What do we all do for fun?

[Evanna]

For over twenty years all i had did was chased drugs and used drugs. So when i first cleaned up i had no idea what i liked to do for fun. I also had no clue what other people did. I thought that it might be interesting to see what we all do now and what we get out of those things.

My love is cars. I bought a fast RWD car (an old one that doubles as my daily driver) in recovery and belong to owners clubs. Through the car i have gained a whole new circle of wonderful friends. Often my weekends are spent at some car related event; shows, meets, track and drag days. Throwing a car sideways around corners in legal conditions is a great natural high with huge grin factor. Cleaning the car calms me when i am agitated. I have also learnt to do much of the work on it myself which is challenging and rewarding.

I also like to play board games with my son and husband plus make our home a nice place to be. For years our family home was a place of darkness. It is now a place of light and love.

What do you do?

[ChrisMan]

Evanna,

So glad you posted this -- I was literally just about to post the same thing, because I think I am in need of some hobby to occupy my free time. I really think it would help with my sobriety.

I like board games. I also like to watch movies and read books. When I was younger, I really got into model building. I wonder if that's something I would like to return to (this time, of course, with more elaborate models, not "toy" models for kids).

I like classical music a lot, and like to sit with a cup of tea or hot chocolate and listen to good music.

But it would be good to hear from others, too...what do you do for fun?

[Time2Surrender]

Evanna,cars and 4x4 trucks are my thing.Mostly trucks.I am into the 73-79 Ford pick-ups.All my friends are in AA/NA and most of them are also into cars and trucks.I am also realy into the outdoors.That was the sole purpose of me moving here to Oregon.I own a home here and love fixing it up.I could spend hours walking around HomeDepot.Another hobby of mine is watching movies.I could start a whole nother thread on movies.Oh,wait I did.In the "Mens room" I started a thread "Movies for guys who like movies.I also am really into AA/NA activities like camp-outs,picnics,dances,conventions and more.During the summer I have BBQ's at my house with people from the program.Oh yeah,I am also a huge NASCAR fan and collect die-cast cars. My last toy before it was wrecked.A 73 Factory High-Boy,4 speed,built 390 Big-Block,on 35 inch tires

[tobstah]

I watch tv and movies and go shopping.. how lame! I want to start doing arts and crafts again.. I used to be a really artsy person, but when I was doing meth I over did it so badly that now when Im cutting or pasting or doing any arts and crafts i relate it to meth. Like when i was in rehab we had to make a collage of what we wanted to do in life, and about 10 minutes into cutting up pics i started crying uncontrolably. it was so bad. but now im 7 months sober so that shouldnt happen again! im just giving myself some time..

[exlibris]

I love going through used bookstores - I can do that hours on end!

I also love going to the gym - that seems to be my new adddiction.

Reading poetry - I love the English and German Romantics.

And of course, good movies. I'm going to see The Merchant of Venice today.

Richard

[CAPTAINZING2000]

Depends On The Weather, I Still Like To Go To Concerts, Comedy Clubs And Movies In The Winter. I Also, Try And Make Most Aa Functions Etc. Summertime Comes Sailing Lying Round My Pool During The Hot Days. Baseball Games, Travel On Vacations.
I Do What Ever I Want To Do W/o Drinking

[BubbaBob]

...I turn it into an avocation. I think it's the obsessive part of me. Oh well, at least I obsess over safer things now...

Started beekeeping as a hobby with 3 hives...I now have 95 hives and produce 15 thousand lbs of honey a year.

I started making bio-diesel for fun and to save money running my diesel pick-up...it only costs 60 cents a gallon to make...now I make 500 gallons a week and sell it to folks for off-road use (tractors, bobcats, heavy equipment).

I started growing a few mushrooms for fun and for my dinner table...now I supply 30 high end restaraunts with all their Golden Oyster and Shitakii mushrooms.

I started a small garden for the same reason I started the mushrooms...now, during the season, I sell about 500 lbs of veggies a week on Saturdays at the local farmers market.

I started making home made soap, again for fun...now I make and sell 10 thousand bars (well over a ton) of "boutique hand crafted soap" at arts and crafts fairs from April thru October.

I bought a lathe and was turning wooden bowls and hollow forms for fun...now I'm in 11 galleries from Florida to Honolulu to Anchorage, Alaska.

In the same arts/crafts booth where I sell soap I sell my wood turnings, honey, my wife's stained glass...

As part of my sobriety recovery I got very involved in 12th step work. You guessed it, I got carried away again...now my shrink, therapist, 3 local doctors, and myself are starting a recovery program in the mountains of N Georgia.

One of these days I'll find something to occupy my spare time

BubbaBob

PS Did I mention I love to bake? In a couple of yoears you'll prolly see "BubbaBob's Oatmeal Cookies" on your store shelves...

[_If_]

tobstah - I know how you feel!!! I have been sober almost two months now. When I was smoking I turned the spare bedroom in our apt into a workshop, and started all sorts of projects - arts and crafts, refinishing furniture, building many interesting things (some I still haven't been able to identify ) Since I quit meth, I have spent the last two months *finishing* all those projects! Soon, I will disassemble the workshop and decorate it as a bedroom for my son, who will be coming back in June!! The big change that I have made since getting sober is - I have been working very hard (and very carefully) to get back in shape. You get really skinny when you smoke, and that small waistline is hard to give up.... but this time, I am going to do it the healthy way!!! I am finally starting to feel good, and just went snowboarding for the first time in a couple of years! :-D Talk about a natural high!!! From here on out, weekends on the mountain for me!!

[nutz]

I enjoy taking newbie out to dinner and tellin them they can
order anything they want on the menu.
They struggle with it as I did when I was a new comer.

I enjoy spending time with my friends
Just to hang out or catch up or talk about some
deeps issues if we need to.

I've been playing my guitar again for the past couple of weeks.

I enjoy r/c modling.
It's great to be involve in an activity where drugs
or alcohol is not involved. Every, every nice people to be
around. They don't want anyhting from me. Most of
the time I get offered help. I made a lot of good friends.
Our common interest is avation and we help each other.
Even passing things forward is practiced.
We all have our own styl of flying or planes we like to fly.
There not a right way or a wrong to do it, just
the direction that we chooce to proceed is okay.
We encorage each other and recognize the work or
progress we made in our flying skills or build skills.
There's jokes when we crash or distroy our planes,
but with the intent to encourage us to continue.
Kind of reminds me of recovery.
My club is having a fun fly next month.

I enjoy riding my motor cycle out in the country.
Out on the open road. After I put it in 4th gear,
I can't remember a damn thing she said.
I come back a changed man, with a big as smile

I enjoyed rising two step duaghters. They tought
me so much of how to live. One demaned that
I treated her with total repect and dignity.
The other was a fun, free, happy soul. she would
sing,luagh or smile even though the bad times.

I enjoy playing vedio games.
I"m currently play San Andreas.
I can be a ruthless gangster, druggie, without consquneces.lol

I enjoy shoping....but I have to be careful on this.

I enjoy reading a good book under my tree on sundays.

I enjoy my walks at the park or out in the country.
CA's sunsets are bueatiful.

I enjoy being in nature.

I enjoy reading or reserching on new ideas or concepts
of spitualality.

I enjoy talking to my HP.

I use to enjoy my work. There was growth in it for me
but I don't feel it today.

Last but not least..I enjoy doing it to my girl friend.
We don't always keep it in the bed room or the house
or the car, or on top of the car, or under the tree.

[na4today]

I love cars have too many hotwheels to count. like to watch nascar, my fav car is the Impala. Right now my favorite past time is being aware of the things going on around me. I spent so much of my life wasted on something, I forgot there was a world around me!

[sherbear5104]

Good for you BubbaBob. That's really cool that you have accomplished so much. The promises being fulfilled, isn't it great!

I have joined a sober bowling league. A bunch of us from aa go to the movies after our Wed. night meetings. I love to go to the dances, and the picnics in the summer. We also have sober poker parties which is cool. There's a lot of things to do out there. Sure, I did some of them when I was using, but I enjoy them so much more now that I do them sober!

Great thread, it's nice to see people enjoying their recovery!

[Time2Surrender]

Bubba Bob,sounds like you got it goin on.A wise man once said "Love your job,and you will never work another day in your life"

[clancy!]

I love to travel.When I was little I used to spin my globe and 'land' on different plases. I swore that when I grew up, I would see all of this world that we live in...now Im thirty and and I have been around the world several times, thru jungles,deserts, rainforests,plains and valleys....over 40 different lands now.I am so blessed that I have been able to travel like this...although its always been by the skin of my teeth, with a knapsak and a lot of luk! This world is so breathtaking,so beautiful....and so fragile. What a wonderful home we have.

This hobby goes great with my other passions, books and photography! my idea of utter bliss is get up before first light, slip out of my hotel, and photograph a new land as it wakes up....just awesome,wonderful.

Im really grateful for my hobbies, the enquiring mind God gave me, and this beautiful world.

[Don W]

First off, Hi Clancy, long time no see. I've found hobbies to fill the time left from not drinking or planning drinking, and thinking about drinking, and dreaming about drinking. As you can see I needed many hobbies. I now read, I work on furniture, I play with our dog. I've got more of a relationship with wife and family to enjoy events and games. I spend some time volunteering also. The most important is being able to do nothing. Don W

[Evanna]

Wow, i am loving the responses on this thread. So many things to do in recovery from simple pleasures i take for granted to things i still want to do like pottery or travelling the world. Chrisman mentioned reading...i love to read. I always nodded out after 2 lines using. Na4today talked about awareness. Last night i buzzed watching wind blow the clouds in front of the moon. I was like 'wow man' and my neighbour spotted me thought i was nuts. Made me happy so i dont care.

Time2surrender, you must have been gutted when that sexy baby was wrecked. I like jap metal. Imports can be picked up in the UK for less than a family saloon. This is my current love.


BubbaBob, was real relief to hear that someone else does things obsessively in recovery and great to see the success's you are making.

Keep them coming people. Your responses are unbelievably uplifting. Thank-you all.

[nutz]

I use to collect hot wheels , have around 3000
I also use to collect sport cards. I use to know all the stats
of all the players and what not

[okcmike54]

Fun in sobriety?? That's an easy one, motorcycles!!! I'm a long haul truckdriver by trade, and more times than not, when I get in town I'll throw a change or two of clothes in the motorcycle, and take off again. Motorcycle travel is done totally for enjoyment, meaning I never ride interstate highways, and I seldon really plan a certain destination. I usually know where I'm going when I get there!!!
For anyone interested, here's a link to check out. I'll be riding up from Oklahoma, maybe we can hookup somewhere along the way???
www.mmaac.org

[Evanna]

Wow, you guys get to do so much stuff through the fellowship. Looked at your link Mike and was blown away. Maybe that stuff happens here in UK too but if it does then i have never heard of it. NA here is great, and of course we have conventions and dances, but i have not yet anyone in it yet that shares my main passion. That is ok too though.

Nutz; the plane in your avatar is awesome....did you build that?

[Time2Surrender]

Evanna,This thread did get some exellent responses.I like your car.I guess you have probably watched "The Fast and the Furious" a few times by now huh?.I recently watched Hashiriya a documentary about Japaneese street racers.Some of those guys are getting 1000 HP and more outta those little cars.If you havent seen it,you should rent it.Yes,life in recovery can be fun.Sometimes the newcomers are worried about what they will do without alcohol or drugs.But,actually thats when the fun begins.

[Dunitall]

This is great.

I'm like Don. I had to find lots of time to fill to compensate for the drinking, planning, dreaming thereof and recovering from.

Now it's rugby (though that also takes a bit of recovering from), gym, listening to music, reading and steaming hot baths late at night.

Where does all this time come from? Lol.

Rich

[Time2Surrender]

I noticed in recovery i have less spare time.But,thats a good thing for me.

[BubbaBob]

Spare time? What's that?

BubbaBob

[Time2Surrender]

Originally Posted by BubbaBob

Spare time? What's that?

BubbaBob

After reading everything you have going on Bob,I am surprised you even have time to sleep.Or is that the next question? "Sleep? Whats that?"

[Ashes]

Good thread. It looks like there are a lot of people into cars.

I enjoy working on my home, which I bought a little over 2 years ago. I've completely repainted and decorated it, installed new floors in the kitchen and bathroom and new appliances, re-stained my porch and deck, added, fixed and repaired lots of other things. It's a lot of work, but very rewarding.

In the summer I work outside a lot. I live alone so I have to do all the mowing, gardening and other general upkeep myself.

I spend a lot of time with my dog - grooming, walking, playing, teaching her things. I also like to snuggle up with her and my two cats and a good book.

I've converted my basement into my art studio. I like to buy old furniture and fix it up and paint it. In the summer I often go to antique and resale shops, since there are a lot of them around here.

Another crafty thing I do is make fancy dog collars that I sell at a couple of local stores.

I got a really nice bike last year, and I live on a private dirt road, so I like to ride out here where there isn't traffic and it's peaceful.

I also like just wandering around the woods, climbing trees and just looking around at nature. I sometimes take one of my cameras and work on either digital or SLR photography.

I get more depressed in the winter, when I can't go outside. I spend more time online, like now, mostly researching things.

I'm somewhat into knives. I belong to a knife forum where I've met a lot of people whom I've gotten to know pretty well. I'm one of the very few girls on there, but I'm used to that anyway since I work with all guys too (sharpening knives.)

When I think about it, there are a lot of things I like to do, but I go through phases where I will just not want to do anything. Sometimes weeks, sometimes months. Of course, when I was drinking a lot, I'd often be too tired or uninterested in things. I used to smoke a lot of pot and that actually made me more interested in things and I'd get a lot done. I haven't smoked in quite a while though, mostly because I can't afford it, but also because I don't want to turn from alcohol to pot and end up overdoing that too.

~ashes

[Evanna]

I guess cars, trucks and bikes must be big in America with all the open roads? Gotta love American muscle too. Ashes, I love that you are into knives...so many unusual things to do.

Time2surrender, thanks for link. Not seen that one. Those Japanese guys are crazy.

I am loving reading everyones responses. Thank-you all.