During pandemic lockdown have you found any new hobbies or things that you really enjoy doing?

Flying Crane

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Almost six months since this thread started, when the hell will this end?

I'm about to restart an old hobby, writing screenplays. Just bought a new Mac computer and the program needed, should be here in a couple more days. I'm kind of pumped up. :)
I’m hoping to restart an old hobby eventually: having a job.
 

dvcochran

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Almost six months since this thread started, when the hell will this end?

I'm about to restart an old hobby, writing screenplays. Just bought a new Mac computer and the program needed, should be here in a couple more days. I'm kind of pumped up. :)
Good for you Buka. Is it a pure hobby or can you sell your work? I hope you have fun with it either way.

It is very different in the southeast, or should I say much the same. I have had to travel some for work but the farthest I have been is Ohio. Brother is it different there and one can easily see how stymied things can get. There are some things in manufacturing (particularly assembly) that are near impossible to do per the current guidelines.
Numbers overall have been going down (even when the media tried to say they were going up) and TN saw the same peak back in April/May and have trended down ever since. It is still impossible to differentiate typical cold/flu related illnesses/deaths from C-19 because of how things are being reported recorded. When a representative from the federal medical commission is on record saying people who had C-19 at the time of death, regardless of C.O.D. will be recorded as a C-19 statistic, you know the numbers are being inflated and manipulated. I put a video on the forum about this a while back.
One Fxxked up world right now. I just try to stay out of it and do my jobs.

I was at Walmart with my wife yesterday (date night:)) and started wondering how well grocers and stores like Walmart, Kroger, etc... must be doing. Dry good, canned goods, and even produce has to be going quite well this year. Makes me believe this year has been more of an economic shift in focus but at the end of the day the big bucket will be about as full as always. One thing is certain; there will damn sure be a state by state tax hike to help pay back all the federal funding going on.
 

Buka

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Good for you Buka. Is it a pure hobby or can you sell your work? I hope you have fun with it either way.

I sold a couple some years ago, optioned a few more. Hollywood will be hungry for content when this pandemic goes away, looking forward to helping them out. :cat:

It's kind of fun coming up with the concepts, putting them together is always a pain in the butt.
 

dvcochran

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Good for you Buka. Is it a pure hobby or can you sell your work? I hope you have fun with it either way.

It is very different in the southeast, or should I say much the same. I have had to travel some for work but the farthest I have been is Ohio. Brother is it different there and one can easily see how stymied things can get. There are some things in manufacturing (particularly assembly) that are near impossible to do per the current guidelines.
Numbers overall have been going down (even when the media tried to say they were going up) and TN saw the same peak back in April/May and have trended down ever since. It is still impossible to differentiate typical cold/flu related illnesses/deaths from C-19 because of how things are being reported recorded. When a representative from the federal medical commission is on record saying people who had C-19 at the time of death, regardless of C.O.D. will be recorded as a C-19 statistic, you know the numbers are being inflated and manipulated. I put a video on the forum about this a while back.
One Fxxked up world right now. I just try to stay out of it and do my jobs.

I was at Walmart with my wife yesterday (date night:)) and started wondering how well grocers and stores like Walmart, Kroger, etc... must be doing. Dry good, canned goods, and even produce has to be going quite well this year. Makes me believe this year has been more of an economic shift in focus but at the end of the day the big bucket will be about as full as always. One thing is certain; there will damn sure be a state by state tax hike to help pay back all the federal funding going on.
I'll bite. Disagree with what?
 

dvcochran

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We all know you didn’t take your wife on a date to Walmart. Way too classy for you.
You know the sad truth is that I really did. We go about every 2-3 months and end up spending about $500 so it was an Expensive date night.
 

JR 137

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Me too brother.
Home Depot would be a great date night. We’d spend a couple hundred dollars on Milwaukee tools and materials to make stuff. I’d be the only one on a date though. She’d consider it anything other than a date.

I guess I really do have some red neck in me :)
 
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JR 137

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Finishing up on cleaning out the garage. Hopefully by the end of my weekend (Wednesday). Everything got thrown in there when we bought the house in November.

Once that’s done, I can finally set up the wood shop. I’ve got to make a dog house for the puppy we’re getting mid October. Then some odd and end stuff. Then new living room furniture. Then a new bedroom set.

Got an awesome DeWalt table saw and Hitachi miter saw sitting in their boxes just waiting for me to have the space to put them to work. Snatched them up dirt cheap on sale.
 

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Finishing up on cleaning out the garage. Hopefully by the end of my weekend (Wednesday). Everything got thrown in there when we bought the house in November.

Once that’s done, I can finally set up the wood shop. I’ve got to make a dog house for the puppy we’re getting mid October. Then some odd and end stuff. Then new living room furniture. Then a new bedroom set.

Got an awesome DeWalt table saw and Hitachi miter saw sitting in their boxes just waiting for me to have the space to put them to work. Snatched them up dirt cheap on sale.
Sounds awesome. I dream of having enough room to set up a semi-permanent shop. I have to pull everything out, set it up, tear it down at the end of the day (or weekend) and then repeat. The table saw is on a quasi-portable stand, and the miter saw goes onto a frame that I can fold up and stow away. I would love to get a router and router table set up, too.
 

Steve

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And the best food in the country, in my opinion.
I've found great food every where I've been. Just get what the locals are most proud of, and you can't go wrong.

Right now, I'm eating a lot of Ethiopian food. During the pandemic, as a way to maintain contact with our neighbors, we've been cooking for each other. It's primarily a group of four families, but others join in the fun every once in awhile. Nothing formal. I usually stick with BBQ, but I made a bunch of tuna casserole after I learned that none of the other three families had ever had it before. For the record, my tuna casserole is really good. Not bragging... it's just a fact. In return, I get a lot of Ethiopian and Indian food. I can't complain. It's awesome.

It's also a great way to avoid eating too much sweets. I can make a cake and give most of it away.
 

Buka

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New Orleans has the best food I’ve ever eaten. Not even close.

I really like New Orleans food, too.

But Alabama, oh man, Alabama has some serious chow.
 

JR 137

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I've found great food every where I've been. Just get what the locals are most proud of, and you can't go wrong.

Right now, I'm eating a lot of Ethiopian food. During the pandemic, as a way to maintain contact with our neighbors, we've been cooking for each other. It's primarily a group of four families, but others join in the fun every once in awhile. Nothing formal. I usually stick with BBQ, but I made a bunch of tuna casserole after I learned that none of the other three families had ever had it before. For the record, my tuna casserole is really good. Not bragging... it's just a fact. In return, I get a lot of Ethiopian and Indian food. I can't complain. It's awesome.

It's also a great way to avoid eating too much sweets. I can make a cake and give most of it away.
Sounds like a great community.

I want to get rolling and folding table saw and miter saw stands. They’re just too expensive to justify for me. I got a hell of a good deal on my miter saw - $79 for a hitachi 10” saw brand new at Lowe’s. It’s currently $175. The stand would easily cost more than the saw itself.

I got my 8 1/4” DeWalt table saw for $299, normally $399. The stand I want costs $160, which is a little more than half of what I paid for the saw.

I’ll make my own stands. I’ve got some good plans I’ve been eyeing up.
 

JR 137

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I really like New Orleans food, too.

But Alabama, oh man, Alabama has some serious chow.
Alabama is one of the handful of states I haven’t been to.

And in New Orleans, I’m not talking about high-end eateries like Emril’s (which was excellent), but the local hole-in-the-wall type places. I’d love a Po’ Boy right now. A fried oyster or alligator Po’ Boy would so hit the spot. Mufaletta sandwich too. They use these amazing seasonings that are just so perfect. Unlike anywhere else I’ve been.
 

Flying Crane

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Alabama is one of the handful of states I haven’t been to.

And in New Orleans, I’m not talking about high-end eateries like Emril’s (which was excellent), but the local hole-in-the-wall type places. I’d love a Po’ Boy right now. A fried oyster or alligator Po’ Boy would so hit the spot. Mufaletta sandwich too. They use these amazing seasonings that are just so perfect. Unlike anywhere else I’ve been.
Similar in San Francisco. Hole-in-the-wall taquerias, Vietnamese and and Thai restaurants are frequently awesome.
 

dvcochran

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Finishing up on cleaning out the garage. Hopefully by the end of my weekend (Wednesday). Everything got thrown in there when we bought the house in November.

Once that’s done, I can finally set up the wood shop. I’ve got to make a dog house for the puppy we’re getting mid October. Then some odd and end stuff. Then new living room furniture. Then a new bedroom set.

Got an awesome DeWalt table saw and Hitachi miter saw sitting in their boxes just waiting for me to have the space to put them to work. Snatched them up dirt cheap on sale.
You know it's funny. Our dad was a carpenter/general contractor and my two brothers are as well. Growing up it was just part of your summer days working with dad. I can do general carpentry OK but am by no means a finish man and certainly not a furniture builder. I just never had the bone for it. Put a wrench or a wire or a computer in front of me and I do okay. I can swing a hammer and frame and it will be square and plumb but it will not be as 'pretty' as some.
 

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