What is your current obsession?
5I’ve always enjoyed listening to people passionately speak about something they love, especially when they have a deep understanding of the topic. Even if I have no prior knowledge or interest in whatever it is they’re obsessed with I usually end up wanting to be a part of it.
I could go for some really good Absinthe right about now.
Ever since I was a young kid looking out the window past my bedtime I’ve been fascinated by outer space. I’ve recently been watching the new Cosmos series relaunch hosted by Neil DeGrasse Tyson and I’ve really enjoyed it. It makes me want to learn so much more than I know about our galaxy, and the universe. My favorite speech about space is from the original Cosmos, Carl Sagan’s The Pale Blue Dot
How can you not be fascinated by the knowledge that billions of years from now the Milky Way and Andromeda Galaxies will collide and merge to form Milkdromeda?
So what about you, what are you obsessed with right now?
- 27 comments, 16 replies
- Comment
Poopy, zerberts and any toys/books/contraptions that will keep my baby girl occupied for more than 7.3 mins at a time. The latest entry being the exersaucer with a max occupancy time of 17 mins.
@denboy, We had a similar issue. Once our daughter was old enough to have "tummy time" we got her one of these:
It's a Vtech Learn and Dance Interactive Zoo. I bet she logged a thousand hours or more on it. She'd grab onto that control stick and make the monkey dance for hours. It was quite the perfect toy.
Currently, I've been obsessing over the outside of our home. From roofing to landscaping, we're in the middle of an exterior makeover. I was really hoping to have it done by spring but my wife insisted on a kitchen remodel that put me behind by a few months.
@capguncowboy thanks for the suggestion, looks like a fun toy. How old was she when this item was most popular?
With all your interior and exterior projects I'm expecting to see some before and after pics posted so we can ooh and ahh.....or laugh, whichever seems appropriate.
@denboy, She was about 4-5 months old when we got it. She played with it for 1-2 hours at a time 1-2 times a day until she started walking (about 9 months). Even after she started walking, she would play with it for an hour or so at a time every other day until she was about 15 months old. We only retired it because the music and sounds started to get under our skin after nearly a year of constant noisemaking.
I'll be sure to post some pictures when I wrap up these last few odds and ends on our remodeling.
Commercial building architecture that identifies the buildings origins. UTBAPHs are the most obvious. You've all seen them. Used To Be A Pizza Hut.
Every has-been strip mall I see in my typical travels used to have some major (or regionally major) retailer in it. KMarts are usually pretty obvious too. Lots of concrete. Shallow arches. Baffled concrete wall near where the garden center once stood.
Here's one you probably won't know, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd been in the same store, somewhere.
http://goo.gl/maps/ABvzg
Now it's a furniture store called "The Dump." It used to be a Bradlees. I grew up in a different area of NJ and went to Bradlees often. But the look was completely different. Here's the one I grew up with (in these pics, long since abandoned.):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10073060@N00/sets/72157621999511694/
Skipping over some details that I don't know, Two Guys department stores operated buildings with that architecture before they were sold to Jefferson Ward, then Bradlees. Maybe they're the originator. Maybe not.
Note the mirror/reverse architecture. I never went to this location as a child either, but I did drive by here on occassion. It's possible that I just recognize the building from the road. What's niggling me is that my parents met at a Two Guys.
looks like no one shops there - no wonder it keeps changing!
@fgarriel, I remember there being a period of time in the 90's where all theaters were expected to go out of business and when they did, the spots they occupied were a challenge to lease again. It was cool to see various laser-tag and nightclub iterations trying to use the rooms efficiently. These 'big box' retailers are the next to be disrupted.
The Dump chain is growing fast I believe. Good marketers.
@snapster, That shopping center in Toms River (from the Flickr link) had a movie theater in it too. It was the Dover Twin (two screens!).
That shopping center was in a surprising number of life events for me, most of which were mediocre. I saw Batman and Pee Wee Herman's Big Adventure there. I choked on parsley in the restaurant, threw up all over the table, and most memorably, ruined my younger brother's Shirley Temple cocktail. I had one of my first jobs there stocking shelves at the grocery store. I signed on the line to be a Marine there when I was 17 (my parents wisely didn't consent, and I remained a civilian). I had my wedding reception there. In the restaurant, not the grocery store. Yes, the restaurant I threw up in. And now they've torn it all down, and I'm ok with it. It was a dump.
oh, and go tell The Dump about $5 shipping. They want $150 to deliver and not-fully-assemble a $400 bunk bed. Charge $450 and make shipping on everything $5 within a reasonable radius.
My current obsession is no Cosmo's, but I have started making and selling mason jar soap/lotion dispensers.
And I'm waiting on supplies to make sippy cups.
So, my current obsession is a drill, epoxy, and cute decorative crap... and selling it. That part is going well, considering I only posted to a couple local FB groups and I have someone picking up a custom order tomorrow and pre-orders for Easter.
wow, how long would that soap dispenser last when full. neat idea
@Thumperchick, We did a Ball Jar soap pump in our kitchen to compliment our Mason jar pendant lights. Combined with our farm sink, it gives the kitchen a warm country feel without feeling cheesy or cheap.
Ooh, I like it!
Gah, I just realized I deleted the pic that was here. I'll just leave this here for the 3 people who were into my stuff:
flourishandglass.com
f&g on instagram
Wow. You've been busy. Looks great ! Especially like the little lights. Good luck on you new endeavor !
Thanks @ceagee!
I've been pretty obsessed with brewing beer (homebrew).
It's really fascinating to me because there are so many techniques that can be used to brew better beer. I love talking with other homebrewers and learning about how they brew. It's been a really fun hobby for me.
@Kevin, I've really wanted to get into homebrewing for a while now, even bought a kit at a garage sale earlier this year but never used it. I know it's really not but it seems daunting to get started. Do you have any resources you'd recommend?
@JonT, I've been watching videos over at Northern Brewer
http://www.northernbrewer.com/learn/
I was considering documenting a brew on here a while back -- I just might do it for my next beer.
Please do! I'd love to see the process in action. Thanks for the info!
My current and forever obsession is beating the machine into submission before it does so to me.
I don't have any cool obsessions like you guys.
New obsession: Pinewood Derby, at least until Saturday.
Technically, this is for the Powder Puff Derby. That's where the Girl Scouts abandon their core values and ask the Boy Scouts to organize and run the derby for them. Everyone knows that's too tough for girls... or at least that's the message I'm seeing.
Oh man I remember doing the Pinewood Derby with my grandpa in scouts. One time I was late and they didn't let me race my car and I cried.
This particular derby is just for best time. Run once down each of 3 lanes. Sum total time, rank, derby over :(
I unabashedly cheated in the pinewood derby as a kid. And I'd do it again, Mwahaha.
My current obsession is exercise. I am up to about three hours a day. I am walking/jogging about 6 miles. The jogging is tough but I am at about a 60% walking / 40% jogging ratio at the moment. Once I am done with that I go home and work out with some weights and then stretching and ice packs.
I wish my obsession was exercise.
be sure to mix in some healthy food after your exercise. Think about buying that protein powder stuff to finish your workout.
My current obsession is the opposite of your current obsession.
Love it! I'm just starting to get into half marathons. I power walked my first one, and hope to walk/jog my second.
Mini bikes. I picked one up last fall while trying to buy a go kart from a guy -- ever since, I have been working diligently to find parts so I can refurbish it... and I've been buying other bikes in the mean time. It's fun and it's a challenge to find any vintage bikes around here. I'm sure the Mrs. wishes I'd go back to playing FPS games though
@fgarriel Our cub scout pack had issues with the derby. The software did not work, the finish line was broken. 3 hour delay in a hot gym. I volunteered next year, ordered parts, upgraded software, set up early and tested the track, soldered damaged parts.
Japanese cooking knives, part of the cooking obsession, I did some canning.
My current obsessions (besides cars, for which there is no cure) is Real Racing 3 on my iPhone, and riding my bike.
Real Racing 3 was something that I randomly selected to pass the time, and now it's something that I do in between other things. I feel like I have a lot of time/effort invested into it, and believe it or not...it's actually made me a better driver IRL.
My wife and I ride our bikes at least once a week, but starting last week I rode my bike for a bit before work. I really enjoyed riding by myself, even if it was only for about half of the normal distance that we ride (usually about 10-12 miles).
I'd like to start riding more frequently, and to be able to get up to around the 20-30 mile mark...but I'll need to replace my "Frankenbike" before that. A mountain bike that's been converted into a road bike can only carry me so far...
I tried Real Racing, but I prefer Asphalt Airborne 8. I just want to drive man!
I've been writing a lot of comic-book scripts, and prepping a film script. I'm actively working on 2 comic scripts, with 2 in hopper.
I'm excited to launch another comic, and it seems like the next to be released will be about a girl, an orca, a submarine, and aliens. So I've got that going for me. The second script is more graphic-novel like, and won't be ready for a while.
Film wise, I'm getting ready to write my first feature length script. I've written a couple short films (the first of which I'm hoping to get produced this year....kickstarter?) and the thought of writing a feature is...challenging and exciting. Let's go with that.
I am fascinated by great musicians. Steven Wilson (of Porcupine Tree) is one of those unheard-of artists that is a throwback to early progressive music but modernized. I can't stop listening to his solo album 'the raven that refused to sing' Just awesome songwriting.
I'm between obsessions, I usually change every few years, and I'm zeroing in on my new one. My past 3 were: photography (Canon 5d), then astronomy (Meade LX200), then brewing (all grain setup).
I'm currently waffling between learning the ins and outs of shooting a compound bow, or getting a used bobber motorcycle to tinker with.
All of those sound awesome! Be sure to post about whichever you decide, a motorcycle restoration would be great to read about.
My current obbsession is Prince call me a creep i do not care. i love my purple life