D.J. Gelner - The Big Book of Hobby Ideas 2013

It seems like everyones looking for a good hobby these days.

I should know. A couple of years ago, I too was looking for a hobby to help me pass time and keep me engaged with something other than video games in the hours away from my high-stress, if lucrative, job as a corporate attorney.

In the course of researching potential hobbies, I wrote a post for my website, At Wits End, entitled 36 New Hobby Ideas. Within months, it not only had become the most popular post in the history of the blog, but one of the top search results for new hobby ideas on the entire internet!

I had thousands of folks from as far away as India and Denmark checking out my (up until then) little blog for ideas on how they could better spend their free time.

Whether theyre searching for more fulfillment and meaning, or just want something fun to take their minds off of the drudgery of work, people are looking for interesting and fun hobbies now more than ever.

The wonderful thing is that the internet has opened up a vast array of communities and resources that can help you connect with like-minded people in ways that until a decade or so ago were absolutely unfathomable. Its more apparent than ever that no matter how obscure the hobby, there are likely hundreds of people around the world who share your interests who are searching for people like you.

Meeting interesting new people is only one of the many benefits of finding a new hobby. Maybe you eventually want to start a side business to make a little bit of extra cash on nights and weekends (Again, thank you, internet!). Or maybe youre looking for a way to blow off steam, or gain a better sense of accomplishment or self-worth.

Im not going to waste your time with a bunch of padding up front about the reasons people seek out new hobbies; obviously youre in the market or you wouldnt have picked up this book.

What I will do is go through hundreds of ideas for new hobbies, separate them out by relevant categories, and give you a few resources (when relevant) to start your foray into that field.

Ive tried to make this book as easy-to-use as possible. At times, it may seem like Im being overly simplistic, adding suggested Google terms and the like. My aim isnt to insult anyonesome folks have trouble running Google searches, so I thought Id try to be as helpful as possible. Ive also included relevant, clickable links in places, as well as the text of the link so that you should be able reach these pages a couple of different ways depending on your device.

If browsing by category isnt your style, Ive also included an alphabetical, clickable index at the end of the book if you want to browse through and jump right from section to section. If you want to skip to the index here at the start, go ahead and click on this link: ()

One final note: At times, Ive included text in brackets ([ ]), like [your city]. This means your city, state, province, country, etc.basically whatever it takes to identify your particular city. I just thought both you and I would get tired of me writing that out all the time.

Hopefully, youll find something that interests you as much as my former hobby: writing. I say that its a former hobby because once I started writing seriously, I found that it was far more than a hobby, it was maybe even more than a passionit was my lifes calling. I now work full-time as a freelance writer and novelist.

Such happy endings are far from rare, but before you go quitting your day job, lets get you started along the proper path, okay? Read on and enjoy!

-D.J.

We are a society of cubicle monkeys.

I dont know when we decided it was a good idea to sit at a desk for eight hours a day, five hours a week, but since that time weve somehow expanded it to ten-to-twelve hours a day, oftentimes for six days a week or (gulp) more.

Its enough to make your skin pallid and damp, not to mention soften your midsection.

Fortunately, there are a lot of opportunities out there to get out from behind that desk and unleash the burgeoning Weekend Warrior that you knew you could always be.

It used to be that whenever someone said sports, they meant playing a game against at least one other person. Boy how thats changed! There are all kinds of sports out there now that can be done alone, or (preferably) only under the supervision of highly-trained professionals.

Check out the individual sports in this section if your friends are too busy (or wimpy) to join you on your active hobby adventure!

Its fitting that the first hobby in the book is probably also the easiest. Walking or hiking is perhaps the easiest sport in the world to take up. Though it helps to have picturesque scenery and a temperate climate, you could do far worse than to walk around the neighborhood for an hour or so a day. Plain, old walking has numerous benefits, from improved cardiovascular health to lowered blood pressure.

What youll need: Shoes. I prefer the Nike Frees (the ones that simulate being barefoot), but really any sturdy, well-built pair will do.

Resources: There are likely hundreds of walking trails or routes in your area. Google search for walking routes [your city] is probably your best bet.

The Hunger Games trilogy has caused interest in archery to skyrocket. Not only is it apparently cool to be like Katniss Everdeen, but archery is a potential survival skill should you ever find yourself lost in the wilderness or amidst the general collapse of society as we know it!

What youll need: Probably want to find a local archery range and rent before you buy.

Resources: The Art of Manliness has a good primer on traditional archery (http://www.artofmanliness.com/2010/11/04/taking-aim-a-primer-on-traditional-archery/). Dont worry, ladiesits good advice for you, too! Other than that, Google archery ranges near [your city] or archery lessons near [your city].

Consider this walking or hikings overachieving sibling. Backpacking involves a lot more equipment and planning, but some outdoorsy folks swear by it.

What youll need: A lot of gear. At a minimum, youll need sturdy, broken in boots, good socks, a lightweight backpack and tent, and food, water, etc.

Resources: The Backpacker.com has some good ideas and links for aspiring and seasoned backpackers alike (www.thebackpacker.com). If you need equipment, REI is probably the gold standard as far as nationwide chains go (www.rei.com).

No longer the exclusive providence of beer-swilling, sausage-eating Midwesterners like myself, bowling has enjoyed a bit of a renaissance over the past few years. Maybe its all of the music video and crazy fluorescent colors they put out for the kids during cosmic bowling. In any case, bowlings a great way to meet new people while competing against yourself.

What youll need: One great thing about bowling alleys is that theyll rent you everything that you need. Just be sure to bring your own socks. If you bowl a lot or are a germophobe, it might make sense to invest in a pair of bowling shoes.

Resources: Google search for bowling alley near [your city]. If you need lessons, Google bowling lessons near [your city]. Its not much more complicated than that, folks!

At one time, boxing was right up there with the rest of the major sports (namely baseball and horse racing. Hey, it was a while ago!). Of course, crooked promoters, a devastating move to pay-per-view, and (oh yeah) concern over brain trauma has pushed it firmly into a niche market.

Just because pro boxing is on the decline doesnt mean that its not a fine hobby to pursue. Its an amazing workout, and has the added benefit of teaching you some elements of self-defense. Besides, you dont need to take a blow to the head to learn how to box these days.