What are you 'passionate' about?

What are you \'passionate\' about?

We all know how Darell feels about his EV..
I'm a bit of a computer geek..
Jonsidneyb has a feel for brass..

What are you passionate about? Flashlights? Yeah, but we know that, or you wouldn't be here..

Share your passion here (I know what I mean! ) and see who else has similar interests..

Graham

Re: What are you \'passionate\' about?

Let's see here...

Flashlights and other things that light up. Definitely lasers. And low pressure glow lamps, like argon glow bulbs and neon figurals. LEDs and other things that glow would probably be my #1 passion.

Then there's my collection of antique (and a few not-so-antique) telephone & powerline insulators. I can't go by a flea market without making a quick little detour to see if they have any interesting "glass" for sale. And I've been known to stop in the strangest places to whip out a camera and take pictures of the tops of telephone poles.

Computers. They've always been high on my list, since I got a Timex Sinclair 1000 back in the early 1980s, and a Commodore 64 not long after that. Not that I can actually afford a 800MHz or 1GHz super duper system, mind you, but I can always dream.
I put together the best system I can given the resources available: a 500MHz AMD K6/2, 128MB PC100 RAM, junky SiS mainboard, Win95, and a 17" Viewsonic monitor. Don't laugh - it sure beats my old 486/25SX.

Not much into Japanese anime - execept for ONE show: Digimon. I never miss an episode, and I even go so far as to tape them when possible, and I go to bed early on Fridays so I can be up by 8 on Saturday morning to watch it. Don't ask about the digivice and D3 I bought last summer, or the big stuffed Digimon I sometimes have riding shotgun, or the collectible figurines I've never taken out of the package. I mean, it's not like I'm ever going to sell them or anything.

I've always had a thing for astronomy too, ever since I was a child. Maybe one day I'll be able to get a telescope stronger than 27X too. That would certainly take me away from CPF and The LED Museum for a couple of hours a night when the weather permits.

Guess that's about all I can think of now.
Next?

Re: What are you \'passionate\' about?

I'm mostly a cool-gadget-technology freak. And that easily spills over into so many parts of my life, that it is hard to keep track.

I have quite a bit of home automation, a bit of solar power, I like all things LED, LOVE tools of all types.

But I guess what I'm most passionate about these days is decreasing our dependence on fossil fuels. I go through heroic efforts to save energy everywhere I can. My solar power takes care of my computer, ham radios, cell phone chargers, attic fan, and some of my lighting. All of my home's windows are thermally efficient, are tinted and the important ones are shaded by awnings. Every appliance I own is rated at the top of the efficiency scale. Everything I am not currently using is completely (usually automatically) disconnected from the power source to save the "standby" wattage that most appliances "leak."

I could go on, and on (I'm guessing nobody will challenge me on that) but you're all lucky in that I must stop here, as my EV will be in a parade tomorrow, and I have to go polish it up (it is 11pm here now!)

I'll be back though. This should be a very interesting thread.

Hey Craig - I started with a Timex Sinclair too! It was like $19.99 at Long's Drug store.

Re: What are you \'passionate\' about?

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by darell:

Hey Craig - I started with a Timex Sinclair too! It was like $19.99 at Long's Drug store.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

You musta gotten it quite a while after it first came out then. I traded $70 and a good Sanyo boombox for mine, not long after they first hit the market.

Re: What are you \'passionate\' about?

I'm a tool freak.Every week I make it a point to purchase a tool.I have alot of nice power tools,so I have been focusing on quality hand tools alot lately.You can never go wrong buying good tools.
troy

Re: What are you \'passionate\' about?

About the only things that really get me worked up at all nowadays are attacks on Liberty, (Individual Freedom and the like).

The first thing that I ever really felt passion for doing was going to find great mineral specimens {crystals, gems, meteorites, etc.} (in-situ) anywhere in the world. Climb the highest mountains or down the deepest holes and all that kind of stuff.

Like most everyone else here, computers and tools are important and interesting to me, but I hardly ever slobber over every page in "Computer Shopper" anymore.

You can never have enough tools, and it seems like every time I get one new tool, I need to get three or four more to make the first one to really work the way it should. Troy is right about buying GOOD tools- I used to buy the cheapest ones. But I kept replacing them because they burnt out or broke all to soon.

I made all of my knife-making tools when I got into that about 10 years ago. Belt sanders, forges, anvils, heat treating ovens, buffers; everything made from scrap, found objects, salvage, etc. THAT was a great learning experience, but I could have gotten a minimum wage job, bought top-of-the-line professional equipment and come out ahead time and money wise.

You guys turned me into light junkie. Before I visited CPF I was comfortable in the absence of light - (I could "become as one with the night" and "move on cat's feet") . Now I stumble around with a Surge or Surefire in one hand, a home made LS in the other and an ARC AAA in my teeth. (and two Photons in my pocket). I don't think it is a passion though. More like an addiction.
-------------------------------------------

Oh yeah, and Alyssa Milano.
Every time I see her, I get passionate.

Re: What are you \'passionate\' about?

Alastair's passions...

On the physical side for now:

SureFires (!)
Tolkien's Lord of the Rings & associated books.
dts Surround sound. SuperBit DVDs.
Classical music - Piano & organ, Choral, Mozart.

Meat - Lamb, Beef, Chicken, Pork, Ostrich etc - BBQs, spit-roasts. Smoked bacon. Trout, Salmon.....
Indian Food - King Prawn (you call it shrimp?) Bhuna (sp?) nan bread...

I'm off to find something to eat.

Al

Re: What are you \'passionate\' about?

What am I passionate about besides Fine lights. Maybe I can come up with something.

Riccardian Economics, Finance, Backbacking, getting lost in caves, climbing, collegiate wrestling, olympic freestyle wrestling before the 1980's rules changes, judo, jujitsu, 1920's household stuff, electron degeneracy pressure, neutron degeneracy pressure, the Hubble constant, concave universe convex universe theories, telescopes, German Shepards, Rhodisian Ridgebacks, Chows, Komondors, Pulis, Border Collies, Some Cats, Jack Rabbits, Road Runners, Anything Southwestern except Southern California, American Century Investors. (taking a breath) Wyndotte, Otoe, Osage, and Ponca Indians. Political Science, Anthropology, Winston Churchill, Bashard Kahn, History. Anyoung Hashimnikka...love bulgogi kimbop. Indian fry bread, flint knapping (I can't do it but I love it). Damascus Steel, CZ-75's, S&W revolvers, Klingunther Rifles, Dakota Rifles, Tanfoglio long slide and Compact Custom in 9x23, Weatherby XXII, Primative Archery, Loveless Knives, Benchmade Knives, SpyderWrench, The wide open Spaces, horses, did I mention dogs? Emerson Fans from the 20's, Westinghouse Fans 1906-1912. Reading non-fiction, fishing, climbing trees, growing flowers, Women, woodworking, walnut furniture, the History Channel, C-Span, Discorery Channel, Geology. Shooting, reloading. I might like Brass but I'm not sure yet. Running, lifting weights, arguing, working, sleeping on the back porch, thunderstorms, diving off of bridges, swimming, would like to learn to fence, exploring, the Zoo. Getting lost. I am sure there are more things but this is the short list.

Re: What are you \'passionate\' about?

My "custom knife" fetish has waned a bit but I'm still a "radio" freak. Scanners, SW, FRS, GMRS (just got two of these).

Re: What are you \'passionate\' about?

I'm just a computer geek... I think Excel is the niftiest program ever designed... and there's nothing like spending hours (days, weeks, months) on trying to figure out a bit of html/SSI/java code and putting it all together and having it WORK!... the ultimate mind-bender... ahhhhhhhh... the euphoria... always makes me want a cigarette afterwards...

Re: What are you \'passionate\' about?

I'm pretty passionate about books I guess - the ones I really like, I'll often have multiple copies of, and read many times. The really good ones just get better every time you read them.

The Lord of the Rings would probably be the most obvious one - I own about 3 copies (due to moving around a lot) and have lost count of how many times I've read it. Some science fiction classics by Asimov and Heinlein would also be in there.

Graham

Re: What are you \'passionate\' about?

Yeah, Tolkien. The Master. He didn't start the genre, but he made it mainstream and added a lot of class. I don't know how many times I read LOTR. Probably on average once every 18 months or so since 1969. Drove 200 miles to be in line to see the first showing of the "Fellowship of the Ring" movie when it opened a few months ago.

Have you read Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time" and /or George R.R. Martin's "Song of Ice and Fire" series? (both unfinished). Superb writing, great characters and plotting, and very interesting "worlds" they are set in.

I await each new volume with almost uncontrollable impatience. I fear that the authors will be incapacitated or die before they finish their epics more than I care about my own death or incapacitation.

I visit the various web fan sites and discussion boards for both, (not as much as CPF, though) and usually have one of the "books on tape" playing when I am in the workshop or on a long drive.

I guess that makes me somewhat passionate about those pieces of paper and ink.

I'd like to live in the world of the "Wheel of Time", hang out with any of "the good-guys & gals".

Don't think I'd really like to live in Martin's world though; Too gritty, too harsh, and too few people you can trust.

Besides, no possibility of LED lights in Martin's world. LED lights may exist as artifacts of "the Age of Legends" in Jordan's world though.

Re: What are you \'passionate\' about?

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by JonSidneyB:
I might like Brass but I'm not sure yet.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Just so you don't think I'm not paying attention... I DID read your list just to find this little treasure

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by The LED Museum:
You musta gotten it quite a while after it first came out then. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
You got me... They were closing them out at the time. My dad and I went in halfsies on one. We hooked it up to a B&W 7" TV, and nothing could stop me. I wrote a couple of BASIC programs, then moved onto a Kaypro with CPM. My life has never been the same since...

Re: What are you \'passionate\' about?

Oddly enough mine are similar to Darell. I am in to home automation big time, well a LOT of X-10 stuff. I have just over 10kw of batteries and 2 stacked trace inverters for a combined output of 5kw @240vac if needed, with a couple of solar panels on the roof (hopefully more this summer). So I am in to backup or self-sufficiency sort of stuff. We just added a wood burner to heat our entire house. I make enough power to run our fridge and freezer (both hi efficiency) and the computers. I even have a solar rechargeable battery for my cell phone.

I am also in to just about anything having to do with water. I am a certified rescue diver; actually have a 10 deep indoor pool (how nuts am I?) Fortunately for me my wife loves the water too. Water skiing, scuba, sailing, you name it on or in the water.

Of course computers, digital cameras, and now I am getting in to video cameras.

Oh I also designed (along with my wife) and wired our house we built 2 years ago. So it has WAY too much wire in it. My dad always says, if a tornado came though the wire would hold the house together. We have at least 2 cat5 wires homeruns to the "shop" from every room. We have about 50 cat5 wires coming in there. I installed 5 breaker panels, with about 150 circuits.

Re: What are you \'passionate\' about?

I'm no where near into home automation type stuff as you guys, but would love to..(living in an apartment at the moment, so options are sort of limited..)

Anyway, I also love tools and DIY..caught it from my Dad, I guess. From as early as I can remember, whenever something needed to be fixed or made, he always seemed to have something hidden away somewhere that would do the job. These days when I visit home its always great to 'talk shop' about stuff we've made (being in different countries sort of makes this a little hard too). He just got a woodworking lathe, and is proceeding to remake just about anything in the house that is round..

Anyway, one day in the not-too-distant future I plan to move back to Australia and buy a house. When the time comes I might ask you guys for some advice on the solar side of things.. (of course being a computer geek I've already got the networking part of things well planned..)

Graham

Re: What are you \'passionate\' about?

I had one of those Timex Sinclairs too. I still do. It's practically unused, as it's earmarked as the center for complete automation of my home. That's one of those things you intend to do someday, but never get around to. It's Z80 processor, with some assembly code and barely sufficient RAM can accomplish some astounding things. Of course it will take some brushing up and relearning the architecture. Actually, I think the Z80 was the last time I had to make much use of assembly language.

I got started in the late 70s when Radio Shack introduced the TRS80 Model I, with 4K of memory and a cassette recorder for storage. Ready made programs were very scarce. So, anything you wanted to do on it you needed to program. That was before there was any such thing as Shareware, and anything you did you released as public domain, and distributed through such methods as Compuserve. We had excellent hobbyist magazines like Micro80 that would pay a royalty when they printed up your routines, but writing programs were an act of love for your machine, rather than a means of making a living. I jumped into the computer hobby because I found it much more capable than the programmable calculators that had to be reprogrammed every time you changed the batteries.

At that time the local community college saw no future in personal computers, so anything you learned was through books and magazines. The term "hacker" was respected since it indicated an accomplishment. The hacker knew not only the hardware aspect of his machine, but also every abstract concept involving it.
Serious use involved learning not only higher level language, but assembly code and in certain instances machine code. Programming was intriguing enough to keep your mind occupied not only through the days, but while you tried to sleep. We squeezed as much efficiently out of 16K as the compilers now that consume megs.

Passionate? Perhaps, but now it seems I've forgotten most of what I knew, and little need to regain it. The computer I have now does everything for me, and the routines I need are already made. The machine I have now spies dutifully on my every action and reports back to it's manufacturer, and to the ones researching marketing trends. Hmmm... maybe I ought to get that little Timex Sinclair out....

Re: What are you \'passionate\' about?

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Lightspeed:

My other love is guns, and I own a few (as racing takes up most of my $). I have a Browning Buckmark, M1 Carbine, Glock 17c, Springfield Armory TRP Operator, and an SKS.

Eric<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well, now I know where not to steal toilet paper the next time need overcomes resources.

Re: What are you \'passionate\' about?

Don't tread on me.
Kimber .45 14 rounds
Colt pocket nine 9mm 5 rounds
S&W .357 Mag 6" stainless
Colt Woodsman .22 Cal 6" blue 10 rounds
Mossburg 12 ga 18" 6 rounds Bushnell Holosight, Laser, TACMIII light, 6 round, sidesaddle, heat shield.
SKS 7.63X39 10 rounds
FN-FAL .308 Nato 20 rounds
Ruger 10/22 1.5-4x30 scope, 10 and 25 rounds
About 2,000 rounds of ammo (I'm running low, need to go to a gun show)

Y'ALL COME VISIT. P.S.call first.

Re: What are you \'passionate\' about?

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by phred:
Colt Woodsman .22 Cal 6" blue 10 rounds
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
WOW, It's been a lot of years since I saw one if these!! Wish I had one. Is it the target model?? TX

Re: What are you \'passionate\' about?

Oh, and I almost forgot...I recently acquired a FN Model 1922 in .32 It is in approx %80 condition, and is a good shooter.

Eric