What do you all do for fun UKY?

I thought I would just create a fun topic -

What are your hobbies? How do you spend your free time?  What are you into? 
A lot of people move and don't know what they can get into and involved with and likewise, people sometimes need a change and need something new to do. And sometimes people can get into something and really love it and meet new people and  whatnot.  Doesn't really matter what you're into, be it reading, teaching Spanish, going to Mum's groups, taking photographs, baking. Let's hear it! 

I love to crochet, and I knit a little. I enjoy reading,I'm learning photography...and when I get settled back in England, I'm going to attempt some gardening. I also LOVE to cook. I don't like cleaning up after it, but I do enjoy the cooking (and the eating) 

For me, in no particular order

Playing trombone (play in a Swing Band and Salsa Band are my main ones and some other ones - Wind Bands/Jazz Bands every once in a while)
Play bass guitar in a folk/acoustic band

Dable in other instruments, though I don't play in any groups with them

Gardening! I <3 my allotment!!!

Choral singing!  

Volunteering - Diabetes UK, Children With Diabetes, Playing Maths games in Primary Schools, and being a STEM (Science-Technology-Engineering-Maths) Ambassador

Traveling

Cooking

Art: Sculpting Polymer Clay/Painting/Drawing

Designing websites (I run a few)

Going on whisky distillery tours

Hill walking/rambling

Reading

I also LOVE to cook. I don't like cleaning up after it, but I do enjoy the cooking (and the eating) 

Yay on the cooking and even better on the eating!! 

Everything I do is for fun! 

• I belong to three book groups! One I started, one I joined and one I've just been asked to join - the oldest book group in the world! Been going since 1770!
• I belong to the W.I. No, it's not all old ladies and jam-making! Give it a go if you're looking to make friends and do some interesting stuff. Our Institute meets in the evening, so perhaps that's why we have some younger members - working mums, etc. We have all sorts of fun outings to cool places, we go to the theatre, we walk, we do crafty things ... there's no end to the good stuff going on. The next thing up is learning to do chicken scratch embroidery which fascinates me. And after being a member for a year, I'm now Secretary!
• I'm also Secretary of our local chapter of NADFAS. We only started our group in January, but it's already great fun. We have monthly lectures about art and related arty subjects. I design our monthly newsletter. Also, in May we're going to be starting some volunteer heritage work cleaning and restoring old books. And we also put on trips and fun arty days. Next Friday I'm joining in an oil-painting workshop in the morning, followed by a tour of the late Sandra Blow's studio and a talk about her work.
• I'm on the committee of the Morrab Library - a local subscription library (one of only 19 in the country). Most of the work we do is fundraising, but that's not hard work - it's a lot of fun. We have a summer fair, a Christmas party and craft day, a Halloween supper, an Open Gardens tour, etc. Plus, there are little individual projects that anyone can get involved in - a friend and I are transcribing some really old cookery books (17th century we think) and hope to publish something related to them next year with proceeds going to the library.
• I go to pilates when I have time.
• I knit - but not very well.
• I'm learning to sew - slowly.
• I go to pub quiz on Thursday nights with a group of girlfriends.
• I take lots of photos, though I'm not very good. My Project 365 (366 this year) is here.
• And there's the usual meeting friends for coffee, lunch, drinks, etc.

I wish I had more days in the week!

But I am a bit envious of all you gardeners. I just can't face our overgrown garden - it's biggish and hasn't had anything done to it in about 15 years and the "challenge" is a bit too much for this novice gardener to face. Consequently, we haven't done anything with it. 

Oh such a fun topic! 

I would say that the thing I do the most is go to shows. 'Shows' generally being DIY punk/indie gigs. I've been doing that ever since the age of 15 and it still makes me happy happy happy. It's almost a way of life rather than a hobby, since so many of my friends are in bands and most of what we do revolves around music.

I really enjoy photography, though I'm not sure how successful I am at it! I fell out of it a bit, but I've been carrying one of my film cameras around lately. It's been a great exercise for me, since I actually have to think about it before I take the photo. Just like the olden days!  Plus, I find I'm more observant about my surroundings, which I am really taking a lot of pleasure from!

Also like to cook and bake, though I haven't been doing much of either now that I'm back in with my parents. 

I love watching films of all kinds, but especially documentaries. Think I might catch one at the Tribeca Film Festival this year. 

Another big one is art. It's what I've spent years studying (not doing!  ) and I love it, and try to get to museums when I can.

Reading, though I've been absolutely shameful so far this year. I haven't finished one book and I've started 4. This time last year, I'd already finished 6! 

Traveling. If I could somehow be paid to do this, it would be ideal!  I don't particularly enjoy flying, mostly because I feel like a sardine in a can on a plane, but it's a means to an end!

Wow chary!  How do you fit all that in, even without working a 'regular' job?  Sounds like you have loads of fun, though!

I would say that the thing I do the most is go to shows. 'Shows' generally being DIY punk/indie gigs. I've been doing that ever since the age of 15 and it still makes me happy happy happy. It's almost a way of life rather than a hobby, since so many of my friends are in bands and most of what we do revolves around music.

That sounds like my life 15 - 20 years ago!  How things have changed for me (but I am a middle-aged lady now  )

1.  Playing (mostly Irish trad music) my Celtic harp and fiddle are my main hobbies / activities.  I've done a handful of paying gigs as well, but need to get more of those!

I also play with 4 other harpists and we have a little ensemble.  My hubby and I play together a bit (we've got a wedding gig coming up in July).  We go to a regular open mic night when we can which is run by a friend of ours.

2.  I do love walking in the countryside (when it's at a pace I can keep up with). 

3.  Another interest is in ancient sacred sites (stone circles, holy wells, tombs, dolmens, standing stones, etc.)  I've got to get down to chary's neck of the woods as my favorites are down there (bottom of Cornwall) and I have't been for ages!

4.  Reading, especially books of alternative healing modalities, self-help, psychology and spiritually related topics.

5.  I like to cook and bake, but don't know if I do it often enough or push myself enough with it to call it a hobby.

That's about it.  I used to sew, make costumes, paint, draw; I don't do any of that since I've been in the UK, not sure why, just don't enjoy it as much anymore.

3.  Another interest is in ancient sacred sites (stone circles, holy wells, tombs, dolmens, standing stones, etc.)  I've got to get down to chary's neck of the woods as my favorites are down there (bottom of Cornwall) and I have't been for ages!

Come on down!

Come on down!

I know!  Eventually........ sigh 

What a great thread! You all make me feel like I need to be doing more :-).

being a STEM (Science-Technology-Engineering-Maths) Ambassador

I have never heard of  STEM before- just did a quick look about it, it looks like a great project, might have to see how to get my school involved

As for me-- I am a bit of a workaholic- but do very much enjoy my work (most of the time anyway )
We enjoy going to the movies
lunching in pubs
I used to quilt and do counted cross-stitch....I keep planning on starting back with the cross-stitch but haven't yet.
Taking the dog for walks
watching DH play crown green bowls

Travelling.  But having lived in the US for a few years, the few vacation days I get tend to get taken up with visiting family.  Hopefully this will change once back in the UK.

Hiking.  I don't get to do it regularly with living in a city, but I absolutely love it.  I love trying other outdoor things too.  Last year I tried whitewater rafting and sea kayaking.

Snowboarding.  I'm not exactly a natural, so still kind of beginner-intermediate after a couple of years learning, but I really enjoy having something to do in the winter.  Looking forward to trying out those ski resorts in the Alps!

Dragon boating.  I've been doing this on my university team for the last 5 summers.  We practice on the river which is so refreshing in the hot summers here, and go to festivals across the North East US.  We have a great team spirit and it's a lot of fun.  Not sure whether I'll be able to continue this once in the UK.

Guinea pigs.  I've been fostering guinea pigs for a local rescue for the past 18 months.  (My own died a while ago and I was unable to adopt more since I knew we were moving to the UK).  It can be a lot of work and sometimes upsetting, but hugely rewarding.  We've made some great friends through this too.  But we're looking forward to adopting our own pigs once we move.

Netball.  I run a very casual pick-up netball team here and have met some lovely British/American girls through it.  I'm hoping it carries on once I leave.  It's more of an exercise/social-type of thing, rather than me being really interested in netball though.

Cooking.  Enough said ;-)

Then I have a bunch of on/off hobbies that I would love to do more seriously, but there is never enough time is there?  Things that have been hobbies over the past few years: 
-Running (I did a half marathon)
-Salsa
-Reading
-Playing piano
-Learning French

Hiking/exploring the countryside - I love just being outdoors and exploring nature.

Photography - mostly things I see while I'm out hiking

Mineral/fossil collecting - been doing it for years, unfortunately I'll have to get rid of a large part of my collection before I move. I'm sure I'll start it again on the other side of the pond.

Cooking - and eating, although I've been trying to be on a diet 

Reading - I'm a huge science fiction and fantasy fan

Wow... I don't know how those of you that work full time manage to fit all this in!

I do NOTHING!  My life is all about relaxing.
When I finish work and housework (cleaning, laundry, cooking), there is pretty much no time left to do anything else, so I either go to bed, or go to the pub!

Wow... I don't know how those of you that work full time manage to fit all this in!

I don't either!! I wouldn't be able to do much of anything if I worked!

Well some of mine are seasonal, and none are big commitments.  For example, hiking I only get to do a handful of weekends a year, at most, or on vacation.  Snowboarding we generally do about 6-10 days/season, which would be a combination of weekend trips, or day trips.  I am generally a lot busier in the summer, as I have the team sports about 3x per week, plus we often take more weekend trips away in the summer, as there are so many outdoor activities to do then.

Who knows what my new hobbies and schedule will be like!  It's all exciting though, I like to try new things.