Black-and-white ink comic in minimalist style. A man lies on a psychologist’s couch, speaking with concern: β€œI’m 40 now, I don’t own a gravel bike, I don’t have a fancy espresso machine, I have no interest in training for a triathlon. What’s wrong with me?”

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[–] 99 points 1 year ago (10 children)

I'm in that age bracket and I've turned to spunking the little amount of disposable income on amateur radio kit and equipment.

I wish I'd picked up a debilitating cocaine habit instead. It'd be cheaper.

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  • [–] 25 points 1 year ago (6 children)

    Oh hey that's something I've been vaguely interested in for a while!!! You enjoying it? What do you do?

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  • [–] 41 points 1 year ago (3 children)

    Very little πŸ˜‚

    No I got into it to learn the theory of it more than anything. I've been faffing about with a VHF setup to see if I could establish a little station that could be heard anywhere in the town I'm in. That's inexpensive to do and you can probably knock together a basic station with decent range for Β£100 and the time and effort needed up a ladder.

    The next step is to look further afield and build a station that operates in the 20m band, but I'm yet to be able to convince Chief Girlfriend that an end fed antenna dangling across the back garden, or a fiver metre whip mounted to the roof is a good idea. HF transceivers are exponentially more expensive, and require some support devices too.

    Otherwise, I go "hilltopping" and head up elevated positions with a quarter-wave antenna and a cheap handheld radio to listen out on what's happening. It's good for the geek in me; it's good for the mind being at such pretty viewpoints; and it's good for the body walking or running up hillsides.

    Alternatively, I'll sit in the garden while the kids play around with FlightRadar24 open on a device and a handheld radio tuned to the local airport approach frequency, and talk about what an aircraft is or may be doing while listening to the chatter.

    So yeah, I don't do a lot really. I live quite close to the coast so getting into marine frequencies is something on my list to do; and speaking to folk worldwide would be a laugh!

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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (2 children)

    That's fascinating. I was worried it was going to be closer to Β£300! Thank you for sharing!!

    The FlightRadar and hilltopping sound great, and I'd love to see if I could catch some pirate radio around πŸ‘€

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 child)

    Honestly, I didn't have a scooby about amateur radio until I watched a few videos by Ringway Manchester - he's a really knowledgeable amateur. He's a bit of a wanker to people in his comments who dare to offer dissenting opinions, but his videos are generally presented with a classic no-bullshit British vibe.

    The point of this is that he pushed me in the direction of the Baofeng UV-5RH, which is a handheld that operates on the VHF bands but is very versatile. The company gets grief for producing hamstrung cheap shit, but honestly being a so-called Baofeng Warrior has provided me with the inexpensive entry point into the world of Ham Radio - and it even has a function for listening to FM radio for the... lesser-legitimate audio broadcaster needs 😊

    My advice would be to get a UV-5RH (around Β£25), get a quarter-wave magmount antenna for the car (around (Β£15 for a cheap one), and check out Essex Ham's videos on Foundation-level radio guidance (free with a recommended donation).

    If you like it, brilliant - get your chequebook out and go wild. If you don't, then you've invested forty-odd quid and you can get half of that back on various internet auction sites.

    Have fun!

    edit: but yeah if you want beyond line-of-sight communication then £300 would be well under a lowball estimate 😒

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  • [–] 9 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    I've thought about that! seems fun! On the other hand I have choosen the worst, most stressful, expensive and frustrating 40s hobby because I'm like that. 3d printing. Should have gone for the radio. (still spend all my free time doing that )

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  • [–] 4 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    3d printing is pretty challenging I take it? I've seen pictures of some setups, with all those spools of material. Pretty neat, but probably more difficult than I imagine.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    I think it's very frustrating. I tried selling my printer twice before, out of anger lol. But once you get to understand the problems things get better. But of course I have an ender3, not a "super perfect" bambu lab. people say bambu have no problems so that would be nice

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  • [–] 57 points 1 year ago (13 children)

    I'm not sure how a midlife crisis would look for me because I've basically kept the same weird interests I had as a teen.

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  • [–] 46 points 1 year ago (5 children)

    So basically a life-long midlife crisis?
    😏

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  • [–] 13 points 1 year ago (5 children)

    similar, i went from not having transportation besides my feet to having an ebike. we joke that it's my midlife crisis, but really it's just my transportation.

    my midlife crisis will involve so many saxophones. when i can afford a midlife crisis.

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  • [–] 4 points 1 year ago (4 children)

    I have a very mild case of that in that I bought a weird traditional flute from Japan a couple of months ago. It looked cool and a game character I like has one. A bit hard to play, but I'm getting there.

    It'll certainly be a lot more expensive, but I wish you a future crisis full of epic sax all the same.

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  • [–] 5 points 1 year ago (2 children)
  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    A shinobue, a transverse flute made of bamboo (well, traditionally, mine is not too bad but it's plastic. One day, maybe).

    The game is Xenoblade Chronicles 3. The two protagonists play the shinobue as a ritual to send off people who have passed.

    I like Okami too, and I believe Waka's flute in that game is also a shinobue.

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  • [–] 12 points 1 year ago

    Yeah, my midlife crisis was basically, I just got extra bored at work and spent more time doing all the usual non-work activities. Finally resolved when I decided I didn't need to work any more, which gave me a lot more time for all of teenage-me's favorite things. Wasn't even tempted to buy a Corvette.

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  • [–] 50 points 1 year ago (14 children)

    I have really enjoyed my midlife crisis (which looks a little different as a woman): lost 30 lbs, began dressing like a scary executive, got rid of the imposter syndrome, and give very few fucks. It has been delightful.

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  • [–] 16 points 1 year ago (7 children)

    Please explain the scary executive getup. I am taking notes for my own impending midlife crisis.

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  • [–] 19 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

    Yeah is this well fitted suit scary, or turtleneck scary. I personally leaned the other way and wear literal rose tinted Lenon glasses now. Fuck it, I tried everything else to see this world as anything other than a shithole filled with idiots, may as well take a metaphor out for a spin

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  • [–] 11 points 1 year ago (3 children)
  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    Sigh. I really don't love the walking-on-my-pants-cuffs trend, especially for dress pants (pictures in the link are worse than this thumbnail).

    As someone about to hit 40, I'm tryyyyyyying to let go of skinny pants, but the above is just so impractical!

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  • [–] 6 points 1 year ago (4 children)

    Do you have fingernails that shine like justice?

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    No, but her voice is dark like tinted glass.

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  • [–] 42 points 1 year ago (4 children)

    God forbid people pick up new hobbies as they grow older, we should all make as much money as humanly possible and then die i guess.

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  • [+] 39 points 1 year ago (5 children)
  • [–] 11 points 1 year ago (3 children)
  • [–] 32 points 1 year ago (20 children)

    Damn it. So it seems like I am prototypical 40-something.

    • I do own a gravelbike (they are just really fun and also very practical for commuting)
    • I love our portafilter. Nicely combines my tendency to ritualistic beverage-preparing (long-time green-tea-drinker) with my wifes coffee-habits.
    • I don't do thriathlon but probably would if I could swim decently. Learning juggling and guitar-playing instead, falls in the same category.

    Life can be fun, so trying to make the best of it.

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  • [–] 11 points 1 year ago (15 children)
  • [–] 10 points 1 year ago (13 children)

    Hybrid between roadbike and mountainbike.
    Someone posted a pic of one in another comment.

    I have an older one (ok, actually two...) of those:
    https://www.salsacycles.com/collections/fargo

    It is more on the mountainbike-y side, others are typically slightly less rugged.

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  • [–] 6 points 1 year ago (7 children)

    Isn't that what normal hybrids are for? I guess it looks cool though

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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (5 children)
  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago (4 children)

    Like a commuter bike with flat handle bars, kinda thin tires, and no suspension

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago

    Mine was in the hybrid category but does have front suspension. Helps with the craters in the roads because for some reason UK roads resemble the Donbas. Think it's also listed as a trekking bike.

    Roads, gravel paths, grass and dirt paths are generally what I go across.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (2 children)

    I know these, although they are not as common here as gravelbikes.
    Kinda like watered-down Fixies optimized for urban commute.
    Will not work well in more off-road (so: "gravel") scenarios and for touring.
    Different thing, I would say.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    Ah ok, drop bars are so uncomfortable..

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  • Remember that the geometry is completely different to a roadbike. You are much more upright and less bowed.
    You also have many more completely different holding positions than for a classical mountain bike bar.
    Most comfortable and ergonomic ride I owned so far.
    Solved basically all of the hand and back pain issues I occassionally had during longer tours on classic bikes.

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  • [–] 6 points 1 year ago (3 children)

    So basically the "mountain bike" I had as a kid, before the started adding fancy shock absorbers and disk brakes?

    All right, now I want a gravel bike too!

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  • [–] 4 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    You had a mountainbike with drop bars?
    Unusual.

    Also: Basically all gravelbikes come with disc brakes, major distinction to roadbikes.

    I had a Randonneur-like bike in my youth in the 80s, which had some features common with the recent gravelbikes.

    I liked it very much, so was very happy when gravelbikes became a thing 10 years ago or so.

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  • [–] 5 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    I mean, the reason many people fit this in their forties, is because they finally have the time and money to do so.

    I was too poor in my twenties to have a nice espresso setup. I make decent money now, but I have young kids now, so no time. In ten years time when I'm in my forties, I'll finally have the time and money simultaneously.

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  • [–] 27 points 1 year ago (8 children)

    Are we still on for historical wargaming at 40? Or has that moved to 50 now?

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  • [–] 12 points 1 year ago (7 children)

    What's that?
    Some kind of LARPing or more the tabletop thing with historical setting? Is the latter even still a thing? Only know it from old movies...

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  • [–] 25 points 1 year ago (5 children)

    I think it's the tabletop thing where you paint your miniatures for months and then don't have anyone to play with

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  • [–] 6 points 1 year ago (4 children)

    For these often the journey is the destination, I think.
    But also, I only know about the Dnd and Warhammer fantasy stuff like my son is involved with...
    Comment was about something different, if I understood correctly.

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  • [–] 6 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    Sounded like it was tabletop wargaming with Napeleon instead of Yarrick.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    That are the ones I have seen in old movies.
    Never encountered it in RL up to now, though...

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago*

    I have seen historical minis in online painting communites and even considered getting a few when I played 40k to use as cultists or conscripts. They seem to be far less popular than fantasy and science fi minis.

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  • [–] 20 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    Can confirm. I did exactly this at 40. Now in my 50's I just traded in the gravel bike for an ebike and bought a milk frother for my espresso machine!

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  • [–] 18 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    Everyone should learn new things as often as they can. Pick up a new hobby or skill, become very proficient at it, incorporate it into your life, repeat. This active mental engagement is the best way to prevent dementia and keep your mind sharp.

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  • [–] 17 points 1 year ago (4 children)

    Hey, gravel bikes are good fun.

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  • [–] 27 points 1 year ago (3 children)

    I had no idea what a gravel bike was so here's for the other folks who don't either:

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  • [–] 16 points 1 year ago (1 child)
  • [–] 16 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    Have you considered getting a convertible?

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  • [–] 15 points 1 year ago (3 children)

    I turned 40 this year and turned my office in a darts room. Does that count? I still have my office there though (far enough to not get damaged by the bounce off darts).

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  • [–] 13 points 1 year ago

    44 here and zero of this applies to me lol. My hobbies are still video games and art; the same hobbies I’ve had since I was a kid.

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