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Ask HN: Any interesting niche hobbies?

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Re: Ask HN: Any interesting niche hobbies?

#611

Post by srean »

mh2753 wrote: post #541

My niche hobby is exploring patterns in Islamic Geometry and trying to re create them. It is an art of creating pleasing and aesthetic geometric patterns (from intersecting circles mostly). The art form is very popular in decorating Mosques and other Islamic monuments as human/animal representation is forbidden. [Edit] The thing that I find the most fascinating is that all the complex design you see, are done with on…

Ah symmetry. I am still besotted with spirographs.

Happy to meet you.

Want to visit Isfahan someday. Now is not the time I guess. The standard recommendation is Alhambra of course.

Re: Ask HN: Any interesting niche hobbies?

#612

Post by shivekkhurana »

Folcon wrote: post #593
shivekkhurana wrote: post #587

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No classes. I was probably hyper aware of how my body reacts to clothing. For example, the waist of almost every pant became uncomfortable when I sat down after eating food. The area below arm pits and close to thighs was always tight. The length of pants was always long for the waist. - To determine my taste, I looked at various styles of women clothing (on Pinterest). Then for the models I found most attractive, I…

I would love to talk to you if you're willing, email in my profile, I'm in SL right now and was thinking of trying something like this but it sounds like you've gone through this journey and are a lot more experienced than me Would love to get your perspective

Hello fellow Clojurist, I sent you an email.

Re: Ask HN: Any interesting niche hobbies?

#613

Post by mh2753 »

srean wrote: post #611
mh2753 wrote: post #541

My niche hobby is exploring patterns in Islamic Geometry and trying to re create them. It is an art of creating pleasing and aesthetic geometric patterns (from intersecting circles mostly). The art form is very popular in decorating Mosques and other Islamic monuments as human/animal representation is forbidden. [Edit] The thing that I find the most fascinating is that all the complex design you see, are done with on…

Ah symmetry. I am still besotted with spirographs. Happy to meet you. Want to visit Isfahan someday. Now is not the time I guess. The standard recommendation is Alhambra of course.

Yes, Isfahan is on my bucket list too. In the news for the wrong reasons these days unfortunately.

Re: Ask HN: Any interesting niche hobbies?

#614

Post by srean »

mh2753 wrote: post #613
srean wrote: post #611

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ah symmetry. I am still besotted with spirographs. Happy to meet you. Want to visit Isfahan someday. Now is not the time I guess. The standard recommendation is Alhambra of course.

Yes, Isfahan is on my bucket list too. In the news for the wrong reasons these days unfortunately.

Yeah. So disheartening. Wish you are able to one day and wish none of those have sustained any damage. Many have, in Tehran.

By the way you might like making kaleidoscopes.

I have found using compass and ruler only methods much more accurate because I don't have a drafting board or anything. The usual school supply rulers are not finely graduated enough to rely on them. In fact they aren't long enough for my purposes (although I can get a longer one if I want. The fun of deducing compass constructions is its own reward).

Even simple things such as drawing a parallel can become insufficiently accurate. With compass and ruler, much better. Ideally one should have drafting board and T square.

Re: Ask HN: Any interesting niche hobbies?

#615

Post by justonceokay »

chromacity wrote: post #148

Almost everything you can do on your own is a "solved problem". Why go into woodworking if you can buy an Ikea stool? The point of hobbies isn't to solve problems - that's called a job - but to learn and have fun. Find a niche where you can resist the temptation to constantly compare yourself to eight billion other people on the internet. Something where success isn't measured in Github stars, Youtube likes, or Reddi…

That’s a dour outlook. I don’t cook to be the best at it, I cook to feed my friends. I don’t sing to be the best at it, I do it so I can have fun at karaoke. I don’t boulder to climb mountains, I do it because it makes me feel healthy. I don’t bike to win races, I bike because it’s the fastest way to get around my temperate city. I’m a worse cross-stitcher than my sister but I like that she teaches me. I go to music festivals because it’s the only place you can easily dance for 8 hours straight. I’ve never taken a dance lesson but regularly am asked to join in because I’m having fun!

The comparison is the problem, not the skill.

Re: Ask HN: Any interesting niche hobbies?

#616

Post by subdomain »

hiAndrewQuinn wrote: post #90

Recreational mapmaking. Every couple of months the family and I will book out some long weekend to just go to an Airbnb in some random town with some copy paper and just go around trying to draw what we think is around us. Inevitably the lines collide and we have to ask some local passerby for help, and if they know any interesting places nearby, and before you know it they're following along with a colored pencil an…

Wow, that's really cool -- what places have you done so far?

Re: Ask HN: Any interesting niche hobbies?

#617

Post by joncrocks »

xarope wrote: post #495
SoftTalker wrote: post #126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I do powerlifting 3x a week but I don't otherwise view myself as obsessed with it. I don't have a coach, I don't enter competitions. I know my PRs in my head but I don't keep spreadsheets or stats or have any kind of real programming. I don't video my lifts, I don't post about it on social media. I'm just content with getting stronger. I really don't get obsessed with anything, which might be a fault as that seems to…

ditto. I don't have great numbers, my bench is terrible, not even 1.5x BW, but I did manage to get my DL to ~2.5x in a competition, then tweaked my back and now only double overhand, which means my grip tends to go when I get to ~2x BW (my gym doesn't allow chalk, and I don't use straps, so it is what it is).

Do you mind if I ask what you did which restricts your ability to mixed grip? In terms of loading, I would expect your back to be loaded in a similar manner irrespective of the hand position.

I assume you've considered/use hook grip?

Re: Ask HN: Any interesting niche hobbies?

#618

Post by misja111 »

I'm playing backgammon. Not just online, but live tournaments as well.

What I like about it: it's one of those games that are easy to learn but difficult to master. Modern analyzing tools can detect your errors and weaknesses, providing you with eternal possibilities to improve.

But also, I like the excitement of the live tournaments, which like poker, have money prizes and an entry fee. They are all over the world and I especially like visiting tournaments in places which I otherwise wouldn't visit. Plus after a while you'll make friends in the tournament circuit, so it becomes a social thing as well.

Re: Ask HN: Any interesting niche hobbies?

#619

Post by kakacik »

wazHFsRy wrote: post #458
awkwardleon wrote: post #355

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I like Kurt Vonnegut's take on this: “When I was 15, I spent a month working on an archeological dig. I was talking to one of the archeologists one day during our lunch break and he asked those kinds of “getting to know you” questions you ask young people: Do you play sports? What’s your favorite subject? And I told him, no I don’t play any sports. I do theater, I’m in choir, I play the violin and piano, I used to ta…

Thank you for sharing that. I am going to save this one. Does that work for you? Could you shift from winning at things to just doing them?

I can attest to this, in my own way. I had a headstart since nobody ever pushed me, parents werent competitive fuckups and thus their child wasnt.

I do climbing, hiking, skiing, skitouring, diving, weightlifting, used to do paragliding, now trying to pick up wind surfing. None of those sports on high level, just keeping it cca the same.

Climbing is a good example since every climbing route is exactly graded for overall difficulty. Over years I even went down a bit from levels I used to do. I just go to the gym or rock, enjoy even the simplest routes that some consider for beginners, despite doing sport for 15 years. Many folks around keep pushing themselves hard to progress, I just dont have that bug.

Exactly same could be said for weightlifting, found my set of free weights values and just keep doing them. If I feel extra strong I may do few extra reps but thats it. I was even mocked here for saying this but who cares, I do it for myself and not to impress or do stupid empty status games with others. Its very sustainable that way too.

Re: Ask HN: Any interesting niche hobbies?

#620

Post by srean »

kattjakt wrote: post #259

I highly recommend getting into loudspeakers or audio reproduction in general! Without a doubt the most enjoyable, satisfying, and enriching hobby I've had so far. A couple years ago I decided to build a pair of synergy horns (look them up!) which included all kinds of interesting stuff! For example, I had to learn CAD, the principles of CNC and how to create toolpaths, what a waveguide is, general woodworking, and l…

Could you suggest any books, resources.
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