Obsessions

[A500leroy]

Does anyone else have a thing with short term obsessions. Really focusing on a subject for say a fortnight, getting really involved and then just letting go around a fortnight later?

Right now, for no reason at all ive got a thing about River Phoenix, Its just such a crap way he went, something that could have happened to any 20something in the western world even now and it makes me just a bit sad we never got to see the full potential.

Anyone else have the same kind of thing/what are you obsessed with now?

[AlexC1981]

Drink and drugs are a curse upon the world. RIP River Phoenix, Amy Winehouse, Cory Monteith, Heath Ledger and the many many more.

I got a bit obsessed with vintage RC cars whilst I was on furlough and had three project cars on the go and a fourth on the way. Since I went back to work they all got put away and haven't seen the light of day since.

I had a phase of antique fountain pen restoration too, which actually proved quite useful as I significantly improved the quality of my handwriting.

I collected and cleaned up a load of 80s/90s computers, which whilst lovely aren't the ideal ornaments to have in the living room.

I also own about 7 broken model railway engines that are in various stages of repair. I wish I could have a phase of DIY obsession so I could get a few things round the home sorted!

Not so much obsessions with people, though I once googled an actor who was in an episode of Star Trek and found out that just a year after the episode was filmed he had died of an AIDS related illness aged 29. It made me stop and think for a bit just how delicate and precious life is.

[A500leroy]

At least im not the only one.

[Hotspark]

I have both long and short term obsessions, so yep, with you on this.

My last, and still simmering, was having to get to grips with SolidWorks to produce some basic modelling for my HNC. I spent a crazy amount of time over a few months wanting the best I could get out of it. Got a Distinction (ooh get me ) out of It anyhow, so it pays off to be obsessive sometimes.

Oh, passed my SW Associate exam too

[coogy]

You don't have Asperger's Syndrome by any chance do you?

[coppernorks]

louise minchin, my love for her increases daily.

[A500leroy]

coogy said:

You don't have Asperger's Syndrome by any chance do you?

Its been suggested more than once.

[DanielSan]

It sounds like you're a fairly normal man to be honest, I don't have many friends who don't have various fads like this. Especially in the last few months when everywhere has been shut.

[Hotspark]

coogy said:

You don't have Asperger's Syndrome by any chance do you?

It's something that i've been considering over the past few years. Lots of quirks, annoyances for others, and feel I have to do a lot of masking...I could go on

Sorry, wasn't sure who the comment was aimed at.

[imperium]

Usually I get into things and it lasts a long time. Randomly im into aviation at the moment, I can’t fly and have no intention of flying but I feel the need to know how all the instruments work. Most odd!

[595Heaven]

I went through a phase of watching ‘how to start a jet turbine helicoper’ videos on YouTube.

Everything about helicopters fascinates me. I love the noise of the turbine spooling up - it is a damned complicated process, but I’d love to have a go.

Just built a Raspberry Pi based ADS-B base station and now on a mission to get a better antenna.

Obsessions are good fun.

[clockworks]

I do it all the time, but normally for at least a few months before moving on to the next "thing".

Whatever the "thing" is, it takes over all my fee time, and a lot of my spare cash.
I'm also running out of space, and can't afford to buy yet another bigger house. Could scrape to getting an extension though. I tend to buy enough stuff to keep my current obsession going for a couple of years, but move on before doing even half of it.

My current "thing" is RC boats. I've 7 runners, 2 almost finished, and I think 5 more kits stashed away.

Before that, it was jigsaw puzzles. I bought 30 in one go, as they were on offer. 20 are just sitting untouched in the garage, getting in the way.

I decided to try smoking a pipe. Ended up buying around 30 of them, along with racks, tools, lighters, etc. Sitting on a shelf, unused for 3 years.

I just had to have the complete set of Scalextric Nascar models - over 70 of them. Took 2 years to find them all on eBay. All sat in boxes in the loft.

Ferrari F40 models - every single different one I could find.

Plastic military kits. Built half a dozen, got 40-odd in the loft.

Watches. Ended up with over 120, from cheap quartz to Rolex. I only ever wear a TAG that I picked up for £50, the rest are locked away in the safe.

Cars. Have to have at least 2, and get bored and trade them in for another one. Easily the most expensive obsession.

Clocks. Spent a couple of years buying them at auctions and car boots. This one actually paid off, as I repair them for a living now. Takes up most of the space in the loft, as well as the 2 upstairs bedrooms.


Yes, I am on the spectrum, although never actually diagnosed, as it wasn't really recognised when I was a kid.

[Caddyshack]

I thought it was just me, cars, motorbikes, airsoft, electric bikes, RC cars....the list goes on but I enjoy getting in to things.

[Wildcat45]

Yes.

I've been watching a C4 series about air ambulances during lockdown. It features my local team and I'm completely in to what they do. I've even chatted to them about their new aircraft in social media.

I'm somehow into the London Underground lately. Reading stuff, researching things, watching hours if YouTube videos online. I don't live anywhere near London.

I have a life long obsession with military stuff, especially the Royal Navy.

I have a new car on order. I've more or less memorised the online handbook and my "research" has given me knowledge about the modified platform it is based on. The new car is the update of the car I have. After I got that, I absolutely had to go on a one-to-one factory tour and now I know details as pointless as the source of the aluminium for certain body parts and where the wheels are stored before they are incorporated into the just-in-time build process.

My wife has some experience with working with children on the spectrum. She reckons I'm definitely on it.

I like it. I'm curious about things. I like to know how things work. How things happen.and why.

I also have massive dark areas where I can't even feign interest. An example, I love cars but have no interest at all in motorbikes. My next door neighbour has a classic car, and also a collection of 1950s or 1960s bikes. I'll talk all day long about cars, but with bikes, I just switch off.

[21TonyK]

A500leroy said:

coogy said:

You don't have Asperger's Syndrome by any chance do you?

Its been suggested more than once.

And i and you (and most of the population) are probably to one degree or another.

I only found out where I was on "the spectrum" as people refer to it after working in a school for kids with SEN for 5 years.

Up until then I was just your typical pedantic IT nerd.

Now I am a process focused school chef with spreadsheets and Gannt charts for every process and a web based ordering system that spits out production schedules at 6am to a remote kitchen printers with teachers auto-emailed every night to confirm their packed lunches.

"Normal" people would stick a post-it on the class door.

Other than that, obsessions... maybe knife sharpening.

[NoVetec]

coogy said:

You don't have Asperger's Syndrome by any chance do you?

Don't deny Asperger's and Autism are real conditions, nor that they exist on a spectrum, however I do believe sometimes the 'on the spectrum' concept often used socially is a pathologisation of conventional masculine traits.

[21TonyK]

NoVetec said:

coogy said:

You don't have Asperger's Syndrome by any chance do you?

Don't deny Asperger's and Autism are real conditions, nor that they exist on a spectrum, however I do believe sometimes the 'on the spectrum' concept often used socially is a pathologisation of conventional masculine traits.

And you are probably right! The tail end of "the spectrum" is the norm for most people, Why this has been classified as a diagnosable condition I wonder. People who like to know whats going on, be in charge or very organised are suddenly "special". Everyone I deal with is like that.

[Frank7]

coppernorks said:

louise minchin, my love for her increases daily.

I understand your feelings, she’s undeniably attractive, but I wouldn’t go as far as leaving home for her.

[Smitters]

Frank7 said:

coppernorks said:

louise minchin, my love for her increases daily.

I understand your feelings, she’s undeniably attractive, but I wouldn’t go as far as leaving her home for her.

FTFY

OP - I'm with you. Kids play with Scalextric - I have to get a few cars and tweak and tune them. Bikes, which would be OK if I sold the old ones. Currently enjoying my Yeti DirtJump bike. I'm in my fifth decade and definitely know better. Cars to tinker with, garden landscaping (one project got started, then put down for a year - error). I get into it, I do loads, then I just get bored and move on.

[rossub]

I go through phases of collecting things. I like to think it’s just boredom and something to keep my mind occupied, rather than being ‘on the spectrum’