Hobbies & Interests

I've been incredibly busy w/ various projects (recording & otherwise) so since I have a backlog of blogs I thought I'd share one about my favorite hobbies & interests. I'll be honest, I'm not that great an athlete. Growing up, my interests were always more on the academic/artistic side & my hobbies involved as little physical effort as possible: chess, cards, billiards, music… but in high school I did manage to participate in track: mainly the 50 yard dash & pole vaulting; that was then, this is now. 

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Trac Ball

Whamo's best product! The poor man's lacrosse... 'played it as a kid & still play it now: at the park, at the beach, anywhere & everywhere! This game is so fun & usually draws a pretty good crowd; it takes about 3 – 4 minutes to get the hang of catching & throwing but after that, pure enjoyment.

Badminton

As a kid, I always considered this a sissy girls game but as I grew older I really started to enjoy it & now I play it quite often w/ my folks or nieces/nephews. It's also a great church activity: a friendly game of Men's Group vs the Women's Group is always fun to watch & brings everyone together.

Tennis

I'm not a fan of high-cardio sports; I tried raquetball once & almost went into cardiac arrest but tennis is different, especially when playing doubles, it's what I call cardio-leisure. It can get intense but the way I play it's a casual pastime... 

Bocce

I've only recently (in the last couple of years) started playing this 2,000 year old game but I really like it as it's very challenging & can be played on grass, in sand, on clay, etc. Bocce courts & clubs are springing up all over the US in both large & small communities & I can see why.  

Croquet

This is a game my entire family likes, even my 79 year old dad (who's not too active) comes alive when I set this up for him & my mom 'cause he's really good at it! No family reunion is complete w/o a round or two of Croquet. 

Golf

I know some people hate it but there's something about golf: it's fun, relaxing & therapeutic. I never take score & never take myself seriously. Nine holes is more than enough for me, I get tired around the 6th or 7th hole... 

Cycling

This is the only cardio workout I like on a consistent basis. I have two 10-speed bikes: a road bike & an off-road bike & every Spring/Summer I'm on a pre-dawn/dawn ride at least three days a week; it's a great time to take in the scenery, pray, etc.

Kayaking/Canoeing 

I've canoed before but never kayaked, despite that I'm saving up to buy a kayak; one of the most relaxing things to me has always been hopping into a canoe & taking a leisurely 20 mile jaunt on the river or coastline...

Skin Diving/Snorkeling

If there's a deserted part of a beach you'll probably find me there w/ some fins & a snorkel. The thing about snorkeling is you swim along the surface for miles or dive a little deeper & explore; the solitude is indescribable….

Rock Climbing

Whether it's a canyon wall or a rock face, I love rock climbing, it's a great challenge; especially the way I do it: freestyle = no ropes for me, just a pair of gloves & a good pair of shoes & I'm off!  If I fall & die then I guess I'll see most of you in Heaven :)

Muay Thai/Kickboxing

My childhood was filled w/ Bruce Lee movies so I always wanted to learn a martial art (minus the eastern philosophies of course). I took a little Karate when I was young… then switched to Aikido... then switched to Muay Thai & Kickboxing. I'm always learning but I can take care of myself if I have to.

Kendo

I've always been drawn to the weapon arts & once a week (or so) I'll pull out my training weapons: bokken, kali sticks, nunchakus, bo staff & stretch, keep myself limber, etc...  The shinai is the bamboo sword of kendo & I love pulling it out & giving myself a fairly intense workout.

Chess

I really love chess but after several years of playing & studying it, I became seriously bored.  My uncles were avid players & they came up w/ their own version which intrigued me so I invented three versions myself which I now play exclusively. 

Backgammon

I never did “get” this game until I finally tried it online, man is it fun! When I have a few extra minutes I'll hop online & play a game or two. Somewhere I read where this game is around 5,000 years old...

Billiards/Bumper Pool

Billiards has always been a great pastime for me: Straight Pool, 9-Ball, 7-Ball… however I do also love Bumper Pool, it's a fun game, very strategic & incredibly relaxing. 

Michigan Rummy

Many a Saturday night in my youth was spent playing this game w/ my brothers & now that their kids are grown they can't seem to live without all of us getting together & playing it at least once a month.

7 Card Stud

7 Card Stud was THE card game for years & years & it's still my favorite though it's hard to find other people who play it or have even heard of it! 

Air Shooting

When I was a kid, shooting air rifles was a part of boys growing up. Now, I've shot .22 rifles & .22 pistols & I can handle a gun but there's something about air shooting & w/ technology now there are air guns for every occasion: varmints, plinking, marksman, Olympic shooting, etc.  

So, those are my hobbies & interests!