Besides atheism what other interests do you have?

Asiaprod

My interests include:

- History, especially Ancient Rome and the origins of Christianity.
- Blues/Swing guitar (30 years of it)
- Proving Creationists wrong.
- A good Argument (with TR)


- Films, Silence of the Lambs, Blade runner. 2001 Space Oddessy

- Music, Bob Dylan, Chris Rea, all blues/jazz swing.

- Reading, anything Discworldly, Douglas Adams, Robert Heinlen.

- Compliance management for regulated R&D facility decommissioning. (setting my sights on Heaven as the next project)

Red Hand

I work as a chemistry lab. analyst.

My hobbies include-

Reading: Fav. author changes all the time. At the moment it is Margaret Atwood. I also like Terry Pratchett, Kurt Vonnegut, Frank o Connor, Chaucer, Donna Tart...also like History, Science (not chemistry!) and biography books. I like reading many things (at least things that I can understand!:)) and they get me to sleep.

Hiking: I like being out and about hillwalking...bogs, hills, mountains, lakes-the remoter, the better. Only hills in Eire I haven't explored are in Galway/Mayo/Slieigtreim.

Films: I like Blade Runner, Donnie Darko, 2001 Space Oddessy, Pink Pantar films, Dr Zhivago, Clerks, Raiders of Lost Ark, Silence of the Lambs, even Pride and Prejudice:) ...uh and many others. My favourite film is The Good, the Bad and the Ugly-love it, such a perfect film.

Music: Will listen to anything except rap/hiphop/r and b/techno and club music/boy-and-girlband-you know, rubbish. My favs include Beatles, Stranglers, Johnny Cash, Wagner, Beethovan, Tchaikovski, Mussorgski, Borodin, JS Bach, Rodrigo, Albaniz and much more.

Internet: Ahm, boards.ie? Not much of a gaming fan.

Sport: Haven't played a team sport in a year. Follow Kerry Football, don't follow much else.

Hivemind187

Did a brief stint studying journalism after failing math in the leaving cert and have been contracting for the last few years between surgical procedures and other short adventures.

Interests: Psychology and general life sciences (particularly genetics), literature, film, heavy metal, TV (particularly british comedy from the late 80-mid 90's), politics, occultism, airsoft, martial arts and my new favorite - SLAMBALL.

I can generally be found either butting heads with certain politicians (who will remain nameless), deliberately saying things to see peoples expressions change (nun's are a particular favorite target) and generally refusing to act with any semblance of my biological age.

Written works include: One or two published articles, a half dozen unfinished novels, a dozen unfinished scripts, a plethora of unintelligible outlines, muddled short stories and ranting blog posts.

I also enjoy annoying the faculty of major colleges by applying for admission every year - and then turning down the arts course they inevitably offer me.

PDN

Music: I play tenor sax. I like listening to jazz & blues, and still have a soft spot for early punk (New York Dolls, the Clash etc).

Watching TV: Any of the Law & Order and the CSI franchises.

Cooking: One of my favourite forms of relaxation. I make a mean Spaghetti Carbonara.

Reading: Mainly history. My current bedside tome is Robert Paice's book Tip and Run, a history of the First world war in Africa.

Sport: I love watching Rugby and Soccer (Arsenal) on TV. But there's something special about live games. Am a season ticket holder at Drogheda United.

Films: I have a weird taste in movies. My all time favourite is Time Bandits.

Writing: Part of my job is writing - both books and journal articles. I also enjoy writing short stories and have enjoyed an occasional midweek break away enjoying the prize money from short story competitions.

Looking at the above, and bearing in mind how much time I spend on boards.ie, I am amazed that I ever get any work done.

Tim Robbins

PDN wrote: »

Music: I play tenor sax. I like listening to jazz & blues, and still have a soft spot for early punk (New York Dolls, the Clash etc).

Watching TV: Any of the Law & Order and the CSI franchises.

Cooking: One of my favourite forms of relaxation. I make a mean Spaghetti Carbonara.

Reading: Mainly history. My current bedside tome is Robert Paice's book Tip and Run, a history of the First world war in Africa.

Sport: I love watching Rugby and Soccer (Arsenal) on TV. But there's something special about live games. Am a season ticket holder at Drogheda United.

Films: I have a weird taste in movies. My all time favourite is Time Bandits.

Writing: Part of my job is writing - both books and journal articles. I also enjoy writing short stories and have enjoyed an occasional midweek break away enjoying the prize money from short story competitions.

Looking at the above, and bearing in mind how much time I spend on boards.ie, I am amazed that I ever get any work done.

Interesting a lot of people like writing. that's another hobbie of mine. I have had a number of letters (nine) published in the IT. It's the favourite part of my favourite newspaper.

I'd love to have the writing skills to do something bigger and better, but I was always better at mathematical / logical stuff and like a lot of software engineers seriously rely on the spelling and grammar checker!

An Fear Aniar

Things I use up CPU time on:

Chasing after this Somali girl. I've been helping her with her college work but she's so beautiful I find it hard to concentrate - she's got such slender hands. I like brown sugar.

Playing with my laptop - trying to make it go faster, watching things in Blu-Ray.

Reading Local history/social history e.g. Pepys diary.

Being able to see mountains - can't see any in Lonndain.

Being able to see the sea.

Films set in Italy - the light-hearted ones like Il Postino and Cinema Paradiso - nothing too clever.

.

Beruthiel

Reading, I'll read anything if someone recommends it. I especially read a lot of fantasy. If I get a book I can't put down, dinner won't be cooked.

Films, I have a home cinema and love to watch films. Have a good collection of Asian and foreign films.
Love sci fi and have seen every episode of star trek and stargate.

I love music, especially rock, heavy metal, some jazz, but will listen to anything if I consider it good.

I love to go to a good restaurant and enjoy great food with a good bottle of red.
When I win the lotto, I'm going to travel the world eating in every michelin star restaurant I can find. I will die from over eating, with a smile on my face.

I enjoy my little garden, planting flowers and herbs and watching them grow.

When a new xbox game comes out that I enjoy, I can loose all track of time and reality until it's finished.

I love to travel and see new places. Am off to Nantes tomorrow

PDN wrote:

One of my favourite forms of relaxation. I make a mean Spaghetti Carbonara

We'll have to have a cook off, I consider my carbonara to be top notch!

Popinjay

Well I'll start by confessing that I'm a dirty civil servant - don't hold it against me.

Interests... Hmmm!

Well I love reading. I go through four or five books a week. Most recent finished book is The Twilight Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko (I'm almost sure that spelling is wrong but I don't have the book in front of me). I'd recommend the Night Watch Trilogy to anyone although the movies are a bit poor.

I love film and as with the books I'm not too concerned about genre or the like. It really depends on my mood. My favourite film at the moment is Bright Young Things - Mr. Stephen Fry's feature length directorial debut based on the equally amazing book Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh.

Love to travel. I'm just back from driving my darling woman on a tour around Ireland over Paddy's week. I'd seen most of it before but she's an Aussie so I thought it would be nice. Also off to Vancouver for a bit in the Summer.

I have a huge interest in Magic and Illusion. Delighted with the new forum

I also do a bit of work in Set Design and construction when I find the time.

Sports wise I've never been big on team sports - love martial arts. However, I've just signed up to a team to play tag rugby starting in May.

I'm also a keen Humanitarian and next stop is a fundraising table quiz for Habitat for Humanity which I will be MC and QuizMaster for.

Dades

Beruthiel wrote: »

Reading, I'll read anything if someone recommends it.

Finished Shantaram yet?!

Popinjay

Dades wrote: »

Finished Shantaram yet?!

Ah Shantaram! A wonderful light-hearted, uplifting tale of youthful highjinks if ever there was one. Seriously though, that was a fantastic book.

Beruthiel

Dades wrote: »

Finished Shantaram yet?!

A couple of weeks ago. Fantastic read

redfacedbear

I'm a public servant.

Fatherhood is my main activity at the moment - Daughter will be 3yoa in August, no.2 due in October.

Besides that I'm an avid current affairs/politics follower - Irish Times/Morning Ireland/Matt Cooper everyday. (Only 1 letter to the Ed published so far, but I haven't written since, as the woman I criticised very strongly in that one letter turned out to be my Boss' mother :eek:)

I always have a book on the bedside locker but I'm usually so wrecked going to bed (see Fatherhood above) that I rarely manage more than a page or 2 a night! Currently reading Christine Falls by Benjamin Black (John Banville). Authors I go back to again and again would be Iain (M) Banks (I want to live in the Culture!), Nick Hornby, Terry Pratchett.

Television-wise I like The Sopranos, The Wire, Lost & some Sci-Fi (Firefly/Serenity, Heroes).

I love films but haven't gotten to the cinema much in the last few years (see Fatherhood above) Sky Box Office and Extravision are my friends!

Used to be a keen swimmer, not too active now (unfortunately can't blame this on fatherhood as my laziness long predates this). Will watch any rugby (union) match I can, passing interest in Soccer, just don't get GAA at all.

robindch

5uspect wrote: »

I'm currently finishing off my PhD write up in fluid mechanics down here in UL

hmm... is Ajit Thakker still to the good? I had him for fluids years ago

estebancambias

Wow, the book club is out in force. I wouldn't be much of a reader meself, but its not like you can tell.:eek:

5uspect

robindch wrote: »

hmm... is Ajit Thakker still to the good? I had him for fluids years ago

He's still about, but I steer well clear of him...

Popinjay

Popinjay wrote: »

Well I'll start by confessing that I'm a dirty civil servant - don't hold it against me.

Interests... Hmmm!

Well I love reading. I go through four or five books a week. Most recent finished book is The Twilight Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko (I'm almost sure that spelling is wrong but I don't have the book in front of me). I'd recommend the Night Watch Trilogy to anyone although the movies are a bit poor.

Oh, no? I devoured the night watch trilogy, I am dying to see the movies...

I also highly recommend it to anyone

Popinjay

bluewolf wrote: »

Oh, no? I devoured the night watch trilogy, I am dying to see the movies...

I also highly recommend it to anyone

Night Watch was dramatically over simplified. Very little of the three stories from the book were included it's mainly 'bout Anton and Igor. Day Watch was a disappointment from the moment I read the back of the box to the time the end credits rolled. To be honest I wouldn't bother watching it at all - unless it's just to satisfy your curiosity.

It doesn't look like they'll be making Twilight Watch into a book at all based on the way they end the Day Watch movie either

Not a massive spoiler but don't read it if you've read the books and really want to see the movies.

Dave!

estebancambias wrote: »

Wow, the book club is out in force. I wouldn't be much of a reader meself, but its not like you can tell.:eek:

I like reading , but prefer sleeping

stereoroid

I forgot to mention cooking too: after the Chilli Wars of 2007, my latest exploits are in the field of Sushi. I've got the rice down pat, complete with Mizkan (vinegar, salt & sugar), and I can roll a mean Maki... but when it comes to the fish, I've chickened out a bit. Selecting fresh fish for Sushi is a non-trivial job, so I've been using smoked salmon and various vegetables. Itadakimasu! :pac:

limerick_woody

I am blessed with 2 children aged 2 and 3 - in the limited spare time available to me

Work: Design Integrated Circuits (chips)

Reading: Fantacy/Sci-fi Banks, Eddings, Brooks, Tolkein
Hitchens, Dawkins, boards.ie etc
Anything climbing related, Night Watch is great!

Hobby: woodworking, trying to get compiz/fusion to work on my laptop...

Play: Hillwalking around Ireland, climbing in Scotland/Wales, lunch-times at the gym

Film/TV anything with mountains in it,Platoon, BSG, American History X

Podcasts that fill the time when i am stuck in the car driving --
Realtime with Bill Maher (can be very funny)
The Good Atheist
Atheist Talk
Atheist Nation
Stephen Fry's Podgrams

bogwalrus

what a great thread.

Movies: Love those cool kind of arty farty movies, david lynch stuff, big fan of christian bales acting-loved that werner herzog rescue dawn movie he was in. Will only watch movies which imdb will rate over 6 stars unless a friend recommends.

Music: my life revolves around music. I play in a jazzy instrumental punk rock band, im a session musician also and have played bass on a few irish bands albums-dont do this much anymore. I promote gigs on my spare time and drive bands on tours. Doing a big tour next week and off to the states to drive a band around for two weeks. Its good to help out the irish music scene. favourite bands would be le save fav, jagga jazzist, mars volta,Battles, the bad plus (the list really does go on). I do like listening to classical avant garde sometimes like tom johnson and also Zorn with Zappa and beafheart but i will have to be in a relaxed sedated mood.

Hobbies: writing songs, taking long drives into no where with my mates, going to music festivals (not oxygen or electric picnic) like Primavera, ATP, SOnar.....i love em all.Going to Primavera this year,unreal line up. I like listening to Nova and lyric FM when im driving. Watch soccer and rugby sometimes when have a few beers-tis great fun.Oh and cooking also, make a mean red wine rissoto, vegetarian you see so no fancy meat dishes.

Books:I stopped reading fantasy stuff a while back and really got into quantum science books and philosophy, Schroedingers cat/kittens, anything by carl sagan and other pop science stuff. Then philosophies by Kant (who is my fav) Plato, Voltaire etc I will read some of these books over and over and never get sick of them. Would only get around 2 books a year so not that big a reader.

Work:since i have such an unsteady life with the music and tours i can only ever get part time jobs where i can get days off quite easily. I have a dip in Advertising/pr and maybe someday ill start a promotion company or advertising company.meh....maybe not though:D

someone mention paco de lucia earlier....he is savage.
on par would be preston reed....nice=)

estebancambias

Is Karl Hungus Atheist? God help us if he comes in here harping on about this Japanese Ainme!!!!

Pretty interesting life there Bogwalrus. Am I the only one who's reading consists of links on the Internet?

For example today I was reading about Richard Ramirez. A very interesting charachter.

Sangre

No one who has exeperienced the depth and beauty of Hayao Miyazaki's work could ever deny the existence of a wonderous creator.

estebancambias

Sangre wrote: »

No one who has exeperienced the depth and beauty of Hayao Miyazaki's work could ever deny the existence of a wonderous creator.

Oh God no. Please I beg the less talk of silly cartoons the better, especially Japanese cartoons. Anime ranks high in my list of hatreds. Its up there with trees and Joe Duffy.

Asiaprod

stereoroid wrote: »

, I've chickened out a bit. Selecting fresh fish for Sushi is a non-trivial job, so I've been using smoked salmon and various vegetables. Itadakimasu! :pac:

Here's a tip, from the horse's mouth....any kind of fish/shellfish is good for sushi, just make it freash. The secret is in the sauce....Miso, Yuzu, Wasabi, Shoga, Lyiyu or plain Lemon/Vinegar. One for all kinds. PM is you want more:)

Asiaprod

robindch wrote: »

Congratulations! Fatherhood's great fun, even in the dark, at four in the morning, when you're scratching about unsteadily in a cot, trying to work out which end of your kid is which without poking her in the eye. Enjoy, as I'm sure you will

Just spotted this, congrats. Now I can include a new home-grown mod for the Atheism Forum in my forward-looking 15 year plan.

Dades

estebancambias wrote: »

Anime ranks high in my list of hatreds. Its up there with trees and Joe Duffy.

You hate trees? That's just weird. Trees rule - and I ain't no hugger!

Asiaprod wrote: »

Just spotted this, congrats. Now I can include a new home-grown mod for the Atheism Forum in my forward-looking 15 year plan.

Are you suggesting I'm going to indoctrinate my child?

An Fear Aniar

Sangre wrote: »

No one who has exeperienced the depth and beauty of Hayao Miyazaki's work could ever deny the existence of a wonderous creator.

I love Miyazakhi's work. Howls Moving Castle, Spirited Away. Beautiful stuff.



.

bogwalrus

An Fear Aniar wrote: »

I love Miyazakhi's work. Howls Moving Castle, Spirited Away. Beautiful stuff.



.

all the studio Gibli stuff is great. I cant point my finger on why i like them so much. I believe Miyazakhi's son did the last two anime's. he would also be called Miyazakhi, i could be wrong though. Pretty cool keeping it in the family if thats the case.

stevejazzx

Dades wrote: »

Are you suggesting I'm going to indoctrinate my child?

My kid (aged 5) won't stop singing the death march from star wars so I reckon Lucas has already indoctrinated him, so your best bet is to get them while their young so noone else can!:)