Is reading basically your only hobby or entertainment?

[Little Star]

What got me thinking about this is one of our members mentioned something about listening to audio books in her sewing room. (That comment also brought me back to when I use to work about 45 minutes away from home. I always had an audio book to listen to in my car. Sure did make my commute more pleasant!) Anybody else use audio books while doing other things?

Personally, as much as I enjoy reading, I also like doing genealogy just about as much. Then there are things I enjoy doing with my husband like going places with him while he does his hobby of photography. And I know this sounds stupid but we also like watching lots of tv shows that we have dvr’d. We mostly like cop/detective shows and we each try to solve the case before the other. I know sounds silly huh? But it works for us!

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. One of many....my wife sews or knits while I blog while we listen to audio books.

Reading a good book, I feel, is a great enhancement to life....just like music, gardening, kayaking or anything else any of us loves or craves.

[Moe Shinola]

2. Other hobbies besides reading...

Music(guitar, synthesizers, songwriting), listening to podcasts, exercise, I guess.

[Curmudgeoness]

3. Reading is not my only entertainment.

Although there are days that I do nothing else but curl up with a book, this is not the norm. I love hiking. I crochet. I also enjoy photography and birdwatching (often while I am hiking). I go to the movies, join friends for dinner out. And of course I DU.

I have a long commute, and I have tried audio books, but I just cannot seem to get into books unless I am reading them. It sucks to have to stop in the middle of a paragraph because I am now at work. I guess that I like the way I prepare my mind for work on the way to work, and the winding down on the way home. And I prefer to listen to talk radio or music where I don't have to concentrate on it while I am driving.

[Little Star]

4. One time and one time only...

I was listening to my book while tooling down the highway to work. About 5 exits after the one I was suppose to take I nearly had a heart attack. I used my cell and called work telling them I'd be late because I had been daydreaming and went right by the work exit.

Well it was sorta like daydreaming right?

Guess I never had a problem with getting into a audiobook! LOL

[Curmudgeoness]

5. That is too funny!

I guess you DO enjoy audio books! I bet your coworkers had a good laugh at your expense.....I know I would have.

[pscot]

6. It was until I was given World of Warcraft for crissmus.

Now I spend a lot of time murdering dwarves for their beer money. I enjoy photograpy too, but I took my dslr for a swim, so that's on hold for now.

[Little Star]

11. So that's a video game right? Don't tell anyone but..

I sometimes play POGO online.

My 18 year old grandson is the XBox king in the family. He even camps out with his friends at Game Stop when ever there is a new release so he can get his instant gratification fix, lol. He came by his love of video games honestly though because both his Mum & Dad love them too.

Enjoy your World of Warcraft pscot!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

7. No, I do other things:

Exercise, especially walking and water aerobics
Music, especially choral singing
Movies and videos: I'm a film buff
Studying languages, although I haven't done much of that lately

[Little Star]

12. Classic movies or more modern stuff too?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

17. Both, but in contemporary movies

I prefer foreign and occasionally independent films. I look at the lists of top ten grossing films in the U.S., and they hold no interest for me.

I attend the film festivals that come to Minneapolis, and I subscribe to a series called Talk Cinema, which gives sneak previews of foreign and independent films about twice a month. This week's film was called The Forgiveness of Blood, and it's about a blood feud that arises in Albania over a land dispute.

[fadedrose]

18. Lydia, you should look at book called FRAMES (2008)

by Loren D. Estleman....It's about a Hollywood detective who's a movie buff and it seems to mention old movies and stars on practically every page...the book is fairly current...

I haven't read it, but looked through it wishing I were a movie buff, but am not..

http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/E_Authors/Estleman_Loren-D.html

[fadedrose]

8. No hobbies...I enjoy naps

This was twice as long, and it still needs editing...

I cook and bake quite abit, read or read about reading (DU); in summer pull weeds, spray plants, plant or prune; feed birds, melt fat to make suet for woodpeckers..I get compulsions to have the family for dinner followed by compulsions to chase them home when I can no longer stand them all together or be kept from my addictions.

MSNBC is always on and Letterman. Cataracts, carpal tunnel in both arms, knee replacement, arthritis - used to sew a lot. Buy a lot of stuff for grown kids and grandkids, babysit grandkids and a beagle whom I love dearly.

No hobbies, just keeping busy so as not to think about why this was or wasn't or whose fault it was, just waiting for the grim reaper so I could throw him a party.

Now aren't you sorry you asked?

(Wonder if World of Warcraft is something I could use, whatever that is, pscot seems so happy compared to me....)

[Little Star]

13. Rose you made me giggle a couple of times there!..

Especially about the compulsions to have the family for dinner!

I had one of those type compulsions when we went to SC for the month of Nov. I invited one of my daughters and her family down for Thanksgiving week. When the time came I thought to myself, am I nuts???? It actually worked out great for me once they were there because her and her husband cooked and cleaned up the whole dinner.

But none the less I did have the thought about being nuts as the time came near, bad mother that I am!!

And I'm darned right jealous about your naps!! Since my stroke I can no longer nap and that ticks me off to no end!

[fadedrose]

16. I don't nap on purpose, it just happens when I'm reading...

after getting exhausted from all my addictions throughout the day. Was just cooking up a bunch of suet along with starting a roast...

I don't understand the no-naps-stroke association. I thought rest was best for recuperating (had to look that one up in the dictionary), along with a 20 minute walk at the mall...

And those family compulsions occur twice a week. That's too much for even a loving parent, much less me....

[Little Star]

27. I was just rereading this thread...

and noticed what you said about strokes. In my case it effected something in my brain I guess. I use to be the nap queen! After the stroke, I just can't nap. Beats me.

[fadedrose]

28. melatonin

First heard of it from my vet long time ago when a dog friend who passed away, my dog, was always stricken with anxiety during a thunder storm. The poor thing...

Now when it thunders I still think of her.

Oh, and the pediatrician said to give it to my grandson...it's very safe, just a food suplement...

[mvccd1000]

9. Basically...

I work overseas, and haven't had television or much other entertainment for the last seven years or so, so reading it is. I used to order tons of used paperbacks from Amazon for 1 cent each (plus $3.99 shipping), but that advent of the kindle has spoiled me... I can read all the time now!

[Little Star]

14. Do you mind me asking where overseas you are?..

I'm glad you have a Kindle! They are nice for instant downloads. Have you tried any of their free offerings?

[mvccd1000]

19. Free for kindle

I set a self-imposed limit of $7.99 for anything I buy in kindle... I figure I was only paying $4.00 per book when I had them shipped over in paperback, so I'm not going to spend a lot more than that just for the convenience of instant delivery. Even with my price limit, though, I usually buy $0.99 - $2.99 books; I've found several authors I may not have discovered if not for the cheaper books, so it's expanded my horizons a bit.

My work location sometimes varies, as we support embassy facilities.

[SheilaT]

33. I like that -- by limiting your purchases

to cheaper books you've discovered some new authors.

I don't do e-books, but I have recently resumed getting almost all of my books from the library, and what's been nice about that is that I'm discovering lots of books I hadn't noticed when I could afford to buy everything.

[raccoon]

10. I love reading and I love audiobooks. Sometimes I get hold of the printed books too, so if I want

to read while I listen, I can, or can review something I didn't quite get.

I also like to walk, love nature, and photography.

No, I don't think that sounds silly--whatever floats your boat.

[Little Star]

15. I've done that too, read while I listened! Great minds and all that!

The thing about going out and around with my husband while he does his photography is that I get to enjoy the nature in real time. We love to go on scenic drives, maybe find a town garden, etc. Sometimes I pack a picnic, it's fun!

[NEOhiodemocrat]

20. One of many hobbies

I knit, sew (clothes for grandchildren, dolls, doll clothes, housegoods such as curtains etc.), Quilt, weave, have a hugh garden in the summer and can and dehydrate much of our food. Raise blueberries, three kinds of raspberries, three kinds of plums, peaches, cherries, two types of grapes, rubbarb, strawberries and blackberries. Make jelly and Jam and can the rest. I also do counted cross stitch and smocking occasionally. I frequent garage and rummage sales. I am a collector of old Christmas items, pewder, and antiques of many kinds. But reading is my one true all consuming hobby. I read all the time, other hobbies are not as time consuming except for gardening, but that is seasonal.

[JitterbugPerfume]

22. I miss gardening:(

but my 71 yr old back and knees get mad when I try it! My daughter in law gardens so I have plenty to freeze and can . I REALLY want to revive my herb garden in the spring

[NEOhiodemocrat]

25. I can imagine how you feel

I have gardened every year for so long I am sure I would miss it. Luckily I describe myself as a Tough Love type gardener. I plant them, fiddle with them but they have to do their part! I am not big into watering, but I do spend almost every spring, summer and fall evening after supper in the garden on my bottom or knees pulling weeds, planting or such. I have never been able to use a hoe, have to get down and dirty. So hopefully that prolongs my gardening days (61 now). I have never had a herb garden, do have horseradish and chives and lavendar in one part of the regular garden. I should look into a real herb garden, that would be a new interest. Was yours a seperate area just dedicated to herbs? What kinds did you grow?

[JitterbugPerfume]

21. I try to keep busy between naps!

a good friend suggest recently that we take up quilting when she retires next year. We also go antiquing and junking( mostly junk) LOL. We had some pretty cool travel plans before "life" interfered .Recently we have been going to lots of museums

Last summer we made plans to go to a rock concert but instead we sat on her enclosed porch and listend to CDs pretending LOL

My friend Jo is a HOOT!

[fadedrose]

23. Better "life" interferes than the alternative...

You know, like bad breath is better than none.

A lot of us are heavy into "life" and that stuff nowadays...

[JitterbugPerfume]

24. yes we are Rose,

I have lost way to much that I love this past year to not value life above all. Have a heart!

[TBF]

26. Travel when we can, some geneaology, and reading -

my husband also likes tv/movies/music.

[Kablooie]

29. I have many personal projects I'm working on all the time.

It's sometimes hard to find enough time to read.

[joey1]

30. reading

hi-I have listened to a Koontz novel once pretty cool--the first 2 books I wrote are for the youngster in all of us--they can be found and read for free on Amazon--title: THE ADVENTURES OF DEEDS TANNER. I am working on book 3. I love a good mystery too--I enjoyed that movie: THE GAME...I look forward to writing a mystery soon---(I am new here on this site and hope it will be worth the time----joey

[Little Star]

31. Hi Joey1....

Welcome to DU.

Is this the movie The Game your talking about?

If so, it's one of my very most favorites! But if we want to talk more in depth about it we'll have to move to the entertainment forum.

We have a writers group here at DU also if your interested.

If you take the time to learn your way around this website and you are a Democrat I think you'll enjoy your time spent here. Just make sure to read the rules. Here are a couple of links to the rules cause they are kinda hard to find:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=termsofservice
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=aboutus#communitystandards

[LWolf]

32. No, but it's the only one I'm really engaged in any more.

It takes less energy than everything else. In the last several years, besides the aches and pains of an aging body, I've worked more hours, for less pay, every year. I'm always exhausted and broke, so I don't go anywhere or do the physical things I used to.

[SheilaT]

34. I don't think of the things I do as hobbies,

since I tend to think of a "hobby" as something formal and organized.

I read a fair amount, crochet, make jewelry, bake and cook for pleasure. I have friends I spend time with. Sometimes I go for walks (note to self: walk more).

I have never been able to understand people who say they can't retire, because they don't know what they'd do with their time if they didn't have a job. What I've always disliked about working is how it interferes with everything else I'd rather do.

[dimbear]

35. I do read a great deal nowadays, but also always have projects going.

Refining gold and silver in the basement, building an led emergency light, fixing my ancient radio collection, playing my dulcimer, occasionally writing a few poems. Taking care of the roses.

That and trying to solve a math problem. That's about it.

[DUgosh]

36. I'm a quilter

Just getting into applique. I listen on audio to many books. Best way to spend an afternoon. I read print in the evenings because there is nothing good on TV anymore, ( with the exception of Swamp People, the Biggest Loser and Revenge)