What's your hobby?

[BrerGnat]

My DH needs a hobby. Seriously. He is so stressed out all the time from work, and he has nothing to call "his own", so to speak. I want him to find SOMETHING that he can do to unwind and de-stress that is FUN and interesting for him. I mentioned this last night. His response was: "I don't know what kind of hobby I want."

So, what is YOUR hobby? We're looking to see what OTHER people do for fun, in the hope that it might spark some interest for DH, and he will take up a new hobby!

[disneymom15]

Well, my hobby is Disney and Intercot. I also run at the gym 3 to 4 days a week. My husband is into weight lifting and likes to ride off road dirt bikes. My brother is into radio controlled trucks (rock crawling). He even set up a course in his basement, and his friends come over and crawls during the winter.

[Strmchsr]

Play ice hockey, do mixed martial arts fighting, and am close to getting my black belt in musa-jikiden eyshen ryu (samurai sword martial art). All of those reduce a LOT of stress.

I also do community theater, read, coach youth/children sports and travel with the family. It's all about finding what's fun and doing it. Just about anything you're interested in can be turned in to a hobby.

[Missy_Mouses_Dad]

I enjoy hunting and fishing, making my own fishing lures. Also, I have volunteered coaching youth sports (volleyball, basketball, and soccer). Mostly, I drive my wife crazy.

[BrerGnat]

Keep the responses coming! DH needs to find something that he can do on HIS time. He works weird hours, and is gone for weeks at a time for training (military). He has to be careful not to pick something that has to be done at certain times or on specific days. It is challenging, since a lot of fun activities require a time commitment that he just doesn't have.

For example, he would LOVE to do something like coach high school wrestling, but he'd never be able to, at least as long as he's in this job.

I told him last night: "Just pick something FUN for you...I don't care what it is, or how much it costs, as long as it's legal."

It's just been so long since he did anything for himself. I think he forgot what his interests were...

[BelleKP]

Currently my DH is in the same situation as far as committing to an activity outside the home. Time just doesn't allow it.
So what did we do? We got a Wii. Not just for kids you know! We originally got the Wii for Wii Fit and Resort, but currently he plays a lot of Tiger Woods golf. Now I don't know much about the game, but he claims it's very realistic. He likes that he can play nine/eighteen holes of golf at any time of day or night.
He's also a runner, which is an activity he can 'fit in' whenever he has a half hour to spare. We have a treadmill so weather isn't an issue either.
Hope your DH finds something he enjoys!

[Greenlawler]

Well I have too many hobbies to name, but your hubby and yourself may enjoy running. I know it sounds awful but bear with me. Training for a marathon is the single most rewarding thing I have ever done. I accomplished something I never thought was possible. Add to that the fact that it is a good excuse to get to Disney again by running the Walt Disney World Marathon and it is a win win. Plus it is just a fantstic event to be at. It affords you a unique perspective of the parks, the characters are out in full force, and you have thousands of people all along the course cheering you on!

Even if your a fast walker you can compete and finish a marathon many people see this as a monster goal but if I can do it anything is possible.

[missymouseworld]

A good sport to try is bowling....the allies are open early in the morning (9am) and open until late at night. He can join a league or just go by himself or with family and it is good to throw something and knock stuff down. It doesn't have a season to limit to, you can do it any time of the year.

[Marilyn Michetti]

Did I notice that you're from CA? It's warm there, so why not a garden? My DH loves growing stuff. He was into G-gauge trains for awhile, and ran track all around the yard. That didn't last long, and was terrible expensive. Now he does ceramics too, and really loves it.

[pink]

My DBF went through the same problem as your DH awhile back but he is working through it. He loves building things so he has made it his new hobby to build furniture for his mom and dad. He recently built an end table for them, now he is building a bar. He doesn't start from scratch, he buys the pieces at Home Depot or wherever you want to go, puts it together and then stains it. That is one hobby that doesn't have a set schedule.

Personally I fill my free time with writing books, answering others questions/problems on Yahoo Answers and doing anything that has to with Disney.

[Speedy1998]

I collect coins and currency. It can be an expensive hobby, but if you set limits say $20 to $50 per month it is not too bad. I buy most of my coins from the Littleton Coin company.

[BrerGnat]

Good suggestions everyone!

To address a few posts:

1. He does run already. A lot! We both do. He's a Marine, and staying fit is part of his job description. He runs every day at work, and we go running together on weekends (with our boys in a double jogger, that I pilot on the weekdays).

2. Gardening is out. We live in an apartment with no yard of any sort.

3. We have a Wii already. He plays quite a bit.

4. Can't get into building stuff or any sort of "shop work", due to said apartment living. Our property actually prohibits using our one car garage for doing such projects.

I am thinking of getting into cycling for fitness, since running is getting old and my knees are paying the price. I know he likes to ride bikes, and I wonder if this would be a good thing. Neither of us has a bike (yet), but I've been shopping around for one.

He's also expressed interest in Golfing, but he has never played, and he's not sure how to get started.

[AZ Disney]

Tennis is my hobby - absolutely love it! I do like golf too, but if given the choice I'd pick Tennis. All you have to do to get started is take a lesson...

[Strmchsr]

He's also expressed interest in Golfing, but he has never played, and he's not sure how to get started.

Most public courses and country clubs have a club pro who will offer private lessons along with rental clubs. That way he could go out for a couple of lessons without investing a ton of money in clubs before finding out if he likes it or not. I know the USAF bases I was on offered that service if the base had a golf course (and they usually do). I assume it might be the same with your stations.

[magicofdisney]

My husband is ex-military and he has the most obscure hobby of anyone I've ever known (other than the few people who do this as well ).

Basically, it's miniature war gaming. I only bring it up because my husband was also in the Marines (Semper Fi!) and most of the guys he plays with are now ex-military. At one time, they were current.

Anyway, this is what he does for fun and relaxation. He meets with a local group weekly and there's a yearly convention. He also has a couple of friends throughout the state that try and put together a day of gaming a few times a year.

[Phantod]

Okay, I'll state cycling as well. I started road biking back in '89 and joined one of the local clubs to ride with, which can make it much more fun. I've logged over 90,000 miles and I've taken my bike everywhere. I've taken it to work in Riverside, CA area, I've taken it to Portland, OR, I took it to Phoenix,AZ, I took it on a trip the DW and I took to Victoria Island with numerous cycling opportunities on the way, and I've ridden all over the local area.

Another possibility is something that is good to do any place he goes. Reasonably inexpensive, gives a little exercise and can be a little challenging at the same time. It's called geocaching and there are cache locations all over the world. Basically the premise is to obtain a portable GPS tracking device. See them from Garmin, TomTom and Magellan and others. You are given the coordinates of a cache and your assignment is to find it. It's not quite as easy as it sounds because the cache has to be hidden somewhat. I found one on a limb of a tree in a 35mm film case.

Do a search on the Net and you'll find all kinds of details along with tons of places to look for caches.

So this is something he could do on the road, and clearly there are no time requirements as to when you can do it.

[Scar]

Does he drink beer? If so, try homebrewing. But don't buy a kit. Spend the extra money and buy all the equipment.

I am thinking of getting into cycling for fitness, since running is getting old and my knees are paying the price. I know he likes to ride bikes, and I wonder if this would be a good thing. Neither of us has a bike (yet), but I've been shopping around for one.

I've just recently started biking and I love it. Please don't buy a bike at a department store. Go to a local bike shop and get "fitted" for one.

Whatever he decides, just know hobbies are expensive, figure a grand for most hobbies. Homebrewing will be about $200 to get started but, well you know...

[Phantod]

Please don't buy a bike at a department store. Go to a local bike shop and get "fitted" for one.

Scar is absolutely right. I've known people who have put together bikes at department stores and they barely know how to walk. Okay, just kidding.

If you're not sure, buy a less expensive one to start out with. You can always upgrade. It's just a crime to see a $2000 bike hanging up in the garage and never used.

And, IMHO, do you know what the most important part of the bike is, especially if it's a road bike? No not the frame, no not the components. It's the wheels. When my "good" bike was down for maintenance, I took the wheels off of it and put them on my $400 steel frame bike....and then proceeded to ride a double century, that's 200 miles in a day, on it.

Can you say 11 and a quarter hours on a bike? In one day. Thank goodness for Motrin.

[tazlikesrobots]

How about radio control cars, planes, or helicopters? Prices have come down dramatically and you can buy a ready made entery level kit. Look in your area for an RC club and talk to them about joining....

Given his military background, maybe he can volunteer for a local Boy Scouts troop.

[Mousefever]

My husband's hobby is to start projects around the house and never finish them!

His other hobbies include golf, bowling and singing in the church choir. He has also been involved in community theater. Does your husband like to sing or act?

Amy