VALUE YOUR HOBBIES!! | BACK-TO-BASICS SKILLS FOR MEN
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- čas přidán 2. 07. 2024
- In this video your host discusses one of the 10 habits that have improved and formed his life - Hobbies
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#chapsguide #ashjones #mensstyle - Jak na to + styl
My darling Wiife and I took on an allotment last year after a successful growing season in our garden. I love spending our weekends and evenings at our little place of quiet and calm. I'm particulary excited to reap the rewards of our efforts. Great content again, thanks Ash!
Thanks for sharing!
Is being Dapperly dressed a hobby ? This has consumed me over the last 2 years. I could write a book on my adventures down the Dapperly path and the friends and acquaintances I’ve met.
I would argue that while the mere act of being well-dressed isn't a hobby, the study of, hunt for, bespeaking process of, or passionate maintenance of clothes is. That is to say, unless you have a personal shopper and are only well-dressed for the necessity or convenience of it, it absolutely is a hobby.
Same here 😊
I concur! It's not my only hobby but the "management" of my wardrobe certainly is one 😺.
Best regards
Raoul G. Kunz
Agee taking care of the items you have acquired is a hobby in itself.
I think that's something totally up to the individual.
It's a bit like cooking in that regard: Pretty much everyone prepares food for themselves, even if its simply making toast or putting a frozen pizza in the oven. But some folks take pride and joy in their culinary adventures. Searching out and trying new recipes and ingredients. Preparing special meals for themselves, family members, and guests. Do those people call cooking their "hobby"? Surely some do, and if so - then good for them. But if they don't - because they have other activities they classify differently - then that's fine too.
I’ve recently taken up the piano which has led to an appreciation of classical music as well as learning to read sheet music. Time wasn’t much of an issue as I carved out some tv viewing to make it happen. I’ve also begun learning a foreign language. I’ve found both to be very enriching. Thanks for all that you do Ash!
Railway modelling helped me keep my sanity as Covid raged in the nursing home where I work.
I receive huge pleasure from traditional wet shaving and collecting razors, soaps, creams and brushes. I never leave the house unshaven , with the only exception being when I occasionally treat myself to a hot towel shave at the barbers.
Shaving every morning with quality products ( Taylor of Old Bond Street Grapefruit shaving cream and my Edwin Jagger DE89 razor are my current favourites ) sets me up for the day , both in terms of personal grooming and mentally.
Thank you for this informative video Sir , and I wish you a good weekend.
Great advice there Ash. Never considered how important hobbies can be before. Real food for thought.
Hobbies are absolutely an essential part of the gentleman's life! I take somewhat of the traditional dandyism approach and fill my life with leisurely pursuits rather than work. Here is a list of the hobbies I enjoy.
- I'm a six-year ballroom dancer. I can dance waltz, tango, foxtrot, quickstep, Viennese waltz, rumba, and swing.
- I study etiquette and philosophy. I've read Victorian-era etiquette manuals, and I have a philosophy tutor I see once a week.
- I'm a chess player. I'm around 1000 Elo, so I'm not spectacular, but I run an extracurricular class for an elementary school once a week. It's sort of a charity thing for me.
- I'm a patron of the arts. I buy season tickets to my local opera house for both opera and ballet, along with attending whatever side-events they have when possible.
- I would consider grammar a hobby of mine. Many probably wouldn't, but I often find myself listening to grammar podcasts just to get that perfect English down. Even when texting close friends, I never make shortcuts.
- I'm an amateur fencer. The sword kind - not the painting kind. I do saber.
- I'm a cribbage player and have been for a decade. I even play for money at competitive events on occasion.
- I'm a member of the Poetry Society of Colorado. I've hosted workshops for them.
- I'm a horseback rider. I own a full set of English riding clothes. I don't have a horse, though. Owning a horse is unfathomably expensive, and since horseback riding isn't a massive hobby of mine, I prefer to ride at my local stables.
- I'm a foodie. That may not sound like a hobby, but I eat at sit-down restaurants several times a week for the pleasure of it. I refuse to eat fast food, microwaved food, or leftovers, save for soup.
- I would describe tea as a hobby of mine. I own bags upon bags of loose-leaf tea, and I wrote a menu for a local tea house a few years ago.
- More minor hobbies for me include golf and Scrabble.
There are many facets to you sir, thanks you for sharing.
Wow - that's a ton of hobbies - glad you've got the time for them!😺
I'm a bit more moderate hobby-wise, also because I spend a lot of time commuting to and from work. (Buh-Huh!🤣)
- I don't know if this counts but as a former history teacher I'm of course deeply interested in history sometimes following on specific questions using resources I still have access to, mostly late 19th to mid 20th century, both societal focused "Ministoria" and the larger classical "event-history"
- Occasionally attending horse races, but that`s more of a thing of my better half being a former equestrian
- I'm a HEMA practitioner, German Style Longsword (and Kriegsmesser), primarily following Lichtenauer's teachings
- Avid reader here, mostly putting that commuting time to good use plus academically trained reading is a lot faster than "normal", so I go through both novels and non-fiction (also genre fiction) rather fast, though still for enjoyment
- I'm a plastic model builder on a rather proficient level, mostly the larger 35th military scale, mostly the World Wars
- I'm also rather competent at ink-drawing utilizing both fountain pens and dip pens
- Caring and amusing myself with our cats, sometimes branches into other fields because I own a m-t-m corduroy suit for home-wear because it's more or less *immune* to kitty-claws (my old cat was an avid "shoulder-cat" 😅)
- And of course curating and collecting my wardrobe
- there's other things I wouldn't consider hobbies a such but I spent time with them for relaxation and enjoyment
Best regards
Raoul G. Kunz
This is very interesting. Hobbies in every aspect : mental, educational, physical, etc. You inspire.
Well done sir. You have quite a few gentlemanly hobbies. I am retiring soon and am going to be able to reconnect with a lot of my old hoodies. Chess being one. I too fenced in my younger days. I have already increased my reading.
Since you are a chess player and a fencer I do believe bridge would be the card game of choice focused like chess less on fun but more on mental use.
This year I have made a concerted effort, booked a half day at the end of every month to go to the range and spend some time on my own just relaxing. It's been good for me.
This video should be a mendatory viewing for all the chaps [and chaps in the making] in the world. Awesome work, Ash! Another thumps up!
I admit some of my hobbies have been put on the shelf and I have been thinking about a 'renaissance' of at least 1 of them. I used to fish a lot but I got so involved in work that I let it slip away. So getting the rod and real out of the attic soon is on my agenda. I also play the guitar and I do that when the spirit moves me now and then. At times nothing can give me greater joy and relaxation than that. There are some walking trails nearby and that are in my sights as well. Sometimes you just have to make yourself take the time for it. And I agree hobbies can be most beneficial for body and mind. Thanks again for a great video with excellent points and ideas.
Spot on. After turning 50, I made a few life changes. One of them was to join the local historical society and get involved with several projects. I wish I had done this earlier, as it is a great way to meet new people, learn new skills, and have fun. I just need to get out and exercise more!
An excellent point,Ash! And one that I unwittingly took to heart many years ago as a boy. Way too many hobbies and interests now of course, but life is never dull.
Hello Ash, you are very productive, I think. That is nice, the videos are good, thank you for that. I have similar habits, and I was also a runner. But unfortunately my knees are not healthy anymore, so I stopped with the running as a hobby (I am 59). Please be careful, let a doctor make an examination of your knees on a regular basis (an ultra sonic examination can give a rough result in only 10 min). Running is heavy for the knees, believe me. Good luck!
Much food for thought here. Thanks. 1) Money is power. But if power cannot be an end in itself, neither can money, by definition. A number of public figures I can think of, politicians in particular, have clearly ignored this, and are pathetic hollow shells. 2) In times past the ideal gentleman was a Renaissance man - someone with many skills and interests, an “aficionado” in the old sense of the term, someone who becomes knowledgeable for the enjoyment, not for the public acclaim. For example, I recently saw an interview with Brad Pitt, who always gives the impression of being a laid-back dude with nothing much between the ears. The interview turned into a half-hour-long discourse on the dismal state of modern architecture. I was astonished, and came away with a renewed respect for him.
Mens sana in corpore sano. I was never much of an athlete, but since I got out of school I’ve haunted libraries, following out every interesting topic that occurred to me, and the more I learn the more I admire genuine scholarship, genuine scientific genius, genuine craftsmanship. It keeps me humble. I’d advise any aspiring gentlemen to follow any area that suits his fancy, and if one starts to bore him, find another.
The "third space" is very important, everyone needs something other than work & home. I enjoy metal detecting, for instance, and cycling/motorcycling. Keeps me out of trouble (usually lol)
Ash your so right. About 15 years ago I took up the sport of table tennis with my son and both of us really had a blast. We even got a coach and joined a club in San Diego. We played in tournaments made lots of friends over many years, then Covid came and shut us down for almost 3 years. I started to ride my bike more but I sure miss my hobby and sport. Life hasn’t quite been the same . Thank you for the reminder and it’s importance in life .😻
Good morning, sir. Hobbies are very important part of life. Many chaps work too much and get stressed. A hobby helps mental and physical health.
Myself I have a few hobbies to improve:
Physical : working out
Intellectual : reading
Mental : chess, guitar
Relaxation : hiking, gardening, dog
There are so many things I would like to do but cannot due to unavailability in my locality , schedule or simply too expensive.
But I will start to learn chess.
Excellent video, it really spoke to me. I’m a medical doctor in neurology and the work load is very important. I absolutely love medicine and neurology, but without hobbies and other things in my life I wouldn’t be an happy person. Some people in my field manage to do just work, but it is not my case, I need some variety in my life. Classic men style is one of the best hobbies/field that I could find so far. Physical activity and culture/music are also essential.
Ash, what a marvelous summation of the importance of hobbies and interests in one's life. I have always maintained numerous hobbies and interests throughout my adult life with some having been held from childhood (eg. R/C modelling -> which later took me to 1:1 scale, a pilots license and aircraft ownership). Even then, I still continued with my interest in that particular hobby -> which brings an anecdote to mind. A friend of mine who flew R/C and also held a pilots license, periodically visited our R/C flying site by landing his full sized aircraft in the paddock and then proceeding to pull out an R/C model to join us in our mornings flying. We also had several commercial pilots as members who continued to fly R/C even though they variously commanded 747, Citation, C130 and Crop dusters - just for the joy of less regulated flying and the fellowship of common interest.
Other interests such as my musical endeavours activate and test the brain whilst learning a skill that can be shared with others. I also have hobbies that include technical and electronics skills which, over time have become second nature. Whilst it may appear that I have an eclectic number of hobbies and interests, I find that the level of time involved with each waxes and wanes (but rarely leaves).
Most importantly, I have encouraged my children to all understand the value in hobbies/interests as they will provide balance in their life's journey. I have always maintained that if one carries a reasonable number of hobbies/interests, then life's bumps when one part of life is at a low ebb (eg. work, relationship, finances etc), then by having a larger number of things happening in life, individual disasters/challenges are unable to pull one into the abyss of self pity ... As you rightly pointed out, hobbies/interests are an integral part of maintaining good mental health and a sense of personal balance in life.
Carry on Sir, I thoroughly enjoy your channel, content and presentation style.
Thank you for sharing your own well founded observations on the subject sir.
You are so right Ash! Lockdown made me realise that I had dropped time for hobbies out of my busy schedule and so with time on my hands, I rekindled my love of building plastic model cars. It is now a regular part of my life and gives me a time out to concentrate on nothing but gluing and painting. It might not be plastic kits for you, but try to do something creative - your mind and spirit will thank you for it.
Excellent video. The need for balance is in some ways even more critical in retirement. You have removed work from your life with its challenges and rewards (especially non-monetary). As anyone approaches retirement, we need a plan. What are we going to do with our time and talents? If it is to sit on the porch in a rocking chair, then the future will hold depression and death within seven years at the most. Whatever floats your boat will work. I went back to school and started a second and very different career. But my first year of retirement was a time of sitting home, watching the email come in, and be quite isolated. When I got sufficiently and severely depressed, my wife (figuratively) gave me a hard kick in the derriere and told me to do SOMETHING, ANYTHING, but get out of the house.
In my father's generation, here in the States, retirement was mandatory at age 65. Men took it as their privilege to do nothing, and they tended to die by age 72. There were those who became too busy to die so young. So may it be for you.
Ash, this is such an important subject and I applaud you for discussing it. A few years ago I had an extremely stressful job and was always worrying about what was happening at work to the point I was becoming very ill. I started a simple hobby- building scale models- and whilst somewhat 'geeky' it turned out to be my saviour. Spending a few hours at the modelling bench of an evening and weekend totally freed me from all stresses and strains and provided me with tangible proof that I had achieved something. Hobbies really can have a hugely beneficial effect on your wellbeing.
When COVID-19 hit the world in 2020, it was at the most inconvenient of all timings. I was supposed to have a 6-week holiday which would have given me plenty of time to spend with my family and friends in my home country. Travel was restricted, quarantines were enforced and in short, I couldn't travel as planned. To top it off, the city where I was based for work had a lockdown. I had to stay at home with no work to do, staring at all the free time in the world. I went back to something I really enjoyed doing - drawing, caricaturing to be exact. It brought me so much joy and delight. Now that everything has gone back to normal, more or less, I still try to draw from time to time.
Next time, I'm going to play an hour on the Play Station, I am going to send the link to this video to my wife.
Great to hear that you evolved your free time and have found joy in an artistic outlet - I really envy you, I have the artistic capability of an inanimate object.
A great set of information presented here. Top draw good sir. I concur.
Winston Churchill once wrote that “The cultivation of a hobby and new forms of interest is therefore a policy of first importance”. 💪🏾🏋🏾♂️🥋🥊🥃☕️🚅⛴️✈️📖📚
Great ideas all! I've recently taken up freediving and amateur bespoke shoemaking and I'm finding being a learner in both environments incredibly rewarding! Keep up these great conversations Ash!
Ohhh - cool choice! ( *completely unbiased* statement here... 🤣)
Best regards
Raoul G. Kunz
Solid advice Ash! I must say that this video came across as if you were speaking directly to another friend who swallowed their pride and confided in you that they were having a difficult time with life balance. I think perhaps that why some if not many of your viewers gravitate towards your content and not the plethora of other men’s lifestyle videos. Also, I’m really digging the change of scenery👍👊.
A very good video Ash, with some great advice. I myself am guilty of neglecting my hobbies in my life. Until I decided to maintain a good work and life balance. It really is important to engage in a spot of "me time" the benefits have certainly made me happier and a better person to be around. My mental wellbeing is as important as my physical one. And I hope your wise words help someone who is perhaps questioning their life balances. We lead such busy lives and risk losing sight of purpose if we neglect our own personal wellbeing. Something I did. However, with some help and motivation, i found the right path again. Thank you for another great video.
I want to re-kindle some of the hobbies of my youth, that I have abandoned later in life, like Drawing (I wanted to be a comic book artist as a kid, thanks in part to my secondary school Art teacher praising and putting my work at the same level as that found in comic books of the day - She in fact sent some of my art pieces to the publisher of Judge Dredd comics when I was 15 asking if they need a apprentice artist, it came to nothing but she really did go above and beyond for me, I felt extremely humbled by the effort). I was also massively into Astronomy, creative writing (Short stories that accompanied some of my Art), Calligraphy and Music (I played the Trombone to a competent level, apart of the school band, a after school marching band). I haven't creatively drawn, written, looked through a telescope or played a musical instrument in at least 10 years. I plan to change that as soon as possible, I hate to blow my own trumpet (or Trombone) I was good at these, maybe even good enough to teach to a younger generation. More importantly, they made me extremely happy and fulfilled while taking part in them.
I agree, returning to old passions is one of the best things about aging and entering a phase of life with more time, money and experience to enjoy those activities. Good luck on your hobby journey - enjoy!!
Another thought provoking video Ash.
I have a plethora of Hobbies/ pass times. All of which draw on my available gaps. I have indoor and outdoor options too.
Like you, I run, for similar reasons. Most of my other doings hark back to my past career in the Army.
As we move into April, the new "green" training year has commenced. At least one weekend a month I am committed to train/ deliver training. The summer reenactment season is upon us too, which will occupy other weekends. For dark evenings and inclement weather, I mount medals, do minor tailoring and leatherwork.
Hobbies are vital, they allow me to shift focus from the day job.
As you said, All work and no play etc..
Until next time
🫡
Ash, I had chores to do today but after a rather hard yesterday I had to cut myself some slack and just go out for a bit, nothing special, just bought a used book and walked around. What I am doing currently is playing around with a coffee drip device that clips onto a mug. The weather is getting nice so I am looking at heading out to a wooded area, and having a meal and coffee keeps me in one place for a bit.
Ash you are so correct. Some of my old hobbies that I plan on renewing are writing articles about history chess gardening and playing music. I used to play the saxophone guitar banjo and tin whistle. I am an avid hunter fisherman and enjoy shooting skeet and sporting clays. When I retire in a couple of weeks I plan on increasing these and adding a few like going to concerts and the art museum more. Always keep your life in balance. Cheers Ron
Congrats on your impending retirement - I have never been so busy since I 'retired'.
I will defintely admit my life balance is out of balance with my career and passions. Im suffering with ETD and its been a horrible 7 months of trying to get back my hearing to balance. I wish I could of done so much more in my youth and 20's with being healthy and care-free. I promise once I get my health back Im going to go after my passions and actually live life instead of Living to Work rather than Working to Live!
Neglect your balance and life will soon get askew. I wish you well on your recovery and hope you manage to re-balance that life triangle very soon. Ash
Have you mentioned that jacket before? I have mentioned before that I am in building materials sales and how you are dressed today is similar to how I dress throughout the year. I just take off layers (or leave them off) as the Wisconsin weather warms up! As for my hobbies, anything that I can enjoy with the fantastic people in my life is always going to be something for which to look forward!
Barbour jacket - choice of Royalty and gamekeepers alike.
Nice content
When your hobbies get in the way of your OTHER hobbies? Most of mine are things I would rather get paid to do, though.
I don't know that song, but those may be the problems you would prefer to have over the ones that come with NO money.
When I was in 7th grade, the boy two doors down was a year older than me and I asked him what music he liked. "Whatever's on the radio." OK, but what STATION? "I don't know." Speak of DULL boy!!!
Did you refer to Special Constables as 'hobby bobbies'?🤣
No sir, that would be unkind. But the concept of selflessly volunteering your time for the common good of the community is a quality to be very much admired.
Is this the beginning of the list
No sir, there are a few more in the series that have already been published - I should link them in the show notes.
@@TheChapsGuide Thank you that would be very helpful
Don’t look behind you Ash, over one shoulder is a small gold lady who looks like she has escaped from the open grave over you other shoulder….. Run away… 😱