New hobbies

[Tony uk]

About 20 years ago, in my early 30s. I decided to learn chess. A book and chess board bought to help me learn, at least the basics of the game. I have managed to get a few games online, where I have been resoundly beaten, but all in the intention of learning.

 

 I just wondered if any others of this board have taken on hobbies, at a  more mature stage in life.

[Tacenda]

4 hours ago, Tony uk said:

About 20 years ago, in my early 30s. I decided to learn chess. A book and chess board bought to help me learn, at least the basics of the game. I have managed to get a few games online, where I have been resoundly beaten, but all in the intention of learning.

 

 I just wondered if any others of this board have taken on hobbies, at a  more mature stage in life.

Always wanted to learn Chess, but feeling I'm not smart enough. Good for you Tony! 

 

[Raingirl]

5 hours ago, Tony uk said:

About 20 years ago, in my early 30s. I decided to learn chess. A book and chess board bought to help me learn, at least the basics of the game. I have managed to get a few games online, where I have been resoundly beaten, but all in the intention of learning.

 

 I just wondered if any others of this board have taken on hobbies, at a  more mature stage in life.

Chess is beyond my capabilities.  I’m impressed by anyone who can play. 

[bluebell]

I’ve tried embroidery and watercolors in the last few years.  Neither lasted long. I want to be creative but then tend to not enjoy (or be at all good at) creative hobbies.

I have gotten into vintage and antique glass, which I’ve really enjoyed. Besides really liking colorful, sparkly things, I really love the research aspect of it. It plays right into my love of books.

Figuring out what the patterns are called, what company made each piece and when, being able to go to thrift shops and garage sales or to facebook marketplace to find things. It’s all fun. The downside is that I have a very practical side to my personality and spending a bunch of money on glassware that I will never use and that I cannot even really display coherently is hard for me. So I rarely talk myself into actually purchasing the things that I find. But I still like the hunt.

[Pyreaux]

I've been winning against my phone. I just sacrifice pieces to eliminate pieces, like trading my knights and bishops to get their rook or queen and get my pawns to be queens. I've learned what a "castle" is. Then I found this video, looks like my style or what it should be. 

 

[Stargazer]

I was taught to play chess by my father before I entered my teens. In the first actual game I played against him he trotted out the "Fools mate." This is the quickest possible win in chess (aside from one opponent capitulating before the first move occurs). I played the game occasionally and in high school actually joined the Chess Club. I was never very good at it, but it was fun, so that was that.

When I taught my new wife how to play chess, I did the same thing to her that my dad did to me, which caused her to never want to play the game again! 😒

[Calm]

32 minutes ago, Stargazer said:

I was taught to play chess by my father before I entered my teens. In the first actual game I played against him he trotted out the "Fools mate." This is the quickest possible win in chess (aside from one opponent capitulating before the first move occurs). I played the game occasionally and in high school actually joined the Chess Club. I was never very good at it, but it was fun, so that was that.

When I taught my new wife how to play chess, I did the same thing to her that my dad did to me, which caused her to never want to play the game again! 😒

I used to play chess on occasion, usually winning because it was younger siblings or friends who just wanted to say they had played.  I thought I might have potential as I was a math whiz, but once I played a computer I knew just how truly bad I was.

I have played recently with my grandkids, but last serious game I played was with my fiancé 45 years ago….who was and is the most mellow guy you will ever meet.  Except apparently for chess as when he lost rather quickly, he picked up the board and threw it across the room.

He is also very verbal and excitable with sports, do not like to watch games with him…Jekyl and Hyde effect.  Funnily, I didn’t see that as a red flag.  Very naive, but thankfully in this case no harm, no foul; couples counseling earlier might have helped us both with dealing stress though, so I do wish I had paid closer attention, the clinical psych major I was at the time.

I learned he had a violent temper as a kid probably because his mother had one too, but had just turned it off one day.  Things you learn at 25 years of marriage when you think all the surprises are done, but then you move down the road from a sister-in-law, lol.

So he is both very mellow and kind of over controlled, I am thinking, but one of the main reasons I married him was he was never critical/negative (my family socializes by analyzing each other as we are primarily problem solvers), so I need to remember that when I get frustrated trying to figure out whether or not he is tired or upset and if there is anything I can help him with (you know, solve his problems  ).

Edited July 7, 2025 by Calm

[Stargazer]

On 7/2/2025 at 11:17 AM, Tony uk said:

 I just wondered if any others of this board have taken on hobbies, at a  more mature stage in life.

• I started making YouTube videos about 7 years ago. Created a channel for them, A Yank in Sussex. As I wander around southern England I collect videos and photos, and occasionally make videos about the places I visit. I've been contemplating starting a channel for promoting the LDS church, but since I've found there are at least 91 pro-LDS channels on YouTube already, I kind of wonder if I'd just be duplicating things.
• Another hobby I started about 10 years ago is learning new languages, and I've picked up some Spanish. Unfortunately I don't consistently work at it, so I can't say I speak the language. I already speak German fairly fluently, but that's not new, as it was my mission language (1972-74).
• I also write books! No best sellers, and they are all self-published. Two are "out of print" due to sales having dried up to nearly nothing. But writing is mostly a hobby for me, anyway.

[Calm]

13 minutes ago, Stargazer said:

at least 91 pro-LDS channels on YouTube already

Only around 91?  I would have thought minimum in the 1000s and more likely 10,000s with our missionary tendencies.

[bsjkki]

Not sure if this is a hobby or not but I was getting bored after my kids grew up and didn't want a 'real' job. I started volunteering. Church callings no longer were taking as much time and I needed something gratifying and fulfilling to do. Cleaning my house and doing 'projects' was not stimulating enough. I highly recommend it! 

[Tony uk]

I was just thinking, which could be worrying at times 😊. In the early days of my searching to learn and understand more about the LdS. I did come across a number of YouTube sights. However, at the time I could not quite find the right one. Then by chance in a way, I came across this forum, and through help and advice, came across FAIR. Now I have a number of options that can be of help to me, with the help of the good people on this forum and FAIR. 

Maybe if there was a YouTube channel along the lines of 'Everything you wanted to know about LdS, but not where or who to ask'. A channel that in effect can be used as a virtual signpost for people who want either a direct or indirect approach to asking, learning and understanding. It could also include something along the lines of 'A Day in the Life of LdS'. There maybe LdS of a mature age, maybe retired, have a disability, or number of others who may have some extra time available. And have done missionary work, or not been able to do so for personal reasons, can be involved.

[sunstoned]

Lately, in an effort to determine if old dogs can learn new tricks, I have been attempting to expand my areas of study by subscribing to video services, such as The Great Courses, which offer hundreds of courses covering science, history, nature, and more.  I figure if I'm going to watch something, it might as well be informative.

 

[Stargazer]

11 hours ago, Calm said:

Only around 91?  I would have thought minimum in the 1000s and more likely 10,000s with our missionary tendencies.

I hadn't made a systematic search, but because I watch certain LDS-related YouTube channels on a regular basis (Ward Radio, Ether's Elephant, Saints Unscripted, etc.), YouTube makes recommendations based on the fact that I post comments, "like", and am subscribed to many of these channels. There are certainly more than 91, but the ones I haven't yet found are most likely going to be channels with few views, few subs, and few videos. I've been adding them to my spreadsheet as they turn up. It isn't even a hobby.

And just for the fun of it, having never done it before now (believe it or not), I have finally searched YouTube on the keyword "Mormon" a few minutes ago. And OMG! There's certainly a great deal of anti-Mormon enthusiasm out there. I have some entries to make on my spreadsheet, in the anti-LDS worksheet.

[Stargazer]

9 minutes ago, sunstoned said:

Lately, in an effort to determine if old dogs can learn new tricks, I have been attempting to expand my areas of study by subscribing to video services, such as The Great Courses, which offer hundreds of courses covering science, history, nature, and more.  I figure if I'm going to watch something, it might as well be informative.

 

The Great Courses is pretty cool, yes! I don't dare pay for it, though, because I have a bad habit of not using the things I pay for. Fortunately, TGC has a YouTube channel where some of their content is posted, and one doesn't have to pay for it.

[Tony uk]

10 minutes ago, Stargazer said:

I hadn't made a systematic search, but because I watch certain LDS-related YouTube channels on a regular basis (Ward Radio, Ether's Elephant, Saints Unscripted, etc.), YouTube makes recommendations based on the fact that I post comments, "like", and am subscribed to many of these channels. There are certainly more than 91, but the ones I haven't yet found are most likely going to be channels with few views, few subs, and few videos. I've been adding them to my spreadsheet as they turn up. It isn't even a hobby.

And just for the fun of it, having never done it before now (believe it or not), I have finally searched YouTube on the keyword "Mormon" a few minutes ago. And OMG! There's certainly a great deal of anti-Mormon enthusiasm out there. I have some entries to make on my spreadsheet, in the anti-LDS worksheet.

Maybe I could start a pro Mormon channel, it may confuse them into submission if nothing else 😊.

[Peacefully]

I’m always taking up new hobbies. I’ve tried my hand at panting, candle making, and creating jewelry. I took up coin collecting again (I collected coins when I was young) about five years ago and we go to coin shows regularly. I also buy and sell coins on EBay. I learned to swim in my late 40s. My husband and I are trying to start a cat business. Oh, I’m also learning Welsh online. My motto is it doesn’t matter how old you are. Just think about how old you’ll be if you don’t do it now:) 

[Calm]

I should talk to my son and if he doesn’t want the coins we gathered up in Canada and Russia anymore, I can send then to you.  Unlikely, he never seems to want stuff until I tell him I am decluttering and then he says hold on to them a bit longer.  Like he doesn’t have his own house to keep things in, lol

[Pyreaux]

Anyone like board games?

Quacks of Quedlinburg

In Quacks, players are doctors brewing potions during a 9-day festival. Each player has a bag full of starting ingredients, which they draw from a pouch blindly to build the most valuable potion they can, without making it 'explode'.

It’s a "press your luck" game where you’re constantly deciding whether to stop and play it safe or keep pushing for more rewards at the risk of ruining your potion. Beginner-Friendly, easy to teach, but has depth for experienced players.

Objective of the Game

The goal is to score the most points over 9 rounds by brewing effective potions. You do this by:

Drawing ingredients from your bag one by one and placing them in your pot to advance along a spiral track, the spaces on the track have numbers indicating the total coin value of your potion, victory points you stand to earn, and sometimes a ruby icon to get you to stop there to earn it.

Earning coins (temporary pool used up to buy better ingredients at the end of rounds), and victory points (to win the game), and rubies to buy other things. The further along the pot's spiral by the end of the round, the more money/ingredients and points you earn.

Each round adds new twists (special dice bonuses, ingredients with unique abilities, or random events), so the game evolves over time.

Ingredient powers can be mixed and matched for lots of variety.

Simultaneous Play – Most are playing at the same time in the rounds, so it feels fast and engaging.

Satisfying Progression – Your bag gets better each round, with wise choices of better ingredients, giving you the feeling of growth and strategy.

Ingredient powers:

⚪ White: Filler
White chips are the basic starting "filler" ingredients in your bag. Valued as 1-3. If the total value of white chips you’ve placed reaches 7 or more, your potion explodes. Drawing white chips is the risk you take keep drawing - you never know if the next one will blow up your cauldron.

🟠 Orange - Pumpkins
No ability, but available in many quantities and cheapest to buy. Helps pad your bag to lower the odds of drawing too many whites.

🟢 Green – Garden Spiders
Typically rewards you with points or coins based on what gets drawn before or after them. Example: Earn coins for every white chip drawn after this one.

🔴 Red – Toadstools
Often give bonuses when drawn early in the round. Example: Gain extra coins if this is among your first chips drawn.

🟡 Yellow – Mandrake Root
Helps manipulate or delay white chip dangers. Example: Prevents your next white chip from being placed, or lets you put it back in the bag.

🔵 Blue – Crow Skulls
Often interacts with other colored chips or reward you for careful planning. Example: Gives you a bonus if it's drawn after a certain color.

🟣 Purple – Ghost’s Breath
Usually help with bag control, like letting you discard chips or get bonuses based on draw order. Example: Choose a chip to draw and reveal- if it's white, put it back.

⚫ Black – Death's-head Moth
These are competitive chips, it rewards the player with the most black chips on the board that round. Often gives rubies, points, or extra drawing abilities.

Alternate Ingredient Books
Each color can be played with one of several ingredient book variants. For example: A red chip might give coins in one game, or allow a re-draw in another. This keeps each game fresh and forces new strategies every time.

 

Edited July 9, 2025 by Pyreaux

[bluebell]

3 hours ago, Peacefully said:

I’m always taking up new hobbies. I’ve tried my hand at panting, candle making, and creating jewelry. I took up coin collecting again (I collected coins when I was young) about five years ago and we go to coin shows regularly. I also buy and sell coins on EBay. I learned to swim in my late 40s. My husband and I are trying to start a cat business. Oh, I’m also learning Welsh online. My motto is it doesn’t matter how old you are. Just think about how old you’ll be if you don’t do it now:) 

Please explain what a cat business is because that sounds awesome

[bluebell]

1 hour ago, Pyreaux said:

Anyone like board games?

Quacks of Quedlinburg

In Quacks, players are doctors brewing potions during a 9-day festival. Each player has a bag full of starting ingredients, which they draw from a pouch blindly to build the most valuable potion they can, without making it 'explode'.

It’s a "press your luck" game where you’re constantly deciding whether to stop and play it safe or keep pushing for more rewards at the risk of ruining your potion. Beginner-Friendly, easy to teach, but has depth for experienced players.

Objective of the Game

The goal is to score the most points over 9 rounds by brewing effective potions. You do this by:

Drawing ingredients from your bag one by one and placing them in your pot to advance along a spiral track, the spaces on the track have numbers indicating the total coin value of your potion, victory points you stand to earn, and sometimes a ruby icon to get you to stop there to earn it.

Earning coins (temporary pool used up to buy better ingredients at the end of rounds), and victory points (to win the game), and rubies to buy other things. The further along the pot's spiral by the end of the round, the more money/ingredients and points you earn.

Each round adds new twists (special dice bonuses, ingredients with unique abilities, or random events), so the game evolves over time.

Ingredient powers can be mixed and matched for lots of variety.

Simultaneous Play – Most are playing at the same time in the rounds, so it feels fast and engaging.

Satisfying Progression – Your bag gets better each round, with wise choices of better ingredients, giving you the feeling of growth and strategy.

Ingredient powers:

    White Chips: Filler
White chips are the basic starting "filler" ingredients in your bag. Valued as 1-3. If the total value of white chips you’ve placed reaches 7 or more, your potion explodes. Drawing white chips is what risk to keep drawing - you never know if the next one will blow up your cauldron.

🟠 Orange - Pumpkin
No ability, but available in many quantities and cheapest to buy. Helps pad your bag to lower the odds of drawing too many whites.

🟢 Green – Garden Spiders
Typically rewards you with points or coins based on what gets drawn before or after them. Example: Earn coins for every white chip drawn after this one.

🔴 Red – Toadstools
Often give bonuses when drawn early in the round. Example: Gain extra coins if this is among your first chips drawn.

🟡 Yellow – Mandrake Root
Helps manipulate or delay white chip dangers. Example: Prevents your next white chip from being placed, or lets you put it back in the bag.

🔵 Blue – Crow Skulls
Often interacts with other colored chips or reward you for careful planning. Example: Gives you a bonus if it's drawn after a certain color.

🟣 Purple – Ghost’s Breath
Usually help with bag control, like letting you discard chips or get bonuses based on draw order. Example: Choose a chip to draw and reveal- if it's white, put it back.

    Black – Death's-head Moth
These are competitive chips, rewards the player with the most black chips on the board that round. Often gives rubies, points, or extra drawing abilities.

Alternate Ingredient Books
Each color can be played with one of several ingredient book variants. For example: A red chip might give coins in one game, or allow a re-draw in another. This keeps each game fresh and forces new strategies every time.

 

I am board game challenged as I've never found one that I could stand to play, except Sorry but that's just with my kids when they beg.  I admire people who really get into the complicated ones.  It's one of those things that I wanted to like but couldn't figure out how.

[Peacefully]

2 hours ago, Pyreaux said:

Anyone like board games?

Quacks of Quedlinburg

In Quacks, players are doctors brewing potions during a 9-day festival. Each player has a bag full of starting ingredients, which they draw from a pouch blindly to build the most valuable potion they can, without making it 'explode'.

It’s a "press your luck" game where you’re constantly deciding whether to stop and play it safe or keep pushing for more rewards at the risk of ruining your potion. Beginner-Friendly, easy to teach, but has depth for experienced players.

Objective of the Game

The goal is to score the most points over 9 rounds by brewing effective potions. You do this by:

Drawing ingredients from your bag one by one and placing them in your pot to advance along a spiral track, the spaces on the track have numbers indicating the total coin value of your potion, victory points you stand to earn, and sometimes a ruby icon to get you to stop there to earn it.

Earning coins (temporary pool used up to buy better ingredients at the end of rounds), and victory points (to win the game), and rubies to buy other things. The further along the pot's spiral by the end of the round, the more money/ingredients and points you earn.

Each round adds new twists (special dice bonuses, ingredients with unique abilities, or random events), so the game evolves over time.

Ingredient powers can be mixed and matched for lots of variety.

Simultaneous Play – Most are playing at the same time in the rounds, so it feels fast and engaging.

Satisfying Progression – Your bag gets better each round, with wise choices of better ingredients, giving you the feeling of growth and strategy.

Ingredient powers:

    White Chips: Filler
White chips are the basic starting "filler" ingredients in your bag. Valued as 1-3. If the total value of white chips you’ve placed reaches 7 or more, your potion explodes. Drawing white chips is what risk to keep drawing - you never know if the next one will blow up your cauldron.

🟠 Orange - Pumpkin
No ability, but available in many quantities and cheapest to buy. Helps pad your bag to lower the odds of drawing too many whites.

🟢 Green – Garden Spiders
Typically rewards you with points or coins based on what gets drawn before or after them. Example: Earn coins for every white chip drawn after this one.

🔴 Red – Toadstools
Often give bonuses when drawn early in the round. Example: Gain extra coins if this is among your first chips drawn.

🟡 Yellow – Mandrake Root
Helps manipulate or delay white chip dangers. Example: Prevents your next white chip from being placed, or lets you put it back in the bag.

🔵 Blue – Crow Skulls
Often interacts with other colored chips or reward you for careful planning. Example: Gives you a bonus if it's drawn after a certain color.

🟣 Purple – Ghost’s Breath
Usually help with bag control, like letting you discard chips or get bonuses based on draw order. Example: Choose a chip to draw and reveal- if it's white, put it back.

    Black – Death's-head Moth
These are competitive chips, rewards the player with the most black chips on the board that round. Often gives rubies, points, or extra drawing abilities.

Alternate Ingredient Books
Each color can be played with one of several ingredient book variants. For example: A red chip might give coins in one game, or allow a re-draw in another. This keeps each game fresh and forces new strategies every time.

 

I may have to try this:)

[Peacefully]

22 minutes ago, bluebell said:

Please explain what a cat business is because that sounds awesome

Lol, we have been trying to come up with a line of cat-themed products we can sell online and at festivals. My husband has created a few things in his workshop (garage) with the 3D printer and etcher but nothing seems to be right for our first product. We even have a website ready to go. They make it look so easy on Shark Tank, lol. 

[bluebell]

17 minutes ago, Peacefully said:

Lol, we have been trying to come up with a line of cat-themed products we can sell online and at festivals. My husband has created a few things in his workshop (garage) with the 3D printer and etcher but nothing seems to be right for our first product. We even have a website ready to go. They make it look so easy on Shark Tank, lol. 

How fun!  I wish you so much luck and success!  

Do you have any experience with the "Warrior Cats" books and merchandise?  They are all the rage with elementary kids who love cats right now.  If there was a way to hitch your star to that wagon on some of your pieces without violating copyright, that might be an easy sell.  My daughter can't get enough of them.  There are clans and backstories galore.  Roblox even has a warrior cats RP.

Edited July 9, 2025 by bluebell

[Peacefully]

8 minutes ago, bluebell said:

How fun!  I wish you so much luck and success!  

Do you have any experience with the "Warrior Cats" books and merchandise?  They are all the rage with elementary kids who love cats right now.  If there was a way to hitch your star to that wagon on some of your pieces without violating copyright, that might be an easy sell.  My daughter can't get enough of them.  There are clans and backstories galore.  Roblox even has a warrior cats RP.

I haven’t heard of it but I’ll look into it.  You never know where that big idea will come from:) 

[Calm]

39 minutes ago, Peacefully said:

I haven’t heard of it but I’ll look into it.  You never know where that big idea will come from:) 

I thought you were going to rent out cats.

 I would have a cat except for the yowling outside my bedroom door at 7 am, my prime sleep time.