Gambling as a hobby

I have been gambling since around the age of ten. Following my mother everywhere she goes watching her playing manjong and cards after school. She will ask me to play frist if she is busy and I always win cause I got gambing luck. I started to collected cards, chinese four colours cards, manjong set if the owner wanted to trow it away. I will polish and engraved it into new. I see it as my hobby and really enjoy it.
At the age of sixteen follow my father to horse raceing, even my parents is gone. I still go horse raceing, playing cards and manjong on the tables until today. I think gambling is my passion and my hobby but luck are not so sweet today. My advice don't take gambling as a hobby.

collecting stamps

My hobby is collecting stamp. It is also one of the most popular hobbies among children. Children can enjoy this pastime because it is not an expensive hobby. I started collecting stamps since I was in primary school. My hobby began through the influence of my few classmate who started collecting and exchanging.

I got my father, relatives and friends for letters with stamps and started keeping in a box. One day I brought my frist stamp album with my pocket money that I saved and then I started exchanging stamp with my classmate. I kept my first stamp album in beautiful boxes. After a few months i brought my first, first days cover.

my hobby : Joy of Collecting Autographed Books

There is something about an autograph that excites me to no end.

It's almost like holding life pulse of the person who created that signature with his or her own hand.

When I look at the glorious imperfections of a signature I immediately feel a strange connection between the hand that created that signal and myself.

It is almost like a bridge is erected instantly between the past and the present and something moves across.

The feeling is especially strong if the signature belongs to the author of the book that I'm holding in my hands.

Writing a book is tough.

Although I've written probably thousands of articles in my life I still haven't written a single book because I did not have the discipline, desire and monetary incentive to write one.

Thus I have a lot of respect for anyone who writes a book.

That's why my principal sentiment in holding a book in my hands has always been one of GREAT REVERENCE.

And that's also why I always had a very hard time in parting with my old books even when I was sure I'd never read them again.

Autographed books always make me feel like I am being treated to a privileged meeting with the author.

And when I discovered that some autographed books also brought a lot of cash in the market, I'll be honest with you, that did not make me feel any worse either.

Today I cherish the small collection of autographed books I have in my library, some of which have really interesting stories behind them.

Perhaps the strangest of them all is one that I got for FREE, by rescuing it from the trash bin of a public library! (It is 100% true.)

One day as I was visiting a public library not too far away from my home I saw librarians throwing away large stacks of withdrawn books into the dumpster. When I asked if I could take a peek, they told me I was free to help myself to any that I liked.

And guess what did I find after a few minutes of pecking my way through the heap? An interesting book on wines and wineries. Hmmm...

When I opened the book, I was really shocked because it was autographed, with an inscription scribbled for a friend, by none other than Baron Philip Rothschild of Bordeaux, France! Lord -- what are chances of that ever happening again?!

I have another book in my collection about Wendy's fast food empire and written by its founder Dave Thomas.

I've bought it for only 50 cents at a book sale when I noticed that there was a handwritten inscription inside, addressed to someone addressed as a “son,” and then signed simply as “Dave”!

To this date I'm almost sure this is the handwriting of Wendy's founder Dave Thomas who died in 2002. I'd love to verify that for sure some day.

I thought about the strange predicament of the book that a very important business leader has signed for someone that he obviously cared a great deal about.

And that someone, somehow, gave this precious book away to the library.

What happened in between? Who knows. Perhaps it's a story longer and sadder than I ever need to know. But I'm keeping “Dave's book” with me till I die for sure. Dave, it's in good hands now.

I have a dozen other similar stories about the autographed books I've collected over the years, some for free, and some for just a few bucks.

If you love books and autographs, the next time you are at a yard or book sale, just look carefully inside them volumes. You may go back home with a precious gem to warm your heart and illuminate your mind for years to come.
my hobby


By Ugur Akinci

my hobby : A Young Mans Passion For Metal

Metal is wonderful stuff isn't it, you can bend & twist it into all kinds of shapes, you can draw it with dies, cut, drill, and mill & turn it, weld it, and off course melt it and pour the molten metal into moulds of all kinds.

There are few other materials where you can do all of the above, and I've probably omitted some of the metal forming/shaping operations.

Have you had a life long passion with metal?

I know many people who have, generally the passion for metal can start from a very young age, especially if you once had a father or grandfather who introduced you to the blacksmith forge, this simple piece of equipment is always a total source of fascination, especially the way it could build so much heat using a simple fuel such as charcoal and air blast created with the hand operated bellows.

My guess is that many people must feel this way about metal, otherwise you wouldn't be doing what you're doing right now in your workshop. Just the other day I exchanged a few emails on an Australian based hobby foundry group: http://groups.google.com.au/group/The-hobby-foundry with a young fellow whose name is Ryan.

Ryan lives in Queensland Australia. He is only about 17 years old and still attending school, but has discovered metal casting. He creates some amazing ceremonial swords. It is great to see someone so young involved in a metal craft hobby such as metal casting, I'm sure Ryan wont ever have time to get bored with life while being involved with an interesting metal craft hobby.

Many other young fellows could take a leaf out of Ryan's book and get involved with practical hobbies like metal casting or some other form of metal craft. It is not hard to do once you have a little guidance and instruction and the hobby provides immense personal satisfaction and reward.

Boredom is a general malaise with so many young people these days, and there is really no need for it when there are so many great practical hobbies to do in your spare time. Too many people take the easy option to veg out in front of the T.V. idiot box.. what a terrible waste of time that is.

Ryan will never be bored, he just doesn't have time for boredom, he is such an adventurous, energetic young fellow. It reminds me of my young days when I would wander down to the old farm blacksmith on a wet miserable winters day to light the old forge then heat up a few bits of metal and just generally tinker around, that's where my passion for metal started, it has never really stopped. I hope you don't let your passion for metal ever wane.

The word boredom just doesn't exist in the metal workers vocabulary. Honest.

By Colin Croucher

my hobby : Taxing Your eBay Profits

Q: I made extra money selling things on eBay last year. These were items I picked up at yardsales mostly. My husband says I am responsible for paying income tax on the money I made, but I disagree. This is just my hobby, not a business. What do you think? -- Gladys A.

A: With so many people selling on eBay these days this is a question I get quite a bit. In fact, I have plans for a future “eBay and taxes” column, but I believe your question is more, “is it a hobby or is it a business?”

Again, I went to the horse’s mouth (at least I think it was the mouth) for the answer. According to the IRS there are a number of factors that help determine if your hobby can be considered a business and thereby make you susceptible to the IRS tax rules governing business.

Do you carry on the activity in a business-like manner? If you conduct your eBay activities like a business, i.e. you keep business records, track your profit and loss, keep a separate checking account, etc. then whether you think so or not, your hobby is considered a business.

If you put considerable time and effort into your venture, the IRS may contend that you do so for profit and not fun. It seems the folks at the IRS don’t believe in doing things strictly for pleasure. My guess is, neither do you. If you weren’t making money selling on eBay I doubt you’d be bothering getting up at 4am to hit all those yardsales. Then again, maybe you would…

If you depend on income from your eBay activities for your livelihood, it’s a business, not a hobby.

There are a number of other factors the IRS considers to determine if a hobby is really a business, but in your case I think that covers the basics.

For detailed answers to any tax question you should consult a qualified accountant or tax attorney. God forbid you rely on a guy who is afraid to mumble the letters “IRS” three times in a row.

By Tim Knox

my hobby : Turn Your Hobby Into a Fun Home-Business

Having a hobby is great fun and a rewarding way to explore your own creative abilities. Though you may not be convinced of it, you do have a God-given talent within you. Everyone does! It only needs to be discovered and developed!

The world is full of variety and no two persons are exactly alike, each of us is a unique individual, and as such, has something special to offer. The different combination of personality, environment, experiences and interests that you have, work together to create you, and only you. There is no other person on earth exactly like you. Not a twin or even (heaven forbid) a clone . Though these people may have the same DNA, they cannot have the same exact experiences, therefore, they are different from you. Your interests may be similar, but the way you develop as an individual will determine how you express yourself and the hobbies you're likely to explore.

I was exposed to a lot of music while I was growing up. My parents would often put a Glen Miller, or Frank Sinatra album on the hi-fi while we were working around the house. Sometimes I would find them dancing in the living room. My oldest brother loved jazz and folk music. My other brother played the drums and was a rock n' roll fan. My grandfather sang and played the harmonica. My grandmother was a piano teacher. In the early 1900's my grandparents enjoyed performing in vaudville shows together.

So, you might say my gene pool, as well as my environment, were musically influenced. As a result I sang in choir throughout my shool years. When I was 15 years old I began playing the guitar and writing songs as a hobby. Poetry was another creative avenue I explored. The experiences I had growing up during the turbulent '60s and early '70s also influenced my way of thinking and the development of my musical style. Though it may be similar to others of that era, it is uniquely my own.

You my be wondering what your particular talent(s), or gift(s), may be. How do you discover and develop your own hobby? Here are some ideas:

Consider Your Interests

sports, art, music, animals, books, cooking, theology, crafts, cars, science, horticulture, hiking...



Consider Your Background Environment

early childhood experiences and development, family traits, things you enjoyed doing as a child



Consider Your Personality

likes & dislikes, behaviour patterns, reactions to particular situations... What makes you happy? Sad? Angry? Compassionate? What motivates you?



Consider Your Strengths and Weaknesses

what are you good at? what do you find difficult?



Write down your discoveries, then look for a pattern to emerge. There may be several traits or areas of interest that unfold before your eyes. Try to determine Which area you are most strongly drawn to. If more than one, can they be combined?

As I shared earlier, I like to sing and write, especially poems and song lyrics. I love music and playing the guitar. These hobbies obviously combine very nicely. I also have a knack for teaching and am a self-starter. My curiousity drives me to explore and learn new things. All of these traits combined together have helped me turn my hobby into a work-at-home business. I am a private guitar teacher. I also created my own website which has provided me with new opportunities and additional income through google ads and affiliate programs. My hobby led me to discover the perfect job match for my personality type, skills, and interests!

There is a hobby, a creative spark, lying within you that is just waiting to be discovered. Your gift can add new meaning and depth to your life, but it needs to be opened, unwrapped, and developed for this to happen. Take a class, read a "how to" book, surf the net, or take some lessons in order to increase your knowledge and build your skills. Don't let the world and it's everyday distractions keep you from enjoying who you were made to be. Take a short break from your routine. Open your gift. Turn a new page in your life story. Time is short, so why not make the most of it today?

By Kathy Unruh

my hobby : Coin Collecting Magazines

There are many coin collecting magazines on the market today. These provide up to date information to the avid coin collector. These magazines are great for both the experienced collector and the novice. They can provide great resources to coin collectors and give information on new finds in the coin collecting world. There are several such magazines that provide this type of information of which the most popular five will be discussed in this article. These are the leading magazines for coin collectors.

Coin Connoisseur is one such magazine. They specialize in the collection of gold and silver coins. They are the leaders in news relating to rare coins and precious metal coins. The coin collecting magazines that are available all offer different features and Coin Connoisseur is packed full of information that is up to date. They provide information on the internet’s best rare coins, coinstats, and many other suggestions to prevent getting scammed and to better enjoy your collection. This magazine also runs several competitions for gold and other precious material bullion coins. These have no fixed monetary value but the value is based on the precious material they are made off. They are great investments as they are easy to sell with less red tape than bars or ingots.

Of the coin collecting magazines there is another that is very popular. This is Coin World magazine. This has the best coverage of coin collecting information on a weekly basis. This magazine is especially popular in the US and has great coverage on all the newest issues concerning coin collecting. They analyze the trends of the field and give information to the new and the experienced about the how and the why of coin collection. There is also the additional feature to get great saving when subscribing to this magazine.

Another of the popular coin collecting magazines is Coin Value Magazine. This has a timely editorial and has up to date price guides on coins on the market. This magazine has focused mainly on the tracking of the changes in value of most US coins. This magazine allows with subscription the personal tracking of your coin portfolio online. This is also published by Coin World publishers.

There are two other major coin collecting magazines. One of these is Coins magazine. This magazine tracks the coin market trends and includes tips for those wishing to purchase coins. They also keep their subscribers up to date on the latest occurrences in the field with regular publication of columns that deal with aspects of coin collecting. The other is Coin Prices magazine. This is geared mainly towards the serious collector wishing to glean information on the prices of coins and paper money. They also provide guidance on the grading and the evaluation of coins as well as many other subject areas related to collecting coins.
my hobby

BY Charles Roman

my hobby : Hobbies for Retirement

I knew my husband would have enough hobbies when he retired last February at the tender age of 51. At least I though he would until last summer when he discovered squirrels in our then-robust garden. Much to his disgust our beloved cucumbers were being munched upon, when our backs were turned, by the colonies of squirrels invading our turf.

Off to the Internet he went to search for a humane rodent trap. Many clicks and e-mails later, voila! He turned up a site which was more than willing to ship the much-needed trap within the week.

Waiting impatiently for his new toy, my husband watched with dismay as cucumber after cucumber was disassembled by the voracious squirrels that happily paid us a visit. Finally the package arrived! The family watched with amusement as Dad unwrapped his new acquisition, hardly holding back his excitement. "Quick! Get me some peanuts!" he yelped to anyone within hearing range. Armed with trap and peanuts in hand out he went into the garden to deposit his prize.

Glancing out the window now and again, we'd see one squirrel after another crawl down the fence cautiously to inspect the new addition to the garden. No luck. A few times the trap was tripped and the peanuts were missing; then other times it was tripped with the peanuts still intact. "That's it!" my husband cried. "We need a squirrel-cam!" The family looked at each other and groaned. Oh no, another toy for Dad! But one morning as Dad and I were in bed, we heard a very audible and metallic "clunk!" We both uttered, "Uh Oh!" and jumped up to run to the window. Sure enough, there it was, our first prisoner! My husband jumped up and down in sheer glee - I had to stop him from racing down the stairs in his birthday suit.

I never saw him dress so fast. He was out the door like a bullet to gather up the trap with the growling squirrel. He searched in the garage for something with a long handle to release the squirrel after transporting it far enough away from our neighborhood, deposited the trap and an old broom handle in the trunk of our car, jumped into the front seat and roared away with his prize.

Now 33 squirrels later, it is now November and the peanut-laden trap is still in the barren garden awaiting its next victim. The family quizzes Dad, wondering why we still need a trap in the garden. Dad exclaims, "Well, now the squirrels are ruining my lawn by digging holes for their peanuts!" But we all know differently, Dad has a new hobby!

By Heather Diodati