Maintaining an interest in sports, pastimes and hobbies

[Halo Stickman]

Reminiscing last night about the various sports, pastimes and hobbies I’ve taken up over the years, I found myself regretting that I never seem to stick at anything for very long. If only I’d stuck with the golf, perhaps I’d be half decent at it by now, or, if only I’d maintained my interest in Arthurian literature – yeah, that’s right, Arthurian bloody literature! – perhaps I’d be the world’s leading expert in it by now.

 

Does anyone else have the same problem sticking with things, or do some people maintain the same interests, pastimes etc all their adult lives; if so, what are they? Or, what are the things that used to interest you, but don't any more?

 

By the way, I don’t count supporting Saints as a pastime, and I don’t count things that can be better described as a habit – unsavoury or otherwise.

[Whitey Grandad]

Have you tried reading a book called 'Sticking With it to the End'? Or did you start it but...

[Lighthouse]

I've played football and badminton since I was at primary school and still enjoy both (getting on for about 20 years now).

 

Done some other stuff I got bored of though. Used to run for about half an hour a day but only to maintain fitness and in the end decided to join a gym instead.

 

Have also gotten into paintballing over the last year and I'm playing in my first 3 man tournament next weekend. Bricking it a little bit because all the other teams are bordering on professional marksmen and we're going to get murdered. Still, it's all part of the fun I guess.

[Window Cleaner]

Reminiscing last night about the various sports, pastimes and hobbies I’ve taken up over the years, I found myself regretting that I never seem to stick at anything for very long. If only I’d stuck with the golf, perhaps I’d be half decent at it by now, or, if only I’d maintained my interest in Arthurian literature – yeah, that’s right, Arthurian bloody literature! – perhaps I’d be the world’s leading expert in it by now.

 

Does anyone else have the same problem sticking with things, or do some people maintain the same interests, pastimes etc all their adult lives; if so, what are they? Or, what are the things that used to interest you, but don't any more?

 

By the way, I don’t count supporting Saints as a pastime, and I don’t count things that can be better described as a habit – unsavoury or otherwise.

 

 

Well if you'd actually become the world's greatest expert on Arthurian Legend you'd have made a mint and probably have a chair at a very respectable university. There's a whole series of works on AL and they aren't cheap, 20 or so volumes at at least 50£ a throw (don't know how many they sell though) and the chair in English Lit at Durham is held by a lady who's an expert in Arthurian legend I believe. Still dabble in it myself from time to time, plenty of forums about if you ever fancy renewing your interest. I also run nigh on every day, been doing that since my first XC at Bitterne Park Juniors so going on 50 years I suppose..

Edited 6 February, 2014 by Window Cleaner

[Whitey Grandad]

Reminiscing last night about the various sports, pastimes and hobbies I’ve taken up over the years, I found myself regretting that I never seem to stick at anything for very long. If only I’d stuck with the golf, perhaps I’d be half decent at it by now, or, if only I’d maintained my interest in Arthurian literature – yeah, that’s right, Arthurian bloody literature! – perhaps I’d be the world’s leading expert in it by now.

 

Does anyone else have the same problem sticking with things, or do some people maintain the same interests, pastimes etc all their adult lives; if so, what are they? Or, what are the things that used to interest you, but don't any more?

 

By the way, I don’t count supporting Saints as a pastime, and I don’t count things that can be better described as a habit – unsavoury or otherwise.

 

I've just noticed that your user name is Stickman. If only it had been Stickatitman.

[Halo Stickman]

I've just noticed that your user name is Stickman. If only it had been Stickatitman.

 

I didn't spot that play on words. Nice one WG.

 

Well if you'd actually become the world's greatest expert on Arthurian Legend you'd have made a mint and probably have a chair at a very respectable university. There's a whole series of works on AL and they aren't cheap, 20 or so volumes at at least 50£ a throw (don't know how many they sell though) and the chair in English Lit at Durham is held by a lady who's an expert in Arthurian legend I believe. Still dabble in it myself from time to time, plenty of forums about if you ever fancy renewing your interest. I also run nigh on every day, been doing that since my first XC at Bitterne Park Juniors so going on 50 years I suppose..

 

Hey Windows, I’ll dust down my Arthurian Literature books and we’ll meet up for a chat – not sure about all that running though

[lifeintheslowlane]

I didn't spot that play on words. Nice one WG.

 

 

 

Hey Windows, I’ll dust down my Arthurian Literature books and we’ll meet up for a chat – not sure about all that running though

 

I'll dust off my Doré illustrations and we can all have an Arthurian knee-up.

[Halo Stickman]

I'll dust off my Doré illustrations and we can all have an Arthurian knee-up.

 

We obviously need a dedicated Saintsweb Arthurian forum

[Halo Stickman]

Still dabble in it myself from time to time, plenty of forums about if you ever fancy renewing your interest.

 

Going off on a tangent from the OP – as it was me who started this thread, I guess that’s my prerogative – do you mind me asking what sparked your interest in Arthurian Legend? For me it was ‘The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail’ book of the early 1980s.

[Window Cleaner]

Going off on a tangent from the OP – as it was me who started this thread, I guess that’s my prerogative – do you mind me asking what sparked your interest in Arthurian Legend? For me it was ‘The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail’ book of the early 1980s.

 

 

 

As a Sixth former post A levels I was lucky enough to be chosen to spend a couple of weeks at Alcock's excavations of South Cadbury Hill. There were some passionate and knowledgeable people there, guess some of their enthusiasm (knowledge probably not so much) rubbed off. Waded through Morte D'Athur, some Chretien de Troyes stuff and a few other works. Don't go to any conventions or anything but I wouldn't mind going to one some day or other.

[lifeintheslowlane]

Growing up with the Victorian large illustrated folio books of Tennyson's "Idylls of The King".

[Window Cleaner]

Growing up with the Victorian large illustrated folio books of Tennyson's "Idylls of The King".

 

Merlin and Vivien I think

[lifeintheslowlane]

Merlin and Vivien I think

 

Yep.

[Halo Stickman]

I liked Gottried Von Strassburg’s ‘Tristan’ but Eschenbach’s ‘Parzival’ and whoever wrote ‘Sir Gawain and the Green Knight’ were my favourites. All of the legends, especially the grail stories, are intriguing, albeit quite a heavy read at times.

[Window Cleaner]

I liked Gottried Von Strassburg’s ‘Tristan’ but Eschenbach’s ‘Parzival’ and whoever wrote ‘Sir Gawain and the Green Knight’ were my favourites. All of the legends, especially the grail stories, are intriguing, albeit quite a heavy read at times.

 

 

Sir Gawain and the Greeen Knight in it's original middle English form is by an as yet unconfirmed author, commonly known as the Pearl Poet. Some might tell you that John Massey is the Pearl Poet but that is still highly disputed.

[lifeintheslowlane]

As a youngster I was profoundly influenced by the Holy Grail story "The Knights Who Say Ni"

[tpbury]

Nothing like a bit of being smitten from your brainpan to your cods or however it went. I went on to read The Mabinogian, Andy McNab is my current favourite read.

[Kingsbridge Saint]

Yup - tried ****loads of things. Wife always bags me for lack of stickability but I've had fun doing loads of different things.