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So what are your other interests?: |
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GemmaJF Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 No. of posts: 2090  View other posts by GemmaJF |
Posted: 18 Mar 2007 I was just wondering what other interests members have. We all come here because of our interest in native herps but I was wondering what other members lifelong interests are. I know many of us share an interest in photography, partly I guess from wanting to capture field experiences but what other stuff do you all get up to? I'll start the ball rolling. I've had two big interests in life, native herpetofauna and aircraft! Strange I know, but the aircraft thing led to a degree in aerospace engineering (yes, sorry it won over biology), which I have yet to finish because setting up M&G Ecology has kind of got in the way (you see the problems it causes having two disparate interests)! My whole life one has tugged against the other, I found myself sitting at a computer screen one day drawing a nut and bolt in Autocad (for some plane being built in the States that I would never actually see) the sun was out and I was thinking about one of my favourite reptile sites and just thought.. na not for me.. walked out and have been working in ecology since. Funny thing is the plane thing has now got its own back and I'm currently training for my PPL. (Small white high wing aircraft, if you see one over Essex take cover). The funny bit about this is that all the mathematical training I have in engineering is finally of some use to me! So there you go that's my two interests, been with me for as long as I can remember and being split between them causes me no end of trouble (though I'm slowly finding the balance) what are yours and how do you find time for all your interests? Gemma Fairchild, Independent Ecological Consultant |
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Alex2 Senior Member Joined: 16 Dec 2006 No. of posts: 266  View other posts by Alex2 |
Posted: 18 Mar 2007 Gemma, Being as it's quite late and I'm tired I'm sure you'll forgive me for reading your interests included 'Witchcraft'. A double take reassured me that it was infact flying aircraft and not flying broomsticks that take your fancy!. My main interest other than herpetology is mainly music, I play drums in a Dorset band called The Dead Plants (am only covering for the 'real' drummer Tom whilst he's away in India teaching for 6 months). They had a fantastic reputation throughout the world till I joined... Interesting thread :) |
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GemmaJF Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 No. of posts: 2090 View other posts by GemmaJF |
Posted: 18 Mar 2007 Well I wasn't going to mention my interest in the 'old ways' but as you come to mention it, my broomstick doesn't have the performance of a Cessna 172 and is far more drafty But to tie in with your music interest, I'll own up to being into 'Goth' and punk.
Gemma Fairchild, Independent Ecological Consultant |
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Alex2 Senior Member Joined: 16 Dec 2006 No. of posts: 266 View other posts by Alex2 |
Posted: 18 Mar 2007 [QUOTE=GemmaJF] Well I wasn't going to mention my interest in the 'old ways' but as you come to mention it, my broomstick doesn't have the performance of a Cessna 172 and is far more drafty But to tie in with your music interest, I'll own up to being into 'Goth' and punk.
[/QUOTE] Apparently alot of witchcraft goes on in the Purbecks, so when you do a Dorset herp visit you can perhaps slaughter a lamb at Winspit ledge ;) Goth...Hmm...Was taught by the drummer from 'The Cure' Jason Cooper. But don't tell them they're goth, Robert hates it. |
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lalchitri Senior Member Joined: 06 Jun 2006 No. of posts: 132  View other posts by lalchitri |
Posted: 19 Mar 2007 check my siggy for one  add cricket (drinking+cricket=.....NO, i'am not andrew flintoff!), IT, films and gaming. Reformed Teetotaller |
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herpetologic2 Senior Member Joined: 15 Jun 2004 No. of posts: 1369  View other posts by herpetologic2 |
Posted: 19 Mar 2007 I play guitar and I am looking for other musicians to form a band for the entertainment at the HWM 2008 or maybe 2009....anyone interested please pm me I have dabbled in diving, sailing, caving and Aikido - which I would love to get back into but I moved away from my local dojo and I am looking for another - hopefully a dojo in Andover so should be joining that soon. I also like music and espcially the 90's bands such as smashing pumpkins (hopefully going to see them at Reading festie this year), Pearl Jam (saw them last year at Reading they were f***ing great!), Blur, Oasis (their first album only), supergrass, Pulp, Longpigs, Ash, and many others. Just been listerning to Biffy Clyro (cant spell) sounds really good The main holiday this year will be a sailing hols with my wife on her uncle's boat - sailing around the Turkish Coast for 8 days - should be good (we are his crew) My degree is in Marine Biology - so I have been stuck on the terrestrial side of things - hoping to get back into the marine environment My latest thing is reef keeping - I have a small reef aquarium which I have had for just over 2 months
Here is one my clown fish - I only have two fish in the aquarium and they are both captive bred - my corals are from captive stock aswell JC
Vice Chair of ARG UK - self employed consultant - visit ARG UK & Alresford Wildlife |
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Alan Hyde Senior Member Joined: 17 Apr 2003 No. of posts: 1416 View other posts by Alan Hyde |
Posted: 19 Mar 2007 Gemma, I knew you were learning to fly , but didn't know you had an interest in aircraft, I luuuurves Jets! Alex, What kind of music do you play? I play acoustic and sing, my main influences are ,Bowie, P.Floyd, Radiohead, Antony and the Johnsons, Leonard Cohen, Nick Cave.... Aside from Music my other interests are...Morris Dancing, Train sets and stamp collecting 
But seriously, all my life I was seriously into bodybuilding but over the last five years have gradually lost interest completely. I love the human mind , spirituality (not religion) , Mystical stuff and psychic phenonema. Also love gardening, having my mind opened to new experiences and art forms, making my kids laugh andwriting poems or songs. I absolutely loathe Football with a vengence , can't even stand the sound of it on TV and it is banned from our house. Al O-> O+> |
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herpetologic2 Senior Member Joined: 15 Jun 2004 No. of posts: 1369 View other posts by herpetologic2 |
Posted: 19 Mar 2007 and for the last two years we have rescued a lurcher with tourettes! 18 months of training has also taken a reasonable amount of our time - he is getting there but still has that swearing syndrome
JC Vice Chair of ARG UK - self employed consultant - visit ARG UK & Alresford Wildlife |
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GemmaJF Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 No. of posts: 2090 View other posts by GemmaJF |
Posted: 19 Mar 2007 Well here's a jet just for Al, I blame these beasts for my interest in aircraft, I grew up 16 miles away from Wattisham during the 70's when Lightnings operated there - noisy, environmentally unfriendly - prone to catching fire, but totally awesome! If the CAA would allow a restored one to fly in the UK (which they won't) I would sell my soul to fly one! (There are a pair operating in SA - which for a small fortune you can fly - so might drop in one day Tony!)
Gemma Fairchild, Independent Ecological Consultant |
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Vicar Senior Member Joined: 02 Sep 2004 No. of posts: 1181 View other posts by Vicar |
Posted: 19 Mar 2007 As music seems to be a trend, I'll add that my tastes are eclectic...I like anything from 70s hard rock to NWoBHM  .Other lifelong passion has been motorsport, I rallied for 15+ years, and then traded in four wheel for four legs and competed at low level in three-day events. I still do the annual pilgrimage to Le Mans, and still have to have a fast car in the driveway. I also have a life-long interest in martial arts, and used to teach women's self defence. Native art form was/is Silat (I know you've never heard of it !). Military technology is more of a work thing, but it used to be a hobby, so I do at least share an interest in fast jets ! here's on of ours at work which would feel comfortable in the Lightning's presence :P  too many interests...only one lifetime ! [Edit] - I should have added: smoking, drinking and womanising....but the good days seem a bit behind me now. I'm really quite boring these days. Steve Langham - Chairman 
Surrey Amphibian & Reptile Group (SARG). |
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GemmaJF Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 No. of posts: 2090 View other posts by GemmaJF |
Posted: 19 Mar 2007 Me thinks you have a Blackburn Buckaneer in a nice rasberry ripple scheme... see it is very sad I could easily qualify as a plane spotter [edit] Steve, I just thought to right click your image which revealed it is XV344 - I'm even sadder than I thought I was Gemma Fairchild, Independent Ecological Consultant |
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Vicar Senior Member Joined: 02 Sep 2004 No. of posts: 1181 View other posts by Vicar |
Posted: 19 Mar 2007 And the 2007 'Golden Anorak' award is presented to......
Steve Langham - Chairman
Surrey Amphibian & Reptile Group (SARG). |
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GemmaJF Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 No. of posts: 2090 View other posts by GemmaJF |
Posted: 19 Mar 2007 Aww thanks Just don't get me onto the subject of the Kutta condition or circulation theory.. then I get very very very sad Still nothing wrong with healthy obsessions! Any more of you out there willing to spill the beans on your interests (obsessions) or simple past-times? Gemma Fairchild, Independent Ecological Consultant |
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Alex2 Senior Member Joined: 16 Dec 2006 No. of posts: 266 View other posts by Alex2 |
Posted: 19 Mar 2007 Jon, Hats off, Pearl Jam are a phenomenal band, got a few of their albums. Have not had the pleasure of seeing them live, but just from live DVD's etc you can see what an amazing and powerful live presence they are. Alan, I'm a Led Zeppelin freak (John Bonham - WHAT a drummer), early Stones, Johnny Cash...that sort of thing really. Jeff Buckley...a wasted talent, have you heard him? Outstanding musician (or was), looking at your influences etc I reckon you'd like his material. Also play a little guitar aswell, got a nice US Fender Telecaster but should really put it in the hands of someone who can do it justice. |
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darlington_gcn Member Joined: 07 Mar 2007 No. of posts: 39  View other posts by darlington_gcn |
Posted: 19 Mar 2007 I'm into kayaking and photography (fuji finepix S2 pro), i enjoy walking and anything outdoors generally....if im not outdoors try looking under my duvet for me and a book hehe  Working on a 12 month conservation project with Durham Wildlife Trust and Darlington Borough Council on Great Crested Newts. Any help/advice appreciated - rjackson@durhamwt.co.uk |
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GemmaJF Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 No. of posts: 2090 View other posts by GemmaJF |
Posted: 19 Mar 2007 I'll just expand on my music a bit as some interesting stuff coming out, along with punk and goth, also a fan of Led Zeppelin, Johnny Cash (the orginal man in black so I recon he was a goth lol), Radiohead and Nick Cave which have all been mentioned - first influence was Bowie and still love all his stuff today. More goth, Sisters of Mercy, Fields of the Nephilim (original and later stuff), and the Mission, all of which I've seen live. (plus a whole load of obscure goth and punk as being into obscure bands always seemed to be part of the scene) I spent half the time I should have been working on my A-Levels following the Sisters of Mercy around the country! One odd one for the mix, I rate Roy Orbison as the greatest singer of all time, love his voice. Gemma Fairchild, Independent Ecological Consultant |
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arvensis Senior Member Joined: 15 Mar 2006 No. of posts: 445 View other posts by arvensis |
Posted: 19 Mar 2007 Well I attempt to play the bass and keyboard - note the word 'attempt' because I'm not good at either! I like quite a few types of music but my fave band is Pink Floyd. Other parts of nature I like are Fungi and Orchids, so I may post piccies of either from time to time. Other things I do when time permits are Astronomy, Amateur Radio, Photography and working on the allotment. Also like to play the odd video game. Mark Hampshire Amphibian and Reptile Group. |
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armata Forum Specialist Joined: 05 Apr 2006 No. of posts: 928 View other posts by armata |
Posted: 19 Mar 2007 Hobbies?....guess I'd have to say wives, have had four; all failed so looking for another pastime now. Music?...70s best ever, was an avid Eagles fan, guess thats a bit naff now. Love Cream/Mayall, early Clapton, Cohen,Bowie. Also best two women singers ever - Ella Fitzgerald and Heather Small. Also opera - especially Puccini. I'll tell you story..stop me if you've heard it before. When I passed my 11+ my dad took me to see LaBoheme; I thought we were going to Covent Garden - but no, he took me to MILAN. We were a working class family, and it must have taken him ages to save up - my mum didn't speak to him for about 6 months!! I like 4x4 - have done two overlands to Africa, and one to Katmandu- this was in the 60s and I was in Special Forces. So got to do it for free. I am also writing a novel 'I get my kicks on Route 62' |
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GemmaJF Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 No. of posts: 2090 View other posts by GemmaJF |
Posted: 19 Mar 2007 I like 4x4 too! we have 4 of them so that must be 4x4x4 ! (Environmentalists please pick on someone else, I can't afford a tax hike I need the money for AvGas) That's a great story Tony about LaBoheme, clearly worth your dad's trouble for that special memory Gemma Fairchild, Independent Ecological Consultant |
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armata Forum Specialist Joined: 05 Apr 2006 No. of posts: 928 View other posts by armata |
Posted: 19 Mar 2007 The bullbar thing has now reached SA BTW  'I get my kicks on Route 62' |
- So what are your other interests? |
I would hazard a guess that is S.2C XV344 - taken at Farnborough? (3 of them flying in SA also) 
(can I have one with lots of buttons?)