COVID Quarantine Hobbies

[Birdstrike]

I'm wondering if anyone else has picked up new or rekindled old hobbies or habits due to extra free time and boredom during the ongoing lockdowns. Mine has been getting back into long distance running. I've even been stupid enough to start a daily running streak or running every day at least 1 mile, with no days off, to see how long I can keep it up. So far, I'm at 36 days and counting. Not only is it allowing me to get in shape and fight the risk of bloating up during this lockdown by gorging myself full of ice cream, doritis, and Nextflix marathons, it's given time for countless hours of musical explorations (see EM Grateful Dead listening thread). Now I have visions of qualifying for the Boston marathon next year and I've convinced myself I feel twenty again. What's your quarantine hobby?

What's making you say, "F--- it, yolo, I'm mad glad to just be alive"?

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[Groove]

Way to go. I’ve also been running but only about 2-3 times a week. Maybe 3-4 miles each. Feels good but is a long way from my 25 mi/week habit few years back before I fractured my sesamoid. I’ve been doing a lot of mountain biking but it’s not terribly strenuous riding. I’m lucky in that I have several mountain biking trails very close by my house that I can enjoy. I’ve been missing the gym the most but so far have resisted the urge to buy a home gym. I just fail to see the economics and hopefully gyms will reopen soon. I need to drop about 10-15 lbs. Too many late night snacks and too much whisky during quarantine...

 

[gutonc]

Oddly, despite our gym being closed, I've been exercising more as well. A run, row or bike workout (usually with some weights thrown in) at least 6 days a week. I've dropped 7# in the last 6 weeks (probably due more to the bars and restaurants being closed than the exercise) despite the fact that I was doing 4-5 HIIT workouts a week prior.

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

Does Jim Beam count as a hobby?

 

[Birdstrike]

Does Jim Beam count as a hobby?

Yes! Lol. I used to have an expensive single malt scotch “hobby” but had to give it up long ago for reasons that will go unsaid. Lol

 

[deleted547339]

Yes! Lol. I used to have an expensive single malt scotch “hobby” but had to give it up long ago for reasons that will go unsaid. Lol

alcoholism? Lol

 

[Tenk]

Thankfully my hospital is letting us use the rehab gym so I can still lift after my shifts.

Otherwise just been doing uphill laps on my mountain bike getting ready for the season to start.

 

[cyanide12345678]

Actually using my peloton now instead of it looking pretty in a corner

 

[bravotwozero]

I'm looking into getting an adjustable kettlebell, and doing workouts at home with online videos.

 

[Groove]

Actually using my peloton now instead of it looking pretty in a corner

The bike or tread? How you like it?

 

[cyanide12345678]

The bike or tread? How you like it?

The bike. It's pretty good, really pushes you.

I got my bike basically half price at $999, but i don't know if i would pay $2200 for it.

 

[dchristismi]

I've definitely been using my Peloton. And I paid full price, and it's definitely worth it.
It's too freaking hot here to run outside now (well, except before dawn, and then it's muggy as hell.) The exercise always helps.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Been on a DIY streak lately. I finished school a month ago and don’t start residency til June, so lots of time.

Installed some hammock chairs, and an outdoor fan in the yard, fixed the grill, converted an unused closet into my new office/gaming cave, and re-grouted our shower.

saved so much money not having to move!

 

[BoardingDoc]

Yes! Lol. I used to have an expensive single malt scotch “hobby” but had to give it up long ago for reasons that will go unsaid. Lol

Ooohhh. I am a fan of expensive single malt hobbies. I enjoy collecting expensive scotch almost as much as I enjoy drinking it.

I'm looking into getting an adjustable kettlebell, and doing workouts at home with online videos.

I got a set of adjustable dumbbells when this all started and they're working out great. Each is adjustable from 5lbs up to 52.5lbs. Those plus a workout bench and my peloton bike have made quarantine exercise basically unchanged from previously.

 

[gutonc]

Been on a DIY streak lately. I finished school a month ago and don’t start residency til June, so lots of time.

Installed some hammock chairs, and an outdoor fan in the yard, fixed the grill, converted an unused closet into my new office/gaming cave, and re-grouted our shower.

saved so much money not having to move!

This has been my other expanded (not exactly new) hobby. I've built a pergola, 2 firewood racks (one for the house, one for the shed), a gate for the front deck, a ballet barre for my daughter (who's ballet company's classes are all on Zoom now) and I'm halfway though some window planter boxes. None of this is "fine carpentry" but it's all "fun carpentry".

 

[Birdstrike]

I just ran ten more miles. I’m gonna start looking for nearby Strava segment records I can possibly break. Plus I just finished a 5 race virtual 5K series which was fun.

 

[Groove]

Ooohhh. I am a fan of expensive single malt hobbies. I enjoy collecting expensive scotch almost as much as I enjoy drinking it.

Nice, me too. I've got a ridiculous collection and I can't drink all of them so I have this wine preserver inert gas system that I spray in the bottles when I re-cork them so they don't oxidize. They'll keep for well over a year like that. I don't have anything crazy expensive but I do have a bottle of Bruichladdich Black Art that was very difficult to obtain and I simply refuse to open. I also like collecting the limited edition releases for some of my favorite distilleries. Admittedly, I'm somewhat of a scotch nerd. Watch "Scotch: A Golden Dream" if you haven't already. Pretty good documentary on Scottish single malt and the legendary Jim Mcewan. I think you can rent it on Amazon Prime.

 

[Groove]

I'm not much of a carpenter/woodworker type person but I've got a broken cabinet where the frame has splintered/broken that I may try to repair on my day off coming up. I'll either be extremely proud of my handyman skills or further destroy the cabinet and end up calling a repair guy. We'll find out in a couple of days.

Actually, that's not entirely honest. This will be my 2nd attempt at repair. The first involved gorilla glue and screws placed by an overenthusiastic power driller and it lasted for about a week before breaking again but I'm not ready to admit defeat quite yet.

 

[RustedFox]

Up until a few years ago, I very actively collected and traded baseball/hockey cards.
There's a few online forums where the trading is really fun.
I just "purged" a ton of common (READ: worthless) cards, trimmed down/updated my "trade bucket", and am uploading photos/lists to the regular websites.

I'm going to get out of trading simple inserts and such (though it really is a lot of fun) and I'm just going to focus on memorabilia-related items for a bit.

My "Martin St. Louis" collection is pretty damn respectable.
Fellow short-man, he wears my number (and I his).
We're both the 'speedy/flighty' skater-type, would rather dance around you than hit you in the chest and wonder why that didn't work.

 

[BoardingDoc]

Watch "Scotch: A Golden Dream" if you haven't already. Pretty good documentary on Scottish single malt and the legendary Jim Mcewan. I think you can rent it on Amazon Prime.

Just downloaded and added it to my media server. Will check it out later this week!

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

This has been my other expanded (not exactly new) hobby. I've built a pergola, 2 firewood racks (one for the house, one for the shed), a gate for the front deck, a ballet barre for my daughter (who's ballet company's classes are all on Zoom now) and I'm halfway though some window planter boxes. None of this is "fine carpentry" but it's all "fun carpentry".

Now that’s impressive. Our house came with a pergola but it got ripped to shreds during Irma. I’ve been waiting to build a new one for years.

“fine carpentry” describes nothing I’ve ever built

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

Is hiding in the basement for 3 consecutive tornado warnings a hobbies?

 

[Birdstrike]

Is hiding in the basement for 3 consecutive tornado warnings a hobbies?

It's starting to be.

 

[bravotwozero]

Speaking of home renovations etc, anyone think about or look into putting in a reverse osmosis water filtration system? It’s pricey, about 12k, though I know tap water quality in most parts of the country isn’t great. Just not sure If it’s worth it, as we currently have a water tank with a filter on top that we just fill tap water....


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[TooMuchResearch]

Speaking of home renovations etc, anyone think about or look into putting in a reverse osmosis water filtration system? It’s pricey, about 12k, though I know tap water quality in most parts of the country isn’t great. Just not sure If it’s worth it, as we currently have a water tank with a filter on top that we just fill tap water....


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$12k??? Is that a whole house RO system? Single tap (with a run to a nearby refrigerator tap/ice maker) should be $1-1.2k for a deluxe model. Our whole house carbon filtration+water softener+kitchen only RO system, from one of the more expensive companies, was around $6k installed. DIY with standard equipment would have been under half that I think. Also I still wouldn't have finished the job

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[bravotwozero]

$12k??? Is that a whole house RO system? Single tap (with a run to a nearby refrigerator tap/ice maker) should be $1-1.2k for a deluxe model. Our whole house carbon filtration+water softener+kitchen only RO system, from one of the more expensive companies, was around $6k installed. DIY with standard equipment would have been under half that I think. Also I still wouldn't have finished the job

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Yeah that was a whole house RO system. I know carbon systems are half the price.


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[TooMuchResearch]

Why do you need RO on all water in the house? Mostly for my own curiosity. The company that did ours said they can put them in but they're expensive and can significantly affect water pressure.

Yeah that was a whole house RO system. I know carbon systems are half the price.


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[bravotwozero]

I guess I don’t ? I don’t know, had one the sales reps from these companies do a demo in my house and tried to convince me I needed that because the RO water is not as ‘hard’ and soap dissolves better produces more suds etc...


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[TooMuchResearch]

Sure, but just the water softener does that. RO is really only needed for drinking as far as I know and only if your water is gross. So a whole house carbon filtration + water softener with just a tap RO system (under sink) should work. Unless I'm misinformed. Maybe someone else should step in to explain while I take a nap.

I guess I don’t ? I don’t know, had one the sales reps from these companies do a demo in my house and tried to convince me I needed that because the RO water is not as ‘hard’ and soap dissolves better produces more suds etc...


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[dchristismi]

I had an RO system when I had a (big) saltwater reef aquarium, and it tasted far better than the well water we had at the time, but no way it's worth $12K. And I'd just hook it up when I needed to top off the evaporation or do water changes. If you had a 200+gallon reef, sure, but you'd also have well more than $12K invested in the reef alone and you wouldn't be asking.

I spent far less on a softener which makes your soap more effective and water taste better and is all you need. If you even need it. If some dude came to your house to do a demo, don't fall for it.

 

[TooMuchResearch]

Our water is so much better after whole house carbon (it all smelled of chlorine before) and water softener (less dry, cracking skin, thinks allegedly wash better), and RO water on tap with mineral cartridge to add a few things back in is great. The sales people all do the stupid demonstration...I had multiple bids and they all played games and did magic tricks (more or less) to ooh and awe me.

I had an RO system when I had a (big) saltwater reef aquarium, and it tasted far better than the well water we had at the time, but no way it's worth $12K. And I'd just hook it up when I needed to top off the evaporation or do water changes. If you had a 200+gallon reef, sure, but you'd also have well more than $12K invested in the reef alone and you wouldn't be asking.

I spent far less on a softener which makes your soap more effective and water taste better and is all you need. If you even need it. If some dude came to your house to do a demo, don't fall for it.

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[thegenius]

in general is tap water that bad that one needs reverse osmosis? I never even heard of it.

I just turn on the tap and drink the water.

Maybe I'm going to die from heavy metal poisoning in the near future.

Seems like, to me, that it's quackery but I believe that most tap water is probably good enough.

 

[RustedFox]

in general is tap water that bad that one needs reverse osmosis? I never even heard of it.

I just turn on the tap and drink the water.

Maybe I'm going to die from heavy metal poisoning in the near future.

Seems like, to me, that it's quackery but I believe that most tap water is probably good enough.

I used to think this, too.
But I got a simple purifier and the taste is radically different.

 

[Apollyon]

in general is tap water that bad that one needs reverse osmosis? I never even heard of it.

I just turn on the tap and drink the water.

Maybe I'm going to die from heavy metal poisoning in the near future.

Seems like, to me, that it's quackery but I believe that most tap water is probably good enough.

Believe it or don't, there's (not surprisingly) a lot of nuance with drinking water. Some 15 years ago, I posted a thread elsewhere on here entitled "Tasty Tap Water". Where I live, right on the Great Lakes, the water out of the tap is wonderful. There are federal standards, but (in the past, at least) there were, I think, 6 cities (including SF) that exceeded federal standards, so, they weren't liable for the Feds.

But, it's interesting. I think it's the Kroger bottled water that comes from "the municipal water supply of Greensboro, NC".

 

[thegenius]

I can see getting reverse water transcriptase or whatever because it tastes better.
But are we to believe the regular old tap water is that much more unhealthy?

Are you guys using this kind of gizmo hooked to a faucet?
Or do you have to install it on your water system.

 

[RustedFox]

I can see getting reverse water transcriptase or whatever because it tastes better.
But are we to believe the regular old tap water is that much more unhealthy?

Are you guys using this kind of gizmo hooked to a faucet?
Or do you have to install it on your water system.

I had one installed for not too much.
Small unit, outside of the house.
The difference is night and day.

I should state that everyone in my city knows that the tapwater is awful.

When I go to visit my dad in the PA Wilds, the water is like, magic.

 

[bravotwozero]

in general is tap water that bad that one needs reverse osmosis? I never even heard of it.

I just turn on the tap and drink the water.

Maybe I'm going to die from heavy metal poisoning in the near future.

Seems like, to me, that it's quackery but I believe that most tap water is probably good enough.

There's regional variations for sure. There's actually a website where you can enter your zipcode, and it gives you a report about the tap water quality in your area. Alternatively, you an also buy something called a TDS meter (total dissolved solids), dip it in a glass of tap water, and it'll tell you how much crap is dissolved in it. EPA limits for certain carcinogens in the water are typically higher than what can cause cancers.

I use alexapure water filter, which has a ceramic filter, where you pour water on the top level and it filters through the bottom level. I did notice a dramatic improvement in the quality of drinking water with it.

 

[Birdstrike]

alcoholism? Lol

Personal decision to no longer drink single malt scotch.

 

[RustedFox]

There's regional variations for sure. There's actually a website where you can enter your zipcode, and it gives you a report about the tap water quality in your area. Alternatively, you an also buy something called a TDS meter (total dissolved solids), dip it in a glass of tap water, and it'll tell you how much crap is dissolved in it. EPA limits for certain carcinogens in the water are typically higher than what can cause cancers.

I use alexapure water filter, which has a ceramic filter, where you pour water on the top level and it filters through the bottom level. I did notice a dramatic improvement in the quality of drinking water with it.

I used this website and looked at my own zipcode.
Yeah; our tap water was truly awful.

Thanks, amigo.

 

[thegenius]

Oh boy

My zip code:

I'm going to become radioactive and die in about 5 years.

But maybe I'll sprout wings and fly, and get incredible xray vision before I croak.

 

[Birdstrike]

Interesting how many of these nasty sounding chemicals have "no legal limit." Is that insane or are those chemicals not proven to do anything?

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

Interesting how many of these nasty sounding chemicals have "no legal limit." Is that insane or are those chemicals not proven to do anything?

Notice that they all say "Potential Effect: Cancer".

Its like when you buy stuff from Pottery Barn that says "this product contains chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer"

 

[Birdstrike]

Notice that they all say "Potential Effect: Cancer".

Its like when you buy stuff from Pottery Barn that says "this product contains chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer"

"Sunshine and grilled vegetables, known to cause cancer in the state of California."

 

[TJRock]

Interesting how many of these nasty sounding chemicals have "no legal limit." Is that insane or are those chemicals not proven to do anything?

Keep in mind that the EWG is an advocacy organization that ignores, according to their website, technological and economic limitations to meeting certain concentrations. There are many things that exist in drinking water that do not have "legal limits", ie, no federal Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL). That is because many compounds have no known health effects in humans or because compounds like hexavalent chromium are included in the total chromium MCL and don't have separate federal MCLs.

The EWG compares the reported data to concentrations that are, in many cases, impossible or prohibitively expensive to achieve through treatment. And, as noted, EWG assumes, as does California, that any compound that has ever been suspected of causing cancer is, in fact, a carcinogen.

Some of the compounds (bromidichloromethane, chloroform, dibromochloromethane) are also included in the Total Trihalomethane concentration, so they are, in essence, listed twice. These are the result of using chlorine to disinfect the water supply.

 

[bravotwozero]

So, anyone have a decent espresso machine at home they like? looking into getting one, preferably a super automatic. Almost too many to choose from.

 

[Torsion]

So, anyone have a decent espresso machine at home they like? looking into getting one, preferably a super automatic. Almost too many to choose from.

I've been happy with my Delonghi Dedica. Makes a decent cappuccino, is affordable as far as espresso machines go, and doesn't take up an entire counter.

 

[turkeyjerky]

So, anyone have a decent espresso machine at home they like? looking into getting one, preferably a super automatic. Almost too many to choose from.

How come you want a super-automatic? I use a breville infuser + breville smart grinder pro and it works well for me. Honestly, best purchases I've ever made.

 

[bravotwozero]

How come you want a super-automatic? I use a breville infuser + breville smart grinder pro and it works well for me. Honestly, best purchases I've ever made.

The semi automatics seem a bit...complicated? You have to tamper with the settings manually, if I understand things correctly.

That said, I have read a lot of good reviews about breville and de longhi.

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[thegenius]

Do any of these models, you just put in the beans, hit a button, and it makes espresso for you? Or are you like a barista and pushing down the grinds, cleaning out the thingy, etc. You froth your own milk?

 

[bravotwozero]

So the super automatic models are the one that do everything for you, except the milk frothing. just press a button, and out comes the espresso, and you froth the milk separately. The semi automatic ones are where you get to manually adjust the settings to your liking to get the ideal crema to your liking.