Started to get hungry and decided I had better have some lunch and discovered it was 9 PM...The restoration came out terrific. There is nothing like the feeling you get when you give someone a restored picture of their Mom, Dad, son, daughter etc. and see tears well up in their eyes. You know you did something really nice for someone, and it only cost you a little time..
Posted by Mark Fair Signs (Member # 289) on :
i have to say, my hobby as well as partial livelyhood is MUSIC. Fish On Wheels! Posted by Marc St.Denis (Member # 3329) on :
I do oil painting and carving...hoooooooo that's different from the work!!!
I'm also part of a 5 litres hydroplane racing team (I'm the freightman! and, of course the official letterer/designer) and i started building an R/C hydroplane, the hull is quite finished but I haven't have a clue of how those tiny mechanics are working!!!
Posted by Laura Butler (Member # 1830) on :
Riding horses-especially fast ones. Before we got into raising and showing paso finos, I had gotten a few right off the track and would cool them out and turn them into nice trial horses.
In 1987, our family rode our horse all the way across the state of mich. in 2 weeks-220 miles. Ouch! My 10 year old daughter could out-ride me any day. By the end of the day my knees would hurt-among other places.
I don't ride as much now as I would like but I also loved watching my youngest show horses. She wanted to make the 2004 Olympic team in eventing but getting married and having a baby slowed her down. She did go into the army and made the US Army equestion team and they wated to send her to Ireland to train but her thyrooid started acting up and she ended hospitalized and got discharged for it. She was happy and sad at the same time. She wasn't one to be away from her mommy (me) for very long. The few w monthsthat she was in about killed her with homesickness. Posted by Mark Matyjakowski (Member # 294) on :
The line blurs sometimes between my work and hobbies ... the difference is usually if it costs or makes money and the medium. Most of my work (day job) is extremely commercial (boring) so when I get home is when I air/hair brush. I'm getting farther into woodworking with my father-n-law making furniture, cabinites ... stuff like that. Always remodeling something in my house ... main bathroom right now ... made an oak vanity over the weekend, went to put it in and decided I want new floor (all the way down to beams) so that's this weeks hobby. Build websites for fun (sometimes profit)
Cheryl, ever see the Man Show on the comedy channel? Hot women jumping on trampoleens ... there's a hobby I could get into. Posted by David Otero (Member # 1645) on :
I wish I could turn my hobby into a business. I am an aerobatic pilot. I fly competition aerobatics and some small airshows. Last Saturday I was chasing the dirt-bikers on the mesa west of town. I think they enjoyed it as much as I did. 30 ft. off the deck at 180 mph inverted... there is no thrill like it! I have been able to turn my aviation aquaintences into some business as I have vinyled up several airplanes in town.
Posted by David McDonald (Member # 3433) on :
I raced RC boats when I lived in Minnesota. Got to be too expensive!
I play around with my Fender Strat once in a while.
Had to learn how to do web sites for my company so now I do them with Nettie for extra income. The money we make goes in our vacation fund. Posted by Laura Butler (Member # 1830) on :
Hey Dave, If your plane is a two seater-I want a ride. I'd love to do aerobatics. My uncle let me fly his T-28 last summer but we couldn't do any loopie-loops because it was at a pancake breakfast and not an airshow.
Posted by Monte Jumper (Member # 1106) on :
Sailing is my number one hobby, but I sold my Santana 20 for a little extra money going into the construction of the new building...with al;l the work there wasn't any time anyway, but I'll get back into it when things calm down.
I love shooting pool (8 ball and 9 ball) and shoot in a league every tues. nite (incidently we're in first place)
I have one other (on going) hobby...I've been restoring a 1946 Willy's jeep for the last four years...hope to finish it this summer.
Posted by David Otero (Member # 1645) on :
Laura, If you ever get out here to New Mexico, give me a holler, I would love to take you up. The plane I fly mostly has only one seat, but I have privelages on a two seat Pitts. Any other pilots out there. (Biscut jockies don't count) Posted by Jim Mulligan (Member # 1956) on :
I shoot Civil War muskets, carbines, repeters and revolvers in competetion. We shoot in teams of eight at breakable targets at a distance of 50 and 100 yards. The events are timed and the team with the lowest time through all the evennts wins. Twice a year we have national matches at Winchester Va. We have a membership of approx 3500 shooters nationally. Regional skirmishes are held during the summer. It is a great time to camp, shoot, tell lies and drink beer.
When I'm not skirmishing family time is spent walking, riding bikes, playing basketball and training out Irish Terrier puppy.
If you are inclined check out the N-SSA website www.n-ssa.org Posted by Jackson Smart (Member # 187) on :
Playing pool.
I shoot 9-ball on monday night (for $) and 8-ball on thursdays. I shoot 3-ball (for $) every chance I get.
I also ride motorcycles and hike in the park.
Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :
quote:Originally posted by Mark Matyjakowski: Cheryl, ever see the Man Show on the comedy channel? Hot women jumping on trampoleens ... there's a hobby I could get into.
Amen to that brother. Juggies on trampolines!
Posted by cheryl nordby (Member # 1100) on :
ha! Guess I missed that show. Posted by David Harding (Member # 108) on :
Like Dave, I love to bore holes in the sky. My wife loves aerobatics, I'm a more sane sort of flyer. My Cherokee 140 couldn't hold a candle to a Pitts as far as maneuverability is concerned, but it could hold more candles internally. They just wouldn't have as fun a ride.
Posted by Bob Stephens (Member # 858) on :
Although aerobatics is not my hobby, I was fortunate enough to experience what has got to be the most intense and incredible experience of my life. I got the opportunity to fly a full thirty minutes in a Extra 300L with Dagmar Cress, Germany's second ranked female aerobatic pilot. She flew me through the required routine thats used in the world championships and I cant begin to express the intensity of that flight. Full on throttle all the time while pulling 6 - 7 G's...
Having made nearly 2,000 skydives and participating in some of the world record formations, not even that could top extreme aerobatics. I'm very jealous David. Perhaps one day I'll pursue that kind of flying myself.
So for the meantime I have to settle for extreme golf and by that I mean playing over 200 rounds a year. Recently played 26 days of golf out of 30 but my personal best is 30 days out of 31
My newest hobby is getting two pet snakes. Not sure if that would constitute a hobby but I keep thinking I need to aquire a third one, or maybe a fourth one..
Personally, my whole life seems to be a hobby.
Posted by Rosemary (Member # 1926) on :
I play bass Guitar in the Makin' Tracks recording studio. I'm a fill-in session player. AND.....of course, I shoot and reload for my schmidt Rubin rifles during the summer.
:^)
Posted by Signs by Shawn (Member # 426) on :
Black Powder Rondesvous (sp) and metal detecting, both can be as cheap or as expensive as you want to make them, but both relaxing with intermitent jolts of adrenaline!!!
Shawn
Posted by Ed Williams (Member # 846) on :
I shoot pool year round. Nothing serious anymore.
I like racing, drag racing, I'm running a 10 second 67 Chevelle SS in super-pro in the north-east.
I do most of the local car shows and cruises with a 66 Goat while Patti runs our 600 horse 71 Chevelle SS. 32 years with her and she never drove any of the muscle cars we've had, and this past summer she drove home from a show and now I can't get her out of them!!!!
And we enjoy taking trips on the HD. Love to try new restaraunts and go to out of the way places and get lost on back roads.
Posted by David Harding (Member # 108) on :
Speaking of snakes as a hobby, the shop foreman I had for a number of years loved any kind of reptile, or any critter whatsoever. For a couple of years, he kept a Mojave Rattlesnake at the shop to "guard the Gold leaf". The snake’s name was Uncle Sam because he ...wanted YOU!
Billy used to talk about his Theory of Collapsible Pets. “Feed this lizard to this snake, feed that snake to this lizard, feed that lizard to this snake...”
Posted by Stephen Deveau (Member # 1305) on :
During the Summer (Metal Detecting and Gold Prospecting) 5 ozs. so far but still have to work for a living. Some really nice old Coins and Artifacts.....
In the winter Carving and Portrait work. My work not customers!
I love to Draw, Paint or Airbrush people.
Or do anything that keeps my brain sharp on the first thing I love to do! Graphics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Jeremy Vecoli (Member # 2278) on :
I have about 150 hours on my private pilot's license, but haven't flown in 2 years. Just not convenient anymore. Got my license in one summer at the Waukegan, IL airport when I was airbrushing shirts at 6 Flags. Flew nearly every morning.
I have done martial arts since I was 15 and I teach once a week at my current club (Kosen-Ryu Ju-Jitsu) and now am old enough to compete in the "masters" divisions (polite term for "geezers" over 35 who have no business wrestling with 22-year olds)
You all who run into me at MN meets know about my pet flying squirrels, got a chipmunk now, as well.
4 telescopes, 3 kilts, 2 Harleys, 1 unicycle
Posted by Deb Fowler (Member # 1039) on :
Hey Bob, It sounds like that's a necessity! We could all use more or less of that, I would like more . I have always wanted to park in a midsize airstream out west, on a cliff overlooking the Grand Canyon, at least for a month and then move to another scene maybe in New Mexico, somewhere in "God's Country", and have a huge box of oil paints and a canvas, some cactus juice and some sunscreen, and just hang out, chill... good for the soul, a necessity? a dream..hmmm... both.
[ December 05, 2002, 12:16 AM: Message edited by: Deb Fowler ]
Posted by Dave Johnson (Member # 2535) on :
I hunt and fish. Shooting, both archery and guns. Reload shotgun, pistol and rifle. Play music. Build and fly R/C airplanes.
Posted by Wayne Webb (Member # 1124) on :
I serve as a volunteer wildlife population control specialist for the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission.. The particular species of concern is Odocoileus virginianus and we seek to obtain individuals which have exceptionally large ossifications protruding from the frontal bone.
The venison makes excellent table fare.
I also raise beef cattle, play a little guitar and banjo, fish and hunt with my boys...they're wildlife population control specialists too.
[ December 05, 2002, 01:45 PM: Message edited by: Wayne Webb ]
Posted by Keith Slack (Member # 2040) on :
I'm an avid Fencer. Been doing it for about 6 years now. Besides keeping physically fit, I get to release a lot of tension on someone else!
Posted by JoAnna Nouis (Member # 2838) on :
I am begining to see that my hobby is not very exciting! Sad to say, the only thing I really like to do when I am not working is read. I am a book nut, read em collect them, look for new and inventive places to store them (all my bookcases and closets are full). As a hobby it is pretty good cause you can just stick that book in your purse and have instant enjoyment where ever and when ever you get bored.
P.S. Did Cheryl get a new pic? It's looks like a good one! Posted by Harris Kohen (Member # 2139) on :
I fly Aerobatics
I even flew a few Extra 300s
Ok its true what I said here. However the ones I fly I cannot fit into. I built them and I fly them with radio controls. The largest one I have right now has a wingspan of 7ft. I would love to own one of the 10ft wingspan planes but would need to buy myself a trailer just to transport it. So my next venture will probably be helicopters (they are VERY hard to master)
Other hobbies include Model trains and people watching (it makes me feel better about myself when I see how other people are)
Posted by David Harding (Member # 108) on :
When I was young, I constructed an HO scale train setup in my father's garage. I built an entire city, which lasted until a neighbor kid played Godzilla with the town. Traumatized for life, I ended up in the sign business.
I still like to build scale models of things. I just don't have much time to do so. Usually, the models I make now are of proposed signs.
Posted by Ryan E Young (Member # 2325) on :
68 Tube chassis AMC Javelin with a 434 small block chevy "high 5s in the eighth" Slammed tubed 73 chevy duelie shop truck, 53 hudson super jet. 67 Rambler Rebel custom, and a hand built flat track , chopper,custom harley style motorcycle with a 1000 kawasaki drag bike engine. This is not a Hobbie but a sickness!
I also shoot sporting clays. If any one has the new issue of sporting clays magazine or any back to sept i have an add for my custom painted stocks. Thats my Bereta with the flame job. If you cant find it look in the directory for Game Accessories they are the venders for my custom painted stocks.
Posted by Carl Wood (Member # 1223) on :
Like to punch holes in the Ocean - Scuba Dive mostly 'round PCB & Destin, Florida. Gotta git to them Oil Rigs next off Louisiana coast - down past New Orleans - anybody else here dive? Also love to dive in the freshwater springs in Florida - May hit Crystal River this New Years to visit the Manatees - - (hope so anyway)
Posted by Jeff Bailey (Member # 1975) on :
Motorcycles, a little guitar, and rafting in the summer.
Here's a video of some of the fun we have in the mountains on 2 wheels.
Just got into mountain biking... Got interested because one of my friends sold his harley to get a house and a bike. Rode with him once, and he went on the house buying spree. Found another friend, and now I ride EVERY weekend (almost). I've met alot of cool people, and I'm losing a little bit of this gut in the meantime. We just finished painting an American Flag in kandy blue & apple red over a white pearl base on Brad's new Specialized. For somethin' I got into to "get away", it didn't last long!!!
Posted by Kimberly Zanetti (Member # 2546) on :
I'm with you Joanne...another book worm here. I've finally learned that there are just some you have to let go to new homes. Otherwise I'd be drowning in them. I only brought back about 20% of my father's books and I still had to build 2 new 12 foot shelves for them!
Other than that, I cook. I'm married to a chef so we tend to cook for fun. Our friends and neighbors love us. My daughter even has her own chef's jacket - pint sized.
[ December 08, 2002, 12:39 AM: Message edited by: Kimberly Zanetti ]
Posted by Dan (Member # 85) on :
I like metal detecting,collecting local history books, snowmobiling,(what else can you do when there is too much snow for metal detecting)playing guitar and keyboards,(definitely can't quit my day job)and restoring/modifying a Classic GMC front wheel drive motorhome/office. Now that I see it written down I think that's too many! Posted by Arvil Shep' Shepherd (Member # 2030) on :
Designing and building Hot Rods and Automotive Furniture etc. Art by Shep
Shep'
Posted by The Moon (Member # 452) on :
My husband says my hobby is having hobbies.
There's not much I can't or don't do.
Building Hot Rods Remodeling our House Building Garages (you can NEVER have enough of them) Beading (Weaving, stringing, wire, etc...) Reading books from Self-Help to Wiccan Green Witchcraft Crafts with my kids Coaching Softball and Soccer Playing Softball Driving our Hot Rods (except Heath's '30 Model A... it's "his") Carving Painting anything that sits still long enough Braiding my daughter's hair (sounds wierd but you can get really creative with them) ...and according to Heath: Collecting endless piles, boxes, and rooms full of "sh*t"
I do photography, but I don't really "think" about it is a hobby, I just do it.
I make things work, from the toaster to the computer- NOTHING is safe from me "making" it work.
I figure out the answer to life's delimas at the drop of a hat for friends with a crisis and they "NEED" an answer, and never break stride. I get a lot of flack for that... "How come it comes so easy to you!?!" kind of flack.
And I love to laugh. Most important... gotta laugh.
The smiling side of the Moon
P.S. Cheryl- The Man Show is halarious, but it is one of those non-PC shows filled with man-humor. The kind that only women with tough shells that don't take eveything so G** D*** serious and personal can watch. Like me & you and few others here. (I'd name them, but then the sensitive ones would get hurt for being "left out"... and as it is I'm probably already "in trouble" for even saying that much. ugh, women are a pain in the arse.) The show is halarious, like I said, and full of the kind of smut humor we get being "one of the guys" here. I love it! Posted by David O'Hanlon (Member # 2754) on :
Chip and Gild Glass. Pinstriping. Airbrushing. That's fun to me. Also build and shoot custom handguns, but don't know for now much longer. Saving frantically to buy a microscope so I can get into engraving, then I might actually finish the 460 Weatherby that I started years ago. Ride bikes Harleys, CR 500's and mountain bikes. Go to Hot Rod shows to look at the pinstriping. And Letterheads of course.
Posted by Steve Purcell (Member # 1140) on :
Mostly outdoor (and inexpensive) activities: - Mountain Biking - Ocean Kayaking - E.M.T./Wilderness First Aid stuff - Venture Crew Advisor & all the stuff that goes along with it.
btw Troy, I used to be way into dart throwing. I think I'll get back into it. It's very calming.
Posted by Howard Keiper (Member # 1250) on :
I like to sail. Sailing is something my wife and I can do together. San Francisco Bay is a pure delight to sail in the mid to late fall. I also like to build and experiment with Tesla coils...that's awsome.. hk
Posted by Jeff Bailey (Member # 1975) on :
Very cool Steve. nice to see another EMT on here... Remember your A.B.C.'s Posted by Tom Hightower (Member # 3459) on :
Hi I`am the new guy ,I just got a graphtec 2200-30 ( it was free ),now I looked and found this cool site ,to learn more stuff ,Like I don`t do enough ,My hobbies are Mountain Biking of the Down Hill type ,turning wood bowls and making furniture that`s also my trade ,
Posted by Randy Campbell (Member # 2675) on :
My wife and I like to tour on the motorcycle:Goldwing: and I fly fish.
Posted by Richard Doyle (Member # 2919) on :
I play roller hockey I'ts fun and a lot cheaper than ice hockey. I just started designing a web site for the local skating rink. I've been bugging the owner for a while to start a hockey league and he agreed to if I'd design his logo and do the web page here is a link to the site in progress.
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