Hobbies

I wanted to start a conversation about hobbies.
Yours and mine. What do you like to collect?
What got you motivated and for how long?

My primary hobby is law enforcement, security
and military uniform shoulder patches. I have
over 152 patches from throughout the United
States from municipal, county and state agencies.

I even have one from the Israeli Police.

Some agencies will hand them out willy-nilly,
while others want more information about you.
and/or will charge a fee or request a trade.
There are those who will absolutely deny your
request, and some have even denied requests from
other law enforcement agencies. Kind of strange
I thought.

My patch request to Israel I figured would be a
very long shot. I sent it out via email to the Israeli
Police Public Relations Division. The worst they
could do was to tell me to take a hike. I was suprized
they replied the next day, and requested my full name,
street address, not just a P.O. Box. My telephone number
including country code and area code. My date of birth,
but not my Social Security number. Most important, they
requested the name of a local law enforcement authority
with the rank of Captain or above. I knew this one Major
in our police department (who went on to become Chief
two years later). I sent his name, email and phone info
to Israel.

Two weeks later I not only received the patch, but a recruitment
catalog for the Israeli Police Civil Guard (synonymous with what
we know as police reserves here). They know I'm an American
and not Israeli.

Great story.... I've heard nothing but good about the Israeli military, and, I assume, police forces. Their training is second to none.

My latest thing has been traditional pocket knives. Not really "collecting" per se, more "acquiring"... I've probably got 150 or so, but have pretty much stopped buying them... just occasionally, when I see something I just can't pass up.
I have other hobbies that don't include collections... I like to work with wood, mostly whittling, I enjoy shooting and reloading, riding my motorcycle.... lots of things.

I enjoy fishing, gardening,sports, and cooking. Really do not collect much except fishing gear and bake ware. I have picked up the sport frisbee golf, that is fun for all ages.

What's your ride, HG?

I don't think I have any hobbies as such. I have a lot of interests. I like fixing things, be that electrical and/or mechanical, and mostly prefer the outdoor adventure style activities like boating, fishing, camping, kayaking, mountain biking, and motorcycling. Gardening I have to do, but I'm not very good at it!

I have two...

Getting into trouble
And
Starting trouble.

good morning... I ride an '18 Road Glide Ultra. I had a couple of dual-sports, then found I was only using them as "single sports", so I went with one that would be better on the paved surfaces. Do you ride, as well?

In the shed I've got an '05 VFR800 that I have to put back together, and will probably sell that then. An '08 R1200GS that I have to repair, and will probably sell that then too. And an '18 Multistrada 950 which is my current ride. I'll think I'll upgrade the Ducati towards the end of the year, perhaps to the latest MTS 950S, or maybe to a Cruiser, and a low cost dual sport like a CRF300L for the local forest trails... assuming God let's me live till then.

I've always liked the BMW's.... back in the early 70's I had an R-60... wish I would have kept it.

One of my duals was a "poor man's" Ducati.... the Suzuki V-Strom 650... I rode it for about 3 years before going to a Road King. I really enjoy riding, but I'm sort of like you... as long as God gives me the good health to ride.. the knees are beginning to weaken a bit, and with a 960 lb bike, that's not a really good thing, if you start to "tilt"....

I'd like to get a smaller dual again... those things are fun to ride, and they get GREAT mileage...

Yep, that's a lot of metal to keep upright.

That wee strom is a great bike. A guy in the local GS group rode one of those as his bike of choice, and that's saying something since he was an Australian champion racer... 24 hr TT style, and could handle anything.

The 300l are as scarce as hens teeth in Oz, and I'm not sure why. I'm thinking maybe they are in such high demand in other parts of the world and they're shipping the vast majority of new bikes to those.

I'll have to check it out.... I wish Kawasaki would make one in between the KLR 250 and the KLR 650.... I rode a 650 for about 3 years before I got the Wee...

I am finally growing tomato plants over 6ft. tall now. I used to be blessed to grow anything but dirt,lol. I am not one to give up though easily. I love fishing but am usually old school about it. Really do not try lures or fake bait. Mainly crawlers, crawdads, and chicken liver. Motorcycles can be alot of fun to ride. I mainly have been a passenger. Although a few years back ordered a moped and when delivered had to finish putting it together. It wasn't hard until I found they had forgotten to send a nut for the front wheel axle. Had to go to a motor cycle shop for the part.

Hobbies, I have a few
But then again, too few to mention...

Actually too many to mention, but here's some of them:

Is anyone here into sailing?

It's a hobby/recreation I'm thinking of getting into.

“A boat is a hole in the water into which you pour money” is a popular saying that has been printed
on gift items, such as T-shirts and posters. “A yacht, they say, is a hole in the water surrounded by wood
into which money is poured” has been cited in print since at least 1961 and is of unknown authorship.

Other sayings about boat ownership include “The two happiest days of a man’s life—the day he
bought the boat and the day he sold the boat” and “BOAT: Break Out Another Thousand (dollars).”

12 Days Before The Mast
What can you say about the sea? Only that it is big, said Chekhov. But a landlubber
who sailed in the Transpacific race found a lot to say—most of it bad. Gilbert Rogin
source

Well... They ain't wrong...

When Jesus asked 12 disciples to follow him, they left off fishing
But I dont think they were doing it for a hobby though he did say 'I will make you fishers of men'

I collect books but that is part of my job and I share it with others
I categorise them and display them so they can be borrowed...its called being a librarian!

There are THOUSANDS of them.

How it started. Im thinking it was probably when Dad subscribed to Readers Digest, even though half of those books I never read. lol. Had to sort them out somehow.

I only personally collect books that I will read and use though so, a count of my shelves is about 200 mostly gardening books and some local history. The gardening books are for reference so they must have good pictures and information about plants relating to my climate. (so sorry, no exclusively northern hemisphere gardening books) . Oh and the Bible of course.
The rest of my reading books I just borrow from the library and return and they are on all on any to
topic I am interested in reading about, which can be as vast as the universe is.

I think this started when I learned to read, which I recall happened by osmosis, I think by end of kindergarten. I do recall learning phonics off Sesame street, but I dont actually recall ever being read to by my own parents. Never had a bedtime story or anything. But I was taken to the library, and the mobile,library would park at the end of street on a Tuesday and we weere allowed 4 books at a time.

I like to collect souvenirs while I’m on vacation throughout various locations.