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'old age' crisis - taking up new hobbies. Your experiences & ideas welcome

Marianne72

I can't call this a, 'mid life crisis' because I'm in old age! Others among you might be experiencing similar things. I've finished a gruelling campaign after 20 years and want new interests/hobbies completely different to my late career [mental health]. I still write but find typing painful so can't type for long periods as I used to do. 

I still love gardening and seed collecting and started reading botany. But I'd like something practical to do indoors. Decades ago, I tried simple models - plastic kits of classic historic ships like the Bounty and tea clippers but [don't laugh!] these were lost when my narrowboat sank Rolling eyes. I thought about the more complex wooden kits but don't know if I would have that much patience. Your experiences and ideas are very welcome and perhaps this might help others at a loose end and wanting ideas.

Parents

  • I tend to let myself go "monotropic" and that seems to resolve the have I got enough patience bit in respect of hobbies  

    So on that basis I suspect the answer is already there - you've said you're really into making boats so give it another go maybe?

    Plastic kits have been a big pastime for me and when I got back into them again as a pretty stressed out adult I started with (ironically making lots of the same "trainer" jet kit - in different paint schemes - and then when I'd got my eye and fingers in moved on to other stuff - but still often make lots of the same one.  Patience doesn't seem to come into it for me when I'm "monotropic" in fact it's the opposite and I suspect you might relate to that?

    Maybe have a read on the internet or similar of someone's own builds - I bet some are out there and that might get your mind to thinking "I could do it that way or similar - it works for me if i've "lost my mojo".

    My fingers are a bit clumsy if I haven't done any modelling for a while - but I dip in and out of fiddly stuff with the less fiddly stuff depending on how I'm at at the time - kindof organically.  And I also forget for a while the arthritis in my wrists/thumbs and fingers (tho' a few exercises to "unwind" them a bit after a modelling session are necessary I find)

    So, if boats are you're thing go for it would be my suggestion - be they wood, plastic, paper - or maybe even renovating a full size one maybe!

    Best Wishes

  • in reply to Phased

    I am rather attracted to your idea of a collection. I could see myself with a range of clipper ships, or dinosaurs, sailing on a set of narrow shelves [which I could build myself]. I have problems with finger mobility, also plain clumsiness! But the idea appeals and, as you say, you can dip in and out. I was recently admiring wooden ship models 3 feet long x 2 feet high but storage would be difficult - smaller might be the way to go. My days of renovating full size are over - sitting beneath a 30' narrow boat covered in black pitch somehow does not appeal in my 70's Laughing. 

  • in reply to Marianne72

    well clumsiness goes away with practice in my experience - like I said if I haven't modelled for a while I seem to spend more time picking up dropped bits to start with.  That soon starts to get me sorted tho' as a training aid!  The obvious thing regarding sharp cutting edges is something to factor in - but staying alert to that can manage that if one is careful and deliberate.  balsa wood blocks,  saw and carve and smooth maybe, dowels and profiled timber - I suspect there are kits like that.  Small scale plastic cutty sarks are available - i see from looking up that there is a pretty good value one but has 90 odd parts and i suspect might be a bit too fiddly as a starter.  i think "airfix" did anothr one no doubt with less parts.  Here's a wild card - how about ships in bottles!  that could be fun and coincidentally one would need to resource the bottles!  yep age takes it's toll of all hulls - hehe bottom fettling tends to go out of fashion as one ages!  (sorry for the unmasked rudeness :-) I hope that it makes you laugh!  )

  • in reply to Phased
    Phased said:
    how about ships in bottles!  that could be fun and coincidentally one would need to resource the bottles!

    Now there's an idea! I could also use this as an excuse for my favourites, ginger wine and Australian Barefoot wines.

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