What other hobbys do you have?

[Tad]

Discus keeping involves a lot of time due to Water changes, and just general husbandry of keeping healthy fish. I was just wondering what other "Hobbys" my fellow discus keepers have that takes up your "Spare time" ;D

Im an avid golfer who trys to play at least one round of golf a week, (playing 3rd time this week today ;)) I love to spend time in my garden and I am a terminal NFL and NBA fan. With the love of discus I think that I have a great balance of hobbys that help keep my sanity. ??? :D ;) ;D 8)

what other hobbys do you have???

Tad

[DarkDiscus]

Tad,

Hobbies? Just wait until Al posts all of his. It might crash the server...

;D

Hmm. I'm into wine collecting (drinking), I cook a bit (and eat a lot), play a few roleplaying games (on-line and off), play some cards, poker and pinochle... I read a lot - mainly science fiction and fantasy and also civil war history. I'm a huge fan of the Boston Red Sox and the Dallas Cowboys. I like hockey and follow college hockey and make at least one Colgate game each year. Darcy assigned me to be a Fliers fan in the NHL since my Whalers abandoned Hartford and I had no team.

I like to write when I have the time and enjoy writing fantasy novels and poetry.

That's about it at the moment.

;)

John

[brewmaster15]

Lol John!!! my reputation for dabbling in many hobbies precedes me!!! ::) ;D ;D ;D

where do i begin? Hmmm... Like John I collect wines and I also enjoy vineyard hopping.

I collect insects. More on film than pins , but I do have a few boxes of bugs. Often theres a few spiders kicking around in tanks as well.

I raise and study reptiles and amphibians...with the main focus of using them to teach.

I have been a home brewer for many years now.

I am am an avid advanced amateur photographer..mostly nature photos.

I hike, camp, fish. Teach workshops on nature and science ( free to boyscouts and girls scouts, as well as others)

I study botany, herpetology, entomology, general natural history,and collect books on the subject.

I have been pursuing A+ certification in computers, to compliment my love of taking apart PC's and rebuilding them.

I garden, and cultivate house plants.

I lead Biotours.. something I did extensively in the past... lesser now, but soon to be re-initiated.

I study wet land biology... nothing better than sloshing around in a swamp, fen, or bog.

salsa maker... each year I jar a ton of various heat salsas, and sauces.

I read scifi-fantasy books.... and I have started writing dozens and burned every single one of them! :)


Of course I run a few websites. ;) :) :)


In my spare time I sleep. :)

-al

[korbi_doc]

:bounce2: :bounce2: :bounce2: WOW!! Thought John had a lot to do 'til I read yours al!! Sleep?? you must be one of those lucky ones that only need 4 hrs/nite!! Think I need more since my new knees!!! But its improving, thank goodness!!

Horses, horses & horses! Yes, too much eating & drinking champagne!! Need to get my Korbi dog back into dog showing in obedience, maybe agility!! Am a fervid follower of the SciFi & star trek series. I also love to watch the tennis tours & very disappointing US Open this year due to weather problems, rain, rain & more rain! Can't make sense of the poor engineering & foreplanning (lack therof) in this country to not have a retractable roof over a 2.5 million dollar arena like the 2 that the Aussies have for their Aus. Open in Jan. Shame on us! Other than that my vet hosp. keeps me very busy, & next yr I hope to be back to horse shows with 2 new babies as well as the veterans. Course the fish have become quite a priority these days, babies are way too much maintenance for me, but they are growing well. I hope to make the ACA in Denver next yr too! lol, Dottie ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::)

[brewmaster15]

Yeah!!! another trekkie!!!! ;D ;D ;D

-al

[Tkuemmet]

cool!



I am a Trekkie too!

I was really in to growing orchids for the last few years, although i have a passion for begonias and ferns too (isnt that eeerie, a little too victorian?!?!) I have always been in to living things, like fish and the like. I love reptiles and amphibians. My favorite amp. has been with me since 4th grade, a jap. firebellied newt. Quite a long time for a small creature!

people think i am a natural born botanist, but they must not know me too well, because i like math too!

Al, do you have nice bog areas where you live? I am lucky to have a bog not to far away (maybe 20 min drive) that i like to visit. It is full of pitcher plants and a few species of sundew.

all this from a not so typical 18 year old ;D

[korbi_doc]

:bounce2: :bounce2: :bounce2: :bounce2: :bounce2: :bounce2: :bounce2: :bounce2: :bounce2: :bounce2:

GO TREKKIES!!!! YEAH!!YEAH!!YEAH!!
Dottie 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)

[brewmaster15]

Hi Travis,
from a not so typical 18 year old --sounds like me at 18! :)

being in Connecticut I am limited to a few small bogs.But I do like to visit them often. One of my other hobby nicknames is Boghopper. (http://www.boghopper.freeservers.com)

I raise some carnivorus plants and used even have a man-made bog. We have Sarracenia purpurea pitchers here... and Drosera rotundafolia,D. intermedia here for sundews. Theres supposed to be one secret population of thread leaved sundews as wll but i have yet to find it.

begonias are great and nice and easy to propagate...If you are ever in connecticut...two places to visit..Ace Begonia... a huge commercial grower, and Logees.. a very old greenhouse that specializes in propagating rare plants.

Ferns are a bit more of a challenge to grow..especially from spore but usually a wet brick and a fish tank will do the trick!

Are you going to pursue a degree in this Travis?

-al

[richgrenfell]

i don't have as many, but I do have some other stuff I do. I like to buy old mopar cars and fix them up. I am currently putting an engine in a 1990 dodge daytona, and I also have a daytona shelby (turbo) that i'll be rebuilding the engine on as well. I collect black Sabbath bootlegs (audio and video), I collect other bands too, but mainly sabbath. i also have 6 cats, 1 dog, and 3 birds that keep me going, and i'm working on an associates in science (Environmental toxicology major).

Rich

[Tad]

Wow :o,
I feel like a couch potato compared to what Brew does ;D, I also like to collect Calfornia wines...love the Chardonneys, Cabernet and Merlots ;D....and John I do feel I am a gourmet cook to go along with the good wines as I love to eat too ;)...Used to love a good game of cutthroat Pinochle but havent played in years :-\, Tkuemment I think I will add some orchids to my gardening...good way to use the waste water from the RO unit ;D, Dottie ;D ;D horses and me just dont get along...last time I rode was in Half Moon Bay along the ocean....I was bowlegged for 3 days :P....Rich I love music too...but mostly Jazz...
Hey I love the Trek movies and series too ;D

When do you all have time for discus? LOL,
Tad ;)

[Tkuemmet]

dont mean to burst your bubble tad, but a lot of orchids love pure RO with fert mixed in every couple waterings. One of the big enemies is salt buildup. Since they grow on trees, they dont get water with minerals, just good ole rain water.

Al, i dont know what i want to go to school for yet and im on my third semester now...just generals for now.

I worked for a year and a hafl in a commercial greenhouse with a good manager and 8 months with a bad manager...needless to say, im NOT there anymore! But i did learn a lot about things like rooting, and growing some of the common things like poinsettias and baby geraniums. Its easy to do a few, but helping 400,000 babies, is a little mind blowing.
i havent tried raising ferns from spores, but my staghorn made some lil ones that must have come from spores that just grew on the peat, they just started off as little green specks and are now big ferns. ;D

on a sidenote, i noticed you keep quite a few tanks with wilds, and was wondering if you raise young from them? I am looking to get some babies from wild stock but i guess since color sells, not many are raised commercially.

:)

[Abercrombie6202]

Other than the discus hobby!

I like to breed any animals i can, don't know why just do! Couldn't breed my birds, becuase they flew away, couldn't breed my cat he got neutered, i think that my mom won't let me have any other naimals at the moment, because i breed everything!

My mom makes me scrapbook with her every once in awhile, she like forces me to scrapbook like it's my homework, LOL, i think she needs some scrap booking friends, NOW, that means if you know anyone please help me, NOW, LOL

I like to play computer games, starcraft, the sims, diablo, sim city 4, roller coaster tycoon, etc...

I like to read books about all different kinds of animals, science fiction, history, books

I like to watch design shows, like Trading Spaces, While you were out, and that fashion show where there mean to people, what not to wear, my mom got me to like them.

I like ants, i WANT AN ANT FARM, BUT i can't have one, cuz my mom thinks they'll get away. i want a queen ant, and a whole colony!!

I like cats and dogs, saving up to get a Birman cat, and maybe one day get a chow chow dog!!

I'd have to say another hobby is buying things, if i have money, it will only be there for a little while. I can't control my spending on food, clothes, fish, stupid random stuff and stores.

Another hobby, i like to get gifts from places that i have been too, sovenours, i really spelt that wrong!! So i travel!!

I like to write and do science experiments, so that's me

Are these hobbies? LOL i could be way off. But this is what i like to do

[Tad]

Tkuemmet,
Good thing I dont own Orchids yet LOL...thanks for the heads up ;)

Tad

[oodi]

My other hobby is keeping Tad from getting too out of control with his hobbies!

Judi
;D

[lesley]

Hi guys,

certainly keeping discus and spending time on the forums learning more about keeping discus fills in one's time. Love pottering around with computers, (stumble around more likely and then run for help!) Al, how do you get sfc /scannow to work when it insists on the SP1 update disc which I don't have 'cause I downloaded it!!!???****. Everyone's saying just reinstall XP but I'm stubborn and want to repair the damaged files!!! Science fiction reading, come on you guys write some books, I've read just about everything decent out there! Love my dogs, especially german shepherds and german short haired pointers. Have half a dozen beef cattle, supposed to make me money but every year there's a good reason that they don't. Love growing bulbs, and orchids. Orchids are a struggle here without a heated greenhouse. Am wondering about trying them above the discus tanks for moisture laden air and then lights above them. The orchids appear to love the water from the discus tanks.

Well, that's it, I can't compete with Al either!!

[Chris.L]

Hobbies .. well .. I'm a bit like Abercrombie6202 ... LOVE to breed things.

Started with my birds ..

Had one budgie, then begged and got an aviary, then another and started breeding them (very successful :P). Got cockatiels and bred them as well (mainly my mum's hobby) and then got some Indian Ringnecks and bred them as well (had them handraised for us) and then got some Rainbow lorikeets but when they bred the eggs didn't hatch.

Then I got myself a Mini Lop female rabbit and had some babies from her.

Hoping to breed discus, but don't know if it will happen :( I would love to get a pair of parrots again as I miss the birds :-[.

Things that I have had but haven't bred are dogs, frogs, rats and fish (unless they bred in the tank).

I love computers and animals and I love watching CSI (Crime Scene Investigation) as well as Fear Factor.

Not sure if it's a hobby but I like going to the movies with friends.

Love my family as well :D!

Chris-

[FischAutoTechGarten]

You'd make a fortune if you could breed the 3 or 4 frog species that are endemic to New Zealand. When in the wild I looked everywhere for frogs. Crawled on my hands and knees through meadows and ponds (don't have to worry about poisonous spiders and snakes in NZ!) and never found any.

I understand there is a disease or fungus that is wiping them all out? Is that true?

[Chris.L]

I hope to work at 'Breeding' endangered (sp :-[) species that are native to New Zealand like the Kiwi, Frogs and birds and all sorts.

About the Fungi - Yes, it's a toxic fungi. Ours matchbox-sized native frog species all lack ears, don't croak, and hatch directly into froglets without going through a tadpole stage.

Here's a little about the Fungi:

The chytrid fungus, identified in Australia and central America in 1998, was discovered in New Zealand in 1999. The fungus kills most of the frogs it infects. Frog populations around the world have been in decline in recent years, with researchers variously blaming the chytrid fungus, habitat loss, viruses, and pollution for the reduced numbers

[Dkarc@Aol.com]

hrmmm, lets see....My hobbies? Where should I start? Well, I am an avid football player. I play baseball all the time with my friends. I have 2 cats, and 1 dog. My mom is a verternarian, so I have been around animals all my life, I guess my mom is to blame for my discus obsession! LOL. When im not doing w/c's im reading through the latest fish magazine or one of my many discus books. I am on a national paintball team( team strange) that travels across the country, so that takes some time (as well as money) out of m w/c schedule. Luckily my mom is into discus just like me. And if it wasnt for my dad to knock some sense into me, i'd have tanks all over the house as well as a gigantic hatchery!! Right now im goin for my high school diploma. All of this and im only 16.

-Ryan

[mench]

Yikes Hobbies...can't let the bride read this post..she isn't thrilled about most of my hobbies....well ya have to know me,I NEVER start small Hee Hee...first I do a lot of reading about what I want to do then get mags. and read more...then start spending money.
Over the yrs it has been cb radios,fish,birds(cockatoos) and LOTS of other things.
Long term things,well I also love Star Trek,some sifi books anything that has to do with M.Jordan,tons of basketball cards.trying to leard more about computers and how to use them and digital cameras.
Also I have been involved with the car hobby since I was old enough to know about them...been into car clubs since high school,,I was one of the kids with the Engineer boots,the "hot rod" etc,etc.
Been in the current street rod club since mid 70's so ya can figure out that a lot of us are getting a little gray around the edges..I have had a LOT of great cars over the yrs and wish I had them all now...but currently I have only 3 to keep me happy and broke..49 Hudson,all stock,owned for
25 yrs...39 chev street rod,owned for 20 yrs...71 chevelle convt,owned for 16 yrs..I also drag race the chevelle a bit.
And of course Discus,I really like these fish and am always learning something new about them...I am still trying to get the breeding part right,I guess I have to get a bit more serious about it,but it will come
And there ya have it,now that I am retired I have more time to devote to all my hobbies.

Mench

[darcy]

LOL John the season starts on Oct.8!!!! GO FLYER'S GO!!!
as you can tell one of my hobbies is Hockey!! I also like to work on Cars,I have a 67 GMC half ton I'm workin on just the body left to finish. I have a '56 plymouth 2 door wagon that I'm planning on puttin a 383 in this winter. I started gettin back into the NFL this fall. But I still think Canadian football is better. I play some online games like medal of honor and battlefield 1942. I have 1 dog,2 cats and 2 cockateils. And 5 kids, so all my time is pretty much taken up with all that.

Darcy