I need another new and exciting hobby for 2018
ctf_error_coins
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My whole life has been the pursuit of hobbies and lately how to make them work for me financially.
Sitting here kinda bored trying to think of a hobby that will excite my for 2018. You guys are good at hobbies so maybe you can help me out.
Last year I took up gold prospecting and mining. I really like it, but the claim is about three hours away and you just can't go out for the day. It is very hard work and I burn myself out working too hard at it. If it was in my backyard, I would do it every day. Every trip, I find gold, but fail to pay for gas money. I would do this hobby more if more of my friends would join me in the pursuit.
I have done almost all of my goals in kayak fishing. I still go once a week, but the thrill has died down a bit. That can change with one hookup tho. I call this hobby a wash as I get the best and freshest of seafoods which offset the cost of the hobby. The exercise is priceless tho.
Nature photography, love it and make money at it. Nowadays, hard to justify trips tho. I still shoot when insanely cool subjects present themselves to me.
Major error coin collectng has turned into a second business for me, so now its just work 
I got a new set of dremel tools for Christmas and have already attacked my bonsai collection with it. Still some work to do but did most of it already. Altho Bonsai plants are worth money, probably a wash or loss do to 30 years of water bills.
Probably too old to get back into rock climbing, mountain biking and skiing.
So whats next ?????
Tempted to get an expensive underwater camera housing and shoot ocean waves and possibly get into scuba and underwater photography.
or ????????????
or ????????????
Give me some suggestions that make me want to get up early and go do it ......
Comments
Reloading, hunting and shooting - goes hand in hand with fishing and if you reload, it can be quite addictive and fun. Setting up a pistol shooting drill is also a blast and quite challenging at first. Have you ever shot trap, skeet or sporting clays?
Take a walk over to the sports card forum
I used to do field trials and hunt tests for dogs. That is also an intense hobby plus you get to hang out with man's best friend.
That’s all I got.
Nope, not into "guns"
Altho, I do want go hunting for non-native species like wild turkey and wild boars.
Professional sports, (and sports cards) are the most boring and bad for you (sitting on a coach) thing that I can ever imagine
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Vintage fishing reels, rods including fly rods and reels as well as the flies themselves
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
When My dad passed away about 3 yrs ago, I found an old Waltham Pocket watch that he had and was not running. Well my goal was to get it running for him. I have since gotten it running, replacing a part and now learning how to disassemble, clean and repair to an extent. It started a bug with me since then and I also moved on to vintage wrist watches. I now have 6 running early 1900's Waltham pocket watches and about 60 wrist watches that have date ranges from 1924 to 1970's. They can be very challenging to fix and it's a good feeling when I can get one running. Thrift shops and flea markets have been my best finding places. Here's a watch that I bought at a junk shop for $5. It is a 1974 Bulova Accutron Spaceview. After a nice cleaning, new crystal and new band, it is a very nice collectible watch. Sells anywhere between $250 and $600.
My Original Song Written to my late wife-"Plus other original music by me"
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8A11CC8CC6093D80
https://n1m.com/bobbysmith1
Underwater metal detecting if you are near a target or two.
bob
Nope. I am NOT a car guy. A car (truck) is a tool and that is all.
Backpacking/long distance hiking are excellent for most people. I learned it in boy scouts and got more serious later. All the boy scout merit badges focus on good civil training and hobbies. You could also try orienteering. Less physical hobbies like chess and board games, astronomy and meteorology are good.
If I remember correctly you are in San Diego?
I would volunteer my time on that nice aircraft carrier sitting in the harbor.
EAC 6024
Well it seems that outdoors is the place for ya. Hiking / Backpacking? It sounds like you live someplace that has available and interesting parks etc. Plus it keep you in some sort of shape!
K
I was a boy scout and have backpacked over a thousand miles.
My problem was, back in the day after boy scouts, I would carry an extra 60 plus pounds of just camera gear which made it a burn out. Lightweight (high end digital camera) backpacking does sound like a plan. Not really a hobby tho. I do not need orienteering as I find it impossible to lost in the great outdoors.
I just bought my 10 year old a chess board and also nerf guns and ammo.
Geocaching? It is more exciting than just orienteering IMO. But honestly if you are looking for something long term that might not fit the bill as once you have done all of the courses locally you, well have already done them. They typically can be done in a couple hours or so.
Glad you're working on chess. I play with my son and he beats me half the time, he is much better than I am.
I used to haul around a 60 lb pack but have gone much more ultralight...does make it more enjoyable and easier on my aging knees!
K
collecting rare pre 1900 fire arm in better condition
coin and guns just seem to go together
Try learning a musical instrument to keep yourself mentally sharp. Although it's not a hobby per se it's certainly challenging.
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Scuba probably would be very cool for you. You can do both underwater photography, and get a detector to look for treasure. It also gives you an excuse to travel to exotic places. It is a physical thing too, though normally the idea is to go as slow and easy as possible. For me, the coolest part is checking out the exotic and pretty sea creatures, diving reefs is like visiting another world.
I’m picking up my new Kimber today and I can hardly wait. They do not have to be old to appreciate em
Here t’is......
I photographed planes on the deck of that carrier for the gift shop there many, many years ago. Cool boat.
I don't have time to volunteer. My extra time goes to my kids.
I love to image my coins and other folks coins too. I can’t tell you how much I enjoy doing this. All ya need is a good SLR camera, lens, lights and copystand and your in business. It’s a hobby within a hobby.
As a professional photographer all my life and now that I have to photograph my own coins for work, I find it the most boring and tedious of all my chores and dread doing it every week.
If I could, I would head on over to the Tuscon gem and mineral show in Jan-Feb and have a long look around at all the gem/mineral specimens and fossils from all over the world. That scene operates a lot like the coin world. Earth treasures could surly delight and if you realize an interest you could use your coin knowledge to blend right into that world. You could flip mineral specimens for a living or collect as a hobby or both. Learn lapidary work and silversmithing even. Ill tell you what, kids love rocks and maybe you could enjoy something like this with them.
Since you like photography, why not a drone to do videos for high end homeowners? I have a brother that does that for a living. He has a drone small enough to go in the front door, cruise around and then out the back, over the pool, etc.
Could be fun.
bob
I bought my son 5 unopened geodes for Christmas, will crack one or more today.
I like your idea. I love geology. I would need to learn a lot tho. I could seeing making a nice little business by buying the right material and then taking awesome photographs of such for a quick flip or for high percentage inventory.
Got to think about this one. probably not, but a good maybe, Thank you.
Guns, guns, and more guns!
How about asking your kids what THEY want to do and then immerse yourself in that?
A: The year they spend more on their library than their coin collection.
A numismatist is judged more on the content of their library than the content of their cabinet.
You seem to like outdoor activities.
Fossil hunting?
Rockhounding?
Metal detecting?
Spelunking?
Birdwatching?
umm that would be video games, video games and more video games. I can't do that.
seems like a complete waste of money, and I would never want to trade or profit from it
Some feel that way. To you your own.
The winner, if I had to choose between coins and sailing...
Well ya, I absolutely love poker.
I used to play online before Bush and Sheldon shut that down. Cant believe all the online sports betting going on but no online poker. Complete game of SKILL!!!!!! It was such a good way to make money at home.
I use to and occasionally go to casinos to play poker. NOT the same as online. Much harder to make a buck. You need to be a grinder which is way too boring for me.
If they brought back online poker I would play many, many hours every day.
I truly can't believe how ONE rich a##hole named Sheldon Adelson is allowed to lobby so many republicans to force them to vote no to online poker for donations ...... what Sheldon says, they do, unbelievable!!!!!!
Since you enjoy the ocean, I highly recommend surfing. There's probably a lot of easy breaks near you, and your familiarity with sea kayaking will help. A lot of us middle aged guys do it, because it's not hard on the body. It's a lot of fun and you'll make good friends. Once you feel comfortable surfing, you might want to take your boat through the break or explore rocks and sea caves.
Bow hunting? Not my thing, but a great challenge from what passionate BH's tell me.
Best, SH
Outhaul, I do have sails for our kayaks. It is fun.
I grew up in San Diego and have never surfed. I have boogie boarded and body surfed many times. I do go through and come in the surf on my kayak. Most of my kayak fishing friends also surf.
I have been very tempted to try surfing. I have thought about it the last couple of years. I kinda figured I might be too old (55) and that it would be hard on the body. But you say the opposite. Hmmmm. Maybe get my ten year old into boggie boarding this summer and see where that leads us. Thank you
Sailing is the most fun you can have with clothes on!
On hiking there are a lot of options to go light; with the Appalachian Trail for example there is a whole economy of shuttle drivers, hostels and b and b lodging connected to it. If you want to go light there are ultralight options. Whiteblaze is a good site for information. I'm sure the Pacific Crest and Continental Divide trails aren't that much different in options.
Opportunities are everywhere in coins. Fun even more so.
Sometimes it's difficult to relate specific interests to coins.
And other times they can relate to everything about coins!
Think this will sticker?
Cars, guns, coins, gambling and women. All great hobbies but all can get expensive. I'm pretty lucky, my wife said four hobbies are enough for me but five would be too much. She picked which four. No need to try and guess which one got dropped off my list.
I absolutely agree. You must know your area of interest and the market for it.
Collecting coins is very fun.
Being a dealer in coins of your interest is way, way more fun than just collecting. You get to "handle" so many more super cool coins than you could just by sitting on them.
Perhaps you should consider running. I’ve been running track and cross country for about a year now and I enjoy it.
topstuf, is that a Model 28?
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Looks like a 29-2
Way to go!
Are you sure? 55 is not too bad - I'm older and still climb.
Head out to Mt. Woodson with your 10 year old and see if you can still get up Robbins Crack and Jaws!
And see if he can get up Baby Robbins!
wow, the good ole days. I remember Robbins Crack , Jaws, and I think Baby Robbins, Blast from the past. I can see Mt Woodson from my office. A really fun place to climb. We spent most of our time at Santee Boulders as most climbs there did not need ropes. Another favorite was Lakeside boulders where some idiot with a gun would kick you off his property every once in awhile .....
Error Stamps?
When I was about 8 - 10 years old I found an offset error stamp in my stamp collection and got really excited. Must have had an influence on me.
now, no way. nor error notes, not my gig