I may have too many interests...
 

Amateur astronomy, cycling, music, gardening, motorcycling and a few other minor things. So many that I don't spend enough time on any of them.

sigh. How about you?

Me too! I feel like a junkie. My hobbies give me the Thrill Of Victory and the Agony Of Defeat every day. A victory in one project and setbacks in three others. Daily.

I need a Personal Assistant for planning, scheduling and procurement. Either that or maybe I just need to grow up. Quit playing with toys. But I can't stop, and I feel sorry for people who don't get regular victories and defeats.

My wife told me a couple days ago she thinks I'm an expert in so many areas.

I said no, I dabble in too many things to be an expert at anything.


Edit-
Ignoring all the stuff at home, this is just what is currently in my hangar at the airport:
-Two airplane projects
-Ski boat
-944 SCCA race car
-Kayaks
-Jeep Rubicon
-'71 Chevy 4x4 awaiting restoration

Yep... I have a to do list with about 12 items on it right now.

My life right now - Great GF, Cycling (most days), film photography, wood working (not a lot), metal work, house renovation (current), audio/music (every day). I haven't driven my 911 for about 4 months.

At some point I plan on simplifying my life.

So? I (and my son) are similar. Go deep into something and then go deep into another. It’s how I am wired. Just started writing little character sketches and short stories in the last month or so. Challenging. Terrifying. Rewarding.

Me too!

I have so many things I want to do there isn't enough time in the day. So gratifying to see I'm not the only one with this disease. Supe - I know exactly what you're saying!

1. My garden - this year I am DETERMINED to get a good harvest out of the orchard. It takes dedication - spraying every 7-10 for months and somehow keeping the birds out.

2. quilting - My wife is the actual quilt artist, but she's got a computer controlled quilting machine that I am determined to master.

3. cars of course - Currently fixing up an old VW in between keeping the Porsches on the road

4. observing nature - this is a tough one. My instinct is to name and categorize everything. I have lists of all the birds and wild plants I've observed here on the ranch, and I'm always keeping my eye out for something new

5. fixing up old stuff - I have a couple of park benches, an antique car wheel, an old wooden storage box, and old clock and lots of other stuff piled up waiting for me to get around to restoring them.

6. Doing right by the cats and dogs that depend on me.

Oh, Glen reminded me: RC airplanes, numismatics, astronomy, autocross, cooking, and on and on. It's been so long since I spent any serious time on them I forgot!!

I’ve struggled with this my whole life. The result is frustration not in the pursuit but rather in the realization that my biggest weakness is my insufficiency of discipline. I get to a certain level and discover I am not committed enough to take it to the next level. Whether it be painting, music, writing, philosophy or whatever, I just can’t seem to muster the will to do what it takes to go further.

However, there is an enormously beneficial side to this dilemma, which is that I have developed an immeasurable appreciation and reverence for those who do (or did) have such a drive. And I am good with it.

My life is enriched every single day by the awesomeness of excellence all around me. Even better is knowing that I have more than cursory appreciation, almost an intimacy, with the sacrifice others have made for the benefit of those (like myself) who have had a lifetime of experiencing and cultivating the simple and the profound joys of life.

I have a list somewhere in my files of all my hobbies, and I counted 17 as I remember. One day I set out to "hit" as many as possible in one day, just a brief amount of time for each.

Model airplanes, numismatics, astronomy, autocross, roses, cooking, and on and on.

I think I got to 15 or 16 but it has been too long to remember. I may try to dig up that list.

I think my biggest problem is, that, while I have a number of interest, I really don’t have a passion for any of them. So I just kind of dabble around in things.

My ex-wife thought this was a character flaw in me. I told her numerous times I don't even come close to what some guys do.

I need to win the lottery so I can retire to pursue whatever interest grabs me at the time. Many most wax and wane over time. Astronomy will grab me for a while, then archery, then wood working, then photography, then etc, etc, etc.... I'm sure that if I won the lottery (it would have to be a big one) my list of interests would probably increase.

I used to be into so many things and would go full OCD into whatever my current interest is


Having younger children really changed me on that. I guess my current hobby is trying to raise 3 decent humans, but I have also learned you can be casually interested in things without getting to crazy.

Just enuf hobbies to keep me busy in retirement.
Gardening and race cars, racing simulator and 4 lane slot car track.
But got a truck camper a couple months ago and preparing that has taken up any spare time.
Everything in life that seems daunting, overwhelming, and even impossible can be accomplished gradually by taking on just a little at a time.
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This is part of the reason I stopped going to the track.
Took too much of my fishing and golfing time away.

Especially with limited time and to decide and then pursue one is a commitment of a day or so with limited Saturday/ Sundays is all ...

I then default to just drinking beer on the back patio and end up doing nothing.

Yep. Won't bore you with the whatfors and wheretos but this is absolutely my life, and to tell you the truth, the idea of a tiny apartment inside a pole barn out on a bare slab of land where I'm not reminded constantly of what I should be doing every second would really be a godsend right about now. I need a change or I need an attitude adjustment.

I love those immaculate Camaro race cars in that immaculate garage. The fact that those are known to make it to the track makes it all the more impressive to me.

I'll fish and golf when I can't race anymore. ;)

I’m glad to hear I’m not alone! Wifey thinks I may have ADHD because I too many hobbies. Wait til I tell her my fellow Pelicans are the same. On second thought, she already thinks you guys are a bad influence. Better to keep this one to myself.

uh-oh...good thing I don't have room for that in my house.

917-30 IROC races. :)
It can fit in a one car garage.
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art
guns
motorcycles
books
dogs

turned art into a job, so that takes care of that.
winter has savagely cut down on my motorcycle time.
guns have been suffering. don't practice nearly as much as i should.
still read a lot.
and the dogs force me to pay attention. no escaping them.


back in the day i had fun half ass doing a little of everything. now i can only find the time to do one or two things well.

Hey, Supe-
I was reading some of these responses to my wife.
While most just for the entertainment value, and to prove its not just me, she found your post very insightful.
Especially this quote.

yer killin' me Ted!

Wait until you get into the world of rxn's. That's a straight up addiction. Publications and novel synthesis.

Hum....

2 channel audio
Movies
Mountain Biking
Auto racing
Motorcycles
Vintage cars and super cars
Skateboarding
Gardening
Restoring old electronics
Restoring old outboards
Cooking
Exercising
Assistant to painter (wife)
Coffee!

Artist (painter)
Fly Fishing
Porsches
Wine
Guns

The painting has really taken over lately. I have my first solo show coming up in two weeks.

Woo hoo! Pics!

https://stevefabian.com/wp-content/u...card-small.jpg
More at my website
If anyone happens to be in the area May 6th stop by. We'll be serving free wine.

Thanks!

That's an hour from me.

Additional things I'm interested in but simply don't have time for...

Watch repairs/service.
Wooden Boats.
Leather work (although I have an industrial stepper foot sewing machine for practical use/repairs).
Rock/Bolder climbing (at 58 I'm too old because I'd have to start from scratch).

I've always enjoyed volunteer work and helping people out.
- For instance once a year I buy and deliver Olive Oil at cost to my extended family and my mothers elderly friends.

The boot of my car from a recent "Olive Oil Run". :)

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I used to joke I've got more projects on the go than lifetime left until I used up one life's worth of time

My main interests now are,

Man cave build keeps me more than busy
Spending time at my house in Slovenia
Travelling, have to see a new country every year, may visit 3 this year, aim is to see 100 before I die

Interests I want to spend time on but don't have the time are,

Road trips, down to the Sahara desert, up to the Arctic Circle in winter and across the USA
Porsche 930 that needs restoring
Porsche 964 that needs hot rodding
Looking for a Toyota HJ60 Land Cruiser to resto-mod

Very nice!

Thanks for the complement!

Still love all my DIY projects/hobbies/interests but it is getting harder to make myself do as much work on them as I get older. Just keeping vehicles/equipment/toys in running condition (batteries, fresh gas, tires etc) is a chore now let alone restoring all the projects waiting in the wings. I wish I could snap my fingers and be 30 years old again. :D

Homebuilt airplanes (2)
Certified airplanes (1)
Classic muscle car restoration/collecting (2)
Competitive shooting
Gunsmithing
RC cars/trucks (22)
RC planes
Kayaking
boat building
boat restoration
snow skiing
water skiing
Dirt car racing
motocross
collecting/repairing/restoring motorcycles (12)
old bicycle restoration
metal fabrication
metal machining
violin building/repairing
Repairing/collecting german cars (5)
Old snowmobiles (2)
old three wheelers (2)
4 wheelers (3)
Motorhome resto and continuing upgrades


This 50 x 100 hangar building was nearly empty 30 years ago.... Now it and a 20 x 50 lean-to is full. My wife is convinced I have a problem... She is probably right. Lol

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You may actually be Tom Cruise and not know it. :D

My Kids

Flatty: you forgot to list getting College degrees!

Ha! Well I haven't decided on what the next one will be. ;)

Close the thread, Tim wins!

He's the only 'too many projects' black belt, 10th dan ,ninja, zenzi master, project warrior, the rest of us are mere amateurs