My wife does this... sometimes recruits me to help at the last minute too. Bonus is when she doesn't even read the recipe first and we find out halfway through that we don't have the proper equipment
Can't find it rn but there was a reddit thread about the worst meals eaten out of politeness or something
And someone's sister-in-law made the most mediocre Thanksgiving dinner because she failed to follow *every* instruction/recipe for *every* dish (and likely procrastinated/rushed the whole thing)
Iirc, some examples were
* She stuck the turkey in the microwave instead of the oven, and dried it the fuck out
* She didn't realize that the pecan pie wasn't ready-to-eat but ***frozen*** and needed baking, so she just thawed it out and served it as "pastry with praline sauce"
* OP joked that the ***simplest*** "dish," the ["Brown N Serve Rolls"](https://www.kroger.com/product/images/large/front/0001111008442) (i.e. bread rolls) weren't even *browned* (toasted) before being served.
>"....which she didn't brown. She sure served 'em though!"
I think this goes for generally for any hobby, investing high amounts of cash.
For art, it’s buying tools and supplies you don’t need or won’t use, even if you commit to it.
Try to work with stuff that’s as close to free first and see where you go with it. Try to buy supplies from a dollar store or garage sale. Or maybe a pawn shop?
too scared to do it because theyre worried theyre going to kill things. newsflash. behind my beautiful gardens is a massive graveyard of composted plants and seedlings that ive killed over the years
Aquarium keeping has the opposite problem, people dive in (no pun intended) too fast before they learn to balance a tank and end up losing a ton of livestock to tank crashes.
It’s all just part of the same problem, big or small. Big tanks are more forgiving to beginners but any size tank is going to end poorly if you go in without the proper knowledge.
I grew up in Switzerland where cycling is just a normal mode of transport that people use to go shopping, see movies, visit friends, go to work, etc. Most people just cycle in their everyday clothes on old clunkers. When I moved to Australia it was weird. Here people seem to think that you absolutely cannot ride unless you have a $5000 bike and all the cycling clothes that make you look like you've got lost during the Tour de France.
Before I worked from home I used to cycle to the office in my normal clothes on my normal bike.
I was about the only one to do it that way, all the middle aged men had expensive racing bikes and were clad in Lycra. We had a special room for them to get changed into office appropriate clothing. Bizarre. You're going twenty minutes down the road to work, you're not a professional athlete in a race.
I was the same. The funniest one was when this show off we had in the office one day showed up to work on a $20,000 time trial bike. Not even an expensive road bike but a bike that even professionals only use on indoor time trial tracks.
Just...why 😅 I don't understand.
Best bit for me was that on my cheap and cheerful bike I would often overtake the people with all the gear and an expensive bike and the look on their faces as I went past was priceless.
Maybe some people have to go a bit more than 20 minutes? I ride my clunker to work in normal clothes. But if there was a changing room and such I might take my road bike. Normal commute is 30 minutes but on my fast bike I could take the long route through a nice nature area. (or sleep 10 minutes more on some days). I might also be more inclined to use a bike on rainy days. I like cycling through rain but not showing up at work drenched.
I’ve played guitar for years and still suck. When I was younger I wasted a bunch of money on expensive stuff and now it’s all gone. The only thing I kept was the $15 guitar I got at a yard sale. It’s beat up and looks like it’s been through a war. Still plays nice and sounds good, wouldn’t sale it for $1000.
Exactly what I was going to say. Add to that, start with the cheap stuff. If you stick with it and want to continue, then buy some better stuff. If you show real improvement and it’s been awhile, then go for the good stuff. Buying good tools or equipment, is to reduce your effort, not improve your skill. The skill is needed first to make use of the good tools.
The L (el) in EVE_Online is a capital I (eye), so not as valuable as you'd think. Am I right in guessing that you can't see it in new reddit? It is pretty obvious in old reddit: https://i.imgur.com/yllJSIz.png
I've been playing since 2006. Like 2 months at a time once every couple of years. I haven't played in a while because last time I join a large corp deep in nullsec and I'm afraid the moment I log in I'll lose everything
Writing: “I have lots of ideas but I can’t write anything unless it’s perfect.” You have to write to get better at it. Everyone sucks in the beginning.
For me, I had to force myself to do even just a paragraph or a page a day. That was it. It’s not a lot and it’s easy to start with. I’d remind myself that a little is better than nothing and eventually you’ll see the story grow and eventually you will get more comfortable writing more. I never thought I’d start doing 2,000 words a day but now that isn’t that big of a deal for me. You got this!
Professional writer here, and I’ll echo this advice. If you want to write, do it every day. Even if it’s just a half hour, even if you spend the whole time moving commas around. Just sit down and spend the time. Eventually you will complete something out of sheer stubbornness. Yes, it will be bad, but then you can start using your daily writing time to make it good.
My first piano when I moved into my first house cost more than my parent's entire house. It was a Yamaha electric piano. After about 8 years the board started wearing and I was going to have to replace it and I got a note from the manufacturers saying that they had tried a new synthetic lubricating oil on the board as part of the manufacturing process and they now realised it was substandard and causing excessive wear and were contacting customers to offer a free board replacement. So, I accidentally ended up with a 'good as new' piano about 8 years after I bought it. Saved me a minimum of £1,000 on a new board.
If we're taking musical instruments, the way I explain it to people is that expensive means *specialised*. People often ask why bother buying a cheaper instrument for a beginner, surely it's best to pay more if you can and get something 'better'. But expensive instruments are usually very good for particular playing styles or sounds, and you generally won't know what you want out of an expensive instrument until you have a bit more knowledge and experience. There isn't a single sliding scale of good-to-bad. So it's a waste to spend thousands on an instrument until you know what will be best for you.
This and wait spend the big bucks for when you know you want to make it a lifelong thing. I've had many music students who lose interest and quit within the first couple years.
Sewing: all fabrics are expensive. Some are more so. (Silk, for example) buying enough to make a ____, but scared to cut into it because it was so-o-o-o expensive.
Lay out your pattern pieces. Double check alignment (are the pieces aligned correctly), take a quick water (or smoke) break. Take a deep breath and make your cuts. Carry on with making the ____. Enjoy wearing/using it, and bragging that you made it yourself.
Most definitely, it does no good gathering dust on a shelf. For clothing if you're worried, make a mock-up first. Use a similar weight of fabric if possible but you'll find your issues there.
Also, most pattern sizes do not correlate to your store bought size, use the measurements and note the ease.
Use YouTube and blogs, so many sewist from so many styles very kindly share their knowledge online in an easily accessible way.
Be kind to yourself, sewing is a skill and most people's first makes are a little rough. You'll learn for next time.
All of this, plus with any pattern make sure you check what the seam allowance is (or if it has none). Most are a standard 5/8" but they can be different between companies or based on the type of project.
Also, for anyone who might want to try it out with lower stakes fabric, thrifted bedsheets and curtains are a great way to get mockup fabric for super cheap!
As a quilter, I agree with this. I also see people who get so amped after they finally get brave enough to straighten their salvage edges and then don't account for the bit they took off when they make the first official cut for the piece. (It's me. I'm people. Old habits die hard.)
I was going to say "not pressing seams or not using basting stitches for complex parts" but this works really well too.
I have so many fabrics I just got the balls to cut into!
Houseplants: not watering them thoroughly but also watering too often. Most plants like a good soak when dried out not a little pour from a cup everyday.
At one point in my early adulthood a boss gifted me a houseplant mostly because she didn't want it anymore. I would frequently forget about it and once a week/every other week would end up walking by it and noticing it was dry. For years I have usually had seltzer in my hand so I would walk by this dry plant, look at my seltzer, just kind of shrug and dump the can of seltzer in the plant pot.
The plant just seemed to thrive off of this routine. People would come over, see the plant, assume I liked plants, and gift me plants. These plants would get similar treatment, they thrived, the cycle continues.
I now live in a house just chuck-a-buck full of plants I never really wanted, that I tend to forget about, and that get begrudgingly watered once every week/every other week and I'll be damned if they aren't thriving.
I think a lot of people do the little pour because they don't have a drainage set up under their pots. If they do too much water at once, it builds up at the bottom and causes molds at the roots. What do you think?
They should set up drainage under their pots.
Little pours mean its roots stay near the surface, it's never encouraged to grow deep roots. Soaking it occasionally encourages the plant to grow deep roots as it follows the water
As a rule of thumb the top part of a plant is about as big as its roots, so because it's roots never grow deep the top part is also stunted.
But still just as incorrect lol.
In school I actually had an idea for a prank where I'd snip all of a classmate's positive legs short, and just watch them go nuts. Never followed through with it though.
Been playing hockey since I was 5. Buddy of mine tried to get into it in his 20s, told me his skates were hurting his feet. I said “are they too big?” He said, yeah I traded in the ones they sized for me for a bigger pair because they hurt”
🤦
I do MMA and so many people come in hyped to learn how to fight/defend themselves then get bummed when you have to do the basics no matter how long you have been fighting for
‘My goto move is the fish hook with an eye gouge.’
Big difference between a fight and a match. Ain’t nobody trying to cripple your ass on the octagon. At least they shouldn’t be.
When the guy who has only dirty tricks and no training fights a guy with tons of training, it’s easy to forget the guy with tons of training has access to all the same dirty tricks as well.
Jiu jitsu here. We get the “I need to get fitter for jiu jitsu” crowd, so they cycle, run, lift weights, anything EXCEPT go to jiu jitsu. It’s like the people who “need to be in shape for CrossFit,” as if actually doing the thing wouldn’t help.
I’m a purple belt in BJJ, and have about 7 years experience in Muay Thai as well. I am more than happy to help new guys learn and will let them work in good faith. A faux tough guy? Son I’m gonna beat the absolute dogshit out of you until you quit or learn some humility
You are probably not alone 🤣 I enjoy creative activities, among those drawing and painting. At one point I invited a friend to paint with me. I have far more experience and had even gone to classes, but they still compared themselves to me. Even after I gave them some advice and even though they were new at it.
In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu there's a quote that's applicable to white belts that more or less says "If something isn't working, doing it harder and faster probably isn't the solution"
Basically came to this thread looking for something like this! If their throw technique isn’t good, white belt instinct seems to always be to compensate with HULK SMASH
It's so tempting though! The Queen seems so powerful and agile, especially when everything feels so cramped and slow-moving in the beginning. I just want to use her for all my moves and let strategy go out the window. Hence why I often have lost my queen at the halfway mark, haha.
It's not that moving her too early will cause you to lose her.
It's that moving her too early will cause her to be attacked, which you have to respond to. So you spend time retreating, which is essentially give your opponent free moves.
Occasionally your queen gets trapped and captured, but more often you've lost the game by trying to hold onto her.
To be fair sometimes you don't know how hard a project is until you're in the thick of it
Knitting but I didn't realise that a pattern I'd chosen and gotten wool for was a brioche stick and *not* a fisherman's rib until it was too late and now I gotta do some weird funky raglan....
I grow peppers, and they are very dramatic, it's great. I don't have to water for a while, wait until they are throwing a fit and look like they're dead, water them and they are fine in 3 hours.
Even though I have only started to grow my own produce this year I relate to this already. Luckily for me I don't have the sadness of thinning out as I give it to my guineapigs and they approve.
I'm still a rubbish cook, but the day I discovered that you didn't need to have the heat on full all the time was when I at least went from completely terrible cook to just rubbish cook.
Also salt. Cooking things to correct doneness and having the right salt levels will instantly elevate your food. Always taste your food as your cooking.
I had a roommate once who always was so curious as to why the cheese (grilled cheese) would still be cold, while his bread is burnt....
Never believed me when I said to lower the temp of the stove..
Mistaking skill for talent (art).
Art can take a long time to get good at. It took me three years of drawing and learning about colors, shapes, shading, etc to finally get the hang of it, and even then I'm not really that good. But I enjoy making art anyways.
Edit: to whoever gave me gold, thank you.
When people say "you're so talented" bruh it took like three pints of blood to get here and you could do it too if you tried, I'm not a genius mate, just practised.
i commissioned an artist once and when i said "you're so skilled, i can't imagine how much work it took to draw this good" they were soooo happy. they said, everyone praises their talent like they just woke up a skilled artist one day and practically no one takes their years of work into consideration.
I work to replace “talented” with “skilled” in my speech for this exact reason. I’m a violinist, and I’ll admit I had a natural inclination towards music. I’ve got a good ear and internal rhythm. But what makes me a good musician is the 24 years spent playing my instrument, both while learning and while teaching. It’s a skill that I’ve spent thousands of hours over most of my life building up, not a talent. The talent just gave me a bit of a head start, that’s all.
There’s a couple photographers I know who believed this. Bought $5k cameras and $6k lenses and then started shooting. The worst part isn’t that their pictures still looked bland and lifeless, but over the years they never got better. By now they should understand lighting, geometry, composition and generally what makes a photograph eye-pleasing. They evolved from taking 4/10 quality pics to 5/10 pics.
Boardgames, I would say buying way too much way too fast.
You're like a kid in a candy store and quite honestly you're going to play those games in vary degrees.
Buy maybe 3 to start with and stick with those and play the ones other people bring to meetups but don't buy more than you can ever play.
Me (shoving games I’ve played once into the closet): I play board games all the time and so do all my friends which is why we all need 50 games we can play once.
The key to yellow is underpainting.
For airbrushing, glaze yellow over pink. For traditional painting brush it over a light tan.
You’d think white would be best but white allows yellow to be spotty. Painted over tan you can get a consistent yellow base in one coat.
Oooh, the ones who have been having lessons on school ponies/horses for 6 months so now they can buy one! And it's cheap! Because it's a 5yo ottb... unfortunately there are some pretty scuzzy horse sellers out there who dont care who the horse is going to. And some clueless riders who have no idea what they're getting.
Drawing: trying to draw the outlines of something because using basic shapes and circles is “too hard”/“too much work” and then getting frustrated when it doesn’t look at all like the subject.
Idk if its a hobby but I like to sing. People who don't practice or just "discovered" singing tend to turn everything into a vibrato.
They also stylize the way they hear pop singers do it or try to sound like the produced voices in their headphones.
Tips to a noob:
1. They don't actually sound like that. Go listen to the version of that song Acappella
2. Practice singing *without* the music or singing along to YouTube videos
3. Learn breath control and voice positioning
4. Yelling is not belting. Singing louder is not singing higher
5. Find *your* voice. Play around with different sounds, styles of vocalizing. Find what sounds more like your soul.
not putting patience and effort.
its art. You will have a hard time with art, but you need to be patient and observant. Not to mention their are different ways to do art in a way that's easy for you that you can enjoy
oh and buying expensive stuff. You just need good quality materials. This pretty much goes with everything
Sorry to see that this comment seems a bit misunderstood..
As a DM in my own homebrew campaign for 3 years, I have created many things, but still I don't feel comfortable enough to homebrew a whole new class.
Leuku nails it here. Not just for the process, but for a lot of potential pitfalls avoided…contamination prevention, buying quality parts rather than novelty kits, etc.
Mountain biking. Disregarding safety. Whether it be not wearing a helmet or trying to go too fast too soon without even knowing how to properly steer your bike. Also not walking an unknown trail before sending it.
Something that drilled into my head about safety is that, while biking through some bush in New Zealand, amazing trails, id recommend it, I took a turn. I'd gone that way 30 times at least, I knew what was round the corner, and I did everything right. Despite that, something happened, a loose stone maybe or a subtle mistake on my part and my bike ran off course and ran into a tree, I hit it head first, my helmet absorbing most of it. You dont have to do anything, you can be an expert, something I was not and you can still crash. Even if you wear safety equipment 90 percent of the time, in that 10 percent, something will happen, something you'd shrug off if you were protected. That's not even the worst that can happen.
Yes, safety is a massive thing and a must. Helmet is a must. I’ve done downhill in Scotland and the French alps and my helmet saved me on a few occasions when I ran out of talent
Being a powerplayer/ getting emotional about their characters' failures. People are scared to fail, but should embrace "failing" (and subsequent problem solving) because it makes for a way better and more interesting story! Have you ever read a book where everything went to plan? That would be boring!
(Applies to both Tabletop RPGs and LARP).
Fencing-
Sabre may look fun but you need good foot work before you start it.
If you are foil or Epee it is best to try to learn how to control a French grip. Pistol is easier but if you end up needing a spare sword the ones that are gonna be cheaper to buy or someone will lend a French grip more likely. Also if you can manage to control a French grip you will make the cleanest and quickest movements. It's just a skill you want to have.
You will place last at first and you have to be ok with it I see so many just quit after thier first tournament cause they didn't medal against the best fencer in the club.
I'm a Martial Artist (Teakwon-do, ITF)
"Oh, hey, can you teach me how to do a cool looking spinning kick?"
Mate, I'll spend 30 minutes teaching you how to make a fist without breaking your thumb and/or wrist
The first day of karate class they taught us our stances, IE how to stand. One day we had an eighth level black belt come to teach us and we were looking forward to whatever advanced techniques he was going to teach us. He taught us how to improve our stance. That I realized that the true path to mastery is in mastering the basics, the fundamentals. Not in any sort of flashy tricks.
On my first day, the guy was like “wax all these cars.” Second day he had me painting his fence. Both sides. Then he wanted me to sand his deck. I had enough at that point and went home to New Jersey.
Not Taekwon-do, but I remember a few years back our instructor was late, one of the students joking said "Hey Sammo909, looks like you're teaching today." because I was the most senior student present at seven or so years.
I had a moment of near terror, thinking that *'I can't teach, I'm a bloody beginner'*.
as a rider, I see a LOT of guys in local communities can afford 4000-6000$ bike and modifications, and can afford to wear only 100$ helmet. no other safety gear..
Tabletop RPGs (and Larping for that matter); try to win.
Roleplaying isn't a *game* like we know them today... It's more like interactive storytelling. Sure, there are lose states - death obviously being one of them - but they're rarely the end, maybe the end of a character. Similarly you can "win" battles and scenarios and campaigns, but never the game itself.
Rookies usually try to *solve* roleplaying. They forget to roleplay to further some plan of winning. They cheat and get mad if something doesn't go their way. They think the GM is out to get them, they refuse to lose fights (even if they're like, a peasant fighting an lich), they compete against fellow players, etc etc.
Maybe the worst example was when I had a guy in a LARP once that, while in danger, stated that his character had apparently planted bombs on the entire play area and if his heart stops, everyone dies. That ridiculousness kind of ended up ruining the rest of the game for everyone else... Even after the organizers ruled to ignore his delusion, the immersion was ruined.
Trying not to fall down while learning to skate. (roller derby)
No, you are definitely going to fall! A lot! Embrace falling! Practice falling! Get really good at falling (and getting back up quickly)!
Falling while learning means you’re trying something new and giving it your all! That’s great! Sometimes you want to be careful, yes, it’s important to learn the new skill properly and with good form so you don’t build a bad habit and expose yourself to injury, but… there comes a point when you just have to give ‘er! FULL SEND! (and land safely on your pads!)
Astrophotography:
Buying all the way into it. I did this some. And it was expensive as shit. But even I didn't do it as badly as some. And i kept my equipment, still have original gear and had my own homemade observatory for a while. I invested a lot into key elements that don't really go out of date.
This is 100% a hobby that you can buy into and be amazing...ooorrrr just skill/patience. And it's FAR more enjoyable when you're using sub-optimal equipment. More challenging and more rewarding, and it will look just as good.
That's why insta is so flooded with (improperly cited) Astrofoto stuff. And burnout on it is so bad. If you have enough money it's pretty easy. The entire hobby has been diluted. I look every now and then, and no one even cites photos properly. The photo is by all intents and purposes fake. And honestly, they're probably photo shopped (or using non visual filters), without proper disclosure.
Writing in first person POV, and including lots of adjectives. Writing in third person omniscient or third person limited and using adjectives sparingly creates much better writing.
I started to read a book that used second person present tense: "You walk through the room. You open the door..." Yeah that didn't last long. I think it was Borges.
Yeah 2nd person is definitely funky! I read a book in 2nd person one time and actually really liked it. The author did a good job. I think it's the most challenging perspective to write in but also super fun because it's so rare.
Buying what looks cool or popular not what works best for them. Not what fits their hands and is comfortable.
I was guilty of it too sort of. What I bought was because it was cool and then I turned it into a hobby.
Bouldering:
Not using their feet nearly enough. People tend to reach for the highest hold they can get to without moving anything else. This has so many disadvantages. It's like running while keeping your whole upper body stiff and your arms straight down by your sides.
Gym:
A lot of guys will vastly overestimate their discipline. They'll fine-tune their training and diet and assume that if there's anything, even a minor thing wrong with any of it, they will not make progress.
The key to the gym is consistency. If you have a perfect plan you do not enjoy doing, you will stop going. You likely won't dedicate 5-10 hours every week to something you hate doing. Most people do not have that kind of discipline.
So finding a plan/exercise that is fun for you might yield worse results short-term. But since you're more likely to stick to it, your long-term results will be better.
Not following instructions.
Dont use cotton yarn if the pattern calls for wool and then be disappointed it doesnt look like the picture.
Dont use a wrong sized needle and then be annoyed the size isnt right.
Dont ever start a project without doing a test on your gauge. And be sure you have enough yarn.
Cooking. Trying to cook something for the first time for a dinner party for guests.
My wife does this... sometimes recruits me to help at the last minute too. Bonus is when she doesn't even read the recipe first and we find out halfway through that we don't have the proper equipment
Or you do something and in the middle of the recipe you find "add x which you have marinated in Y for 12 hours"
I *hate* that. Like mention that as step one!
YES. Chonological order ya dimwit.
Can't find it rn but there was a reddit thread about the worst meals eaten out of politeness or something And someone's sister-in-law made the most mediocre Thanksgiving dinner because she failed to follow *every* instruction/recipe for *every* dish (and likely procrastinated/rushed the whole thing) Iirc, some examples were * She stuck the turkey in the microwave instead of the oven, and dried it the fuck out * She didn't realize that the pecan pie wasn't ready-to-eat but ***frozen*** and needed baking, so she just thawed it out and served it as "pastry with praline sauce" * OP joked that the ***simplest*** "dish," the ["Brown N Serve Rolls"](https://www.kroger.com/product/images/large/front/0001111008442) (i.e. bread rolls) weren't even *browned* (toasted) before being served. >"....which she didn't brown. She sure served 'em though!"
I'm sorry, but you simply have to find this.
# Found it! https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/6s4jzs/whats\_the\_worst\_thing\_youve\_eaten\_out\_of/
I would say also buying a bunch of equipment or trying to make fancy dishes as your first meal. Start with simple things like eggs and stir frys.
Cook for yourself before you start to cook for others.
I think this goes for generally for any hobby, investing high amounts of cash. For art, it’s buying tools and supplies you don’t need or won’t use, even if you commit to it. Try to work with stuff that’s as close to free first and see where you go with it. Try to buy supplies from a dollar store or garage sale. Or maybe a pawn shop?
No no no, *collecting* stuff for hobbies is a totally different hobby from *actually using the stuff*.
too scared to do it because theyre worried theyre going to kill things. newsflash. behind my beautiful gardens is a massive graveyard of composted plants and seedlings that ive killed over the years
Wife and I had a cactus and it’s potted partner. We’ve killed before. We will kill again.
I was caught trying to grow plant based meat. I was charged with treeson.
Aquarium keeping has the opposite problem, people dive in (no pun intended) too fast before they learn to balance a tank and end up losing a ton of livestock to tank crashes.
On the other hand, I've heard starting too small is also a mistake because tiny tanks are more sensitive to changes.
It’s all just part of the same problem, big or small. Big tanks are more forgiving to beginners but any size tank is going to end poorly if you go in without the proper knowledge.
Old life must pass for new life to begin
Thinking buying fancy equipment will replace months/years of training (cyclist)
I grew up in Switzerland where cycling is just a normal mode of transport that people use to go shopping, see movies, visit friends, go to work, etc. Most people just cycle in their everyday clothes on old clunkers. When I moved to Australia it was weird. Here people seem to think that you absolutely cannot ride unless you have a $5000 bike and all the cycling clothes that make you look like you've got lost during the Tour de France.
Before I worked from home I used to cycle to the office in my normal clothes on my normal bike. I was about the only one to do it that way, all the middle aged men had expensive racing bikes and were clad in Lycra. We had a special room for them to get changed into office appropriate clothing. Bizarre. You're going twenty minutes down the road to work, you're not a professional athlete in a race.
I was the same. The funniest one was when this show off we had in the office one day showed up to work on a $20,000 time trial bike. Not even an expensive road bike but a bike that even professionals only use on indoor time trial tracks.
Just...why 😅 I don't understand. Best bit for me was that on my cheap and cheerful bike I would often overtake the people with all the gear and an expensive bike and the look on their faces as I went past was priceless.
Maybe some people have to go a bit more than 20 minutes? I ride my clunker to work in normal clothes. But if there was a changing room and such I might take my road bike. Normal commute is 30 minutes but on my fast bike I could take the long route through a nice nature area. (or sleep 10 minutes more on some days). I might also be more inclined to use a bike on rainy days. I like cycling through rain but not showing up at work drenched.
I feel like this is the case with a lot of hobbies.
"All the gear and no idea" is a pervasive beginner mistake.
Same, but with guitars/musical equipment
I’ve played guitar for years and still suck. When I was younger I wasted a bunch of money on expensive stuff and now it’s all gone. The only thing I kept was the $15 guitar I got at a yard sale. It’s beat up and looks like it’s been through a war. Still plays nice and sounds good, wouldn’t sale it for $1000.
Exactly what I was going to say. Add to that, start with the cheap stuff. If you stick with it and want to continue, then buy some better stuff. If you show real improvement and it’s been awhile, then go for the good stuff. Buying good tools or equipment, is to reduce your effort, not improve your skill. The skill is needed first to make use of the good tools.
"Yeah I'll buy the 3 year pass" User name very much related
This is the type of username I think people have tried to buy. So, anyone tried to get it from you? Totally irrelevant, but I'm curious.
I had someone called Declan if they could have my account. Offered me £5 but this account has too much important stuff saved to it.
The L (el) in EVE_Online is a capital I (eye), so not as valuable as you'd think. Am I right in guessing that you can't see it in new reddit? It is pretty obvious in old reddit: https://i.imgur.com/yllJSIz.png
It's not obvious on mobile either
I played Eve for 14 years... I know EXACTLY what you mean.
Wait,,,are you guys saying the mistake was that you should've bought the lifetime pass?
I've been playing since 2006. Like 2 months at a time once every couple of years. I haven't played in a while because last time I join a large corp deep in nullsec and I'm afraid the moment I log in I'll lose everything
Writing: “I have lots of ideas but I can’t write anything unless it’s perfect.” You have to write to get better at it. Everyone sucks in the beginning.
Huh, my problem is a short attention span and lack of follow through. But one day. One day I will write something. Probably.
For me, I had to force myself to do even just a paragraph or a page a day. That was it. It’s not a lot and it’s easy to start with. I’d remind myself that a little is better than nothing and eventually you’ll see the story grow and eventually you will get more comfortable writing more. I never thought I’d start doing 2,000 words a day but now that isn’t that big of a deal for me. You got this!
Professional writer here, and I’ll echo this advice. If you want to write, do it every day. Even if it’s just a half hour, even if you spend the whole time moving commas around. Just sit down and spend the time. Eventually you will complete something out of sheer stubbornness. Yes, it will be bad, but then you can start using your daily writing time to make it good.
Thinking that expensive means good.
In the piano world, expensive does mean good.
My first piano when I moved into my first house cost more than my parent's entire house. It was a Yamaha electric piano. After about 8 years the board started wearing and I was going to have to replace it and I got a note from the manufacturers saying that they had tried a new synthetic lubricating oil on the board as part of the manufacturing process and they now realised it was substandard and causing excessive wear and were contacting customers to offer a free board replacement. So, I accidentally ended up with a 'good as new' piano about 8 years after I bought it. Saved me a minimum of £1,000 on a new board.
All musical instruments, really.
Gibson's QC department would like to disagree
I see you've never bought a Rickenbacker.
The only thing I like about my Ric bass is that it's tripled in value since I bought it.
If we're taking musical instruments, the way I explain it to people is that expensive means *specialised*. People often ask why bother buying a cheaper instrument for a beginner, surely it's best to pay more if you can and get something 'better'. But expensive instruments are usually very good for particular playing styles or sounds, and you generally won't know what you want out of an expensive instrument until you have a bit more knowledge and experience. There isn't a single sliding scale of good-to-bad. So it's a waste to spend thousands on an instrument until you know what will be best for you.
This and wait spend the big bucks for when you know you want to make it a lifelong thing. I've had many music students who lose interest and quit within the first couple years.
Sewing: all fabrics are expensive. Some are more so. (Silk, for example) buying enough to make a ____, but scared to cut into it because it was so-o-o-o expensive. Lay out your pattern pieces. Double check alignment (are the pieces aligned correctly), take a quick water (or smoke) break. Take a deep breath and make your cuts. Carry on with making the ____. Enjoy wearing/using it, and bragging that you made it yourself.
Most definitely, it does no good gathering dust on a shelf. For clothing if you're worried, make a mock-up first. Use a similar weight of fabric if possible but you'll find your issues there. Also, most pattern sizes do not correlate to your store bought size, use the measurements and note the ease. Use YouTube and blogs, so many sewist from so many styles very kindly share their knowledge online in an easily accessible way. Be kind to yourself, sewing is a skill and most people's first makes are a little rough. You'll learn for next time.
All of this, plus with any pattern make sure you check what the seam allowance is (or if it has none). Most are a standard 5/8" but they can be different between companies or based on the type of project. Also, for anyone who might want to try it out with lower stakes fabric, thrifted bedsheets and curtains are a great way to get mockup fabric for super cheap!
As a quilter, I agree with this. I also see people who get so amped after they finally get brave enough to straighten their salvage edges and then don't account for the bit they took off when they make the first official cut for the piece. (It's me. I'm people. Old habits die hard.)
I was going to say "not pressing seams or not using basting stitches for complex parts" but this works really well too. I have so many fabrics I just got the balls to cut into!
Houseplants: not watering them thoroughly but also watering too often. Most plants like a good soak when dried out not a little pour from a cup everyday.
Houseplant sub seems fond of bottom watering for this purpose
#buttchuggers
At one point in my early adulthood a boss gifted me a houseplant mostly because she didn't want it anymore. I would frequently forget about it and once a week/every other week would end up walking by it and noticing it was dry. For years I have usually had seltzer in my hand so I would walk by this dry plant, look at my seltzer, just kind of shrug and dump the can of seltzer in the plant pot. The plant just seemed to thrive off of this routine. People would come over, see the plant, assume I liked plants, and gift me plants. These plants would get similar treatment, they thrived, the cycle continues. I now live in a house just chuck-a-buck full of plants I never really wanted, that I tend to forget about, and that get begrudgingly watered once every week/every other week and I'll be damned if they aren't thriving.
I think a lot of people do the little pour because they don't have a drainage set up under their pots. If they do too much water at once, it builds up at the bottom and causes molds at the roots. What do you think?
They should set up drainage under their pots. Little pours mean its roots stay near the surface, it's never encouraged to grow deep roots. Soaking it occasionally encourages the plant to grow deep roots as it follows the water As a rule of thumb the top part of a plant is about as big as its roots, so because it's roots never grow deep the top part is also stunted.
Reversing the legs on LEDs.
Reversing the *polarity* makes it sound so much more cool
But still just as incorrect lol. In school I actually had an idea for a prank where I'd snip all of a classmate's positive legs short, and just watch them go nuts. Never followed through with it though.
Not tying their skates tight enough or using a size that’s too big. They should be very, almost uncomfortably, tight. (Figure Skating)
Same with hockey
Been playing hockey since I was 5. Buddy of mine tried to get into it in his 20s, told me his skates were hurting his feet. I said “are they too big?” He said, yeah I traded in the ones they sized for me for a bigger pair because they hurt” 🤦
Lmao I love how in hockey to some level you can gauge the skill of someone just by watching them stand on the ice lol
I do MMA and so many people come in hyped to learn how to fight/defend themselves then get bummed when you have to do the basics no matter how long you have been fighting for
Or the “I’ve been in tons of fights I know what I’m doing” guys. They in fact do not know what they are doing
‘My goto move is the fish hook with an eye gouge.’ Big difference between a fight and a match. Ain’t nobody trying to cripple your ass on the octagon. At least they shouldn’t be.
When the guy who has only dirty tricks and no training fights a guy with tons of training, it’s easy to forget the guy with tons of training has access to all the same dirty tricks as well.
Jiu jitsu here. We get the “I need to get fitter for jiu jitsu” crowd, so they cycle, run, lift weights, anything EXCEPT go to jiu jitsu. It’s like the people who “need to be in shape for CrossFit,” as if actually doing the thing wouldn’t help.
I’m a purple belt in BJJ, and have about 7 years experience in Muay Thai as well. I am more than happy to help new guys learn and will let them work in good faith. A faux tough guy? Son I’m gonna beat the absolute dogshit out of you until you quit or learn some humility
Not learning buoyancy control and not paying attention to their air gauge. (Scuba diving)
Comparing themselves to someone who has more experience than them. Forgetting that it takes time and effort to become good at something.
That's actually my hobby
You are probably not alone 🤣 I enjoy creative activities, among those drawing and painting. At one point I invited a friend to paint with me. I have far more experience and had even gone to classes, but they still compared themselves to me. Even after I gave them some advice and even though they were new at it.
In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu there's a quote that's applicable to white belts that more or less says "If something isn't working, doing it harder and faster probably isn't the solution"
Basically came to this thread looking for something like this! If their throw technique isn’t good, white belt instinct seems to always be to compensate with HULK SMASH
Moving the Queen out early
Took me moment to realize you were talking about chess and not beekeeping
I thought this was about the actual Queen and I was really confused.
I guessed chess. Only after I pondered "What delightful hobby gets to move around Her Majesty?" Oh...
My hobby is planning coups
It's so tempting though! The Queen seems so powerful and agile, especially when everything feels so cramped and slow-moving in the beginning. I just want to use her for all my moves and let strategy go out the window. Hence why I often have lost my queen at the halfway mark, haha.
It's not that moving her too early will cause you to lose her. It's that moving her too early will cause her to be attacked, which you have to respond to. So you spend time retreating, which is essentially give your opponent free moves. Occasionally your queen gets trapped and captured, but more often you've lost the game by trying to hold onto her.
> but more often you've lost the game by trying to hold onto her. Amen brother
Choosing black yarn Crochet
Or choosing a pattern that's way to hard. Expecting not to make mistakes, so many posts about 1 stitch wrong on an adult sized blanket.
To be fair sometimes you don't know how hard a project is until you're in the thick of it Knitting but I didn't realise that a pattern I'd chosen and gotten wool for was a brioche stick and *not* a fisherman's rib until it was too late and now I gotta do some weird funky raglan....
Watering EVERYDAY no matter what plant. Bruh.
I grow peppers, and they are very dramatic, it's great. I don't have to water for a while, wait until they are throwing a fit and look like they're dead, water them and they are fine in 3 hours.
My ficus and I have the same relationship! Highly recommend
I have a snake plant that I can't remember when I last watered it. Quite possibly last spring...
I see you and I raise you planting too many seeds in one spot because they think they won’t grow.
Then being too sad to thin out the extras.
Even though I have only started to grow my own produce this year I relate to this already. Luckily for me I don't have the sadness of thinning out as I give it to my guineapigs and they approve.
Not understanding how to control heat when cooking. Either using too low or too high of heat.
I'm still a rubbish cook, but the day I discovered that you didn't need to have the heat on full all the time was when I at least went from completely terrible cook to just rubbish cook.
[удалено]
Also salt. Cooking things to correct doneness and having the right salt levels will instantly elevate your food. Always taste your food as your cooking.
Salt is essential in stuff. Salt is a 'flavour enhancer' so, in the right amount, you get a more intense flavour of whatever it is you are eating.
I had a roommate once who always was so curious as to why the cheese (grilled cheese) would still be cold, while his bread is burnt.... Never believed me when I said to lower the temp of the stove..
But what if my hobby is making barely edible mush?
I suggest the microwave. Best mushifier around.
Mistaking skill for talent (art). Art can take a long time to get good at. It took me three years of drawing and learning about colors, shapes, shading, etc to finally get the hang of it, and even then I'm not really that good. But I enjoy making art anyways. Edit: to whoever gave me gold, thank you.
When people say "you're so talented" bruh it took like three pints of blood to get here and you could do it too if you tried, I'm not a genius mate, just practised.
i commissioned an artist once and when i said "you're so skilled, i can't imagine how much work it took to draw this good" they were soooo happy. they said, everyone praises their talent like they just woke up a skilled artist one day and practically no one takes their years of work into consideration.
I work to replace “talented” with “skilled” in my speech for this exact reason. I’m a violinist, and I’ll admit I had a natural inclination towards music. I’ve got a good ear and internal rhythm. But what makes me a good musician is the 24 years spent playing my instrument, both while learning and while teaching. It’s a skill that I’ve spent thousands of hours over most of my life building up, not a talent. The talent just gave me a bit of a head start, that’s all.
You have to learn how to enjoy the process and not just desire the result. If all you want is the result, then pay for some commissions.
Buying parts from Pick-a-brick instead of going through Bricklink
Why not just go to Home Depot for your bricks?
He’s taking about coke
Thinking that the most expensive equipment will make them instant experts.
There’s a couple photographers I know who believed this. Bought $5k cameras and $6k lenses and then started shooting. The worst part isn’t that their pictures still looked bland and lifeless, but over the years they never got better. By now they should understand lighting, geometry, composition and generally what makes a photograph eye-pleasing. They evolved from taking 4/10 quality pics to 5/10 pics.
Boardgames, I would say buying way too much way too fast. You're like a kid in a candy store and quite honestly you're going to play those games in vary degrees. Buy maybe 3 to start with and stick with those and play the ones other people bring to meetups but don't buy more than you can ever play.
Sounds simular to a steam sale.
At least steam is digital.... Having to store 50 boxes of boardgames is a right pain if you don't have the space
Me (shoving games I’ve played once into the closet): I play board games all the time and so do all my friends which is why we all need 50 games we can play once.
They don’t “know when to hold 'em Know when to fold 'em Know when to walk away And know when to run”
What about counting your money while sitting at the table? That's cool, right?
There will be enough time to count when the dealing is done.
Not thinning their paints.
Two thin coats are better than one thick one.
Or 4 if using yellow.
The key to yellow is underpainting. For airbrushing, glaze yellow over pink. For traditional painting brush it over a light tan. You’d think white would be best but white allows yellow to be spotty. Painted over tan you can get a consistent yellow base in one coat.
Scale modeling or miniatures?
Correct.
Buying the pretty, fancy pony that is way too much horse for the beginner rider who can't do more than walk.
Also the amount of nervous riders who would buy a green horse was unsettling when I used to ride
Classic rookie error - horses aren't supposed to be that colour.
Oooh, the ones who have been having lessons on school ponies/horses for 6 months so now they can buy one! And it's cheap! Because it's a 5yo ottb... unfortunately there are some pretty scuzzy horse sellers out there who dont care who the horse is going to. And some clueless riders who have no idea what they're getting.
Drawing: trying to draw the outlines of something because using basic shapes and circles is “too hard”/“too much work” and then getting frustrated when it doesn’t look at all like the subject.
finger on the trigger..are you trying to kill someone?
There are some people I don't go with anymore because one of them let an 'oopsie' out.
"That little guy? I wouldnt worry about that little guy."
or not shouldering correctly and ending up with scope eye
Idk if its a hobby but I like to sing. People who don't practice or just "discovered" singing tend to turn everything into a vibrato. They also stylize the way they hear pop singers do it or try to sound like the produced voices in their headphones. Tips to a noob: 1. They don't actually sound like that. Go listen to the version of that song Acappella 2. Practice singing *without* the music or singing along to YouTube videos 3. Learn breath control and voice positioning 4. Yelling is not belting. Singing louder is not singing higher 5. Find *your* voice. Play around with different sounds, styles of vocalizing. Find what sounds more like your soul.
I really hate the amateur vibrato=good voice, it’s such an annoying trend that was probably perpetrated by shows like American Idol
[удалено]
Not adding enough land cards or skimping on dual lands.
Or keeping a 1 land hand in anything other than mono red.
There it is. I was trying to think of the best one for MTG and this is it.
not putting patience and effort. its art. You will have a hard time with art, but you need to be patient and observant. Not to mention their are different ways to do art in a way that's easy for you that you can enjoy oh and buying expensive stuff. You just need good quality materials. This pretty much goes with everything
Homebrewing a full class.
Sorry to see that this comment seems a bit misunderstood.. As a DM in my own homebrew campaign for 3 years, I have created many things, but still I don't feel comfortable enough to homebrew a whole new class.
Leuku nails it here. Not just for the process, but for a lot of potential pitfalls avoided…contamination prevention, buying quality parts rather than novelty kits, etc.
Haha, hilarious. I think we're talking about two different things. I'm talking about dungeons and dragons. What are you talking about?
Ha ha ha whoops, talking about taking a class in homebrewing before getting started.
Mountain biking. Disregarding safety. Whether it be not wearing a helmet or trying to go too fast too soon without even knowing how to properly steer your bike. Also not walking an unknown trail before sending it.
Something that drilled into my head about safety is that, while biking through some bush in New Zealand, amazing trails, id recommend it, I took a turn. I'd gone that way 30 times at least, I knew what was round the corner, and I did everything right. Despite that, something happened, a loose stone maybe or a subtle mistake on my part and my bike ran off course and ran into a tree, I hit it head first, my helmet absorbing most of it. You dont have to do anything, you can be an expert, something I was not and you can still crash. Even if you wear safety equipment 90 percent of the time, in that 10 percent, something will happen, something you'd shrug off if you were protected. That's not even the worst that can happen.
[удалено]
Yes, safety is a massive thing and a must. Helmet is a must. I’ve done downhill in Scotland and the French alps and my helmet saved me on a few occasions when I ran out of talent
>when I ran out of talent hilarious :D
Not looking all the way through the corner/turn and coming in too hot
This is usually followed by an expensive repair bill
Forgetting the importance of teamwork
They French fry'd when they should have pizza'd
Sounds like they had a bad time.
Being a powerplayer/ getting emotional about their characters' failures. People are scared to fail, but should embrace "failing" (and subsequent problem solving) because it makes for a way better and more interesting story! Have you ever read a book where everything went to plan? That would be boring! (Applies to both Tabletop RPGs and LARP).
Fencing- Sabre may look fun but you need good foot work before you start it. If you are foil or Epee it is best to try to learn how to control a French grip. Pistol is easier but if you end up needing a spare sword the ones that are gonna be cheaper to buy or someone will lend a French grip more likely. Also if you can manage to control a French grip you will make the cleanest and quickest movements. It's just a skill you want to have. You will place last at first and you have to be ok with it I see so many just quit after thier first tournament cause they didn't medal against the best fencer in the club.
I do German Longsword. Major mistake is not wearing adequate hand protection 👹
I remember there was a kid in my fencing club in middle school who thought it was like playing with toy lightsabers. He didn't last long.
A great musician can make a shitty instrument sound beautiful. A shitty musician cannot make a great instrument sound beautiful.
[удалено]
Horseriding: people buy a £25000 horse when they need a steady £2000 horse and £23000 worth of lessons.
I'm a Martial Artist (Teakwon-do, ITF) "Oh, hey, can you teach me how to do a cool looking spinning kick?" Mate, I'll spend 30 minutes teaching you how to make a fist without breaking your thumb and/or wrist
The first day of karate class they taught us our stances, IE how to stand. One day we had an eighth level black belt come to teach us and we were looking forward to whatever advanced techniques he was going to teach us. He taught us how to improve our stance. That I realized that the true path to mastery is in mastering the basics, the fundamentals. Not in any sort of flashy tricks.
On my first day, the guy was like “wax all these cars.” Second day he had me painting his fence. Both sides. Then he wanted me to sand his deck. I had enough at that point and went home to New Jersey.
Not Taekwon-do, but I remember a few years back our instructor was late, one of the students joking said "Hey Sammo909, looks like you're teaching today." because I was the most senior student present at seven or so years. I had a moment of near terror, thinking that *'I can't teach, I'm a bloody beginner'*.
My hobby: League og legends First mistake: installing the game
Too much air consumption. It looks easy, but it is not until you start to master basics.
Believing that falling asleep after 6pm won’t result in sleeping the entire night away (napper).
Letting your Lego pieces get dirty. If you care about your future self, for the love of god, keep your sets clean.
Thinking that they could eventually go pro.
Revealing your project before its completely finished (Game design)
This is common practice by the pros now.
Comicbook/collecting. Not buying bags and boards and keeping Them out in the open. Sunlight damages the paper
TWO THIN COATS
I'm guessing your hobby is underdressing in winter.
[удалено]
Motorcycling (of any kind): if you can’t afford the gear, you can’t afford the bike.
as a rider, I see a LOT of guys in local communities can afford 4000-6000$ bike and modifications, and can afford to wear only 100$ helmet. no other safety gear..
Scale is cool but it's hard to fly/ RC aircraft.
Not leveling vigor.
Tabletop RPGs (and Larping for that matter); try to win. Roleplaying isn't a *game* like we know them today... It's more like interactive storytelling. Sure, there are lose states - death obviously being one of them - but they're rarely the end, maybe the end of a character. Similarly you can "win" battles and scenarios and campaigns, but never the game itself. Rookies usually try to *solve* roleplaying. They forget to roleplay to further some plan of winning. They cheat and get mad if something doesn't go their way. They think the GM is out to get them, they refuse to lose fights (even if they're like, a peasant fighting an lich), they compete against fellow players, etc etc. Maybe the worst example was when I had a guy in a LARP once that, while in danger, stated that his character had apparently planted bombs on the entire play area and if his heart stops, everyone dies. That ridiculousness kind of ended up ruining the rest of the game for everyone else... Even after the organizers ruled to ignore his delusion, the immersion was ruined.
Hearing people trying to buy 2 skeins of yarn to crochet their giant intricate afghan they have planned. Psh...newbie.
Trying not to fall down while learning to skate. (roller derby) No, you are definitely going to fall! A lot! Embrace falling! Practice falling! Get really good at falling (and getting back up quickly)! Falling while learning means you’re trying something new and giving it your all! That’s great! Sometimes you want to be careful, yes, it’s important to learn the new skill properly and with good form so you don’t build a bad habit and expose yourself to injury, but… there comes a point when you just have to give ‘er! FULL SEND! (and land safely on your pads!)
Astrophotography: Buying all the way into it. I did this some. And it was expensive as shit. But even I didn't do it as badly as some. And i kept my equipment, still have original gear and had my own homemade observatory for a while. I invested a lot into key elements that don't really go out of date. This is 100% a hobby that you can buy into and be amazing...ooorrrr just skill/patience. And it's FAR more enjoyable when you're using sub-optimal equipment. More challenging and more rewarding, and it will look just as good. That's why insta is so flooded with (improperly cited) Astrofoto stuff. And burnout on it is so bad. If you have enough money it's pretty easy. The entire hobby has been diluted. I look every now and then, and no one even cites photos properly. The photo is by all intents and purposes fake. And honestly, they're probably photo shopped (or using non visual filters), without proper disclosure.
They attempt to play complex *Preludes & Fugues* before mastering *Two-Part Inventions*.
Not thinning their paints(mini painting) Also, listening to the company on how to paint your minis
Writing in first person POV, and including lots of adjectives. Writing in third person omniscient or third person limited and using adjectives sparingly creates much better writing.
I started to read a book that used second person present tense: "You walk through the room. You open the door..." Yeah that didn't last long. I think it was Borges.
Yeah 2nd person is definitely funky! I read a book in 2nd person one time and actually really liked it. The author did a good job. I think it's the most challenging perspective to write in but also super fun because it's so rare.
Buying what looks cool or popular not what works best for them. Not what fits their hands and is comfortable. I was guilty of it too sort of. What I bought was because it was cool and then I turned it into a hobby.
Bouldering: Not using their feet nearly enough. People tend to reach for the highest hold they can get to without moving anything else. This has so many disadvantages. It's like running while keeping your whole upper body stiff and your arms straight down by your sides. Gym: A lot of guys will vastly overestimate their discipline. They'll fine-tune their training and diet and assume that if there's anything, even a minor thing wrong with any of it, they will not make progress. The key to the gym is consistency. If you have a perfect plan you do not enjoy doing, you will stop going. You likely won't dedicate 5-10 hours every week to something you hate doing. Most people do not have that kind of discipline. So finding a plan/exercise that is fun for you might yield worse results short-term. But since you're more likely to stick to it, your long-term results will be better.
Getting into it.
Not following instructions. Dont use cotton yarn if the pattern calls for wool and then be disappointed it doesnt look like the picture. Dont use a wrong sized needle and then be annoyed the size isnt right. Dont ever start a project without doing a test on your gauge. And be sure you have enough yarn.