Robotics, general aviation, motorbikes, running, reading. I gave my vices a break when I decided that my body and mind were too important. Now I just like going fast, amassing a robot army and reading Russian and German literature. I'd like travel more if I were Richie Rich, but holding down a consulting service while on the road is taxing (as it was in 2008.)
Ask HN: What are your (non-hn-related) hobbies?
31–40 of 137 posts
Re: Ask HN: What are your (non-hn-related) hobbies?
#32Kiteboarding, snowboarding, beach volleyball.
Re: Ask HN: What are your (non-hn-related) hobbies?
#33Earlier quoted context omitted.
Upvoted for beer & foreign languages, but at the risk of starting One Of Those Debates; why the video game hate?
At the risk of not conveying mahmud's true reasons, I'd like to chime in since I share all of his hates. If I had to pick a reason to hate video games, I'd say because they are mental sugar. They are a huge time sink and when you are playing video games you are not partaking in other things that I (and maybe the OP) attribute more value to, like socializing, exercising, or a number of other activities.
I see! That's a fair criticism, but I feel like a lot of new games are distancing themselves from being mere time sinks. I would compare video games to books or movies: there are certainly countless examples of each type of media that are just time killers. However, every so often there are books, movies, and indeed, games (video or otherwise) that provide novel experiences, provoke thought, and titillate the player's intellect and creativity.
A few examples: Scribblenauts, a recent Nintendo DS game in which the player can invoke any object he can imagine to help solve the game's puzzles. Shadow of the Colossus, a Playstation 2 game from a few years back, has a unique mood and a compelling narrative that challenge many fine works of cinema.
Do you think those types of games change the playing field at all? 10 - 15 years ago, I would have agreed with you completely, but I think that, as a developing field, video games are coming into their own as a "proper" form of media. Also, you mention socialization and exercise as having value over video games, but see games like Wii Fit or Left4Dead which combine those things with gameplay.
EDIT: Also, communities can form around these video games. For example, I really enjoy one-on-one competitive sports & games. I fence three nights a week, and regularly travel anywhere from 30 to 300 miles for tournaments. However, I have also traveled similar distances for Street Fighter tournaments. I have found that the fighting game community is as tightly knit as the fencing community. A few times, I have come through a city where I know someone from a message board, but have never met. On those nights, I had a place to stay solely based on my connections through this video game-based community. Don't really know how that fits into the debate, but it seemed relevant.
Re: Ask HN: What are your (non-hn-related) hobbies?
#34Beer, shooting pool, foreign languages, extensive traveling (~30 countries) and just having a good time. Hate to exaggerate this, but I prefer having fun to everything else in life. Anyone else a creature of comfort? At some point I would like to own a blues bar and design my own award winning steaks and burgers (someone, please, clone Madam's Organ.) Things I hate . Video games, television, nightclubs with loud "div…
Upvoted for beer & foreign languages, but at the risk of starting One Of Those Debates; why the video game hate?
Two reasons:
1) I am a knowledge-whore. I like to think that after doing something for a substantial time, I will come out of it having learned something. I would consider film culturally enriching, mostly because I watch fringe, independent or foreign films; For some reason, I have a very high opinion of filmmakers as artists. However, I can't say the same about video games or their artistic or cultural merit. I am unable to consider them substantial in that regard.
2) I like to share and talk about my experiences. I can talk about movies, I can recommend albums, I will even take the time to scribble directions and notes on someone's pristine travel book and tell them where to go. But I can't do the same with video games. There is no particular instance that I can think about and reference later; either because the games are dynamically generated, or because the gamer demographic are just not the people that I tend to socialize with, so I don't identify with them.
Bonus:
3) I like realism. Along with video games, I don't tolerate Anime, Fantasy Fiction, or any other type of "geek" entertainment. I was offered two DVDs by my neighbor; The Dark Knight and The Quiet American; I took the later. Hard to explain, really.
P.S. I am a hopeless Soduku addict and play 30 minutes when I wake up in the morning, and 30 minutes before I go to bed. In fact, that's what I use my phone for 90% of the time.
Re: Ask HN: What are your (non-hn-related) hobbies?
#35Music production and photography, mostly.
Re: Ask HN: What are your (non-hn-related) hobbies?
#36I volunteer with my local fire dept. Also, I keep fish (both fresh and salt), and practice Tae Kwon Do.
Wow, cool. What sorts of work do you do as a volunteer? How much time do you usually dedicate?
I'm a Firefighter/EMT.
Time commitment is a minimum of 24 hours per week, but that's not "active" time. For most of it I'm home sleeping, but respond if the pager goes off. We also have several cubicles at the station, with access to power, internet, a printer, a coffee machine, etc, so I'll generally work there if I'm looking to get out of the house for a while.
There is certainly some time involved in training, etc... That probably averages out to an hour or two per week. Occasionally specific classes will take more time (I just finished an advanced rope rescue course that was spread over two weekends).
Re: Ask HN: What are your (non-hn-related) hobbies?
#37Brewing beer and working on sub-$1000 BMWs and Porsches.
where can i find a sub 1000 porsche?
Re: Ask HN: What are your (non-hn-related) hobbies?
#38Music production and photography, mostly.
What kind of music?
Re: Ask HN: What are your (non-hn-related) hobbies?
#39Earlier quoted context omitted.
Upvoted for beer & foreign languages, but at the risk of starting One Of Those Debates; why the video game hate?
Two reasons: 1) I am a knowledge-whore. I like to think that after doing something for a substantial time, I will come out of it having learned something. I would consider film culturally enriching, mostly because I watch fringe, independent or foreign films; For some reason, I have a very high opinion of filmmakers as artists. However, I can't say the same about video games or their artistic or cultural merit. I am…
So you hate video games for the same reason theatergoers hate the cinema at the turn of the century. You hate the current offering rather than the medium itself.
Re: Ask HN: What are your (non-hn-related) hobbies?
#40Bridge, boggle, and foosball. Things that are both hacker and beer friendly.
I'd like to give a plug for playing bridge. It is the best card game there is. Texas Hold 'Em : Checkers :: Bridge : Chess.
It can be a sociable game and yet it can also be a game that holds you interest as you try to achieve perfection.
To anyone who wants to get started there is a bit of learning curve. There are good guides online, computer games to help practice with (Bridge Baron is good and is even available for the iPhone), and there are local clubs that would love to see you come out (check out ACBL).
(Boggle and foosball also rock.)