Fun hobbies?

[BuzzKillington]

Alright, straight to the point.

Since High School I've pretty much only kept two real friends and a couple people that I sometimes hang out with. Out "hobbies" have been getting a tad bit redundant.

Pretty much the only things we do are play basketball, darts, tennis, catch, hiking, bowling, airsoft, go to dennys, ihop, or peruse Walmart if we're reeeally bored and everything else is closed. If we're not outside being bored we're inside being bored while gaming.

There doesn't seem to be much else to do that isn't expensive. Entertainment parks and kayaking is fun but too much money to do on a regular basis.

There's a ton of stuff I'd love to get into but it's too much money plus even if I could afford it I couldn't expect everyone else to follow.

My question is... what is there to do that's fun and could be done with a small group of less than 5 people?

[chaksq]

Good question, I bet you get a lot of good responses. I have two suggestions I can think of atm, I can probably think of more later on.

You can start playing Dungeons & Dragons or another D20 rollplaying game. You might even make new friends playing it too.

Also hiking and camping can be real fun. Camping can start to cost money but you can start out inexpensive and build up. Or just drive around to cool places and go for day hikes. They can be real fun, and you find really cool scenic places.

[Spawn-Inc]

i recently started drinking but its expensive and not the best thing to do all the time...
i don't recommend it.


the main thing i've been doing is doing halo 3 online.

i actually don't know what else there is to do so i would be interested in seeing what pops up.

[BuzzKillington]

Drinking is alright but like you said it's expensive. Also, I'm trying to get into shape for the military so I have to stay away from the beer. I lost my ability to drink hard alcohol somewhere along the line so without something to mix it with or a crowd to pump me up, it's a no go lol.

I laughed out loud when I saw D&D and we already hike pretty often. At least we have another hour of daylight now so it doesn't get dark soon after work and such.

[Spawn-Inc]

ya i pretty much hate beer so stick with straight vodka until i get drunk then i drink beer. usually half a bottle of vodka does me nicely until i get to the bar.

maybe start a semi serious computer repair/building hobby, try your hand at overclocking?

[Mach]

Small start-up cost but geocaching.com would go well with your hiking activities

[Zephik]

I like getting together and playing board games with my friends. Make a little event out of it, food, snacks, drinks, a little music, etc. and its pretty fun with the right group of people.

[blueonblack]

I second the role-playing, though if you laughed out loud it may not be for you.

[DonT-FeaR]

modding?

[Datech]

This is a hobby that can become expensive, but can also be really cheap if you find enough scrap to use. Also, it can take a very long time to complete, so the cost is spread out. Either way it ends up in long weekends working in a shop with your buds.

Build a hovercraft, then race it!
http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16714

[billygoat333]

Poker is always fun. texas hold em FTW!! lol cheap too, can play for free or start a $5 table. that's always a good time. Pool? My friends and I used to have pool tournaments with each other, eventually we did a few actual tournaments for money, was a good time. (should do that more, need to bust out my parent's pool table!)


take up hobbyist level RC cars, they are wicked fun and waste time like no other. :P

model rocketry is fun.

umm... I dunno :p camping is awesome, mountain biking is fun, lots of stuff to do outdoors. Mini vacations? I love to just get in a car and listen to music and drive. with no particular destination, just hit up a highway you haven't driven on and go for a while.

[msmrx57]

When he lived closer to me my best man and I used to get together a couple of times a month and build model cars. Relatively cheap hobby, depending on how much drinking is going on. Also can be interesting doing kitbashing and throwing the instructions out.

[thrash]

Golf. Flat out, no matter if you suck or if your amazing its such a great sport. I go out and i'm really not very good, but to spend 4 hours on a golf course drinking ice cold brew with your friends is about as good as it gets on a hot day. It can get expensive, but if you buy a membership (if you play a lot) it's really not a bad deal. If I had more free time, and my friends were not so far away, I would definitely be at the golf course every chance I get.

If you need to get in shape, walk the course once or twice a week. You will get in shape fast!

[NightrainSrt4]

I was going to vote for a poker night too. Don't even have to play for money as that can get frustrating for some people. Just a night every week or two and sit and play some cards or something.

It gives you an excuse to eat, drink, snack, etc. And doesn't cost much, unless you get into wanting really nice chips and such.

Some of the best nights with my friends was when we did that back in high school. Things are so different now, moving way to college and having surgery and such.

[HackSore]

I have recently taken up skateboarding again, after roughly 5 years of not doing it, and i cant believe i ever stopped.
Its great fun, exhilarating, and will keep you in good shape.
Can be pretty expensive to put a decent board together though.

[SXRguyinMA]

heres my fun hobby, although the startup costs arent low and this hossy it NOT AT ALL safe from modding, I cut 4" off the back of the ski and 1.5" off the handlepole, and I'm just gettin started :D

http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l11/sportrider12584/jet%20ski%20mods/SXRMods107.jpg

[Spawn-Inc]

i'm guessing thats some sort of rubberized grip on the front so you can attempt stunts as shown in your sig pics?!

[xRyokenx]

I do quite a bit of drawing and painting, amongst other artistic ventures. I'm also learning to play keyboard and guitar, lol.

What I need to be doing is my schoolwork, lol.

[Drum Thumper]

You seem like the outdoorsy type. I recommend clay pigeon shooting. Keeps your reflexes sharp, and it is very satisfying once you start popping pigeons left and right.

[Luke122]

Get some instruments, start a band. :)

[SXRguyinMA]

i'm guessing thats some sort of rubberized grip on the front so you can attempt stunts as shown in your sig pics?!

:up::D

[Bopher]

Again start up costs can get up there depending on what you want to pick up but Paintball. When I started it cost probably less then $300. That was picking up the gun, mask and extra air tank. The place I bought everything for in NH was always cheapest when it came to paint and refilling tanks. If you play a on the weekend you can pick up a case of paint for something like $30 and refilling the tank where I did was always $2. I would love to get back into it here but there is now where out here really to play. Better if you have a friend with a couple acres if land.

[d_stilgar]

First, buy this game. It's amazing. http://www.flyingfrog.net/lastnightonearth/

Then, after playing a lot, paint your figures, make custom figures, make a custom game board, buy a million zombies from other companies and paint them. It's a good hobby because it is relatively cheap, and you get to play the game still.

[SXRguyinMA]

another super time waster is Armadillo Run (http://www.armadillorun.com/) :bowdown:

YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=armadillo+run&aq=f)

[Luke122]

I still vote for start a band. :D

[killergamer]

Paint ball isent cheap to start off but its fun
Umm IDK start a book club....

[Luke122]

..or a fight club. But dont talk about it.

[simon275]

Warhammer 40,000
World of Warcraft
D&D
Play in a band

[Luke122]

That's two votes for band. ;)

[xRyokenx]

Three votes for a band.

[Zephik]

The vote is final. You're playing in a band. Congrats! NOW GET TO WORK!

:P

[TheGreatSatan]

Five people? Modding party! :banana:

[KiLLERMAN21]

^Haha me and DF do that all the time :)

[DaveW]

I gotta admit, starting a band is pretty cool. You'll all suck for a while but as far as inexpensive hobbies go you're gonna get an incredible 'bang per buck' out of that. After the initial cost of the instruments, you can get a lot of free lessons online. Maybe need to get some proper lessons to start off, but after a couple months you'll be good to go.

Plus, think of the chicks! The amount of ugly guitarists I see that pull the world's fittest girls...

-Dave

[Luke122]

Youtube absolutely rules for free lessons!

+1 on the chick statement. :D

[Luke122]

Kijiji / Craigslist are great places to pick up cheap instruments! (and cheap women) Haha..

[xRyokenx]

Plus, think of the chicks! The amount of ugly guitarists I see that pull the world's fittest girls...

-Dave

...what about non-ugly guitarists? Do they have even better chances? lol

Either way I need to get to practicing my guitar more.

Also: Don't forget that chicks love mushy love songs. Learn to play and/or write one of those and you'll definitely be a chick-magnet. /stereotypes

[DaveW]

...what about non-ugly guitarists? Do they have even better chances? lol

In my experience it doesn't make a damn bit of difference.

-Dave

[BuzzKillington]

I used to love messing around with friends guitars... so much I KNEW I wanted to get into it. I went out and dropped 2 grand on a rig and after 3 or 4 months I got frustrated and it ended up being sold.

It was fun while it lasted but I don't believe instruments are for everyone. You have to have that 'drive' to really, really want to learn.

[Luke122]

I used to love messing around with friends guitars... so much I KNEW I wanted to get into it. I went out and dropped 2 grand on a rig and after 3 or 4 months I got frustrated and it ended up being sold.

It was fun while it lasted but I don't believe instruments are for everyone. You have to have that 'drive' to really, really want to learn.

The mistake you made was spending $2k on a starter setup. For a GOOD starter rig, I would spend *maybe* $500-600. You may find that after playing a guitar for a awhile that you just dont "feel" that particular one. A cheap guitar will be difficult to maintain (wont hold tuning, will need constant adjustments to intonation, etc), but a pricey one can be hard to let go of even once you know that particular guitar isnt for you.

Also, it's much easier to learn if you get your guitar setup by a professional when you buy it, as well as getting a GOOD TUNER. Yes, you can get a $10 tuner that might work ok, but spend closer to $100 (or more!) on a really good one, and the difference is HUGE.

My first guitar was a $200 deal that came with a little practice amp. I knew it wasnt great, but i wanted to learn really badly, and I stuck with it. Once I had some more money, i went out and bought a new amp. $1400 for a Line 6 AX2-212.. and what a mistake. It was a nice amp and all that, but I should have spent $600 on a guitar, and $800 on an amp.. I would have come out ahead.

I'm currently playing an Ibanez Iceman ICX-220 through a Marshall Valvestate S80 amp. The guitar has a really nice action, but the sound is just not quite what I want. The amp is pretty good, but I'm lookin for a full tube setup now.

I forgot where this post was going..

[Luke122]

Oh yeah! Here's where i was going:

Most music shops have rentals! I rented a Les Paul Baritone with some huuuuuge Marshall combo (cant remember the model, but damn.. 100w 2x12.. LOUD!) for a month, for $60!

Yeah.. go rent some quality gear for a month, and try it out. If it's good, it's almost cheaper to rent nice stuff until you ready to buy good stuff, than to buy cheap stuff and upgrade later.

[KiLLERMAN21]

You have an ICEMAN?! Damn, my bro was looking for one of them, and they are not easy to find. He's playing an Ibanez RG-350 DX with some small amp that he got ages ago.