Hobbyist - recognise yourself anyone?
Just checking through the pageproofs of one of my forthcoming books, Key Concepts in Leisure (I know but it pays the mortgage) and found that I had written this: Hobbyist A hobbyist is a broad term used to describe an individual who is involved in some aspect of art, craft or collection outside their regular occupation. It is essentially an individual who pursues an activity in their spare time for pleasure. There are literally hundreds of potential hobbies or interests. Many of them are supported by voluntary societies, clubs and associations. Whilst many of the hobbies are run by enthusiasts themselves, most of them are served by commercial profit seeking businesses. Hobbies provide either the opportunity for individual preoccupation with the subject in hand, or social opportunities in the form of hobby groups. Hobbyists make use of many public and private sector facilities, in addition to making direct purchases from businesses. They will routinely use meeting rooms in public and private buildings and some may even be supported by local government funding. Whilst some can thrive without any form of public support, such as dining and drinking, other hobbies in the arts and sports do require forms of public support. Whilst some hobbies may strike individuals as being trivial, the key determining factor for individuals’ involvement in this leisure activity is an aspect of compulsion and entertainment. Hobbies are considered to be calming and therapeutic, but for some there is a fine line between a hobby and an obsession. What d'you reckon, sums a lot of us up I suppose, particularly the last two sentences!!!!

I resemble that remark!

Yes, that pretty well sums it up - nicely put Jon.

My drinking and dining could thrive even better with public support, I think. Otherwise, yes, very recognisable.

Three words leapt out at me:- preoccupation compulsion obsession Boxes duly ticked......

I should point out that: a) this is a conglomeration of "academic" views of hobbyists b) it is for an academic book c) I am a hobbyist with compulsive obsessive traits!

No mention of the internet as an aid to hobbyists? While we may hire church halls and leisure centres, you'll more likely find us making great use of t'net to meet similar obsessi....affician....like-minded fellows. Also, there's that 'collecting/cataloguing' gene in a lot of hobbys, which is where some of the obsession comes from.

You forgot to mention the hairy ears... LT makes a good point about t'interweb. Without it you wouldn't all have the peasure of knowing me :)

My former boss, owner of a collectors mag, always said that collecting is in outr genes, from our hunter-gatherer times. Of course we know all the negative things shrinks say about modellers, so let's assume they're wrong. i blame Eccles, and in this case their mothers.

I'm not a label!!!!

Of course you're not. Now be a good boy and get back in your box.

:grr:

Good summary Jon. A lot of those epiphets would also apply to academics too, at least those I know! Public support for drinking & dining? A capital idea!

Obsessed? Who?