Hobbies and interests

[Tuuletar]

So, what hobbies you people have and what things you find interesting?

I can start with my major interests (there are lots of interesting things, but these are the most important).
Music is a big part of my life. Well I can't play any instruments (would be fun, but I don't think that I have patience for that), but listening to the music, gigs, replenishing my CD shelf and discovering new stuff. Somehow also different instruments fascinate me, especially traditional ones.
And yes, since a child I have liked to do this creative stuff. I painted and drew, bit later I become interested in photography as well. I'm still on that way and currently I'm even studying visual arts / culture, heh. As a child I also loved to write stories and I do still that now and then, but only in Finnish.
Nature has always been important to me, even as a source of inspiration. I also have a great interest in old myths and beliefs related to animals and nature, I find them interesting stuff. Especially in Finnish mythology.
I love travelling, too. And I guess that even a life itself is already a hobby, heh...

 

[Karhu]

Tuuletar, we must be related because I enjoy the same things. Music -although I do jam, play acoustic and electric guitar, bass guitar, some keyboards, and my drumming lately has greatly improved. Working on some serious originals with 2 friends right now.

Nature all the way baby! Hunting, fishing, biking, camping, swimming, snorkeling, skiing, hockey, just about anything outdoors is fine.

Take photos of nature, although I would like a more professional camera.

I used to draw and paint as a little cub but it seems that the computer has provided the art of photoshop, etc. I like to make customized CD covers, short movies, funny birthday cards, and the hunting log book I made was a big hit.

Wish I had more time and $$$ to travel but I have been to all of Scandinavia, Canada, Mexico, and at least 30 US states.

Other weird stuff I get into is collecting skulls and bones, gardening and growing vegetables (I design landscapes so heh). I also have a couple remote controlled "Battle Bots" and made an arena in the basement where we can smash each other up, kinda fun. Also a big NFL football fan, go Vikes! (next year). Looking forward to this years Superbowl. Beer and pizza, "touchdown!"

 

[tuonelan]

I play a lot of video games -- mostly shooter games and RPGs -- though it's not quite just a hobby, since I also write about them as part of my academic career. Actually, it's not just video games, since I've been a big RPG nerd since the 80's. I just don't have as much attention to dedicate to that as I used to.

I train in a Filipino martial art twice a week. Martial art makes it sound like kung fu or something, but it's closer to a mix of saber fencing and nasty knee/elbow/joint lock stuff than it is to Jet Li. The slick, movie choreographed version of my art looks like this vid made by one of our schools in Spain:



(I'm not that good, though I can do most of that stuff, just not that well). As a side effect of that, I'm interested in knives and swords and the like. I don't own many by collector standards, but I have a few and am always looking at more.

I play guitar for fun and mess around with composition in Garage Band.

I do some digital photography, but don't have much in the way of equipment for it.

Oh, and I listen to metal...

 

[Tiiti]

As you (and we) all, I listen to music. Mainly finnish metal and rock, but I also have lots of ugly music-skeleton in my closet... Like finnish schlager and those artist only young girls listen to.
I don't know what it is with foreigner bands, I just haven't find bands I like to listen and my cd stand is full of finnish music.
I also go for a gigs and sometimes I find myself organizing festivals and also happenings that are something else than music.

I love going outdoor. I trek and hike in the woods. Sometimes only a day, sometimes over night. I don't like jogging in streets, so I usually go somewhere I can find nature.
When I'm not in wood or nature, you can find me at the stable. I'm having a 1/3 horse, 15 years old, stem from trakehner and FWB.

I like studying as a hobby. At the moment I do some courses in chemical engineering, althought I'm a washable humanist.
I'm interested in finnish and skandinavian mythology, (political)history, local history, religions before reformation and pagan habits. I have also done courses of finnish folklore, religious science and political history.

I also do RPG (table), make food for my friends, read a lot and knit things.

Next bigger things I would like to do are a genealogy from my dad´s side and a national costume.

 

[papajohnny]

I play a lot of video games -- mostly shooter games and RPGs -- though it's not quite just a hobby, since I also write about them as part of my academic career. Actually, it's not just video games, since I've been a big RPG nerd since the 80's. I just don't have as much attention to dedicate to that as I used to.

What's your favorite cRPG?

I used to play video games a lot more, but I don't think you could call that a hobby - not for a person of my age. I don't play much these days though, since I'm kinda busy, plus I'm not really interested in most games that the industry spews these days...

Other than that...

Well, one thing that most people find weird about me is that I don't play any music - no music at all. I have absolutely no musical talent, and although I have tried to play some instruments (i.e. traditional flute), I never did learn. Nor do I sing or anything. I do shout and yell though.
However, I love music, and try not to limit myself to one genre. Sure, metal may be my genre of preference, one I listen the most and love the most, but I try not to limit myself - digital age, Youtube, Soundcloud and dozens of other sites make it easy to listen and download music (I do prefer physical copies though).
Generally, anything - aside from contemporary pop music. That I avoid. That and turbo folk (but I guess most of you are blessed to never having heard of it). I believe that trying to stay eclectic when it comes to music is best thing to do. Closed mind = closed ears.

Other than music...weird...not much.
I love reading. I've read plenty of books of various genres and authors.
I've also written some stuff, poems and stories mostly, but I don't really consider them worthy anything - they are more like ideas I have in my head these days, which I try to preserve this way, so that one day I may look at them and see if they lived the test of time. Only then will they have any true meaning or value.

Earlier, I used to make plastic models. Airplanes mostly. I sort of got pulled into that by my father, who also made them when he was younger. At first I didn't like it much, but later found it relaxing and, you know, it is a hobby from which you actually get something. Takes time, patience, nerves and a steady hand, but it is worth it.
Sadly, I seem to have lost that 'steady hand' bit in the last year or so. Don't know why. My left hand, for whatever reason is shaking almost constantly. It isn't bad or anything, and during my regular day I hardly seem to notice it, but when it comes to fine, gentle moves required for assembling a little airplane cockpit, it is catastrophic.
My last model was a ruin, and I decided to stop for the time being. Hopefully, my hand won't stay like this for long.

Sports related - I like cycling and table tennis. I do the former often and the latter during summer, when I set up my table. Not particularly good at it, though.

Other that that...I don't know. I like drawing - I suck at painting though.

Also, during my time, I had a share of TCG/RPG/board games, but nothing much.

To sum it up, I have no hobbies at all. Not at the moment.
My main hobby is studying. Yup.

 

[tuonelan]

What's your favorite cRPG?

I used to play video games a lot more, but I don't think you could call that a hobby - not for a person of my age. I don't play much these days though, since I'm kinda busy, plus I'm not really interested in most games that the industry spews these days...

My favorite current generation video game RPG is probably Mass Effect, thought I love Bioware's Dragon Age almost as much. Both do a really good job of balancing character building with action and story. Along those lines, if I were younger and had not yet built a career as a college lecturer I'd love to develop an RPG series that's set in the Second World War that combines the elements of a squad based shooter and group dynamics like Mass Effect/Dragon Age to make a wargame where group survival is a much bigger factor and matters more to the player.

 

[papajohnny]

My favorite current generation video game RPG is probably Mass Effect, thought I love Bioware's Dragon Age almost as much. Both do a really good job of balancing character building with action and story. Along those lines, if I were younger and had not yet built a career as a college lecturer I'd love to develop an RPG series that's set in the Second World War that combines the elements of a squad based shooter and group dynamics like Mass Effect/Dragon Age to make a wargame where group survival is a much bigger factor and matters more to the player.

Interesting idea for an RPG.
For a moment there I thought of Commandos series. Far from your idea, but I guess you could draw a thin line there.
Maybe you could assemble a team and Kickstart it

I haven't played ME3 so far. It's a good series, but I was somewhat disappointed by ME2. It's far from bad, but I felt that the first game was a lot better title, with a more coherent story and characters.
I wanted to buy ME3 ever since it was announced, but the whole mess EA/BioWare made with that DLC getting cut out of the game like a week before the release and making it exclusive was pure idiocy, so I decided against it. Bitterly.

As for DA, DAO was good. I mean, it had some great moments and was overall a fine game.
I was overwhelmingly disappointed by the sequel though. It was so bad I haven't even finished it. I finished DAO 3 times and was hoping for a good sequel, but that thing I got...

It's sad, really. BioWare will never return to their Golden Era again, now that they're under EA's foot.


What about some older RPGs?

P.S. Sorry if I'm tiresome, it's a rare opportunity to have a polite talk with a fellow RPG/metal fan.

 

[tuonelan]

I liked ME a lot and thought the characters and plot were compelling. Overall I thought that ME2 was great. They did a better job of clarifying the dialogue options and I really liked the addition of the squad based tactics but hated scanning planets rather than exploring them. The game flowed better than the first for pacing, but felt smaller. I also thought the Illusive Man thing was overplayed, but really appreciated the way that they built and developed the relationships between the long-term characters. Joker and EDI's arc was unexpected and a nice touch. ME3 was good -- better after they re-did the ending, though still not a fan of how they wrapped it all up -- but made the mistake that most of the latest generation premier franchises make and tried to bring too much of the story from the spin-off books, comics, etc. into the game. It's fun for the hardcore fans of the franchise, but usually takes away from the game experience for the fans that only play the games (and there are more of them then there are of the franchise fanatics).

Dragon Age 2, I thought, did many things right and I liked that the dialogue was all spoken, but wish that didn't come at the cost of giving us a single hero. And where DA:O made it too easy to please everyone in your party, I thought that DA2 got too invested in provoking conflict between the party members and pushing the player to one extreme or the other. I'm betting that part of that is due to them trying to push for a big crisis to resolve in the third act of the trilogy -- pretty much everyone does that since The Empire Strikes Back -- but again, when you do that it takes away a bit from the individual games. Still excited for the third one, but a bit nervous after the ME3 letdown.

See, ask a question of a Game Studies academic and he'll never shut up.

 

[papajohnny]

Still excited for the third one, but a bit nervous after the ME3 letdown.

In a way, I'm waiting to see how DA3 will fare and on that will base my decision on whether I should buy DA2
I mean, if they redeem the franchise in my eyes (which I highly doubt though), then I will buy the second and give it a proper playthrough/burial.
If not...well.

As for ME3, I'm planning on playing it this summer, once I'm free of all the exams and stuff. I want to go through the whole BG saga first though.

See, ask a question of a Game Studies academic and he'll never shut up.

Oh it was worth the risk

 

[koivusaari]

My main hobby is music making. Music what is rather not related to metal. There are two different projects what I’m running at the moment. First one is ambient/atmospheric music. Another one is dealing with synthpop/electronic. I also like reading. I’m mainly into politics, illuminati, NWO, secret societies, freemasonry and so on. But I also like fantasy books and Stephen King novels.

Hold on! Do I see RPG fans here? May I count myself in? I’m definitely Final Fantasy fanatic. I’ve played all FF serials but my favourite one is FF9. Man, what a game!! I’ve passed it 7 times and currently I’m on it again. Interesting fact that every time I discover something new. Since we speak about games, I also like Assassins Creed, Crash Bandicoot, Metal Gear Solid, Suikoden, Saga Frontier, Breath of Fire, Medal of Honor.

 

[Saara]

Music is a big part of my life too and very important part. I don't play any instrument, my 12 years old son has guitar and a teacher and he is more and more in love with playing guitar. I can not sing, that must be great but I can't as I have no music ear. I dance. I have been in belly dance classes for 7 years now, a bit different music eh. I want to make a choreochraphy to some song of Amorphis someday but no time to think of it now. It may not be very easy thing but someday, someday I also dance salsa and go to zumba. Eh a bit different things, but still, Amorphis connects us all, right? <3

 

[Tuuletar]

I used to draw and paint as a little cub but it seems that the computer has provided the art of photoshop, etc. I like to make customized CD covers, short movies, funny birthday cards, and the hunting log book I made was a big hit.

Oh yes, I totally forgot playing with Photoshop! Couple of years ago I used to make pretty much music-related collages with Photoshop (and most of them are Amorphis-stuff, haha), mainly because I suck at painting realistic people. But for some reason I haven't got any good ideas lately, maybe I invent something when the new album is released...

However, I love music, and try not to limit myself to one genre.

Same here. Few years ago I wasn't like that though, so perhaps I have grown up a bit. Nowadays I don't care if it's metal, rock, folk, pop-rock or something impossible-to-categorize, as long as it sounds good in my own ears, creates good feelings and I can find something meaningful, maybe even personal of it. But "mainstream pop" and rap have never interested me in any way, I remember that I disliked them even as a child - probably because my parents already had "educated" me by playing rockish music at home...

Oh yes, I like to play games as well - traditional board games. African Star is still my favourite, but while having some drinks Alias and Piirrä ja arvaa ("Draw and guess") are really fun to play.

 

[papajohnny]

First one is ambient/atmospheric music. Another one is dealing with synthpop/electronic.

I like ambient music, especially dark ambient, and tried making some stuff in various programs, mainly FL Studio. Made a few tracks which sucked hard, but were really great fun to make, especially if you consider that I only used 5% of what the studio actually offers.
That was some time ago, though. Might try that again. Have some ideas in my head.

Few years ago I wasn't like that though, so perhaps I have grown up a bit. Nowadays I don't care if it's metal, rock, folk, pop-rock or something impossible-to-categorize, as long as it sounds good in my own ears, creates good feelings and I can find something meaningful, maybe even personal of it. But "mainstream pop" and rap have never interested me in any way, I remember that I disliked them even as a child - probably because my parents already had "educated" me by playing rockish music at home...

I had quite an rockish upbringing too, now that I think about it. I got into metal by myself though.

When I was growing up (hey, I still am, but you know ), listening to metal and all, I had this fascination of being the coolest metalhead or whatever. Classic kiddy dreams and illusions. Like metal is best music, everything else sucks.
I mean, for a kid/young teen it's a pretty common, okayish viewpoint, but for an adult it's really bad. Being close minded like that (elitist?) is the worst thing. Nowadays, I use "artist by artist" method. What feels good to me, is good to me. Period.
Limiting yourself to metal only is pure idiocy.

I like rap though. Not this pop-rap that goes around on MTV and other shit, but some older stuff or something from my country. There is quality rap, for sure, on that can be moving almost as much as any other music.
But I can understand if people don't like it. I mean, like I've said, what suits you best...

 

[EddieGunner]

well we all like music, thats normal why would be here if not for music, beside music i love to watch movies, lately dont have a lot of time but im damn mvie freak,

love mountain biking, hiking, hangin around, traveling , oh and im collector too, i collect postcards, trying to collect postcard from each country and state in world till end of life

 

[Karhu]

love... hangin around,

Thant's a hobby? I suppose an interest. Count me in. :Smokin:

 

[Karhu]

im collector too, i collect postcards, trying to collect postcard from each country and state in world till end of life

Do you have one from Minnesota? And when collecting are you buying them everywhere you go or include what people send you?

 

[Luoto]

I've played electric guitar since I was 14(?), though my total hours spent on it pale in comparison to many others. I can also play some basic stuff on drums and bass guitar - I guess my musical ear is pretty good in general, I pick up melodies quickly.

I occasionally write metal album reviews and usually publish them at Metal Storm. I tend to focus on the more underground stuff, and have a couple of pieces in mind right now that I might work on.

I do some sports again these days, most notable being disc golf that I started playing actively last summer. I joined a local disc golf club in the beginning of this year. The benefit of this sport is most courses are located in public parks or forest areas and are free to play, and golf discs are fairly cheap. It's quickly gaining local popularity and some of the best players are from here, in addition to USA and the rest of northern Europe. I've also started basic gym training and cross-country skiing, though cold winter has kept the skis in the storage room for now.



I'm also interested in meteorology and optical phenomenon in the atmosphere (including northern lights).

 

[EddieGunner]

Do you have one from Minnesota? And when collecting are you buying them everywhere you go or include what people send you?

i dont have Minnesta,and i collect what ppl send me and whati buy, but mostly what ppl send me cause i cant visit so many countrys

 

[EddieGunner]

Thant's a hobby? I suppose an interest. Count me in. :Smokin:

yeah proly the best. hangin around and around as long as i can lol

 

[Karhu]

most notable being disc golf that I started playing actively last summer. I joined a local disc golf club in the beginning of this year

Actually I disc golf as well. It is challenging and inexpensive. Lots of courses around here.