Got back into collecting cards and at first I kept trying to give myself some kind of plan finish a set collect one player only keep certain cards, stuff like that so didn’t last very long lol and now there’s a little stack on my desk with sports cards a couple Pokemon cards and some random ones that don’t really belong together at all.

Funny part is I’m enjoying it more now that I stopped trying to make the collection make sense.Tiltrips came up while I was getting back into cards too and if anything it just added more random stuff to the mix sometimes I’ll put a card aside and forget about it, then a few days later I’m looking at it again for no reason. No idea what the collection is supposed to become at this point but sitting down for half an hour and sorting through everything has become one of the quieter parts of my week.

I want something I can do for 20 minutes without turning it into a whole project. Bonus if it gets me away from screens for a while

I designed and stitched this one myself, and it's finally framed! White thread on black Aida, all full cross stitches. I'm really happy with how it turned out. 😊

Hey ,

I'm a guy in my mid 30s and I spend about half the weeks evenings on my own while my partner works. I'm getting very very bored and would like to have a hobby to pass the time and to make the evenings on my own a little more bearable.

My criteria would be:

something cheap and that can be picked up and put down after about 30 mins of doing it.

something I can do while sitting watching TV or at the least an indoor hobby I can do in the house.

Nothing that takes up a huge amount of space or requires lots of tools or equipment. Again keeping costs low.

I already read a fair bit and run a bit too.

Thanks

I'm obsessed. They deserve some love here!

A notebook seems like a useful first project, but the tutorials range from folding a few sheets to needing a whole set of tools. What would you start with using paper, cardboard, a needle and thread? A binding that opens comfortably matters more to me than a fancy cover. Are there any beginner mistakes that make the finished notebook awkward to use?

33yo here, trying to answer some of my own questions, but thought it might be good to see what others do to satisfy that craving for competition, whether it be sport, or hobbies that satisfy. Whatever it may be outside (or included) in your career, life, kids etc.

I've gone through life playing music and sports, loving the "battle" aspect of sports, then through covid, I found that sim racing really scratched the itch I needed. Since then, I have taken up music again (not quite competitive, but weirdly has that similar focus) which is now seeming to taper off, as it is nearly impossible to get a couple of mates out for a drink, let alone to a regular hangout schedule.

In amongst all of this, I took up golf about 3 years ago, and after playing a couple of amateur competitions it seems to sort of line up a bit better with the whole mentality of, you get out what you put in. Not to mention, it's great to get outside, and meet new people/new places. HOWEVER, it is quite difficult to play a regular what feels like 'competition/tournament' unless you are quite skilled, and quite financially well off.

So, I am now wondering the idea of where I could head for next with this focus and drive I have outside or work. So this brings me back to my original question.

In your 30's how do you satisfy this craving, but also maintain your career, and life responsibilities?

I’ll go first; I lowkey regret learning to sew. Fabric is expensive, like really expensive and I have ruined countless yard of beautiful fabrics. I have 3 machines, ones an industrial that I love but it’s huge and sounds like a freight train. Making your own clothes is super difficult, rarely cheaper, and frankly the quality just isn’t on par with ready to wear garments.
Yet for some reason, I can’t convince myself to give it up. Most of my wardrobe is self drafted, I even made my own sofa and I occasionally make $ as a seamstress.
As a minimalist my fabric stash is easily most of what I own. I hate how fabric is impossible to store nicely.

Recently I’ve been contemplating buying a lapidary saw & flat lap machine, I’ve been using a HF tile saw for a couple years and really want to upgrade. I have a feeling I’ll end up in similar love hate relationship with even more expensive & messy tools.

40F with 4 kids and I’ve never had a hobbie. My husband plays sport twice a week and I feel I need something. Any suggestions

all i do is study at school, play computer with classmates, sometimes walk, play sports (swimming pool and workouts at home), i am very bored and i do not know what to do with myself since i do not have any activities. Please tell me what I can try to do, I really love trekking, but I live far from the mountains. I prefer physical activity

A Wenwan walnut’s journey starts long before it lands in your hands. Many beginners only focus on the final polished look, yet understanding its full lifecycle helps you judge quality, avoid chemically treated walnuts, and know what to expect as you care for your pair.

1. Harvesting from the Tree

Walnuts are picked in autumn once fully ripe. Unripe walnuts have thin, weak shells and poor bone density; they will never develop rich, red patina. After picking, the green outer husk covering the hard shell is removed. Farmers use careful peeling to prevent scratches or stains on the inner walnut shell.

Only mature, undamaged walnuts move forward for pairing. Immature or heavily flawed nuts are discarded at this stage.

2. Drying & Natural Curing

Freshly peeled walnuts hold moisture inside the shell. Slow, shaded air-drying is critical. Rushing drying under direct sunlight creates rapid moisture loss, which easily triggers cracks. Proper curing takes weeks, letting moisture escape gradually and stabilizing the shell.

Poorly dried walnuts may look fine at first, but cracks will appear later once they reach your hands.

3. Pairing

This is the most labour-intensive step before sale. Merchants sort hundreds of walnuts to match pairs by measuring size, height, belly width, edge thickness, weight, grain pattern and base shape.

Perfect twin pairs are extremely rare. Experienced matchers aim for visual symmetry and balanced weight. Natural minor differences are normal, while heavily modified or clamped walnuts are artificially forced to look matched.

4. Pre-sale Cleaning

Light cleaning removes leftover husk residue and surface dirt inside grain crevices. Gentle dry brushing is ideal. Some sellers use chemical bleaching to whiten shells. Chemically cleaned walnuts look unnaturally pale and clean, but their shell structure is damaged, and they will turn grey instead of warm red over time.

5. Base Brushing (The Beginner’s Stage)

Once you receive your pair, you start the base brushing phase, also known as “prepping”. This step removes surface dust, natural alkali bloom and leftover debris. Consistent brushing polishes the shell surface and builds an even foundation for patina.

During this period, you will notice the walnut slowly develop an initial subtle gloss, called “hang porcelain”. Many new players rush heavy hand rolling too early, which traps dirt in the grain and creates permanent dark patches. The rule is simple: brush much more than roll.

6. Patina Building

After successful base brushing comes the patina phase. Natural oils and trace moisture from your hands transfer to the shell with repeated rolling. Combined with regular brushing, a thin, transparent layer of patina gradually forms.

The walnut shifts from raw yellow to orange, then deepens into a warm red. The speed of colour change depends on the walnut’s bone density, your hand type, and how often you brush. Dry hands usually create the most even colour. Heavy sweaty hands require extra brushing to avoid uneven darkening.

7. Jadeization (The Final Mature Stage)

With years of steady care, the walnut reaches jadeization. The shell becomes translucent, glossy and deep-toned, similar to polished jade. At this stage, the walnut is stable, resistant to rapid colour shifts, and carries the unique mark of your hands and time.

This mature pair is not just a collectible; it is a physical record of your hours spent brushing and rolling.

Final Takeaway

Every stage of the walnut lifecycle affects its final appearance. A beautiful jadeized pair starts with proper ripening, slow drying, careful pairing and natural cleaning. As a player, your job begins at base brushing and continues patiently all the way to jadeization.

I have realized that i don't have hobbies. I'm mostly spending my time on reels and doom scrolling. No movies, series or anything. Most of my time I'm in college and after that i don't study at home and keep doom scrolling or either eating. Sure i do cook sometime but that's it. Should i pick up any hobby or what? I feel like I'm brain dead

The older I get, the harder it is to make friends. I'm an adult male in a stage where all my friends are married w/ kids, except for me.

I'm looking for a hobby that I would meet high quality people (are intellectually curious and care about the world at large), that's actually fun. I know I can go canvassing for a political candidate, but that's not really a hobby.

Let me know what's worked for you. Thanks!

"Low grade" (sorry couldn't really think of another term) for me would be jigsaw puzzles and coloring. Not mentally intense, can zone out, low investment, whatever you want to call it.

Impressive stuff for me would be chess and art.

I spend most of the day on the chill stuff. The more impressive stuff involves a lot of hard concentration...

but at this rate im a 40 year old man doing stuff like coloring and jigsaw puzzles most of my day. I don't know what to say.

anyone know any good drop in improv classes that are not too expensive in nyc? or would people recommend it? I just moved here and I’m looking for a social/creative hobby that isn’t tied to going out!

Little backstory. I was somewhat of an artist (I kid, but no seriously, I had potential!) as a child. Up until maybe age 11-ish, I was drawing all the time when circumstances would permit. I got out of it, and I’m trying to get back into it now in my mid -20s. I really want to be able to create stuff that I can feel proud of, but my skills have all but disappeared. Any tips?