What are you passionate about?

[SexyGreyFox]

Music & football are my main passions.
I started gigging when I was 12 in 1970 and still do it.
I have an uncanny memory for being able to play songs on either guitar, bass or keyboards that I haven't played for decades.
A major passion has been collecting music equipment over the years and it's very rare I get rid of anything but this year for the first time I've given lots of gear away that I haven't used for years eg small PA systems, guitar amps, guitar pedals, multi-track recorders etc.
I love football, I watch every Premiere match but I can't tell you much about it.
I'm passionate about my bikes and now eBikes and love working on them for me and others..
I can tell you a lot about satellite systems (motorised or fixed) since I've been into that since the mid 80s installing for others and I've just upgraded my system to a VU+ Uno4K.

 

[nine_tails]

Women

Can't help myself. Causes no end of problems.

Cant live with them... Can't live without em.

 

[Martynt74]

I'm similar to the OP. I don't have the interest, willingness or perceived use of deep-diving into any particular topic. I do like having a general view and understanding of most things, and I read the news a lot, as I consider that to be more useful day to day.

Out of interest, when you say news. Do you just have something setup to feed you news about topics which interest you or do you try and scan all topics?

I tend to focus towards news sections of my interests (Sport/Business/Finance), however i sometimes feel i probably miss interesting articles elsewhere. I just really dislike reading about covid/crime/politics (well the general bickering part), etc so avoid a lot of news sources and always feel quite out of the loop when people talk about current affairs.

 

[R-evans]

I find new things often and decide that's what I'm into but they don't always stick.

In high school I became passionate about drums but only had lessons for a year and only became an OK player. That was until a mate in the next room was struggling to learn a bit on his guitar, I asked if I could have a go and managed it perfectly (it was quite simple), I'd never properly played before other than hopelessly strumming my elder brothers acoustic. Then I taught myself guitar and played for years, joined a band and did a couple tours, etc. Band eventually broke up and I never played on stage again. I still occasionally pick it up.

Also around that time I decided I needed a new PC and heard that building it yourself was simple and cheaper, hence why I'm here. Did that, used it for a year or two and then bought a MacBook Pro Now I'm on my 3rd MBP and not too bothered about tinkering with PCs anymore other than little things if a relative needs assistance.

Then I wanted to upgrade my mountain bike so like building your own PC, I decided to build a bike and learn how to fix them in the process. Did all that and have done a few others since then, now I just maintain mine and my wife's bikes and help friends with a bit of maintenance now and again. Knowing how to fix bikes saves us a ton as my wife races a lot.

Then I decided I wanted to learn piano, got a keyboard and taught myself about 20 songs, then got bored.

Then, and this is the most recent and still active thing, I went to California and had a West Coast IPA. It blew my mind!! I had never tried a beer like it before, since then when I go on holiday I am always looking for which breweries I can hit up. I've worked in a brewery part time to learn more about the process and while living in the US worked in a bar part time, I brew my own beer and have qualifications in beer. Now I'm at the level where if I go into a bar or bottle shop and people ask me if I need help or recommendations, it bothers me a little as I usually know more about the beers they have on than the staff do, but that's just me being silly ha

 

[Hades]

Then I decided I wanted to learn piano, got a keyboard and taught myself about 20 songs, then got bored.

I thought you were going to say... "so I learned to build pianos"

 

[R-evans]

I thought you were going to say... "so I learned to build pianos"

Ha. That would be a skill.

 

[Grimley]

Most recent is Artisan Coffee, been interested for about 7 years now. Second is PC/tech stuff/Gadgets for almost 30 years. Not quite as much passionate about it as I used to be, since I started taking an interest in Artisan Coffee.

 

[Russinating]

Out of interest, when you say news. Do you just have something setup to feed you news about topics which interest you or do you try and scan all topics?

I tend to focus towards news sections of my interests (Sport/Business/Finance), however i sometimes feel i probably miss interesting articles elsewhere. I just really dislike reading about covid/crime/politics (well the general bickering part), etc so avoid a lot of news sources and always feel quite out of the loop when people talk about current affairs.

Perhaps I've given myself an over service there! I'm comparing myself to my friends and colleagues who never fail to shock me that they have literally no idea what I'm talking about 90% of the time I start a sentence with "did you see in the news that...".

I check BBC News Popular and My News (Business, Tech, Local, Sport) at least every 3-4 hours. I'll go off to the Guardian or whatever pops up first if I search for a more in-depth article. My OH subscribes to Nat Geo but tbh I wouldn't really class this as news and they tend to be deep dives into particular topics.

I have various investments in stock market funds and follow the markets and business news of this ilk regularly, which by it's nature spans multiple industries and is often impacted by world events that don't make the front-page.

Even Google Chrome's default page is useful since it's articles are based on where you are or what you've looked for recently etc.

 

[DanTheMan]

I tend to talk myself out of being passionate about things, as they are invariably hobbies that don't have much value and are massive time sinks.

Golf is probably my main 'passion' and I have to resist taking time out of work to play (flexi time is dangerous). I have to reign in my addiction as a) it soaks up time like nothing else, and b) it gets expensive quickly when you start adding up clubs, clothing, membership, golf away days.

The other real passion I had was mmos. Again, a massive, useless time sink. Getting absorbed into another world and being able to enjoy it with other like-minded people is one of the great things that technology has given to me.

I often wish I was one of those people who were passionate about things that added value to society, like engineering or medicine.

 

[Martynt74]

Perhaps I've given myself an over service there! I'm comparing myself to my friends and colleagues who never fail to shock me that they have literally no idea what I'm talking about 90% of the time I start a sentence with "did you see in the news that...".

I check BBC News Popular and My News (Business, Tech, Local, Sport) at least every 3-4 hours. I'll go off to the Guardian or whatever pops up first if I search for a more in-depth article. My OH subscribes to Nat Geo but tbh I wouldn't really class this as news and they tend to be deep dives into particular topics.

I have various investments in stock market funds and follow the markets and business news of this ilk regularly, which by it's nature spans multiple industries and is often impacted by world events that don't make the front-page.

Even Google Chrome's default page is useful since it's articles are based on where you are or what you've looked for recently etc.

I guess that kind of sounds similar to myself then, by reading news which is relevant.

I do sometimes miss the days of spending half a Sunday sat at the table with the Sunday Times and coffee reading about much more than I normally would due to it being there.

 

[Jean-F]

Women

Can't help myself. Causes no end of problems.

From a fellow enthusiast, relax, it will get better as you get older, it will never go away, oh please God that it never goes away, but you’ll learn to control it.
If you’re anything like me, you’ll still look when an attractive women comes into view, but you’ll be able to take it all in in a nanosecond, avert your eyes and keep walking, she won’t feel threatened, she’ll probably never know that you even noticed her.
As you move into “Christ, I’m really too old for this” territory, cast your mind back to when you were knocking them dead as a younger man, and repeat to yourself, (in your mind), “Memories live longer than dreams.”

 

[dlockers]

From a fellow enthusiast, relax, it will get better as you get older, it will never go away, oh please God that it never goes away, but you’ll learn to control it.
If you’re anything like me, you’ll still look when an attractive women comes into view, but you’ll be able to take it all in in a nanosecond, avert your eyes and keep walking, she won’t feel threatened, she’ll probably never know that you even noticed her.
As you move into “Christ, I’m really too old for this” territory, cast your mind back to when you were knocking them dead as a younger man, and repeat to yourself, (in your mind), “Memories live longer than dreams.”

Memories live longer than dreams. Thanks Jean-F. You were in my dreams yesterday. I wanted to ask you to make sure when you pop your kids let us know. I don't know a decent way of asking without being morbid, but given I've had a few drinks in SW1A this evening it feels apt.

 

[MookJong]

I'm like you OP I'm interested in allsorts, too many things to be really deep into one. I have above average knowledge in loads of subjects compared to a lot of people at work or my friends, but then I know people with an almost rain man knowledge of one area. Put me in a pub quiz and I do fairly well, but I've never had the concentration or commitment to be an accademic in one thing.

It frustrates me that I have to go to work as there is always something I'm looking into and want to spend time on. I find the world completely overwhelming but at the same time have this buring desire to understand as much as possible.

 

[Jean-F]

Memories live longer than dreams. Thanks Jean-F. You were in my dreams yesterday. I wanted to ask you to make sure when you pop your kids let us know. I don't know a decent way of asking without being morbid, but given I've had a few drinks in SW1A this evening it feels apt.

I had to read that a couple of times before it all became clear mon pote.
Initially it looked like you wanted to know when I intended to pawn my kids!
Having a few sherbets gives you a totally valid excuse, but had you been your normal lucid self you’d have inserted a comma after ‘pop’ and the word ‘that’ after the comma.
My boys are of the opinion that I am prat of the decade for contributing to an online forum, particularly the younger one, or Mr. Sophistication as his big brother laughingly calls him.
My sincere thanks for thinking of me, morbidly or otherwise, rest assured that I’ll charge my wife with letting the forum know of my demise, but I’m hanging on for as long as I can, (if that’s okay).
Fortunately, she’s always been the one with the common sense, while I cornered the market in intelligence.
She knows that to be true, I’ve told her enough times.

 

[Martynt74]

I had to read that a couple of times before it all became clear mon pote.
Initially it looked like you wanted to know when I intended to pawn my kids!
Having a few sherbets gives you a totally valid excuse, but had you been your normal lucid self you’d have inserted a comma after ‘pop’ and the word ‘that’ after the comma.
My boys are of the opinion that I am prat of the decade for contributing to an online forum, particularly the younger one, or Mr. Sophistication as his big brother laughingly calls him.
My sincere thanks for thinking of me, morbidly or otherwise, rest assured that I’ll charge my wife with letting the forum know of my demise, but I’m hanging on for as long as I can, (if that’s okay).
Fortunately, she’s always been the one with the common sense, while I cornered the market in intelligence.
She knows that to be true, I’ve told her enough times.

Well done deciphering that, i had no idea what he was on about!

 

[dlockers]

I thought I did fairly well. The critical missing comma caught me out this morning though too.

(and thanks for holding on)

 

[Martynt74]

I wonder if there was some craze about "popping your kids" that i was missing out on!

Had me wondering if he had a fake balloon family

 

[subbytna]

I used to be pasionate about computers and hardware, but the last 2 years of price rises has killed that interest off big time.

 

[flea.rider]

climate and how so many people are wrong ..our just follow the crowd .. my dogs, axes and bows and how to survive a great flood ..