What are your hobbies and pastimes

[Marijn]

I would like to know what people's hobbies are and why they enjoy them. I would like to have hobbies or enjoyable things to do to pass the time as I feel I am too reliant on the company of friends to entertain me, as
friend's spare time doesn't always coincide with mine and I feel I should be more independent.

[webbo3]

fishing.
the great outdoors, not knowing whether you will catch anything and even if you dont you've spent the day in the fresh air relaxing.


Dave.

[afcjan]

knitting, or get involved in a good book.....

[andy-hughes]

My hobbies are reading and cinema.

My obsession is music - I am a part-time freelance music writer, and I interview musicians and review gigs and albums, which is a hobby that makes money.

Do you fancy collecting? Have a look around your local library for potential collect hobbies, oh, and try a community chat site like Twitter to widen your social horizons.

[funnygirl]

I love reading me!

Thrillers are my thing.

[Marijn]

Thank you for your interesting answers. Andy- I do have lovely friends, but I really do want to become more self reliant and have my own interests.
I have knitted in the past, but didn't enjoy it so much.
I admire people who will just go off and do things on their own without having to ask a friend to come with them.
I do enjoy reading and crosswords, but would like to find out more about other hobbies.
Fishing sounds good, but yet again I feel I wouldn't do that unless I asked someone to come with me.
Do many women go fishing on their own? I know men like to.

[Marijn]

PS I don't fancy collecting at all.

[Sasha-2008]

I dance 3-4 times a week. i love it. It keeps me fit. Used to go to the gym but I got so bored I would just spend the time talking.

[Marijn]

I've just been to the gym this morning with a friend. I could go on my own but don't really enjoy it.
I'm going to the cinema this evening with a friend. And out this aft with a friend.
But what I'm really looking for is self reliance.
Do any of you go to the cinema on your own?
What are good hobbies that are solitary do you like?
A friend of mine has been to Nigeria on her own, and Australia and France.
This is the sort of thing I'm hoping to achieve, that I would be so happy with my own company that I could try anything.
Any ideas?

[craft1948]

When I was younger (and fitter) I used to play competitive tennis, table tennis, and sqash, but have always been an avid reader (I despair that my daughter never picks up a book). Since I retired I have taken up genealogy which I find fascinating, and not only done my own family tree but have started doing them for friends as well.

[vulcan]

my hobbies/pastimes are oil painting and photography. Both can be done alone or in groups, at home or traveling,summer and winter.above all neither are very expensive once the initial equipment is bought and they're fun !

[Marijn]

Thank you, photography sounds like a good one.
Thank you for all your answers. Keep them coming please.

[dustypuss]

Surfing the web

That how I came across AB

Also photography

And trying to keep the wife happy ( no chance of success )

[Marijn]

Sasha what dancing do you do? I like dancing but find it hard to follow a sequence of steps.

[paraffin]

My main pastime is singing, mainly with amateur operatic societies. I like it because I'm not bad at it. But believe it or not I didn't realise for many years that I could actually sing to a reasonable standard. I'd simply never bothered trying to sing and kick myself that I didn't find out when I was younger.

I've had various roles in musicals, operettas and even once in an opera.

It gives me pleasure because it's good to indulge in a pastime you have an aptitude for.

Everyone to his own.

[Bbbananas]

I love reading, swimming and gardening (in nice weather only!)

My biggest pastime over the last 2 years has been sailing - as in yacht sailing. Only cos my BF has a yacht - otherwise I don't think it's a hobby/sport I would ever have got into (too expensive!). I thought I'd hate it, be scared, and be seasick - but I love it.

[Marijn]

Paraffin, that's very impressive.
Thanks everybody for your answers.
I'm mainly looking for a solitary pastime that I could really enjoy. Times when I have weeded or taken an interest in the garden I have enjoyed it, but it's finding the motivation to get started that I'm having trouble with.

[mrs_overall]

Hi notafish.
Yes, women do go fishing on their own!
My dad took all 10 (8 girls, 2 boys) of us fishing from a young age.
I took my 3 kids fishing from an early age and they all love it. I must add it's sea fishing, not that freshwater nonsense.

If you head down to your local library they will have a list of every club/society in your area. There must be something you have always had a hankering to try? It takes a leap of faith to go somewhere on your own, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.
I can highly recommend the W.I. It's nothing like you'd think - there's not a jar of jam in sight and they are not old, boring people. They go for meals out, visit interesting places, have guest speakers, try new things etc. You can go on your won and they'll make you very welcome! Our local group has members ranging from 25 to 75.
Good luck. xx

[mrs_overall]

won?????
I mean "own"

[sandmaster]

If you want a solitary hobby try swimming. It will keep you fit and trim as well. Until I became a father I was a terrible swimmer. Determined my kids would be confident in the water I first took them to the leisure centre every week to splash around (aged 2 or so) then enrolled them in a swimming club. It became a hobby for me as I trained to become a swimming instructor. It gave me a great feeling when my toddlers class did their first widths, and my first lengths class built up from about a dozen lengths a lesson to over 40 by the end of the year. Coaching I left to other teachers. I no longer do this but it was great at the time.

[Marijn]

Thank you Mrs Overall, that's lovely that you can all fish, I may try fishing sometime.
I'm really looking for a solitary pursuit, something I can enjoy on my own. I often feel the need to ask friends along if I decide I want to do something, but I want to be more independent now and do things for myself and enjoy my own company. I'm not looking for a club or society, I do evening classes already. Just looking for a hobby/pastime I could really enjoy on my own.
Any ideas?