I really love this thread. I find it completely intriguing that It seems I have more than a little in common with quite a few folks in this thread. I'm just not really sure I'm "in to" this or that versus this or that just being part of my way of life or the way of life of those whom I know and love, though.
Tattoos - I have no ink, but probably more than half of the people I associate with daily (including many family members) do, and one of my oldest friends has made his living as a tattoo artist for more than 30 years. I've always appreciated and been intrigued by tattoo art and all of the reasons people usually associate with having it. For instance, my sister has a story or a life event associated with every tat she has. Every one of them means a lot to her.
Motorcycles - I'm a cager. I'll always be a cager. Same story with the ink, though: I know a lot of harley pilots and loads of friends and family who are in to all sorts of street bikes, dirt bikes, 4 wheelers, etc. I know quite a lot about bikes because I associate with a lot of people who make them a way of life. I have the endorsement on my license and have been able to ride since I was a kid (there were a couple of dirt bikes on the farm when I was growing up), but I prefer a cage. Even though I'm completely familiar with it, even if I won the lottery tomorrow, you wouldn't find me ordering a ducati streetfighter.
Knives (particularly edc folders) - another one where I have a lot of information/knowledge, but no real passion. Even though I know the differences between popular steels, deployment types, lock types etc, all I really care about is that whatever is in my pocket is sturdy enough to accomplish my every day cutting tasks and isn't a real pain to sharpen when it needs it. I own a bunch of folders (from cheap to expensive), but as long as I can keep it sharp enough to gut a fish or break down boxes or cut bailing twine, I'm not really picky as to which one is with me. In fact, some of the knives I'm most likely to have handy around here are not that well reviewed but I find them perfectly acceptable to do what I need them to do. I'm just as happy using my kershaw blur as I am my spyderco super leaf. The superleaf is better reviewed and has VG-10 blade steel, but my blur gets the same jobs done just as comfortably and never needs more than a few strokes over the ceramic to touch back up.... That was all blasphemy right there to serious and passionate knife guys, right
I learned a lot about knives over the years because my best friend has made it his life's mission to know every detail about every knife available since we were 10.
Programming - My commodore 64 + 4 came with a book on spreadsheets and a book on basic (I wanted it to play games, but my folks didn't understand that and never bought me any games). When I was 12 or 13, I had zero need for spreadsheets but did require a method to create my own games. So, that basic book got worn out and ended up creating a monster that lived another 25 or so years. I got burned out though. I still occasionally need python because of the operating systems I choose to use for a lot of purposes, but I'll never again have a deadline or spend another minute of my life in a cubicle.
Hunting/fishing - I grew up on a farm in Montana. I don't approach hunting and fishing with any extra passion. I won't lie and say I don't find it to be a noble and pleasurable endeavor, but I will say my primary reason for hunting and fishing has always been to supplement my sustenance. I eat what I catch or kill. I feed what I catch or kill to my family. The only exceptions are varmints and predators and those I kill to protect my primary sources of sustenance (the critters and crops on dads farm). Hunting and fishing is just part of my life and has been as long as I can remember.
I'm a simple man. My passions and ideas that I'm "in to" all relate to my family, my friends, and my neighbors.
EDIT/ADD - Also noticed a veedub back on the first page. Well, I don't need to say more than this about that: We have a 66 body on a 65 pan. It has been with us since around '74. Came with a 1200, been through that 12, a 13, and two 1600s. transaxel's been rebuilt three times and just started popping out of 4th again so I'll be doing it again soon. Never had any other vehicle that attracts so many people who just want to talk about it or maybe one they have or maybe one some relative of theirs had.... bugs attract the best sorts of the nicest people you'll ever know
