Fifty Plus (50+) - You need a hobby?

"You need a hobby." said the wife.

"I have one, I try to kill myself pedaling up and down these damn hills". I replied.

"No a real hobby..."

"I go hiking, fishing, camping...".

"No a real hobby when you can't do outside stuff anymore."

Sigh, all brought on by a visit by the in-laws and seeing the 85 year old father in law doing nothing for a few days. I'm only 51, what the hell am I to do with myself?

I didn't know where else to ask...

Tell her that you'll think about it for 10-20 years and then get back to her.

Learn to play electric guitar - she'll be begging you to go outside ;)

Suggestion 1:
Get a really noisy trainer, then ride on it leaving puddles of sweat on the family room floor. She will soon be asking you to ride outside.

Suggestion 2:
Tell her that you think that she has a great idea, and that you plan on taking up philandering immediately - the original indoor thing to do!

Learn how to do powder coating; ask if you can turn the dining room into the spray booth. Advertise your services on Classic & Vintage Forum. Tell her you want to do the rest of the interior in Celeste green as a test.

Learn to play electric guitar - she'll be begging you to go outside ;)

Or drums. You don't even have to learn to really play, just practice a lot.

Tell her about one of our local heroes here in San Diego, a very active 90-year-old cyclist named Gordy Shields. All of us want to be like him when we grow up. :)

Or drums. You don't even have to learn to really play, just practice a lot.

What worked for me was getting into old hand tool restorations and sharpening hand saws. Think of fingernails on a blackboard at REALLY HIGH VOLUME.:eek: My wife is very happy that I am bicycling now. :thumb:

Here's one that always works: Tell your wife that she has become your new "hobby" Then remain relentlessly and cheerfully underfoot at all times. For example, follow her around the house, suggesting new and improved methods for any of the home chores for which she is responsible. Show her how to arrange cereal boxes in alphabetical order. Demonstrate why her method of folding underwear is all wrong. Within a week, she'll beg you to buy that new carbon fiber bike you've been dreaming of.

I have another hobby for this year and it is called "Building the wifes New Swimming pool" Keeps me off the bike too much but tonight she was in it for the first time. Water was only 22deg C (Translate that as still bl**dy Cold) but she was in it for an hour or so. Just have the decking to do but I haven't ordered it yet. And then there will be the planning on it and the calling her down from the house to hold this while I saw it- hammer it or just look at it.

I'll get some rides in this month -even if it is with a cricket bat making it awkward to sit on a saddle.

Bike wrenching makes a good related hobby. Saves you good money, too. bk

Then remain relentlessly and cheerfully underfoot at all times. For example, follow her around the house, suggesting new and improved methods for any of the home chores for which she is responsible.

I'm thinking you haven't thought this completely through.

Assuming that she does most of the cooking; cooking involves the frequent use of knives, heavy cast iron skillets, boiling water and hot oil. I think that sometimes it's best to stay out of arm's reach.

Bike wrenching makes a good related hobby. Saves you good money, too. bk

:roflmao2:

Here's one that always works: Tell your wife that she has become your new "hobby" Then remain relentlessly and cheerfully underfoot at all times. For example, follow her around the house, suggesting new and improved methods for any of the home chores for which she is responsible. Show her how to arrange cereal boxes in alphabetical order. Demonstrate why her method of folding underwear is all wrong.

I suspect avoiding this sort of thing is exactly why she thinks I need a hobby...

My cabina (usually refer to as my office) is about 1/2 a kilometer from our home. Outside I have an aguaponics system so I have tasty vegetables nearby to munch when I get hungry.

I have no indoor hobbies besides trying to learn to sleep more. No luck so far, but I have a nice siesta today of 2 hours, so I have hope...

Carving wood is probably a good choice, when all those wood shavings start showing up everywhere, she will appreciate you being outside.

You could take up flytying as well. Then tie something that looks like a big spider and leave it on the sofa...

I have no indoor hobbies besides trying to learn to sleep more. No luck so far, but I have a nice siesta today of 2 hours, so I have hope...

Ah, so you're getting the hang of being retired?:D

Tell her if you stick to cycling as a hobby, that it lessens the chance that you will be a sofa surfer when you're 85.

Here's one that always works: Tell your wife that she has become your new "hobby" Then remain relentlessly and cheerfully underfoot at all times. For example, follow her around the house, suggesting new and improved methods for any of the home chores for which she is responsible. Show her how to arrange cereal boxes in alphabetical order. Demonstrate why her method of folding underwear is all wrong. Within a week, she'll beg you to buy that new carbon fiber bike you've been dreaming of.

wouldn't she have to be doing some chores ????????????

Only 51 and the wife is looking to keep you busy, well this could be very good or very bad.

Seems she is sanctioning you buying new toys, I would not let that opportunity pass me by.

Here's one that always works: Tell your wife that she has become your new "hobby" Then remain relentlessly and cheerfully underfoot at all times. For example, follow her around the house, suggesting new and improved methods for any of the home chores for which she is responsible. Show her how to arrange cereal boxes in alphabetical order. Demonstrate why her method of folding underwear is all wrong. Within a week, she'll beg you to buy that new carbon fiber bike you've been dreaming of.

Better be careful. She might tell you if you don't like the way she does things to do it yourself. My ex ended up doing his own laundry because he felt the need to give me some hints on how to do it:notamused:

Only 51 and the wife is looking to keep you busy, well this could be very good or very bad.

Seems she is sanctioning you buying new toys, I would not let that opportunity pass me by.

Get into woodworking. My husband has chosen that as his indoor retirement hobby. He's just started putting it together and took his first class. This is his dream:

http://benchmark.20m.com/workshop/ShopTour/ShopPic01.jpg

He's postponing retirement in order to buy toys. :)

Get into woodworking. My husband has chosen that as his indoor retirement hobby.

I did this several years ago - great opportunities to buy toys.
I have made several nice pieces of furniture and the wife has asked for several more.
I have a large collection of woods now after having helped friends cut down trees and having them sawed up into boards, nice cherry, oak, maple, etc.

This is the thing that gets me through April and November - the two months where both the skiing and biking are marginal.

TruF, that is one great-looking shop. I wish I had that kind of indoor space. :)

I have another hobby for this year and it is called "Building the wifes New Swimming pool"

You should have taken up the drums (as Retro suggested) and bought her a membership at the local swimming club then you wouldn't have to heat the thing for the rest of your life...

Have you tried bicycle restoration? Get yourself an old Columbia or J.C. Higgens. Plenty of opportunity for puttering in the garage. We've gotten the local Car Cruisin to accept bicycles and are having lots of fun showing them off.

Here's one that always works: Tell your wife that she has become your new "hobby" Then remain relentlessly and cheerfully underfoot at all times. For example, follow her around the house, suggesting new and improved methods for any of the home chores for which she is responsible. Show her how to arrange cereal boxes in alphabetical order. Demonstrate why her method of folding underwear is all wrong. Within a week, she'll beg you to buy that new carbon fiber bike you've been dreaming of.

After all that, I could imagine having to spend a looooonnnnnggg time outside, sleeping in the doghouse!!!

After all that, I could imagine having to spend a looooonnnnnggg time outside, sleeping in the doghouse!!!

I prefer the old car up on blocks in the driveway. The cushions are softer.

TruF, that is one great-looking shop. I wish I had that kind of indoor space. :)

Oh! That is a photo I snagged from the Internet. Didn't mean to mislead. That's his dream. The reality is a two car garage with only one tool: his first toy - a table saw.

Some people have spent a happy couple of years convincing strangers on the electric interweb of the merits of white bicycles;)