In this engaging episode of the Amusing Minds Podcast, hosts Ben and Rodney dive into a comprehensive discussion about hobbies with special guest Mike Hewitt. The episode begins with the hosts and Mike sharing their personal experiences and passions. Larry describes his enjoyment of cosplay and crafting props, finding deep satisfaction in the creation process. Ben reveals a diverse range of past and current hobbies, including filmmaking, designing board and card games, creating costumes, and engaging in role-playing games. He also mentions leather crafting to support his attendance at comic conventions and his general love for stories found in video games, TV, and movies. Mike humorously refers to his "man cave" as a "place of broken dreams or forgotten hobbies" due to his many past attempts, noting that programming, which is also his job, remains his only consistent hobby. More recently, Mike has found joy in oil painting, sculpting, puzzles, and collecting records, and previously delved into saltwater fish keeping and even Dungeons & Dragons, at one point making and selling dungeon tiles.
A significant and recurring theme throughout the discussion revolves around the underlying motivations for engaging in hobbies and, conversely, the reasons why some hobbies are eventually discontinued. The hosts and Mike explore whether hobbies are pursued for financial gain, the acquisition of knowledge, or simply personal fulfillment. Mike, for instance, often ties the "excellence" or proficiency of his hobbies to whether someone is willing to purchase what he creates, using sales as a form of validation for his work. This leads to a broader exploration of whether every hobby needs to become a "hustle"—that is, whether it must yield some form of tangible gain, financial or otherwise. Mike admits his inclination to consider how a hobby could be monetized, while Ben offers Diablo 3 as a contrasting example of a "non-hustle" hobby pursued purely for personal enjoyment.
The conversation also highlights the social dimension of hobbies, with Mike emphasizing that many of his interests are primarily about connecting with other people and having fun through collaborative activities like making videos or playing board games. The episode also touches on the challenge of simply relaxing during downtime versus the perceived need to always be productive. Ben shares his past tendency to constantly seek productivity and how he consciously learned to schedule breaks to prevent burnout. Mike's concluding advice to the audience is to "do as many things as possible" and to embrace and enjoy life's myriad experiences. He also promotes his website, yourdndtools.com, a resource he is developing for Dungeons & Dragons players.
