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I collect old robots, early tube and transistor radios and old clocks(I especially like my cuckoo clocks).
I didn't want to leave out old fountain pens, and Yixing teapots.
I collect (and drink) everyday quality, estate, varietal and vintage teas, some quite old. Teas from all over the world are one of the most affordable luxury items that I know of. A real bargain.

Sharp, I'm a big tea fan too. I'm in a small group that meet here in NYC to drink together. We have had various sheng puers, some quite old, aged oolongs, wuyi's, etc. Actually, it's time to do some buying again...we should talk.

Sharp, I forgot that I have a few different Jefferson clocks and have a storage warehouse half full of 50's-60's vintage hi-fi and early stereo equipment. I no longer want it to clutter my house and need to get it on Ebay one of these days. For some, there comes a time when it's better to divest rather than add to, you know. BTW, concerning quality tea, would Canadian Club be in the running?

My interests are many, in fact, so many that I am sometimes neglecting my piano. But I love going to the theatre, the concert hall and the opera. I travel abroad once or twice a year to get away from it all, and as soon as I come home again, very much time is spent in the garden among the roses and other plants. I cook up nice dishes in the kitchen and make cozy dinner parties, and then there is the art collection. Going to auctions is more exciting than climbing tall buildings, the discovery of something I want and then the wait for the bidding to start. The closer it gets to the price I can afford, the faster the heart beats, and when I am overbid, it is such a disappointment, it's like being a child again and losing a game. But, there is always another auction.... I now have over 40 works of art at home. Gotta buy some more walls. My friends tell me that the house looks like a f&%$#@&g museum. Oh well, I guess it could be a lot worse.....

I restore grand pianos, but I also restore sports cars (Lotus and Jaguar), motorcycles (asian and American), boats both power and sail and audio equipment. I'm thinking of building a house from scratch. The fun never ends. If I get bored, there's always the grandkids.

The joy of my life is making music with my soprano wife.There can never be enough Strauss lieder and we're working through the 4 Last Songs again which is a great thing. The older we get the more introspective they get.

Love riding my Motorcycle. Love fly fishing.

After Ricksters post on motorcycle accidents for the over 50 crowd, I ride with trepidation. Give you an example, my 2002 Harley Firefighter Road King, just turned 6000 miles. I'm still wary of riding. My hair is gray!
Also Jon Pels, your intereststs are very similar to mine. I certainly appreciate all the responses to this post, makes me feel, once again, that piano lovers are more sophisticated than the "Average Bear" I'm honored to be a member of this great site.

WOW you need to ride more!!!!! I put on 4000 miles since last May. 14 months that is.

So, when I first joined some years ago, this question was posed, and I remember my answer created quite a stir. So, suffice it to say, I have a lawsuit pending against MGM because I feel they stole the most recent rendition of James Bond from my day-to-day life. :P

Of course, I am kidding. Or am I?

I am a highly competitive martial artist.

I am former military.

I am a sharpshooter, competitive for 3 years.

I thoroughly enjoy working out (because now it is for fun and not for "training" haha).

I used to enjoy writing (meaning, of course, that I am trying to publish something I wrote).

I also now enjoy making recordings of my playing to hear how far I've slipped since I used to play somewhat more seriously. (I was, unfortunately, never very serious, which I fear gave my teacher at the time more gray hairs than he deserved.)


In light of the above growing list, I shall say that I have very eclectic albeit active tastes. Would be happy to discuss it more, so long as I don't bore anyone.

I like teaching and learning, riding my bicycle, and drinking beer.

Do you have a way to carry a rod on your motorcycle? I have been toying with the idea of rigging up something like a rifle scabbard on the front fork like you see on the old WW II army motorcycles.

I imagine that Rod would find a way carry a rod.
;-

I am new here, and new to the piano also. For the past 10 years I have been deeply into gunsmithing, handloading ammo, and shooting. It has been all I thought of in my alone time. Prior to that it was boats for a few years and high activity sports when younger. I know loading ammo and piano certainly are too tame as activites to have kept me interested as a younger man.

I think I also like reading online forums a little bit too, I cant remember all I have been involved in over the last 15 or so years on various subjects (skiing, computers, ponds/fish, gardening, cars, boats, hunting, guns/ammo, pool/spas, audio/video, sports, never really got into to political stuff).

Beautiful restoration work Steve!

Dogs - I have a rescued Airedale that is sweet and wonderful.
Walking, hiking, and working out - my Airedale is still very fit and helps me keep that way too.
Photography - but I've really been slacking off since I started studying music in earnest
Collecting handguns and rifles
Collecting knives

I used to keep and ride horses, but moved to a rural neighborhood that doesn't allow horses or any livestock. Clueless, aging, pretentious, ex-yuppies!
Since I'm still working full-time that's all I can squeeze in.

I take my 4X4 to my fishing destinations. My MC would never make it into the lakes I fish.

taiji (I used to be a hard stylist, but now go for the martial arts for old farts), bicycles - I have a Bacchetta Corsa (speed machine), a Bacchetta Giro (every day commuter) a Catrike Expedition (trike, grocery getter w/ trailer), and a rain bike beater with fenders and studded tires I mount when icy. I sold my car in 2008. I used to weigh nearly 300 pounds... now I'm around 210. I ride 6 to 10 thousand miles yearly, with 4500 of those commuting, church, grocery shopping, doing what needs to be done. The rest I ride for fun.

I'm also an audiophile (or audio-fool, depending on your perspective) having owned Bose 901s (sold after hearing Cornwalls) to the current ElectroVoice Patrician 800s. I still own Klipschorns, Cornwalls, Heresys, Tannoys and various tube amplifiers from the 1950's.


These days I'm learning how to bring my auction score, a 1954 Baldwin Model L, back to life. VERY satisfying work. I was a piano major in school and will begin lessons again this fall since I now have an acoustic instrument after a long dry spell.

Here's a thread about a MAJOR loudspeaker SCORE - and subsequent restoration - I had (same auction where I got my piano). It was a good day.

Of course, the result of all of these interests is a complete lack of time when I can do "NOTHING" which I also enjoy, but I'll take a full life over a boring one any day.

Forrest

Hey, Woodog! I have a Bacchetta Giro 20 and a Rans Zenetik Pro. And a Trek fitness bike, a Giant Hybrid and a 40 year old Clive-Stewart road bike. I get most of my exercise keeping the tires pumped up.

Charles

Tandyman, the motorcycle thing is not what it was in my youth. I just can't seem to quite give it up. I take out the bike once or twice a week to go to Chick Fil A for breakfast, just so the carbs idle jets don't clog up. The HD Sporty was bought as a basket case and though I got it running there are other issues, namely gearbox noise. I refuse to have anything else torn apart until two items are back together. I'm glassing in a new floor, transom and stringers on the boat. There are two pianos apart for resto as well, never mind the cars, so I need to have some forward progress. I just replaced all of the electrolytics in my vintage Carver stuff, and then the microwave went crazy, so I replace the caps in that as well. I can't exactly complain because it was a wedding gift...34 years ago. The electronics have since calmed down. Then of course I am still woodshedding on Horowitz's Carmen Variations. To many projects, not enough time!

cool! You get the magic. I've embraced my inner Fred. Liberating indeed. I dig these machines. They put a bit of play in every day.

best,

Forrest