What is your Zen.

[RJCooper]

What do you do as a hobby to relax?&nbsp;&nbsp; For me, I take pictures of stuff that interests me, print it out than try an paint it on canvas, driftwood, stone or an other recycled item.&nbsp; <br><br>For some it is music, some reading and others arts.&nbsp; <br><br>What is your zen hobby?

 

[Ziggy Moon]

While I was never really that great a it, years ago I really loved surfing - mostly for just the relaxation (zen) from being out on the water. Oddly, it has always been during storms/hurricanes that the ocean has been more calming to me. I've been many miles out in the Atlantic in the middle of a hurricane, and while it was a dangerous situation, there was something really zen about it - or maybe I was really just very young and stupid, but the sea still has this effect on me.<br><br>Now, unfortunately, I can't seem to find my perfect zen hobby. I have many interests, but I seem to be a tad touched with attention deficit (j/k) and can't stay focused on any one particular interest. I do like working outside, pruning, gardening (veggies), and just the general up keep of the property. This tends to relax my mind, but on the down side, it reeks havoc on my back - but I have no intention on giving it up. <br><br>One thing I've been researching for the passed few months is Skeleton Articulation - I started a thread on this forum about it;<br><br><a href="/post/Not-Your-Grandpas-Kinda-Taxidermy-6361445" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://vanlivingforum.com/post/Not-Your-Grandpas-Kinda-Taxidermy-6361445</a><br><br>I'd really like to give it a try. I think it's cool and artistic, and that it would not only be a very zen hobby, it could also be a lucrative hobby. <br><br>Although, I can see where others may find it to be an odd or weird/strange thing to do.... but it's not to me, and people don't think of it being so strange when the see it in museums - like the Smithsonian.

 

[RJCooper]

Very cool hobby, almost Davinci like with form and motion.&nbsp; <br><br>I too still surf......Fall Nor'easters are the best.&nbsp; September/October then fair well to the beach and I head to the mountains.&nbsp;

 

[caseyc]

Me too on photography. Over 25 years worth. My favorite was nude women and glamour photography. I have many gigabytes and gigabytes of images over the years. My other favorite is computers and electronics.&nbsp;

 

[Ziggy Moon]

<span id="post_message_1278875950">My favorite was nude women [...]. I have many gigabytes and gigabytes of images [...].</span>

<br><br>LOL, casey. But, kudos to you! <img src="/images/boards/smilies/thumb.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"> <img src="/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"><br><br>

 

[caseyc]

Seriously! No joke! There was a time I did lots of that. During film days with my Hasselblad 6x6 cm film format gear, the cost of lab processing was very expensive at roughly $25 to process a roll of 220 film, plus a pro-pack of 5 film rolls for $55. <br><br>When digital came along, I shot endless frames! I simply kept buying larger and larger external storage drives to hold all the images accumulated. &nbsp;Back in the beginning of digital photography, digital storage space was hugely expensive. You can't believe how much I've spent on digital memory cards and storage drives, not to mention camera gear. &nbsp;<br><br>I would post some of my pictures of the aforementioned topic, but I'm afraid I might get a stern warning from it!&nbsp;<img src="/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img">

 

[caseyc]

One time around 15+ years ago, I shot a roll of slide film of Anna Nicole Smith visiting a local Macy's store as she was the spokes-model for Guess jeans. &nbsp;This was before she became really famous (and before she blew up too), and way before she became a Playboy playmate. I would post some pictures, but the problem is that I don't know how to convert slide film onto digital format.<br><br>

 

[Ziggy Moon]

Take it to Wal-Mart, Casey. I believe the kiosks they have there, have the function to convert slide to digital and/or print.

 

[ilovemyvan]

I knit small bears that end up in Africa while listening to audio book. <br><br><img class="bbc_img" style="left: 54px; top: 15px; width: 640px; height: 482px; -ms-interpolation-mode: bicubic;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-...AAAAAEmQY/CMfW06R3Wrg/s640/PA130086.jpg?gl=US" rel="lightbox"><br><br><img class="bbc_img" style="left: 14px; top: 16px; -ms-interpolation-mode: bicubic;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-...s6v8g/s720/MBP%20Ethiopia%202010-65.jpg?gl=US" rel="lightbox"><br><br>I discovered the Mother Bear Project about 8 years ago and I've been knitting for them ever since. I'm closing in on &nbsp;my 1000th bear. Since I can not longer work, due to illness, this gives me a very needed purpose.<br><br>Nicole

 

[wagoneer]

I paint plein-air have works hanging in Yosemite sell a lot give a lot away. I was broke one day and painting on the beach a woman loved it so much she bought it for 150.00 I liked it too and stayed to paint a second. It is a renewable thing I like about it

 

[Ziggy Moon]

That is really awesome Nicole. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/thumb.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"> Are you a Nurse?

 

[Willy]

Reading or catering to my dog. ..Willy.

 

[ilovemyvan]

Ziggy, no it's not me on the pictures&nbsp;just my bears <br><br><br>

 

[user 423]

Taking off on a motorcycle.

 

[TxGypsy]

Throttle therapy, yoga and fiddle playing.

 

[rokguy]

<EM><STRONG><SPAN style="COLOR: #888888">I'm with Ziggy, Nicole. What a lovely thing to do</SPAN></STRONG></EM>.

 

[TxGypsy]

Nicole you might also want to check out Newborns in Need.&nbsp; They make clothes for premies and funeral layettes for babies that don't live.&nbsp; I think they are also providing clothing for full sized babies born to poor Mothers.&nbsp; I have a bunch of premie knitted hats that I need to send in to them.&nbsp; http://www.newbornsinneed.org/<br><br>I find a lot of great yarn for this sort of thing at thrift stores.&nbsp; They get lots of partial skeins of yarn at those places and often put a lot of it in a ziploc baggie for a good price.

 

[RJCooper]

Gentle man and ladies doing these fine things for unknown people in need are amazing.&nbsp; While reading these ultra kind jestures on humanity, I reflect in memory.&nbsp; One in disgust and one in sadness.&nbsp; Disgust that just the other day I was reading about how Walmart donated 3 million to a charity and spend 30 million on the PR.&nbsp; You people are light years ahead in the good column even if the dollar amount is less.&nbsp; Kudos to you all.<br><br>The sadness is at one point in my life I used to do several charity things for kids with cancer or other life illness.&nbsp; But, I guess I became selfish, when my daughter passed with spinal menegitis.&nbsp; It was to hard of a burden for me to appear happy, with the kids.&nbsp; I soon hope to over come this obstacle and rejoin the kids in need.&nbsp;

 

[ilovemyvan]

Thanks guys, actually I've been looking for a chance to mention what I was doing not to brag but to&nbsp;let&nbsp;the word out&nbsp;about the project. &nbsp;<a href="http://motherbearproject.org/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://motherbearproject.org/</a>&nbsp; The bears that these children receive will probably be the only present they'll ever get, they need the comfort that it gives them, they have to deal with so&nbsp; much sh*t on a daily basis. It makes me feel soooo good to be able to help them&nbsp;out a bit.<br><br>RJ sorry about your lost, that's the worst thing that can happen to a father. Please let us know if we can help, love Nicole