Name some believable hobbies for me

[HamburgerBoy]

So, I went to the charity concert, and in the course of it (I bailed after two hours and got to sign off for extra credit btw) an individual sat next to me and asked me what my hobbies were. I told him that I was into computer games. That is true, but they make up no more than ~10% of my free time. However, I can't tell people that my true hobbies are arguing with people on the internet and having conversations with myself, so what else can I do? No one would believe me if I told them I was into athletics, and while a lot of people ask me if I play an instrument (both bands I saw were full of skinny white kids just like me) I in fact do not. So, what socially acceptable hobbies exist for a pasty nerdy guy to claim to have?

 

[LiuKangBakinPie]

I went on a date the other week. We discussed our hobbies, and it turn out she really liked going to car boots.

I should let the bitch out now, it's been 5 days...

 

[xSauronx]

growing weed, skateboarding, photography.

 

[her209]

Cosplay + LARPing

 

[Slew Foot]

Magic the gathering

 

[drebo]

growing weed, skateboarding, photography.

So he's supposed to be a hipster then?

OP: RC cars/planes/helicopters would be a good one...geeky enough to be believable, but still pretty cool and interesting.

 

[MichaelD]

I went on a date the other week. We discussed our hobbies, and it turn out she really liked going to car boots.

I should let the bitch out now, it's been 5 days...

What's a "car boot?"

 

[HamburgerBoy]

growing weed, skateboarding, photography.

Skateboarding SHOULD be a hobby, especially since I've been wearing the same Quiksilver t-shirts I had in high school (a couple even from middle school). However, that's coincides with about when I stopped skateboarding. I probably should; every time I see kids that look like me I fear that they're going to call me out on it and call me a poser (which I am).

A girl in a biochemistry lab asked me take a picture of her and her friends once. They had to give me instructions on which button to press.

 

[MichaelD]

Who cares about "socially acceptable?" As long as your hobby isn't killing hookers and wearing their skin, or knitting your own underwear, whatever makes you happy and feel fulfilled inside is totally fine.

Over the past 30 years I've:

Collected comic books
Played video games
Kept non-venomous snakes as pets
Rode motorcycles
Played guitar
Played bass
Built things out of wood (tried, anyway)
Tried to paint (miserable failure)
Tried to carve things (almost cut my hand off)
Collected movies old/new/documentary/musical...all types

Some I still do, some I come back to once in awhile, some I haven't done ever again. It's all about what makes me happy and you should do the same.

 

[CallMeJoe]

Who cares about "socially acceptable?" As long as your hobby isn't killing hookers and wearing their skin, or knitting your own underwear, whatever makes you happy and feel fulfilled inside is totally fine...

What exactly is wrong with my hobbies?

 

[Baked]

- Speed Dating
- Liquor Tasting
- Beach Stalking

 

[MichaelD]

What exactly is wrong with my hobbies?

Umm...well I....you see it's like this...Sir....yeeahhhh...

/slowly back out of room with smile on face
/quietly moves desk in front of door
/runs...fast and far

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Who cares about "socially acceptable?" As long as your hobby isn't killing hookers and wearing their skin, or knitting your own underwear, whatever makes you happy and feel fulfilled inside is totally fine.

Over the past 30 years I've:

Collected comic books
Played video games
Kept non-venomous snakes as pets
Rode motorcycles
Played guitar
Played bass
Built things out of wood (tried, anyway)
Tried to paint (miserable failure)
Tried to carve things (almost cut my hand off)
Collected movies old/new/documentary/musical...all types

Some I still do, some I come back to once in awhile, some I haven't done ever again. It's all about what makes me happy and you should do the same.

So if you were in my shoes and a classmate asked "Hey, what do you do in your free time?", you would reply "I post on ATOT"? And don't say "No, I'd stop being a shut-in virgin" because that's what fulfills my life. I look at my life and I literally spend 90% of my free time on the internet, reading and replying to random crap. I couldn't ever admit to that.

 

[ImpulsE69]

Serial Rapist...or Serial Killer...or Both.

 

[MotF Bane]

Umm...well I....you see it's like this...Sir....yeeahhhh...

/slowly back out of room with smile on face
/quietly moves desk in front of door
/runs...fast and far

Unless you're a hooker, sounds like you're perfectly safe around him.

 

[busydude]

Origami

 

[CallMeJoe]

Unless you're a hooker, sounds like you're perfectly safe around him.

It's his fear of knit underwear.

 

[LiuKangBakinPie]

What's a "car boot?"

Trunk

 

[MichaelD]

So if you were in my shoes and a classmate asked "Hey, what do you do in your free time?", you would reply "I post on ATOT"? And don't say "No, I'd stop being a shut-in virgin" because that's what fulfills my life. I look at my life and I literally spend 90% of my free time on the internet, reading and replying to random crap. I couldn't ever admit to that.

Honestly, I'd say "I really enjoy browsing the net. Especially any technology-related websites. Knowing what the next big gadget will be is interesting for me." That's an honest, adult response. The jocks and mentally small might call you a nerd, but really, in the big picture of things, who's the real smart guy? You are. Down the road, after this point in your life, the people that search and read and click the link to read some more are the ones that get ahead. Know all you can about what you like, that way you're always prepared to explain your position. Whether that be to get a job, make yourself interesting to that girl or just socialize in a social setting. Our differences are what make us unique.

To me, as long as someone has decent social skills and isn't obviously insane, they are interesting to me. I don't care that you don't look like me. What matters is who you are as a person. I can respect those who are respectful and enjoy their own life.

Now, not everyone I meet becomes a "friend". But we are the sum of our experiences. I may meet you at some gathering and you say that you hang out on this techie forum calleed Anandtech. Someone else may say they have been posting on Arstechnica (dunno if it still exists) for a long time. I can relate. Be yourself, but be mindful of your surroundings.

I.E. if you really enjoy dressing up as Honkers The Goodtime Clown, that's fine. But at a frat party it's probably not a good idea to let your freak flag fly like that.

 

[schneiderguy]

Buy a Mosin Nagant for $100 so you can say you're into firearms, antiques, history, and foreign cultures. It'll make the women wet.

 

[alkemyst]

Skateboarding SHOULD be a hobby, especially since I've been wearing the same Quiksilver t-shirts I had in high school (a couple even from middle school). However, that's coincides with about when I stopped skateboarding. I probably should; every time I see kids that look like me I fear that they're going to call me out on it and call me a poser (which I am).

A girl in a biochemistry lab asked me take a picture of her and her friends once. They had to give me instructions on which button to press.

if you use your tongue, it's becomes clear where it's at.

 

[brianmanahan]

ATOT

ummm

and the internet?

 

[MichaelD]

Trunk

Oh, OK. You're a Brit. Got it. Didn't know...a bit embarassed that I didn't catch that as I lived in the UK for a little while. :\

 

[LiuKangBakinPie]

Oh, OK. You're a Brit. Got it. Didn't know...a bit embarassed that I didn't catch that as I lived in the UK for a little while. :\

Not a brit but we also call it a car boot, fill our tanks with petrol and change gears when driving

Another two
"Hunting and women"

 

[JulesMaximus]

Try something that doesn't involve being lazy and sitting in front of a computer. Take up surfing or cycling or... hell, I don't know, buy a fedora hat and a fixie and take up smoking.