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17-09-2007, 07:19 PM
|  | Dame Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: North Kent
Posts: 6,099
| | | Your hobbies.
Well I think we all know something about each other, our obsession with wildlife! Have you got other hobbies that take over your life sometimes? My other love is fossil collecting. I don't do quite so much now but wherever I am, the temptation to chip away at a rock seam is sometimes over-whelming. Knowing your the first one to see something that's been lost for millions of years is mind-blowing. My oldest fossil was dated at the Natural History Museum, a single coral that is approximately 180 million years old...way, way before the dinosaurs.
So come on, confess your other hobbies.....so long as they're child friendly! 
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The female of the species is more deadly than the male.:p |
17-09-2007, 07:28 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Mid Glamorgan South Wales
Posts: 1,480
| | | Re: Your hobbies.
I too like fossil spotting. One of my fave posessions was a perfectly formed lepidodendron (spelling maybe not right tho lol) I found in a quarry. I can't walk along a pebble beach near marl or limestone cliffs without getting neckache from alternating bird spotting and fossil spotting 
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They told me I was gullible... and I believed them ! |
17-09-2007, 07:45 PM
| | Wild Member | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: hull uk
Posts: 148
| | | Re: Your hobbies.
hya mines my allotment its realy goodwatching things grow and watching nature at the same time |
17-09-2007, 08:05 PM
|  | Active Member | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Lincolnshire, England & Newport, Wales
Posts: 30
| | | Re: Your hobbies.
When I'm not out walking in nature or photographing it I tend to spend a lot of time reading, and a bit too much time online at times. |
17-09-2007, 08:36 PM
|  | Member of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Back in Nawf Kent, innit
Posts: 287
| | | Re: Your hobbies.
Fossil hunting for me too, and general dinosaur adoration  As well as kung fu, taiji & qigong, mostly for the internal, health-giving side of things, as well as studying the esoteric applications of qi. Also archery (not so much these days), collecting antique pocket knives & Swiss army knives, prehistoric archaeology, making replica flint tools, and riding motorcycles too fast in inappropriate places (private road, controlled conditions, ossifer ). Sometimes I write articles for magazines too.
After all that I occasionally find some time to look for wildlife, and take bad pictures of it
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cheers,
Ian
Last edited by yellowhammer; 17-09-2007 at 08:41 PM.
Reason: missed a bit out
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17-09-2007, 09:05 PM
|  | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Surrey
Posts: 879
| | | Re: Your hobbies.
Most of all my hobbies can be linked with the site.
Survival, hiking, camping and yes wildlife.
ERMMMM cant think off really any other hobby I may do. 
Used to draw lots. Computers??
Gonna have to come back to you 
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Life tells you nothing, It shows you everything!!!
-Bach |
17-09-2007, 09:07 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 2,530
| | | Re: Your hobbies.
Football, golf and fishing mainly, other than wildlife.
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Teaching a child not to step on a caterpillar is as vital to the child as it is to the caterpillar! |
17-09-2007, 09:16 PM
| | Member of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 396
| | | Re: Your hobbies.
I love to free climb alot. The other half goes week at this, for i am accident prone. Have'nt fallen yet
I also like fishing, gardening, DIY and bushcraft. |
17-09-2007, 09:50 PM
| | Frozen | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: march, cambridgeshire
Posts: 2,176
| | | Re: Your hobbies.
my hobbies are,looking after my 50 cockatiels,two cockatiels in the house,large fish pond full of koi,thats my pets,looking after a 93 year old father in law and husband,my garden of course with green house,collecting wild life books,house plants,needle work,and when i can fit it in art, i think i have covered it all. |
17-09-2007, 10:27 PM
|  | Wild Member | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Worcestershire
Posts: 147
| | | Re: Your hobbies.
My main hobby that takes most of my time is my website which I am trying to build as a kind of british wildlife and history site (from an amateurs position - I'm certainly no expert, it is more of a journey of discovery).
So this covers reasearch into the history of places and people as well as nature. This also covers two of my favourite passtimes which are photography and recording audio as I record 30 minute audios which go on the site about the locations or nature. Recording the audios often has me at locations very early in the morning before people are around for less disruption.
I also run another site which is a sketching website. This has been quiet of late and something I need to get back around to. I worked as an artist and graphic designer for many years but this is now a hobby and I do enjoy going off sketching or painting.
Other hobbies include collecting classic corgi toy cars, reading (I am a voracious reader), I also collect Amber especially those pieces with insects or plants captured in them.
Those are probably the main hobbies at the moment as along with all of the WAB related activities such as wildlife and walking and of course work and home, there isn't a lot of spare time to do any more! |
17-09-2007, 10:46 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Romford, Essex
Posts: 1,491
| | | Re: Your hobbies.
I'd say palaeontology is a hobby too, but will hopefully be a career soon (i have a degree in Palaeobiology and evolution) and am going to start a masters in Micropalaeontology in a week :S I have fossils from various field trips - including some from the solnhofen limestone in germany - as in what they find Archeopteryx (the first bird) in.
My photography relates to wildlife, as does helping out at the park. I do play around on computers, not so much games anymore but on my website - which has been neglected due to PC problems!
And Wild woman I hate to be a nit picker but did you mean 180million years? Because dinosaurs had been around for about 40million years at that point |
17-09-2007, 11:02 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,906
| | | Re: Your hobbies.
My other "life" is music...I have played lead electric guitar for something like 20 years now.
Been in many bands...some for fun...some semi pro...Have had management, and publishing deals with bands, but like the big fish that always got away we never quite got the record deal...although i have supported bands like kula shaker and reef. and done the whole london scene ( a while back now)
Now guitars and playing them are a hobby...id be just as happy to get out and play a pub gig playing covers now as i was trying for the big time..
Havent gigged in years due to other interests...degree....band memebers moving on, growing up, having babies or wives etc...but im sure the day will come that a country pub in kent gets the full wrath of my classic rock arsenal !....all 100 watts of marshall valve power ....very ENGLISH !
I also enjoy cooking and gardening...and of course Flirting is a natural ability of mine oh ...and being cheeky. |
17-09-2007, 11:41 PM
|  | Wild Member | | Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Burnley, Lancashire
Posts: 141
| | | Re: Your hobbies.
I also play Guitar and have done so for about 9 years now. I also have a dabble at the Drums, bass and keyboards though I haven't had much time for any of these recently.
My main interest is Mountain Biking. Words can't describe my enthusiasm for the sport! I did the Mary Towneley Loop (47 mile off road ride with 6300ft of ascent ) earlier this year which was both physically and mentally the toughest challenge I have undertaken and completed! Yay  I hope to start racing at the beginning of next year which will mean lot's of cold Winter training to look forward to
I too enjoy fishing although I have not been able to afford the rod license and membership so far this year but hopefully I'll be back on the lake not catching anything soon
I also like running and did the Great Manchester Run earlier this year. Hope to do it again next year and possibly the Great North Run too.
Simon |
18-09-2007, 05:45 AM
| | Dame Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: North Kent
Posts: 6,099
| | | Re: Your hobbies.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ukwildlifeo  180million years | Oops! You spotted my deliberate mistake-1 should be 3!!!!
Bloomin old!!!!
Might dig said coral out at the weekend and take a shot for this thread. The NHM cut the end and polished it to show it's detail.
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The female of the species is more deadly than the male.:p |
18-09-2007, 05:52 AM
| | Dame Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: North Kent
Posts: 6,099
| | | Re: Your hobbies.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChasCreek
Other hobbies include collecting classic corgi toy cars, reading (I am a voracious reader), I also collect Amber especially those pieces with insects or plants captured in them.
| Wicked! Amber-beautiful stuff. VERY expensive though. I also have(somewhere rattling around the loft) a box of Corgi cars. I hated dolls etc so I used to play with my brother's cars and ended up with them when I was a kid.
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The female of the species is more deadly than the male.:p |
18-09-2007, 05:54 AM
| | Dame Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: North Kent
Posts: 6,099
| | | Re: Your hobbies.
Quote:
Originally Posted by naturelover my hobbies are,looking after my 50 cockatiels,two cockatiels in the house,large fish pond full of koi,thats my pets,looking after a 93 year old father in law and husband,my garden of course with green house,collecting wild life books,house plants,needle work,and when i can fit it in art, i think i have covered it all. | Flippin heck! Just a few mouths to feed then!
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The female of the species is more deadly than the male.:p |
18-09-2007, 05:57 AM
| | Dame Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: North Kent
Posts: 6,099
| | | Re: Your hobbies.
Quote:
Originally Posted by yellowhammer as well as studying the esoteric applications of qi. | Aye?
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The female of the species is more deadly than the male.:p |
18-09-2007, 05:59 AM
| | Dame Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: North Kent
Posts: 6,099
| | | Re: Your hobbies.
Quote:
Originally Posted by C C I love to free climb alot. The other half goes week at this, for i am accident prone. Have'nt fallen yet
I also like fishing, gardening, DIY and bushcraft. | Stick to fishing, gardening, DIY and bushcraft. My knees go to jelly at the thought of free-climbing.
__________________
The female of the species is more deadly than the male.:p |
18-09-2007, 06:54 AM
| | Active Member | | Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 41
| | | Re: Your hobbies.
I used to do a lot of walking but sadly not so much in the last few years due to family commitments. I love baking - bread, cakes, biscuits and pies. And if you put those two statements together, perhaps not surprisingly the Jay outline is becoming a little less sleek than it used to be. Also like reading, astronomy and visiting art galleries and museums.
I wish so many of you hadn't mentioned fossils and fossil hunting because I've got a horrid feeling I might have to add that to the list. |
18-09-2007, 07:24 AM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Romford, Essex
Posts: 1,491
| |  Re: Your hobbies.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wild-Woman Wicked! Amber-beautiful stuff. VERY expensive though. I also have(somewhere rattling around the loft) a box of Corgi cars. I hated dolls etc so I used to play with my brother's cars and ended up with them when I was a kid. | And yet a quick look on ebay reveals implausably large amber fossils containing two scorpions fighting for only a £5. I think someones been playing with yellow tinted clear resin lol |
18-09-2007, 12:45 PM
|  | Member of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brighton
Posts: 277
| | | Re: Your hobbies.
I sort of reckon that fossils, walking, and others along those lines are pretty much WAB stuff, all natural world pursuits. I like all of those things, but not necessarily active in them.
Thinking about definitely non natural world things...
Yes, reading is good - but I just don't seem to get the time these days apart from hefty agendas and reports.
However, I have a burgeoning interest in Baking. Been making my own bread for about 7 years now, and if asked a few weeks ago, I would have said I was a 'good' baker, not great, but I know my way round a bag of flour, and routinely churn out bread that is soooo much better than anything I have ever bought. There is nothing quite so satisfying, or so good for releiving tension than to beat up a lump of dough, and create something with your own hands, muscles and a bit of sweat. The feeling that everything is right with the world when you take the first slice of a still warm loaf that I have made, and spread it thick with butter, metling into the crumb. Does life get better than that?
Then, while idly tapping away at this keyboard a couple of weeks back I stumbled across a Bread Site, similar to WAB but just for bakers, and Oh! My! God! I now realise that I was a mere numbskull, with little clue even about how much I didn't know. The things people are doing with their bread is extraordinary! I felt a rush of blood to the head and started planning a fresh start to my baking career, so far I have made a Challah, a German Sourdough Rye, Ciabatta, Pain Bouille, and other Miche style loaves. I've experimented with different levels of salt, learned new kneading techniques, and still barely scratched the surface. The holy grail of baking as far as I can make out is to have your own Starter, which you is a mix of flour, wild yeast and bacteria, to give the bread a much more full on and unique flavour. The starter has to be fed regularly and becomes almost like a pet - people give them names, some have even become heirlooms being passed down through 4 generations of a family! Trouble is I'm just too scared to do it, but it's a whole new world out there. Apparently the wild yeasts in the South East are prety good, so I will have a go at some point.
Thing is, when I found that site, I realised what some people must feel when they arrive on WAB - a passing interest suddenly blossoms into a rich and meaningful relationship. Fantastic to have stuff like this to inspire us.
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The best things in life aren't things. |
18-09-2007, 12:56 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,906
| | | Re: Your hobbies.
Quote:
Originally Posted by svenrufus I sort of reckon that fossils, walking, and others along those lines are pretty much WAB stuff, all natural world pursuits. I like all of those things, but not necessarily active in them.
Thinking about definitely non natural world things...
Yes, reading is good - but I just don't seem to get the time these days apart from hefty agendas and reports.
However, I have a burgeoning interest in Baking. Been making my own bread for about 7 years now, and if asked a few weeks ago, I would have said I was a 'good' baker, not great, but I know my way round a bag of flour, and routinely churn out bread that is soooo much better than anything I have ever bought. There is nothing quite so satisfying, or so good for releiving tension than to beat up a lump of dough, and create something with your own hands, muscles and a bit of sweat. The feeling that everything is right with the world when you take the first slice of a still warm loaf that I have made, and spread it thick with butter, metling into the crumb. Does life get better than that?
Then, while idly tapping away at this keyboard a couple of weeks back I stumbled across a Bread Site, similar to WAB but just for bakers, and Oh! My! God! I now realise that I was a mere numbskull, with little clue even about how much I didn't know. The things people are doing with their bread is extraordinary! I felt a rush of blood to the head and started planning a fresh start to my baking career, so far I have made a Challah, a German Sourdough Rye, Ciabatta, Pain Bouille, and other Miche style loaves. I've experimented with different levels of salt, learned new kneading techniques, and still barely scratched the surface. The holy grail of baking as far as I can make out is to have your own Starter, which you is a mix of flour, wild yeast and bacteria, to give the bread a much more full on and unique flavour. The starter has to be fed regularly and becomes almost like a pet - people give them names, some have even become heirlooms being passed down through 4 generations of a family! Trouble is I'm just too scared to do it, but it's a whole new world out there. Apparently the wild yeasts in the South East are prety good, so I will have a go at some point.
Thing is, when I found that site, I realised what some people must feel when they arrive on WAB - a passing interest suddenly blossoms into a rich and meaningful relationship. Fantastic to have stuff like this to inspire us. | Did i mention my new found passion for making jam?....hmmm i may have a little dabble at this bread making game now too...cheers  |
18-09-2007, 01:01 PM
| | Member of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brighton
Posts: 277
| | | Re: Your hobbies.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan Salter Did i mention my new found passion for making jam?....hmmm i may have a little dabble at this bread making game now too...cheers | Bread and Jam? Let's meet!
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The best things in life aren't things. |
18-09-2007, 01:40 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Kent
Posts: 1,515
| | | Re: Your hobbies.
Apart from my wildlife business I have a couple of passions.... I collect Books especially old Books (am a fanatic).. I also collect Egyptian figures and artifacts..
(My odd to some passion and hobby) is Tattoo's.. I have 8 so far and saving for 2 new ones.. I also read books and magazines on it, Watch all Tattoo TV programmes and go to the London Tattoo Convention.. If someone has a tattoo it is that i notice before anything else..Some of the Art work is amazing.. the History of tattooing is also very interesting..
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Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you. |
18-09-2007, 01:58 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Kensworth, Bedfordshire - a village in the | | |
