OK, guys. We've had threads in the past about what's your job, what do you look like, what do you SOUND like, etc, &cetera.
But I don't think we've had what other things do you do when not earning a crust. I suppose most people will turn round & say, well, I log on here, isn't that enough?
So. I'll get the ball rolling. Apart from trying to be a loving family dad with a long suffering lovely and kind lady (well, it's not that bad, we share the burden :~} ), and two lovely kids, logging on here, frequently drinking to excess, earning my crust and tormenting the neighbours and regulars in our local pubs with less-frequent-than-should-be, flute, whistle and box noises, all of that near enough in the right order, what else do I get up to?
Running - I still manage to get out for a run, despite advancing decrepitude, sometimes only 2-3 times a week, but sometimes 7-10 times a week (yes, you're right, that does mean training some days 2wice a day). I'm still a member of our local Athletics Club, Kent AC, many of the people there are good friends. Years ago I was quite useful, but am hopeless nowadays.
DIY - if I'm in London of a weekend I utilise my time off by doing mad DIY projects - the latest of which is decking in the back garden patio area. This seems to be going on forever. I'm now at the stage where I'm putting fencing round it so my wee boy (nearly 2) won't fall off the edge.
Caravanning - this is recent, but has been the biggest change in my life of late. We have a static 'van in Suffolk, close to Dunwich, which is one of the most beautiful spots imaginable. When there I forget all about Drosophila and confocal and London and just CHILLLL. It is so gorgeous, and the weans love it. I still have to do loads of DIY up there right enough :~}
So, roll up, roll up, who's next to reveal all about their other lives?
I'm also a father, one son (nearly 6), and happily married. When not tormenting the family with flute and whistle sounds, I like to home brew and I also write poetry.
Unfortunately, I live in an old enough to be crumbling, but not old enough to be really cool house, that I'm perpetually painting and repairing with about 1/2 acres of lawn which seemed such a good idea at first but now that I've had to mow it for 7 years is exactly 1/2 acre too damn large.
I also keep cichlids, and my wife has a horse we all ride.
Hmmm. Well, I cook, and sometimes I bake. I give parties, although admittedly, they're usually sessions as well. I am an educator for my dealership of Husqvarna Viking sewing machines and embroidery software, and I do a lot of that sort of thing for fun as well as for earning the odd penny here and there -- I like to make my own clothes when I can. I decorate the house (haven't even come close to finishing) when we can afford it and when I have the motivation. I'm rather keen on gardening, and Eric, why don't you put in beds instead of lawn? I try and see my friends as much as possible, which frankly isn't often enough. Pet my cats, try to catch up with the laundry and the housework.
Other than that sort of thing and actually working (which tends to go on whenever I'm not sleeping), not much else. Oh, and I've ended up traveling a fair amount, I love to travel and would live out of a suitcase if I had my choice.
Whenever I'm not playing in sessions/playing at people's houses/learning tunes, I'm probably doing something equally odd
1) I improve on my Japanese skills by learning vocab and some more of those little squiggly characters so I can become literate and read newspapers (I've tended to try and do this in conjunction with preparation work for my teaching so I can kill 2 birds with 1 stone)
2) I go out for a walk. I choose a random Sydney suburb either that I've never heard of, or that I've always been curious about (often because they have the same name as a London suburb like "Lewisham", and I want to compare them for a laugh) and I walk there, or I get a bus there and walk back home. Or if it's too far away I'll get the bus/train, and have a walk and then get the bus/train back. This activity is *much* more interesting and fun to do in London than Sydney though.
3) I go bushwalking outside of Sydney. This is great fun for me because I'm still fairly new to all the scenery and wildlife around me. I often look stuff up in books when I get back though, so, oddly enough, I've ended up probably knowing more about the local wildlife than your average suburban Aussie. It's so completely different here to where I grew up. My ambition is to see a poisonous snake or spider on one of my walks. I'd expected to be stepping on hundreds of them, so I'm disappointed to say the least. Getting bitten and being rushed to hospital for a shot of antivenom would be even more exciting!
4) I go camping in the bush with my mates. This is the most fun activity of all, as long as you pick a site where there are no children, mind. It feels good to get out of the city and breathe fresh air and rough it for a bit.
5) Like Zina, I enjoy travelling, but I'd be living out of a backpack, not a suitcase
6) I put myself in dangerous situations for the adrenalin rush. I probably should avoid doing this but it's a habit of mine. I usually do it when I'm travelling abroad, but if I get bored I'll do it in Sydney too. It usually involves walking into a dangerous area of the inner city and talking to random people, or taking the mickey out of people who have guns slung over their shoulder, or other such nonsense
7) I catch up with the dishes and laundry. I hate doing it, but looking at it positively, I have to say, if you've not got a tumble drier, the whole laundry experience is much more bearable here than it is in the UK, just cuz it never rains here.
8) I like cooking. It's usually something Asian with exotic ingredients from the local Chinese supermarket, added because I liked their names or the fact that they look strange
Most of all I enjoy tunes. I think it's a fantastic hobby. We should all be proud of ourselves for doing it. A lot of people I know don't have a hobby like that, or a passion in life that they get obsessed about. I can't imagine not.
Spending too much time on my computer (Surfing the web, basic recording and mixer, playing around with graphics, and way too many computer games
I have also recently got back into hand embroidery in a big way and tend to do this in front of the telly at night.
I also occassionally indulge in a bit of DYI/home decorating when the finances allow me. We leave behind a shop and the dream is that one day (when it finally becomes vacant!) we'll turn it into a music room/home recording studio.
Be Ultra Careful with the eejits with guns, though. I'm really serious here. Psychopaths do exist and are not merely the stuff of Hollywood. I've met some people whom I'm sure would not waste time or emotional energy in downing you. And often psychopaths are very clever about how to not be caught. Just be carefull. There are some mad wierd feckers around. If someone is sporting a gun - he is telling you, I have killing weapon. It's possible that to ensure that to prove he knows what it's used for, he might use it.
Especially you, being such a provocative facker! :~}
When I'm not working as a software developer, I'm at home with my wife of 6 years and 2 (soon to be 3) daughters. Samantha was born in 2000, Erin in 2002, and the newest addition sometime in the next couple of weeks.
When I'm not playing my uilleann pipes, I will do some/any of the following: play one of my 6 guitars (I used to play blues/rock in a local band), read books (theology, history, fiction, biographies, novels). I'm currently reading Joyce's "Ulysses" during lunch time at work.
At this point I also seem to be collecting Irish music tune books. Many of them are Christmas gifts, relatively easy to purchase via internet and not that expensive. There are gold mines of tunes in the books - the "Ceol Rince na Eireann" series (I have 1 - 4), "Tunes of the Munster Pipers", "Dance Music of Willie Clancy", "Piping of Patsy Tuohey".
Also like to keep up with current events, politics, that sort of thing.
Favorite foods: good barbeque - NC pulled pork, Texas brisket, St. Louis ribs. Like seafood (but not fish).
Current favorite ice cream is butter pecan, but also eat cherry vanilla, nutty coconut, mint chocolate chip, pistachio.
I will also on occasion home brew. If you have good ingredients and practice good sanitation I think anyone can brew good tasting beer. Last one I did was a "famous Irish stout".
Hey Danny, I know you're right about being Ultra Careful. The last adventure I had in London, the guy I was talking to tried to make me smoke heroin(?) powder from a homemade pipe made of a used coke can, and then threatened to "carve me up" with his knife when I said I'd rather not thankyou. And that was only the bit of what he said that I actually *understood*.
Bike riding - I try and do a 100+ km a week. It's a good way to keep fit and get to work as well.
Bushwalking is my favourite thing - although living in a large city means I don't do as often as I like. This is the good bit about living in Oz. In most places there are national parks within a few hours drive. As for poisonous snakes I've seen a few of these, most before I've got too close to them. The scariest thing is when you hear one slithering away behind you and realize you've just walked over it :-0 .
Sports Taxi and trainer - now that the kids are getting older they want to play sport (??). So I spend quite a bit of time standing and cheering at sporting events on weekends and kicking the ball around the backyard and at the park.
Running my own Residential Home (Adults w Learning Dis) (NB Managing the staff is the stressiest bit!), and playing de music to keep me sane, leaves me precious little time for the other important things in life. But I live in a far too big house for me and my son, who's now 20 and about to move out - big change as I've been his single dad since he was 8. So I have to do essential bits of DIY as seldom as poss i.e. when things fall off. And I have to prevent the (too big but nice big) garden becoming a rain forest.
If I had more time I'd make more of my garden as I love the natural world, and crave as much contact with it as poss.
When I'm not doing that stuff, amongst other things I'm a sporting paddy but more these days watching it on the box, anything from rugby (fav) to bowls (zzz). Participation = nil except for occasional forays to gym and pool. When I have the time time I love to cook, but it's more fun when I've someone round to cook for. Then I'm also a bit arty, and will mess around making new candles out of old lumps of grot wax, as I'm a bugger for not throwing stuff away if it can be recycled.
Used to sail dinghies, but it bashed my fingers up, no good for the music, and I'd wreck the rest of Sunday from the lunchtime beer.
September I'll be doing an adult ed class in stained glass, just to get out more, and detatch my brain from damaging sorts of activity.
This is proving to be even more stressful than I'd originally bought enough prozac for (kidding!). Fortunately, my housemate and I are only moving to the house next door. Unfortunately, we were only told yesterday (last day of the month 'n all) that because of renovations being done, we can't move in for another two weeks. But we definitely had to move all our stuff out of the old place so that the priest could have his rectory (for that is what the old house is) back today.
Well, turns out storage is very accessible. And very expensive. Figures. So now I'm camped in my sister's spare room, rent-free in exchange for doing all the dishes every day and keeping the fridge stocked with freshly-squeezed orange juice. Living out of my backpack, but it's not nearly as much fun as Zina and Dow make it out to be
But that's just now. Other things I do include camping, horseriding trails and sunday afternoon beach gallops (love my horsies), I've a tres-geeky addiction to reading comic books (though not collecting, I'm not *that* geeky) and will go through about 14 a week, usually all on the same day. My housemate is a DJ so I'm getting really good at identifying illegal substances without *having* to take them, and at avoiding spontaneous parties which can break out any time between midnight and 6am on any given night.
I'm given to taking up bizarre sports or hobbies for short periods: cooking classes, various martial arts, trapeze, fencing, scuba diving, juggling, film producing, etc. Some of which I'm not entirely hopeless at! I'd initially guessed that Trad would be a short-lived hobby thinger, but evidently not - a year and a bit in, and I still put in at least an hour of diddling a day
I go to movie preview screenings a lot, supposedly to review them, but I never do. Going to see 'Boys of County Clare' tomorrow, though; so I'll write that up if anyone's interested.
Book I'm reading at the moment is Neal Stephenson's 'Confusion', the hefty second novel in his Baroque Cycle - about Isaac Newton, William of Orange vs James Stuart, pirates, physics, cryptography, socratic dialogues, knitting and economics.
TV I watch: News, news, news, Scrubs, 24, Alias. Nothing else. No satellite so no Discovery-type or History channels
All this, combined with the nature of my work, helps to keep my ADHD under control. Or, at the very least, well-fed.
I think Danny should change his name to Con Focal ( a good irish influence there) now that he has made his . !
Aside from keeping back the ever swelling tide of rubbish that seems to accumulate in the house I keep happy during the day being a lovely Librarian at a posh school. The happier bits are now when it is the holidays! A far cry from being a biochemist but we can't all play with flies all day!
What I USED to do when I was younger was hockey, roller hockey, sailing (I think I was forced to sail by my doting parents before I could walk ... in fact my little bro was nearly born in a dinghy!), drawing cartoons, morris dancing, playing music etc
What do I do now? Well the music and dance instruction stuff and I still draw the cartoons, go for nice walks and in France get on the bike on those nice trails that don't go up and down too much. I chat too much to my friends on the phone. I play on the computer and seem to currently be operating a 24 hour help line for silver surfing octogenarians in Devon. I have even been persuaded onto the hockey pitch at school and managed to prove how totally unfit I am!
Oh well back to the Housework to collect more points for "going out"!!!!
Actually I'm seriously starting to worry about the amount of time I spend on this website. Perhaps your next project should be support organisations for addicted sessioneers Jeremy. Like you get support groups for drug addicts and health warnings on cigarette packets. Too much of a good thing...
The above posts were all written by a very drunken Dow who had just arrived home after a very good session. Now he is going to bed before he digs his own hole any deeper and makes himself look like even more of a nipple in front of Jeremy hehe. G'night all ',:-}
Well, being as there is a river in my back yard, I do some boating. I also enjoy a daily dose of Michael Moore and/or the Daily Show. I know I am being brainwashed by the liberals, but it just feels so good . Guess I also spend a bunch of time contemplating how I'll manage a real job on top of getting my masters degree and still having time for music. That plan is still in the works. Rest of day is spent napping and doing mindless things like darts, pool, touch screen, air hockey, foosball, etc,.
LOF - Cichlids are tropical fish from (mainly) the Americas and Africa. They tend to have unique family/parenting skills and actually care for their young. So, self-admitted fish nerd here.
The talk above about camping really makes me miss it! My son is old enough it should be easy to do now, so I need to get back into that as well as hiking...and spelunking/cave exploring - I think it's been over 10 years since I last spent a day underground crawling around in the muck and all...man that's a fun way to spend a hot summer day!
other hobbies of mine are boxing and afew wrestling styles for mixed martial arts. im also very interested in self protection.
trying to learn the guitar and failing miserably
the countryside, LOVE the countryside. fishing, working with a gamekeeper, shooting airguns at a club, or controlling rabbit magpie etc populations for farmers. would love to get afew pet ferrets to work aswell.
survival skills, net making, shelter building etc.
playing snooker or pool with mates.
getting rat-arsed on fridays.
just done my gcse's so im trying to have some fun this summer!
work for the NHS, try to keep up with the housework,(not good at this). Sing in the local Gilbert and Sullivan society.Play the organ and try to encourage singing at mass.I hope you realise that this is in no particular order. Look after the family, and dog.Read whodunnits.
G'day all,what a good idea for a discussion.
Apart from being a dad and husband,I look after our 12 acre property on the Mid north east coast of Australia.....
My main hobby is old machinery..motor cycles and engines.The bike I ride at the moment is a 1975 750 GT Ducati.Its a lovely thing and a joy to ride.My project at the moment is the restoration of a large stationary engine.It is a Ruston and Proctor,made in England in 1910.It spent most of its working life in Queensland(powering a sawmill) and was left out in the weather in 1950.When I got it it was rusty and seized up but now its all painted and pretty and with luck,should be ready for a start in a few months.It weighs 3 tons,has 2 flywheels of 5 foot diameter and has a 10 inch piston.I have a nice workshop with a lathe etc. which has a stereo that goes constantly.We also play music in here as well.The smell of machinery and the the sound of Irish Trad is a good combination.
Something I have re-discovered lately is the joy of fishing.
Thats all to report..best wishes to you all.
The "boring bit" is systems engineer with an electronics/communications design background, now working in defence.
Outside work there's the fiddle, which got me into Irish trad and has just had its 2nd birthday. There's organising/arranging for/playing in a couple of groups in church music and early music, and providing background music for the odd function. I belong to church and early music organisations and do newsletter/e-mail group type stuff for them plus the odd church music workshop in "niche" areas like PA for beginners and working with non-standard ensembles. We maintain (and occasionally even sail) a pretty gaff cutter, which keeps us buried in work-in-progress spare topmasts, gaffs, bowsprits and old Stuart Turner motor parts. I'm interested in "decorative marlinspike seamanship" and make bellropes, monkeys fist key floats etc for sale. (Or to be bartered for anti-foul, topside paint and lumps of oregon, to put it more accurately.) Animal welfare's another interest and we have a small herd of rescued dumped/ex-feral cats and an abandoned-for-dead lorikeet. And I'm a keen attender of art exhibitions.
I work as a city/environmental planner for a medium-size local government in the panhandle of Florida. It's a living, and the worst part is the meetings. The best part is realizing that your efforts will continue to pay off after you're dead and gone. I always liked John Lennon's admonition that you're either part of the problem or part of the solution.
I am married to a college chemistry teacher who is a brilliant dancer and good kisser. She puts up with me, which also says a lot. (There's another thread: session widows.) We have a lovely daughter who's entering first grade, loves dancing, and can recognize ITM, including our own repertoire.
We live in an old house that's been fixed up nicely, and we have a grand piano in the living room. I am passionate about cycling, especially touring and pleasure riding. I also have a small sailboat that I like taking my daughter and her buddies out on. We toodle around on local lakes. It's a very traditional boat, but with a fiberglas hull. The best of all possible worlds, and a delicate balance between the old and the new. Just like ITM...
Great idea, this. I'm mostly retired (industrial electrical wholesale--really thrilling). Aside from the music, which takes most of my free time (there's always another instrument I want to play and the Quest for The Perfect Flute is ongoing.) New England-style Contra Dance is where my energy goes. My wife and I both love it. We play for it and English Country dancing, too. Beyond that? Three cats, a house with just enough hours on it to start needing medium-serious maintenance, a yard that we're converting to native/xeric plants, and a 1979 FIAT X1/9 sitting in my shop patiently awaiting restoration. And yes, it does run. Well, maybe a fast walk.
Used to restore houses, don't have the energy anymore.
Mike
Well, when I'm not earning a crust or thereabouts doing accounting work, and not playing Irish, Scottish, or Welsh music, I:
Garden (in this apartment my garden is one potted rosemary, which doesn't take up much time, but the landlord sprays everything else so that's all there will be while we live here).
Make herbal tinctures, oils, salves, vinegars, syrups, etc etc etc etc.
Make soap (which uses up some of those herbal oils *grin*).
Spend time with my husband.
Walk a lot (part of the immediately preceding). (Also a necessity as I don't own a car, but the town I live in is about 1mile wide and 3 miles long so you can walk everywhere quite readily.)
And write (both non-fiction, some published, and fiction, none published).
Oh yeah. Come September, I'll also be attending lodge meetings at the local Odd Fellows lodge. (If you're in the UK, think Manchester Unity, the surviving descendant of the parent body from which the Odd Fellows broke away.) If I have time...
Great thread, Danny!
Saraî
When I'm not playing, listening to, or thinking about Irish music...I'm often playing, listening to, or thinking about classical music...or teaching music theory, composition, or some music history type course. I'm also into writing (short stories mostly), working on my website, maintaining a message board devoted to Phantom of the Opera, or hanging out with friends or my dog (a wonderful little Whoodle named Teri). I'm also into Renaissance Faires, reading, and sci-fi/fantasy things. I guess that about sums me up!
Just got back from a three-day weekend of camping, hiking, and kayaking (on the Yellowstone River, in the aptly named Paradise Valley). All good hobbies for Montana summers. My wife and I hike together a lot, and I run (no where near as much as I used to) thanks in part to mountain trails that start four blocks from our front door. We also mountain bike, throw our boys in local lakes, go fishing, do barbeques, and putz around the yard. We've been actively remodeling our house for eleven years (akin to the Chinese calendar: 2003 was the year of residing; 2004 is the year of the front porch). Winter is good for reading (anything I can get my hands on), snowboarding, ice hockey, teaching the boys what they didn't learn in school, and baking decadent desserts. I am passionate about my from-scratch apple pies, buttermilk-pecan waffles, and chocolate chip cookies.
I also play other music (including rock with my teenage sons), juggle, telemark ski, and I write for fun despite writing for a living day in, day out.
well,
graduated as interior architect, been self-employed for about 10 years, filled with lots of music (almost went pro-muso, but chose not to) and backpack-travelling with my girlfriend. this all ended abruptly with the birth of my first girl (emma) in 2000. so, buying a ruined horse-and-carriage depot, doing a lot of DIY and moved in there last summer (2003). still a lot of music, backpack's in the attick, and working for the government now.
expecting a call from my girlfriend any moment now for the birth of the second in line ... any moment now ...
others? photography (up and down), still designing interiors and furniture though less, hiking, exploring nature, enjoying life as it comes ...
and i possibly forgot many other things i like to do ...
For 40 hours a week I am a park attendant at a campground in the Groton Forest. There's nothing very glamorous about cleaning campsites and campers' bathrooms, and I dislike Tuesdays when it is my turn to spend the entire day in the office. But, on the other hand, I get to cut brush, split and stack wood, fill gullies that appear every time it rains, and I get to bring home an infinite supply of tail-ends of toilet paper rolls that otherwise get tossed in the dumpster. Last week I checked in a camper and was pleasantly surprised to find out he is a long-lost music buddy I hadn't seen since I met him 19 years ago. He recognized me first, I didn't know him until he told me his name as I was registering him. We played tunes together for an hour the next morning before he packed up and left. Another advantage to being a park employee is that I get to camp at any VT state park I want for free.
Interesting thread - I'm enjoying seeing what other interests people have. There are a lot of common themes. It seems that playing ITM and being active in the outdoors go well together.
By day I'm an electrical engineer; by night, a husband, father, homeowner, flute wannabe. Much of my time is spent trying to keep up with maintenance on a 200 yr old Vermont farmhouse, and mowing 2 acres of lawn. When my son gets big enough for the baby-backpack, our whole family will spend weekends on The Green Mountain hiking trails again.
Winter is skiing, skiing, and more skiing - at least three times a week, more if there is fresh snow (alpine, Will Harmon, but I'll try telemark someday, as well). Although it might be heresy on this yellowboard, skiing actually supercedes ITM in my life... probably because I've been doing it for 25 yrs, but ITM only ~6.
The things I've given up since Nathan was born (in order to make time for the flute): golf, bicycle commuting, soccer. I hope to add these back in as he gets older and can join me... but then I reckon it will be all kids leagues - soccer, baseball, lacrosse, scouts, etc, etc, etc...
That's amazing! I just got back yesterday from a camping/4-w-d long weekend in the bush that was just fantastic. Harts Range Picnic Races was the BIG occasion. Of course the adventure was helped by the blue moon, great weather (for winter), good company, people enjoying themselves in the dust and the odd little tibble. We detoured to the out of the way Rainbow Gorge on the way back to see sedimentary layers of a long gone inland sea striped perpendicular in rainbow effect. I love my 4-w-d almost as much as I love playing my fiddle in the bush, its great to get out there and just be. And, as well as ITM, I am involved in Riding for the Disabled, social tennis, walking and watching the (as yet unbeaten) girls from our school play football (Aussie Rules, of course). I also love the open road and driving great distances when I can. Seems there are a few of us with similar outdoorsy type interests.
Interesting! I’m quite lucky in that I really enjoy my work. I assist the clinical faculty & research faculty with their presentations, papers, posters and also design brochures, announcements and what not for the Ophthalmology dept here at the medical college. Danny, I just finished building 5 scientific posters. What a job… all the guidance I got from the authors were “make it pretty”! I do spend time working through the puzzles to improve skills for work. In my personal time, if not listening to music or practicing/playing, I read. I inhale murder mysteries, am reading the latest John Sanford Prey series right now. Not much into the physical or outdoor activities; lost my little interest when as a kid I was forced to camp in the girl scouts. I hated that, probably due to an unfortunate experience with food poisoning while tent camping. I do walk every evening though. I recently moved and now live 3 blocks from work and have found a lot of beautiful gardens to watch grow and a lot of “Painted Ladies” to view. I also sit in a park close by and read. I occasionally knit and have completed a few “blankets” for the local animal shelter. Program to provide “hugs” so to speak, to the pets lost or let go. I have in the past designed stained glass pieces (prairie style designs). Haven’t done that much since starting back with the fiddle. During the fall/winter/spring, I attend as much theatre as I can, our Rep company is great. During the summer, I attend some of the ethnic fests, most notably, Irishfest. That’s in a couple of weeks and am really looking forward to that.
Jan, I'm sure we all like to have the occasional fiddle in the bush, but is this really the place to mention it (??!)
I like to go fishing when I'm not diddling, and I love skiing, and cycling, and listening to other sorts of music being played. I like cooking and eating, in no particular order (except chronologically, as it's usually best to cook first). Art. Reading/Writing. And of course, drinking...
Things that don't interest me in the slightest include: Watching Telly (How many people, I wonder, will lie on their bed of death bemoaning the fact that they didn't spend enough time watching Emmerdale Farm?); Pop/Commercial Rock music; Cars, trains planes and other over-hyped means of getting from a to b quicker than you need to; Spectator Sports; Smoking Dope (I wasted too much of my life doing that); Ersatz Themed Leisure Experiences (I once went to Eurodisney and still bear horrible mental scars); Golf; Going to the Multiplex Cinema; holidays that don't involve a)Skiing, b)Playing music or c)Fishing; Mobile Phones etc etc.
You might deduce from the above that I'm a miserable old fogey and I'm afraid I plead guilty on all counts ...
Being a Chef, husband and parent really doesn't leave me much spare time for much else besides either practicing, playing or listening to trad music. Fortunately for me my spouse is an ITM junkie (listening only)as well.
I would have to say I'm ammong the ITM obsessed whose former interests (oil painting for one) and to some extent responsibilities
(IE,Home repairs and improments and unfortunately probably even some friends) have gone by the wayside because all I really want to do is get better at playing trad music.
I do host a weekly poker (texas hold-em)game, and occasionally will venture out and play in a poker tournamet.
I suppose if I ever reach a level where I don't feel such a need to practice all the time, I might start to attend to some other things.
I just realized how many things I have given up since I started learning tunes: sewing, quilting, renovating my house, being the world's worst soccer mom,every craft known to man, reading a book a day, cleaning, cooking , talking on the phone, antiqueing . I didn't give up the kids yet. or my kids at school . Jennifer
Ottery, I think there might be a subtle difference between playing fiddle in the bush and fiddling in the bushes! But, of course they both could be fun in the right circumstances :~O
What a great thread. You people lead such interesting lives but we all seem to have a lot in common like outdoors, pets and of course music. I relocated from Dublin to the West of Ireland a few years ago. Live in a small country cottage in the middle of nowhere at the foot of Sheemore (you know the tune Sheebeg, Sheemore) and outside of the main town in Leitrim. Spend most of my day cooped up in a warehouse administering to the needs of our six other warehouses in the Mid-west as we service every shop and pub and restaurant in the mid-west region so I don't get to see the wonderful views in this part of the world except at week-ends and in the evening.
Evenings are spent out of doors as much as I can walking my two dogs plus any other dogs that want to join as I am an out and out animal lover. I love my garden and my house and spend a lot of time lavishing care on both.
Was once a marathon runner and now do quite a lot of walking. Am on the committee of the local historical society. Am involved in a project called Newspaper for the Blind whereby we read our local newspaper onto tapes which we distribute to visually impaired people. I do Tai Chi classes in autumn and this year am going to try Kick boxing. Love meeting old friends from Dublin who come to visit.
Apart from that spend time practising my flute and concertina and meeting friends for a tune whenever a session pops up. Am a member of the local Comhaltas Branch. My significant other is as obsessed with the music as I am so it works pretty well.
Oh yes and I spend an awful lot of time on this site!!
cheers
Hmm, lets see, I work, I look forward to work finishing, I look for more work, I work on getting more work... then I work, then I look forward to not working, then I look for more work. Bit of a cycle. Otherwise, I just finished putting new shingles on my garage.. great fun, really!!! I loved using the power nailer. I dream about interesting things to do to my house, occaisionally convince my partner to let me do them... ship him out of town and do it anyway... and suffer the repremands on his return. My Dad gave me a set up carving knives for Christmas and so now I also carve birds. First one was a sparrow that looked kind of like a duck. Second one.. looks a little more like a sparrow Learn music, research music, collect music, Sing in a small choir that specializes in Scottish Gaelic music and take care of my 6 parrots.
Just re-reading this thread at work. Most enjoyable one so far I think, fascinating reading what other people are into and then realising that that other interesting person also plays Irish traditional music too, like me. Makes me feel part of a bigger, interesting picture.
thanks guys
Like others I love travelling, emigrated to Australia when I was younger for a few years, travelled through Russia, went back for a year..I try and keep my Russian up..love reading..reading Attention all shipping at the moment...about the shipping forecast that's read on Radio 4 in Britain. Live very close to the shore. Preoccupied with sea defence this time every year. Have an eleven year old who puts up with a mother who's obsessed with music...whistle, piano and box. Try to maintain small cottage with, for me, large lawn. Enjoy it though. Like collecting crabs for local fishermen sometimes, used to fish as child but have gone soft with buying the packaged version from Tesco. Live with partner but am so difficult to live with that he keeps his own house on. Worked as planner on environmental issues for 12 years. Now work sporadically from home writing worksheets for young people on environmental matters. Playing music helps me from doing too much housework, stops me from being an over protective mum and helps me socialise with people through a medium I love!
Other interests?
Other interests?
OK, guys. We've had threads in the past about what's your job, what do you look like, what do you SOUND like, etc, &cetera.
But I don't think we've had what other things do you do when not earning a crust. I suppose most people will turn round & say, well, I log on here, isn't that enough?
So. I'll get the ball rolling. Apart from trying to be a loving family dad with a long suffering lovely and kind lady (well, it's not that bad, we share the burden :~} ), and two lovely kids, logging on here, frequently drinking to excess, earning my crust and tormenting the neighbours and regulars in our local pubs with less-frequent-than-should-be, flute, whistle and box noises, all of that near enough in the right order, what else do I get up to?
Running - I still manage to get out for a run, despite advancing decrepitude, sometimes only 2-3 times a week, but sometimes 7-10 times a week (yes, you're right, that does mean training some days 2wice a day). I'm still a member of our local Athletics Club, Kent AC, many of the people there are good friends. Years ago I was quite useful, but am hopeless nowadays.
DIY - if I'm in London of a weekend I utilise my time off by doing mad DIY projects - the latest of which is decking in the back garden patio area. This seems to be going on forever. I'm now at the stage where I'm putting fencing round it so my wee boy (nearly 2) won't fall off the edge.
Caravanning - this is recent, but has been the biggest change in my life of late. We have a static 'van in Suffolk, close to Dunwich, which is one of the most beautiful spots imaginable. When there I forget all about Drosophila and confocal and London and just CHILLLL. It is so gorgeous, and the weans love it. I still have to do loads of DIY up there right enough :~}
So, roll up, roll up, who's next to reveal all about their other lives?
# Posted on July 31st 2004 by Rudall the time
Re: Other interests?
I'll play!
I'm also a father, one son (nearly 6), and happily married. When not tormenting the family with flute and whistle sounds, I like to home brew and I also write poetry.
Unfortunately, I live in an old enough to be crumbling, but not old enough to be really cool house, that I'm perpetually painting and repairing with about 1/2 acres of lawn which seemed such a good idea at first but now that I've had to mow it for 7 years is exactly 1/2 acre too damn large.
I also keep cichlids, and my wife has a horse we all ride.
Eric
# Posted on July 31st 2004 by Jayhawk
Re: Other interests?
Hmmm. Well, I cook, and sometimes I bake. I give parties, although admittedly, they're usually sessions as well. I am an educator for my dealership of Husqvarna Viking sewing machines and embroidery software, and I do a lot of that sort of thing for fun as well as for earning the odd penny here and there -- I like to make my own clothes when I can. I decorate the house (haven't even come close to finishing) when we can afford it and when I have the motivation. I'm rather keen on gardening, and Eric, why don't you put in beds instead of lawn? I try and see my friends as much as possible, which frankly isn't often enough. Pet my cats, try to catch up with the laundry and the housework.
Other than that sort of thing and actually working (which tends to go on whenever I'm not sleeping), not much else. Oh, and I've ended up traveling a fair amount, I love to travel and would live out of a suitcase if I had my choice.
# Posted on July 31st 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: Other interests?
wow! That was a quick response, JH!
what are cichlids? are they insects or what? That's (part of) my job!
Home brew - now there's something I used to do... and Grow My Own (other stuff)...
But yeah, the more stuff you own, the more you have to maintain it all. Then you never have the time to have fun round about it.
:~}
# Posted on July 31st 2004 by Rudall the time
Re: Other interests?
Sorry Zina - we cross-posted. This could be a fun thread after all.
# Posted on July 31st 2004 by Rudall the time
Re: Other interests?
Whenever I'm not playing in sessions/playing at people's houses/learning tunes, I'm probably doing something equally odd
1) I improve on my Japanese skills by learning vocab and some more of those little squiggly characters so I can become literate and read newspapers (I've tended to try and do this in conjunction with preparation work for my teaching so I can kill 2 birds with 1 stone)
2) I go out for a walk. I choose a random Sydney suburb either that I've never heard of, or that I've always been curious about (often because they have the same name as a London suburb like "Lewisham", and I want to compare them for a laugh) and I walk there, or I get a bus there and walk back home. Or if it's too far away I'll get the bus/train, and have a walk and then get the bus/train back. This activity is *much* more interesting and fun to do in London than Sydney though.
3) I go bushwalking outside of Sydney. This is great fun for me because I'm still fairly new to all the scenery and wildlife around me. I often look stuff up in books when I get back though, so, oddly enough, I've ended up probably knowing more about the local wildlife than your average suburban Aussie. It's so completely different here to where I grew up. My ambition is to see a poisonous snake or spider on one of my walks. I'd expected to be stepping on hundreds of them, so I'm disappointed to say the least. Getting bitten and being rushed to hospital for a shot of antivenom would be even more exciting!
4) I go camping in the bush with my mates. This is the most fun activity of all, as long as you pick a site where there are no children, mind. It feels good to get out of the city and breathe fresh air and rough it for a bit.
5) Like Zina, I enjoy travelling, but I'd be living out of a backpack, not a suitcase
6) I put myself in dangerous situations for the adrenalin rush. I probably should avoid doing this but it's a habit of mine. I usually do it when I'm travelling abroad, but if I get bored I'll do it in Sydney too. It usually involves walking into a dangerous area of the inner city and talking to random people, or taking the mickey out of people who have guns slung over their shoulder, or other such nonsense
7) I catch up with the dishes and laundry. I hate doing it, but looking at it positively, I have to say, if you've not got a tumble drier, the whole laundry experience is much more bearable here than it is in the UK, just cuz it never rains here.
8) I like cooking. It's usually something Asian with exotic ingredients from the local Chinese supermarket, added because I liked their names or the fact that they look strange
Most of all I enjoy tunes. I think it's a fantastic hobby. We should all be proud of ourselves for doing it. A lot of people I know don't have a hobby like that, or a passion in life that they get obsessed about. I can't imagine not.
# Posted on July 31st 2004 by Dr. Dow
Re: Other interests?
Spending too much time on my computer (Surfing the web, basic recording and mixer, playing around with graphics, and way too many computer games
I have also recently got back into hand embroidery in a big way and tend to do this in front of the telly at night.
I also occassionally indulge in a bit of DYI/home decorating when the finances allow me. We leave behind a shop and the dream is that one day (when it finally becomes vacant!) we'll turn it into a music room/home recording studio.
One day...
# Posted on July 31st 2004 by Ptollemy
Re: Other interests?
Cool, Dow.
Be Ultra Careful with the eejits with guns, though. I'm really serious here. Psychopaths do exist and are not merely the stuff of Hollywood. I've met some people whom I'm sure would not waste time or emotional energy in downing you. And often psychopaths are very clever about how to not be caught. Just be carefull. There are some mad wierd feckers around. If someone is sporting a gun - he is telling you, I have killing weapon. It's possible that to ensure that to prove he knows what it's used for, he might use it.
Especially you, being such a provocative facker! :~}
# Posted on July 31st 2004 by Rudall the time
Re: Other interests?
Let's see...
When I'm not working as a software developer, I'm at home with my wife of 6 years and 2 (soon to be 3) daughters. Samantha was born in 2000, Erin in 2002, and the newest addition sometime in the next couple of weeks.
When I'm not playing my uilleann pipes, I will do some/any of the following: play one of my 6 guitars (I used to play blues/rock in a local band), read books (theology, history, fiction, biographies, novels). I'm currently reading Joyce's "Ulysses" during lunch time at work.
At this point I also seem to be collecting Irish music tune books. Many of them are Christmas gifts, relatively easy to purchase via internet and not that expensive. There are gold mines of tunes in the books - the "Ceol Rince na Eireann" series (I have 1 - 4), "Tunes of the Munster Pipers", "Dance Music of Willie Clancy", "Piping of Patsy Tuohey".
Also like to keep up with current events, politics, that sort of thing.
Favorite foods: good barbeque - NC pulled pork, Texas brisket, St. Louis ribs. Like seafood (but not fish).
Current favorite ice cream is butter pecan, but also eat cherry vanilla, nutty coconut, mint chocolate chip, pistachio.
I will also on occasion home brew. If you have good ingredients and practice good sanitation I think anyone can brew good tasting beer. Last one I did was a "famous Irish stout".
All the best.
# Posted on July 31st 2004 by mconners
Re: Other interests?
Hey Danny, I know you're right about being Ultra Careful. The last adventure I had in London, the guy I was talking to tried to make me smoke heroin(?) powder from a homemade pipe made of a used coke can, and then threatened to "carve me up" with his knife when I said I'd rather not thankyou. And that was only the bit of what he said that I actually *understood*.
# Posted on July 31st 2004 by Dr. Dow
Re: Other interests?
Bike riding - I try and do a 100+ km a week. It's a good way to keep fit and get to work as well.
Bushwalking is my favourite thing - although living in a large city means I don't do as often as I like. This is the good bit about living in Oz. In most places there are national parks within a few hours drive. As for poisonous snakes I've seen a few of these, most before I've got too close to them. The scariest thing is when you hear one slithering away behind you and realize you've just walked over it :-0 .
Sports Taxi and trainer - now that the kids are getting older they want to play sport (??). So I spend quite a bit of time standing and cheering at sporting events on weekends and kicking the ball around the backyard and at the park.
# Posted on July 31st 2004 by harry
Re: Other interests?
Running my own Residential Home (Adults w Learning Dis) (NB Managing the staff is the stressiest bit!), and playing de music to keep me sane, leaves me precious little time for the other important things in life. But I live in a far too big house for me and my son, who's now 20 and about to move out - big change as I've been his single dad since he was 8. So I have to do essential bits of DIY as seldom as poss i.e. when things fall off. And I have to prevent the (too big but nice big) garden becoming a rain forest.
If I had more time I'd make more of my garden as I love the natural world, and crave as much contact with it as poss.
When I'm not doing that stuff, amongst other things I'm a sporting paddy but more these days watching it on the box, anything from rugby (fav) to bowls (zzz). Participation = nil except for occasional forays to gym and pool. When I have the time time I love to cook, but it's more fun when I've someone round to cook for. Then I'm also a bit arty, and will mess around making new candles out of old lumps of grot wax, as I'm a bugger for not throwing stuff away if it can be recycled.
Used to sail dinghies, but it bashed my fingers up, no good for the music, and I'd wreck the rest of Sunday from the lunchtime beer.
September I'll be doing an adult ed class in stained glass, just to get out more, and detatch my brain from damaging sorts of activity.
# Posted on July 31st 2004 by petemay
Re: Other interests?
At the moment, I'm moving house.
This is proving to be even more stressful than I'd originally bought enough prozac for (kidding!). Fortunately, my housemate and I are only moving to the house next door. Unfortunately, we were only told yesterday (last day of the month 'n all) that because of renovations being done, we can't move in for another two weeks. But we definitely had to move all our stuff out of the old place so that the priest could have his rectory (for that is what the old house is) back today.
Well, turns out storage is very accessible. And very expensive. Figures. So now I'm camped in my sister's spare room, rent-free in exchange for doing all the dishes every day and keeping the fridge stocked with freshly-squeezed orange juice. Living out of my backpack, but it's not nearly as much fun as Zina and Dow make it out to be
But that's just now. Other things I do include camping, horseriding trails and sunday afternoon beach gallops (love my horsies), I've a tres-geeky addiction to reading comic books (though not collecting, I'm not *that* geeky) and will go through about 14 a week, usually all on the same day. My housemate is a DJ so I'm getting really good at identifying illegal substances without *having* to take them, and at avoiding spontaneous parties which can break out any time between midnight and 6am on any given night.
I'm given to taking up bizarre sports or hobbies for short periods: cooking classes, various martial arts, trapeze, fencing, scuba diving, juggling, film producing, etc. Some of which I'm not entirely hopeless at! I'd initially guessed that Trad would be a short-lived hobby thinger, but evidently not - a year and a bit in, and I still put in at least an hour of diddling a day
I go to movie preview screenings a lot, supposedly to review them, but I never do. Going to see 'Boys of County Clare' tomorrow, though; so I'll write that up if anyone's interested.
Book I'm reading at the moment is Neal Stephenson's 'Confusion', the hefty second novel in his Baroque Cycle - about Isaac Newton, William of Orange vs James Stuart, pirates, physics, cryptography, socratic dialogues, knitting and economics.
TV I watch: News, news, news, Scrubs, 24, Alias. Nothing else. No satellite so no Discovery-type or History channels
All this, combined with the nature of my work, helps to keep my ADHD under control. Or, at the very least, well-fed.
Thanks for listening.
-matt
# Posted on July 31st 2004 by Q
Re: Other interests?
I think Danny should change his name to Con Focal ( a good irish influence there) now that he has made his . !
Aside from keeping back the ever swelling tide of rubbish that seems to accumulate in the house I keep happy during the day being a lovely Librarian at a posh school. The happier bits are now when it is the holidays! A far cry from being a biochemist but we can't all play with flies all day!
What I USED to do when I was younger was hockey, roller hockey, sailing (I think I was forced to sail by my doting parents before I could walk ... in fact my little bro was nearly born in a dinghy!), drawing cartoons, morris dancing, playing music etc
What do I do now? Well the music and dance instruction stuff and I still draw the cartoons, go for nice walks and in France get on the bike on those nice trails that don't go up and down too much. I chat too much to my friends on the phone. I play on the computer and seem to currently be operating a 24 hour help line for silver surfing octogenarians in Devon. I have even been persuaded onto the hockey pitch at school and managed to prove how totally unfit I am!
Oh well back to the Housework to collect more points for "going out"!!!!
Sarah
# Posted on July 31st 2004 by Sarah the Flute
Re: Other interests?
I make websites
# Posted on August 1st 2004 by Jeremy
Re: Other interests?
God what a bloody waste of time
# Posted on August 1st 2004 by Dr. Dow
Re: Other interests?
# Posted on August 1st 2004 by Jeremy
Re: Other interests?
No, smile, I was joking
# Posted on August 1st 2004 by Dr. Dow
Re: Other interests?
Let's face it, if you didn't make websites, I wouldn't know what to do with myself. I can't just bushwalk all day
# Posted on August 1st 2004 by Dr. Dow
Re: Other interests?
Actually I'm seriously starting to worry about the amount of time I spend on this website. Perhaps your next project should be support organisations for addicted sessioneers Jeremy. Like you get support groups for drug addicts and health warnings on cigarette packets. Too much of a good thing...
# Posted on August 1st 2004 by Dr. Dow
Re: Other interests?
...The website that is.
# Posted on August 1st 2004 by Dr. Dow
Re: Other interests?
The above posts were all written by a very drunken Dow who had just arrived home after a very good session. Now he is going to bed before he digs his own hole any deeper and makes himself look like even more of a nipple in front of Jeremy hehe. G'night all ',:-}
# Posted on August 1st 2004 by Dr. Dow
Re: Other interests?
Well, being as there is a river in my back yard, I do some boating. I also enjoy a daily dose of Michael Moore and/or the Daily Show. I know I am being brainwashed by the liberals, but it just feels so good
. Guess I also spend a bunch of time contemplating how I'll manage a real job on top of getting my masters degree and still having time for music. That plan is still in the works. Rest of day is spent napping and doing mindless things like darts, pool, touch screen, air hockey, foosball, etc,.
# Posted on August 1st 2004 by Jason G
Re: Other interests?
LOF - Cichlids are tropical fish from (mainly) the Americas and Africa. They tend to have unique family/parenting skills and actually care for their young. So, self-admitted fish nerd here.
The talk above about camping really makes me miss it! My son is old enough it should be easy to do now, so I need to get back into that as well as hiking...and spelunking/cave exploring - I think it's been over 10 years since I last spent a day underground crawling around in the muck and all...man that's a fun way to spend a hot summer day!
Eric
# Posted on August 1st 2004 by Jayhawk
Re: Other interests?
other hobbies of mine are boxing and afew wrestling styles for mixed martial arts. im also very interested in self protection.
trying to learn the guitar and failing miserably
the countryside, LOVE the countryside. fishing, working with a gamekeeper, shooting airguns at a club, or controlling rabbit magpie etc populations for farmers. would love to get afew pet ferrets to work aswell.
survival skills, net making, shelter building etc.
playing snooker or pool with mates.
getting rat-arsed on fridays.
just done my gcse's so im trying to have some fun this summer!
look forward to everybody elses reply!
andy
# Posted on August 1st 2004 by briggfoot
Re: Other interests?
work for the NHS, try to keep up with the housework,(not good at this). Sing in the local Gilbert and Sullivan society.Play the organ and try to encourage singing at mass.I hope you realise that this is in no particular order. Look after the family, and dog.Read whodunnits.
# Posted on August 2nd 2004 by gummidge
Re: Other interests?
G'day all,what a good idea for a discussion.
Apart from being a dad and husband,I look after our 12 acre property on the Mid north east coast of Australia.....
My main hobby is old machinery..motor cycles and engines.The bike I ride at the moment is a 1975 750 GT Ducati.Its a lovely thing and a joy to ride.My project at the moment is the restoration of a large stationary engine.It is a Ruston and Proctor,made in England in 1910.It spent most of its working life in Queensland(powering a sawmill) and was left out in the weather in 1950.When I got it it was rusty and seized up but now its all painted and pretty and with luck,should be ready for a start in a few months.It weighs 3 tons,has 2 flywheels of 5 foot diameter and has a 10 inch piston.I have a nice workshop with a lathe etc. which has a stereo that goes constantly.We also play music in here as well.The smell of machinery and the the sound of Irish Trad is a good combination.
Something I have re-discovered lately is the joy of fishing.
Thats all to report..best wishes to you all.
# Posted on August 3rd 2004 by zoukboy
Re: Other interests?
The "boring bit" is systems engineer with an electronics/communications design background, now working in defence.
Outside work there's the fiddle, which got me into Irish trad and has just had its 2nd birthday. There's organising/arranging for/playing in a couple of groups in church music and early music, and providing background music for the odd function. I belong to church and early music organisations and do newsletter/e-mail group type stuff for them plus the odd church music workshop in "niche" areas like PA for beginners and working with non-standard ensembles. We maintain (and occasionally even sail) a pretty gaff cutter, which keeps us buried in work-in-progress spare topmasts, gaffs, bowsprits and old Stuart Turner motor parts. I'm interested in "decorative marlinspike seamanship" and make bellropes, monkeys fist key floats etc for sale. (Or to be bartered for anti-foul, topside paint and lumps of oregon, to put it more accurately.) Animal welfare's another interest and we have a small herd of rescued dumped/ex-feral cats and an abandoned-for-dead lorikeet. And I'm a keen attender of art exhibitions.
# Posted on August 3rd 2004 by Tish
Re: Other interests?
I work as a city/environmental planner for a medium-size local government in the panhandle of Florida. It's a living, and the worst part is the meetings. The best part is realizing that your efforts will continue to pay off after you're dead and gone. I always liked John Lennon's admonition that you're either part of the problem or part of the solution.
I am married to a college chemistry teacher who is a brilliant dancer and good kisser. She puts up with me, which also says a lot. (There's another thread: session widows.) We have a lovely daughter who's entering first grade, loves dancing, and can recognize ITM, including our own repertoire.
We live in an old house that's been fixed up nicely, and we have a grand piano in the living room. I am passionate about cycling, especially touring and pleasure riding. I also have a small sailboat that I like taking my daughter and her buddies out on. We toodle around on local lakes. It's a very traditional boat, but with a fiberglas hull. The best of all possible worlds, and a delicate balance between the old and the new. Just like ITM...
# Posted on August 3rd 2004 by Audeamus
Re: Other interests?
Great idea, this. I'm mostly retired (industrial electrical wholesale--really thrilling). Aside from the music, which takes most of my free time (there's always another instrument I want to play and the Quest for The Perfect Flute is ongoing.) New England-style Contra Dance is where my energy goes. My wife and I both love it. We play for it and English Country dancing, too. Beyond that? Three cats, a house with just enough hours on it to start needing medium-serious maintenance, a yard that we're converting to native/xeric plants, and a 1979 FIAT X1/9 sitting in my shop patiently awaiting restoration. And yes, it does run. Well, maybe a fast walk.
Used to restore houses, don't have the energy anymore.
Mike
# Posted on August 3rd 2004 by MikeJV
Re: Other interests?
Well, when I'm not earning a crust or thereabouts doing accounting work, and not playing Irish, Scottish, or Welsh music, I:
Garden (in this apartment my garden is one potted rosemary, which doesn't take up much time, but the landlord sprays everything else so that's all there will be while we live here).
Make herbal tinctures, oils, salves, vinegars, syrups, etc etc etc etc.
Make soap (which uses up some of those herbal oils *grin*).
Spend time with my husband.
Walk a lot (part of the immediately preceding). (Also a necessity as I don't own a car, but the town I live in is about 1mile wide and 3 miles long so you can walk everywhere quite readily.)
And write (both non-fiction, some published, and fiction, none published).
Oh yeah. Come September, I'll also be attending lodge meetings at the local Odd Fellows lodge. (If you're in the UK, think Manchester Unity, the surviving descendant of the parent body from which the Odd Fellows broke away.) If I have time...
Great thread, Danny!
Saraî
# Posted on August 3rd 2004 by sara g
Re: Other interests?
When I'm not playing, listening to, or thinking about Irish music...I'm often playing, listening to, or thinking about classical music...or teaching music theory, composition, or some music history type course. I'm also into writing (short stories mostly), working on my website, maintaining a message board devoted to Phantom of the Opera, or hanging out with friends or my dog (a wonderful little Whoodle named Teri). I'm also into Renaissance Faires, reading, and sci-fi/fantasy things. I guess that about sums me up!
# Posted on August 3rd 2004 by Crysania
Re: Other interests?
Just got back from a three-day weekend of camping, hiking, and kayaking (on the Yellowstone River, in the aptly named Paradise Valley). All good hobbies for Montana summers. My wife and I hike together a lot, and I run (no where near as much as I used to) thanks in part to mountain trails that start four blocks from our front door. We also mountain bike, throw our boys in local lakes, go fishing, do barbeques, and putz around the yard. We've been actively remodeling our house for eleven years (akin to the Chinese calendar: 2003 was the year of residing; 2004 is the year of the front porch). Winter is good for reading (anything I can get my hands on), snowboarding, ice hockey, teaching the boys what they didn't learn in school, and baking decadent desserts. I am passionate about my from-scratch apple pies, buttermilk-pecan waffles, and chocolate chip cookies.
I also play other music (including rock with my teenage sons), juggle, telemark ski, and I write for fun despite writing for a living day in, day out.
# Posted on August 3rd 2004 by Will Harmon
Re: Other interests?
I like driving long distances, particularly when it's rewarded by great company....
# Posted on August 3rd 2004 by vboyd100
Re: Other interests?
well,
graduated as interior architect, been self-employed for about 10 years, filled with lots of music (almost went pro-muso, but chose not to) and backpack-travelling with my girlfriend. this all ended abruptly with the birth of my first girl (emma) in 2000. so, buying a ruined horse-and-carriage depot, doing a lot of DIY and moved in there last summer (2003). still a lot of music, backpack's in the attick, and working for the government now.
expecting a call from my girlfriend any moment now for the birth of the second in line ... any moment now ...
others? photography (up and down), still designing interiors and furniture though less, hiking, exploring nature, enjoying life as it comes ...
and i possibly forgot many other things i like to do ...
# Posted on August 3rd 2004 by MM
Re: Other interests?
For 40 hours a week I am a park attendant at a campground in the Groton Forest. There's nothing very glamorous about cleaning campsites and campers' bathrooms, and I dislike Tuesdays when it is my turn to spend the entire day in the office. But, on the other hand, I get to cut brush, split and stack wood, fill gullies that appear every time it rains, and I get to bring home an infinite supply of tail-ends of toilet paper rolls that otherwise get tossed in the dumpster. Last week I checked in a camper and was pleasantly surprised to find out he is a long-lost music buddy I hadn't seen since I met him 19 years ago. He recognized me first, I didn't know him until he told me his name as I was registering him. We played tunes together for an hour the next morning before he packed up and left. Another advantage to being a park employee is that I get to camp at any VT state park I want for free.
# Posted on August 3rd 2004 by rocking bow
Re: Other interests?
Interesting thread - I'm enjoying seeing what other interests people have. There are a lot of common themes. It seems that playing ITM and being active in the outdoors go well together.
By day I'm an electrical engineer; by night, a husband, father, homeowner, flute wannabe. Much of my time is spent trying to keep up with maintenance on a 200 yr old Vermont farmhouse, and mowing 2 acres of lawn. When my son gets big enough for the baby-backpack, our whole family will spend weekends on The Green Mountain hiking trails again.
Winter is skiing, skiing, and more skiing - at least three times a week, more if there is fresh snow (alpine, Will Harmon, but I'll try telemark someday, as well). Although it might be heresy on this yellowboard, skiing actually supercedes ITM in my life... probably because I've been doing it for 25 yrs, but ITM only ~6.
The things I've given up since Nathan was born (in order to make time for the flute): golf, bicycle commuting, soccer. I hope to add these back in as he gets older and can join me... but then I reckon it will be all kids leagues - soccer, baseball, lacrosse, scouts, etc, etc, etc...
# Posted on August 3rd 2004 by browndog
Re: Other interests?
That's amazing! I just got back yesterday from a camping/4-w-d long weekend in the bush that was just fantastic. Harts Range Picnic Races was the BIG occasion. Of course the adventure was helped by the blue moon, great weather (for winter), good company, people enjoying themselves in the dust and the odd little tibble. We detoured to the out of the way Rainbow Gorge on the way back to see sedimentary layers of a long gone inland sea striped perpendicular in rainbow effect. I love my 4-w-d almost as much as I love playing my fiddle in the bush, its great to get out there and just be. And, as well as ITM, I am involved in Riding for the Disabled, social tennis, walking and watching the (as yet unbeaten) girls from our school play football (Aussie Rules, of course). I also love the open road and driving great distances when I can. Seems there are a few of us with similar outdoorsy type interests.
# Posted on August 3rd 2004 by Clear Drops
Re: Other interests?
Interesting! I’m quite lucky in that I really enjoy my work. I assist the clinical faculty & research faculty with their presentations, papers, posters and also design brochures, announcements and what not for the Ophthalmology dept here at the medical college. Danny, I just finished building 5 scientific posters. What a job… all the guidance I got from the authors were “make it pretty”! I do spend time working through the puzzles to improve skills for work. In my personal time, if not listening to music or practicing/playing, I read. I inhale murder mysteries, am reading the latest John Sanford Prey series right now. Not much into the physical or outdoor activities; lost my little interest when as a kid I was forced to camp in the girl scouts. I hated that, probably due to an unfortunate experience with food poisoning while tent camping. I do walk every evening though. I recently moved and now live 3 blocks from work and have found a lot of beautiful gardens to watch grow and a lot of “Painted Ladies” to view. I also sit in a park close by and read. I occasionally knit and have completed a few “blankets” for the local animal shelter. Program to provide “hugs” so to speak, to the pets lost or let go. I have in the past designed stained glass pieces (prairie style designs). Haven’t done that much since starting back with the fiddle. During the fall/winter/spring, I attend as much theatre as I can, our Rep company is great. During the summer, I attend some of the ethnic fests, most notably, Irishfest. That’s in a couple of weeks and am really looking forward to that.
# Posted on August 3rd 2004 by Agnes Nutter
Re: Other interests?
Jan, I'm sure we all like to have the occasional fiddle in the bush, but is this really the place to mention it (??!)
I like to go fishing when I'm not diddling, and I love skiing, and cycling, and listening to other sorts of music being played. I like cooking and eating, in no particular order (except chronologically, as it's usually best to cook first). Art. Reading/Writing. And of course, drinking...
Things that don't interest me in the slightest include: Watching Telly (How many people, I wonder, will lie on their bed of death bemoaning the fact that they didn't spend enough time watching Emmerdale Farm?); Pop/Commercial Rock music; Cars, trains planes and other over-hyped means of getting from a to b quicker than you need to; Spectator Sports; Smoking Dope (I wasted too much of my life doing that); Ersatz Themed Leisure Experiences (I once went to Eurodisney and still bear horrible mental scars); Golf; Going to the Multiplex Cinema; holidays that don't involve a)Skiing, b)Playing music or c)Fishing; Mobile Phones etc etc.
You might deduce from the above that I'm a miserable old fogey and I'm afraid I plead guilty on all counts ...
# Posted on August 3rd 2004 by Ottery
Re: Other interests?
Being a Chef, husband and parent really doesn't leave me much spare time for much else besides either practicing, playing or listening to trad music. Fortunately for me my spouse is an ITM junkie (listening only)as well.
I would have to say I'm ammong the ITM obsessed whose former interests (oil painting for one) and to some extent responsibilities
(IE,Home repairs and improments and unfortunately probably even some friends) have gone by the wayside because all I really want to do is get better at playing trad music.
I do host a weekly poker (texas hold-em)game, and occasionally will venture out and play in a poker tournamet.
I suppose if I ever reach a level where I don't feel such a need to practice all the time, I might start to attend to some other things.
# Posted on August 3rd 2004 by Chef Paul
Re: Other interests?
I just realized how many things I have given up since I started learning tunes: sewing, quilting, renovating my house, being the world's worst soccer mom,every craft known to man, reading a book a day, cleaning, cooking , talking on the phone, antiqueing . I didn't give up the kids yet. or my kids at school . Jennifer
# Posted on August 3rd 2004 by Jenthur
Re: Other interests?
Ottery, I think there might be a subtle difference between playing fiddle in the bush and fiddling in the bushes! But, of course they both could be fun in the right circumstances :~O
# Posted on August 5th 2004 by Clear Drops
Re: Other interests?
What a great thread. You people lead such interesting lives but we all seem to have a lot in common like outdoors, pets and of course music. I relocated from Dublin to the West of Ireland a few years ago. Live in a small country cottage in the middle of nowhere at the foot of Sheemore (you know the tune Sheebeg, Sheemore) and outside of the main town in Leitrim. Spend most of my day cooped up in a warehouse administering to the needs of our six other warehouses in the Mid-west as we service every shop and pub and restaurant in the mid-west region so I don't get to see the wonderful views in this part of the world except at week-ends and in the evening.
Evenings are spent out of doors as much as I can walking my two dogs plus any other dogs that want to join as I am an out and out animal lover. I love my garden and my house and spend a lot of time lavishing care on both.
Was once a marathon runner and now do quite a lot of walking. Am on the committee of the local historical society. Am involved in a project called Newspaper for the Blind whereby we read our local newspaper onto tapes which we distribute to visually impaired people. I do Tai Chi classes in autumn and this year am going to try Kick boxing. Love meeting old friends from Dublin who come to visit.
Apart from that spend time practising my flute and concertina and meeting friends for a tune whenever a session pops up. Am a member of the local Comhaltas Branch. My significant other is as obsessed with the music as I am so it works pretty well.
Oh yes and I spend an awful lot of time on this site!!
cheers
# Posted on August 6th 2004 by MollyB
Re: Other interests?
Hmm, lets see, I work, I look forward to work finishing, I look for more work, I work on getting more work... then I work, then I look forward to not working, then I look for more work. Bit of a cycle. Otherwise, I just finished putting new shingles on my garage.. great fun, really!!! I loved using the power nailer. I dream about interesting things to do to my house, occaisionally convince my partner to let me do them... ship him out of town and do it anyway... and suffer the repremands on his return. My Dad gave me a set up carving knives for Christmas and so now I also carve birds. First one was a sparrow that looked kind of like a duck. Second one.. looks a little more like a sparrow
Learn music, research music, collect music, Sing in a small choir that specializes in Scottish Gaelic music and take care of my 6 parrots.
# Posted on August 7th 2004 by ANNY
Re: Other interests?
Just re-reading this thread at work. Most enjoyable one so far I think, fascinating reading what other people are into and then realising that that other interesting person also plays Irish traditional music too, like me. Makes me feel part of a bigger, interesting picture.
thanks guys
# Posted on August 10th 2004 by MollyB
Re: Other interests?
Like others I love travelling, emigrated to Australia when I was younger for a few years, travelled through Russia, went back for a year..I try and keep my Russian up..love reading..reading Attention all shipping at the moment...about the shipping forecast that's read on Radio 4 in Britain. Live very close to the shore. Preoccupied with sea defence this time every year. Have an eleven year old who puts up with a mother who's obsessed with music...whistle, piano and box. Try to maintain small cottage with, for me, large lawn. Enjoy it though. Like collecting crabs for local fishermen sometimes, used to fish as child but have gone soft with buying the packaged version from Tesco. Live with partner but am so difficult to live with that he keeps his own house on. Worked as planner on environmental issues for 12 years. Now work sporadically from home writing worksheets for young people on environmental matters. Playing music helps me from doing too much housework, stops me from being an over protective mum and helps me socialise with people through a medium I love!
# Posted on August 21st 2004 by wendyann