Non-gaming hobbies

[Dioltach]

Much as I enjoy drinking coffee and cocktails, I couldn't find the energy to turn either into a hobby.

When I'm not working (or gaming), I tend to write. I used to read a lot, but lately I find that I can't concentrate on other people's words the way I can on my own.

Some years ago I became interested in gemmology, and I'm about half way to becoming a Graduate Gemmologist. Things are on hold because I spent all my money on gemstones and commissioning a goldsmith to make loads of jewellery for me.

Otherwise I enjoy hiking holidays. Several days of hotel-to-hotel trekking, somewhere hot and sunny, where you end the walk with a cool drink and a plate of local snacks.

And then there's just general travel with my wife. We're fortunate to both be self-employed, without children, so we can essentially take off whenever we want. Visit some new part of Europe, see the sights, eat the food and be back by Monday.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Gin is my spirit of choice. I quite like a Bees Knees, a Last Word, and there's never anything wrong with a simple G&T. An Earl Grey Martini is extremely tasty too.

My favorite changes from mood to mood, but right now it's either the Lena* or the Embassy Royal**

*2 oz Bourbon
1 oz Sweet Vermouth
.5 oz Dry Vermouth
.5 oz Campari
.5 oz Galliano

**1 oz Bourbon
1 oz Sweet Vermouth
1 oz Drambuie
2 Dashes Orange Liqueur (or fresh squeezed orange juice, depending on the recipe)

Most recently I tried a Trinidad Sour. That was a truly unique cocktail. Good, but so... weird.

To me the Trinidad Sour tastes kinda like a Christmas tree, but not in a bad way, if that makes any sense.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

RE: the negroni, has it taken a while because you've been working your way through other cocktails first? Or are the ingredients, presumably aside from gin, not easy to come by where you are?

I’m no mixologist- I don’t even pretend. There’s a few cocktails I make at home, everything else I get from bars & restaurants.

So- for whatever confluence of reasons- every time I’ve ordered a Negroni, the establishment in question has been out of at least one ingredient. (Or, more likely, the bartender on duty hasn’t a clue or is otherwise disinterested in making one.)

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I’m no mixologist- I don’t even pretend. There’s a few cocktails I make at home, everything else I get from bars & restaurants.

So- for whatever confluence of reasons- every time I’ve ordered a Negroni, the establishment in question has been out of at least one ingredient. (Or, more likely, the bartender on duty hasn’t a clue or is otherwise disinterested in making one.)

Wow, that definitely varies wildly by region. In Southern California, if you don't want a margarita or a martini, the bartenders are actively pushing the negronis, because they know they're widely popular.

 

[Vael]

I don't drink enough to consider going deep into mixology, but I did take a bartenders course cough years ago, and I do enjoy the alchemy of it. So, I prefer sugar. I like to cook, but also bake. Baking can be quite zen for me, put a podcast on the headphones and it's just me, the voices in my head and the recipe.

But when I want to be less of an introvert, my other hobby is dance. Specifically partner dances. I started in Ballroom and Latin, even competed a little, but then found Lindy Hop (one of the first Swing dances) and it's been my fav ever since. It's less structured than the Ballroom dances, and I like that era of Jazz music. That said, I recently went to a Fusion dance event (so, dancers of different types dancing together) and had a lot of fun, but also inspired me to expand my horizons, I want to add West Coast Swing and Argentine Tango (very different than the American Smooth style of Tango I'm used to) to my repertoire.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Some years ago I became interested in gemmology, and I'm about half way to becoming a Graduate Gemmologist. Things are on hold because I spent all my money on gemstones and commissioning a goldsmith to make loads of jewellery for me.

I’ve got enough stones to set up a booth at a trade show, and a bunch of jewelry as well. I don’t have the metalworking skills to do my own, otherwise I’d probably be richer…or poorer!

What stones do you favor?

 

[Dioltach]

I don't have metalworking skills either, sadly. Actually, just the other week I did a silversmithing workshop and it went much better than I'd expected. Usually I'm all thumbs, but I managed to make some stuff that wasn't half bad.

My favourite stones, wow, that's a tough one. Anything, really. Fancy coloured diamonds, tanzanite, opal (and fire opal), tsavorite garnet. Some of the less common stones like sunstone, moonstone, apatite. Some of the most unusual stones I have is a set of gem-quality sphene: yellowish green, good clarity, and more fire than diamond even. I had my goldsmith set them in a chain of oxidised silver, interspersed with tiny white diamonds.

I find as I get older and acquire more stones and jewellery that I'm starting to sympathise more and more with Smaug, instead of the Dwarves.

 

[Zardnaar]

Kinda rajen up exploring the great outdoors.

Got up to light hiking on old volcanic ridges and 700 metre hills working my way up to overnight and thinking about the great walks- 3 day hikes over 2000 metre mountains.

Kinda easy mode now.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I don't have metalworking skills either, sadly. Actually, just the other week I did a silversmithing workshop and it went much better than I'd expected. Usually I'm all thumbs, but I managed to make some stuff that wasn't half bad.

My favourite stones, wow, that's a tough one. Anything, really. Fancy coloured diamonds, tanzanite, opal (and fire opal), tsavorite garnet. Some of the less common stones like sunstone, moonstone, apatite. Some of the most unusual stones I have is a set of gem-quality sphene: yellowish green, good clarity, and more fire than diamond even. I had my goldsmith set them in a chain of oxidised silver, interspersed with tiny white diamonds.

I find as I get older and acquire more stones and jewellery that I'm starting to sympathise more and more with Smaug, instead of the Dwarves.

You probably should (NOT ) check to see if the InterGem travelling gem & jewelry show passes anywhere near where you live. Ecery aspect of the business gets represented: equipment, uncut stones, cut stones, artificial stones, glass, beads, jewelry, estate sellers, local mineral clubs, and more.

If you DO wind up going, contact me, and I can give you some recommendations for people I’ve been shopping with for a decade+.

And if you get SERIOUS, the .annual show in Tuscon s supposedly beyond words. (I’ve never had the opportunity myself.)

 

[Dioltach]

Fortunately Intergem doesn't seem to be travelling to Europe any time soon. I've been to a couple of jewellery fairs and walked out a lot poorer than I walked in. But much happier too.