Ask HN: Tech workers; what remarkably non-tech things do you enjoy doing?

#1

Post by goatcode » Fri, Apr 16, 2021, 1:27 PM UTC

I've been through both stages: coding was my life, I had a rack server with all sorts of cool things running on it; then, after I moved states, it sat in a box for a year, and I couldn't stomach the thought of working on tech stuff after my day ended. I started working on small engines, I learned to weld, got interested in small-scale renewable energy solutions (ok, so a little bit tech), and occasionally I'll touch a personal dev project, now.

What do you do to unwind? Does it still relate in some way to tech (e.g., problem solving)? Do you have extremely non-tech hobbies that you'd love to do for a living?

Re: Ask HN: Tech workers; what remarkably non-tech things do you enjoy doing?

#2

Post by mooreds » Fri, Apr 16, 2021, 1:31 PM UTC

Gardening, esp perennial plants, esp perennials that you can eat. So things like lovage, sorrel, etc.

Re: Ask HN: Tech workers; what remarkably non-tech things do you enjoy doing?

#3

Post by thedevindevops » Fri, Apr 16, 2021, 2:28 PM UTC

Textile engineering - to the untrained eye it looks exactly like knitting. A surprisingly cheap and addictive hobby...

Re: Ask HN: Tech workers; what remarkably non-tech things do you enjoy doing?

#4

Post by peruvian » Fri, Apr 16, 2021, 2:51 PM UTC

Pretty much everything else. I stop coding after 5pm-ish. I love to read, wander around my local park for hours, eat outside along or with friends, etc.

Re: Ask HN: Tech workers; what remarkably non-tech things do you enjoy doing?

#5

Post by kasrakhosravi2 » Fri, Apr 16, 2021, 4:06 PM UTC

I enjoy writing blog posts about the things I find interesting, help me formulate all my ideas into written format and is really pleasing to do. I also make YouTube videos on the side

For fun stuff, I really enjoy walking, biking and karting. Hope the borders open up soon so I can visit some new places also

Re: Ask HN: Tech workers; what remarkably non-tech things do you enjoy doing?

#6

Post by softwaredoug » Fri, Apr 16, 2021, 4:12 PM UTC

Cooking.

Specifically it’s fun to learn some fundamentals, like roast a chicken, then try to mix it up and perfect that. Plus it is useful and feeds the family something wholesome. It’s not hard to make something great with a small number of good ingredients and simple techniques. You don’t need to be a chef to do a better job than 75% of the restaurant food out there.

Gardening.

Being outside, digging in the soil, caring for nature, connecting with family as we grow things

Hiking / camping

Getting out and exploring... getting out and feeling uncomfortable. Noting how slow the time goes. Forcing myself to a deep state of boredom due to lack of electronic stimulation.

Re: Ask HN: Tech workers; what remarkably non-tech things do you enjoy doing?

#7

Post by dcminter » Fri, Apr 16, 2021, 5:11 PM UTC

Dancing. I got into swing dancing in a big way (first Lindy Hop but nowadays only Balboa).

It was very good for me - great for my confidence. I was very shy, now I'm comfortable talking to a large audience.

I also ended up moving country and getting married as a side effect, so that was nice!

Obviously it being a social activity we haven't done much lately but my wife and I have been practicing once or twice a week. We're luckier than our single friends at least.

The dancing in turn got me into photography in a minor way, and the editing of photos is a nice non-social counterpoint to the frenzied socializing of an international dance weekender.

I wouldn't do either for a living. Full time dance teaching and full time photography both look like very hard work compared to a pleasant day of pushing buttons for a living!

Re: Ask HN: Tech workers; what remarkably non-tech things do you enjoy doing?

#8

Post by Delk » Fri, Apr 16, 2021, 5:24 PM UTC

Rock climbing is sometimes fun. It's physical, it's social, and it's got a big dose of problem-solving. I don't approach it with such enthusiasm any more (there's enough problem solving at work and in life without purposefully engaging in more), but I still do it sometimes.

I guess in some sense you could say that all the gear and understanding its use (ropes, redundancy etc.) have a tech-ish component, but I'd still generally count it as non-tech.

Re: Ask HN: Tech workers; what remarkably non-tech things do you enjoy doing?

#9

Post by hyperman1 » Fri, Apr 16, 2021, 5:30 PM UTC

LEGO! Official sets, MOCs and putting blinkenlights in bricks

Re: Ask HN: Tech workers; what remarkably non-tech things do you enjoy doing?

#10

Post by epilys » Fri, Apr 16, 2021, 6:32 PM UTC

thedevindevops wrote: post #3

Textile engineering - to the untrained eye it looks exactly like knitting. A surprisingly cheap and addictive hobby...

Any material (write-ups, pictures) you'd like to share? Textiles can be so interesting. I remember seeing open source knitting machines for example. Shame that as an industry it's tied to slave labour, for example cotton picking and sweat shops.