Hobbies

Activities or interests pursued outside one's regular occupation.

Sub-headings:

Automobiles

Resources covering do-it-yourself care and maintenance of all types of self-propelled passenger vehicles.

Collecting

Photography, Photographs & Picture Blogs

Web logs devoted to the discussion of how-to aspects of photography, film or digital.

Resources in this category:

Amateur Telescope Makers of Boston
http://www.atmob.org/

"The Amateur Telescope Makers of Boston, Inc.(ATMoB) is an amateur astronomy club devoted to the study of the stars, observing, and telescope making. It was originally established in 1934 and is now one of the oldest and largest general interest astronomy clubs in the nation."

American Antiquarian Society
gopher://mark.mwa.org/

The American Antiquarian Society was founded in 1812 in Worcester, Massachusetts and is the third oldest historical society in the United States. Its mission is to collect and preserve the printed record on American history and culture and to make it avaiable for study to researchers. The holdings include three million books, pamphlets, broadsides, manuscripts, prints, maps, and newspapers and is the largest collection of printed sources on the history, literature, and culture of the first two hundred and fifty years of the America. The AAS specializes in the period up to 1877 and it possesses two-thirds of all printed materials to have been been printed between 1640 and 1821. This gopher site describes the programs and collections of the society. Links include a Brief Account of the American Antiquarian Society; Hours of Operation; List of AAS Staff, Calender of Events; Fellowship Programs; Seminars; AAS Publications in Print; AAS Online Catalog; Guide to AAS; Program in the History of the Book in American Culture; James Russell Wiggins Lecture; Massachusetts Weather; and Directions to the American Antiquarian Society by automobile.

American Bonsai Society
http://www.absbonsai.org/

"Founded in 1967, the American Bonsai Society, Inc. is the pioneering national bonsai organization. As a non-profit corporation, our purpose is to promote knowledge of and interest in bonsai and to serve as a national focal point for bonsai fanciers." On this site, you can find out about the history of ABS and upcoming events. Also, read articles for both beginners and advanced bonsai growers and locate clubs in your area.

American Kitefliers Association
http://www.aka.kite.org/

"The American Kitefliers Association was founded in 1964 by the late Robert M. Ingraham of New Mexico. Now, with over 4,000 members, in 35 countries, we are the largest association of kiters in the world. Our purpose is to educate the public in the art, history, technology, and practice of building and flying kites - to advance the joys and values of kiting in all nations. We are men, women, adults and children, from all walks of life. Our interests run from kitebuilding to multi-line kite competition, from miniature kites, to aerial photography and more. Some of us are in the kite trade, but we are not a trade organization." Find out about the organization and its chapters, festivals, conventions, publications, and products.

American Society of Appraisers
http://www.appraisers.org/

"The American Society of Appraisers is an organization of appraisal professionals and others interested in the appraisal profession. International in structure, it is self-supporting and independent. The oldest and only major appraisal organization representing all of the disciplines of appraisal specialists, the society originated in 1936 and incorporated in 1952. ASA's headquarters is in the metropolitan Washington, D.C., area." Includes a list of appraisers nationwide, searchable by name, specialty, and geographic location.

Area 51 Research Center
http://www.ufomind.com/area51/

"The Area 51 Research Center is a private research and publishing company investigating the many mysteries of Nevada's military 'Restricted Zone.' Our areas of interest include UFOs, military activities, government secrets, desert geography, psychology and philosophy--anything which might assist our quest for truth. Our primary goal is to collect information and make it available on the World Wide Web." This site includes information about staff and publications, as well as a plethora of information about Area 51.

Association For Recorded Sound Collections
http://www.arsc-audio.org/

"Founded in 1966, the Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to research, study, publication, and information exchange surrounding all aspects of recordings and recorded sound."

British Toy and Hobby Association
http://www.btha.co.uk/

"The BTHA was founded in 1944 to represent the interests of British toy manufacturers and to raise standards of practice in the industry. Today, the Association has 220 members who, between them, are responsible for over 95% of the British market for toys and games, valued at £1.6bn. The BTHA also organises the British International Toy & Hobby Fair at Olympia."

The Charles River Radio Controllers
http://www.charlesriverrc.org/

"You'll find information about our club, how to get started with radio controlled models, RC-related events and lots of interesting links on the web."

Extra Miler Club
http://www.extramilerclub.org/

Group of about 300 chronic road trippers who share (approximately) the same goal: to visit, at least once in life, each and every county in the United States. Some members count Canadian counties as well. Website includes resources useful to county collectors, general tourism information, and information on the group's annual convention.

Hobby Industry Association
http://www.hobby.org/

Founded in 1940, it now has over 4,100 member companies. Businesses who want to join HIA must meet membership qualifications. The HIA provides services including market research, education, certification, and publishes the National Craft Month. It organizes the "world's largest craft & hobby trade show" each January in the U.S, and in the Netherlands in March, which are open only to industry professionals. Exploring this website is fun! It is well organized, the graphics are pretty and it contains lots of information. It has a section for members only and is passworded.

Home Sewing Association
http://www.sewing.org/

"Since the 1920s, the Home Sewing Association (HSA) has represented the many facets of the home sewing industry. The Association brings together fabric, pattern, notions, fiber, craft, home decorating, publishing and sewing machine companies with manufacturers, retailers, educators, wholesalers and buying offices." Site includes "sewing tips, trends, free projects, sewing class and retailer locators, a calendar of events, press releases and trade membership information."

International Jugglers Association
http://www.juggle.org/

"Founded in 1947, the International Jugglers Association is a non-profit organization uniquely dedicated to the advancement and promotion of juggling worldwide. The IJA membership represents an incredibly diverse array of skills, ages and interests, and spans the range from amateurs to dedicated professionals." The site has a discussion forum, information about IJA projects (such as their participation in World Juggling Day and work with the Special Olympics), a photo gallery, and links to clubs and affiliates.

The International Laser Tag Association
http://www.lasertag.org/

"The International Laser Tag Association is a non-profit trade association that serves three purposes: (1) to help member manufacturers' place more systems; (2) to help center operators become more profitable; (3) to help promote the laser tag community as a whole. This sites contains information on getting into the lasertag business, list of manufacturers, list of suppliers, links to other laser tag URL's, the ability to find Where To Play, services provided by the ILTA."

International Society of Appraisers
http://www.isa-appraisers.org/

"A not-for-profit organization, the International Society of Appraisers is North America's largest association of personal property appraisers. It's mission is to provide education and organizational support to its members, and to serve the public by producing highly qualified and ethical appraisers who are recognized authorities in professional personal property appraising. Has searchable database of accredited appraisers, explains benefits of membership, gives appraisal facts and consumer information, course schedules, conference info, resources and links to other sites.

International String Figure Association
http://members.iquest.net/~webweavers/isfa.htm

The International String Figure Association (ISFA) is a not-for-profit organization whose primary goal is to gather, preserve, and distribute string figure knowledge so that future generations will continue to enjoy this ancient pastime. The site contains information on becoming a member, the publications ISFA produces, a brief history of string figures and the association, as well as links to other relevant web sites.

Meditation Society of America
http://www.meditationsociety.com/

³The Meditation Society of America is dedicated to sharing the joys and benefits of meditation with all seekers everywhere. One of the chief tenets of the Society is that all techniques of all traditions should be available to whoever wishes to know and use them."

This site has "What is Meditation", "The Total Meditation System", "108 Meditation Techniques", "This Week's Technique Archive", etc.

National Council for Metal Detecting
http://www.ncmd.co.uk/

"A democratic forum to discuss problems affecting the hobby and to provide an authoritative voice to counter ill-informed and frequently misleading criticism of the hobby. You will find links to Membership forms, A list of all NCMD clubs by NCMD Region, Meeting details, An archive of past and current NCMD documents and Pamphlets, Forthcoming Rally details and dates, The law regarding metal detecting outside the UK, Museums, The Treasure Act, The new Portable Antiquities Website and much more."

National Council on Fireworks Safety
http://www.fireworksafety.com/

"A non-profit organization dedicated to the safe enjoyment of fireworks in the United States." Site includes safety tips, state laws, injury information, news, and a parents' section.

National Model Railroad Association
http://www.nmra.org/

"The National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) is the largest organization devoted to the development, promotion, and enjoyment of thehobby of model railroading. These web pages will tell you more about the NMRA: the benefits of membership for those interested in the model railroading hobby, how the NMRA is organized, where and when our upcoming conventions will be held, and how you can use the NMRA to further your enjoyment of model railroading."

National Railroad Museum
http://www.nationalrrmuseum.org/

"This site contains information about the history and mission of the museum, how to get to the museum and what else to see in the Green Bay area, our railroad collection, restoration projects, membership information and much more." The site also offers a postcard tour of United States railroad stations and a teacher's educational packet on railroad history.

National Wood Carvers Association
http://www.chipchats.org/

"NWCA's aims are to promote woodcarving fellowship among its members; encourage exhibitions and area get-togethers; list tool and wood suppliers, and find markets for those who sell their work. From a handful of members at its beginning, the NWCA has grown to over 56,000 members. Currently, the NWCA has members in each of the 50 United States and in 47 countries from around the globe!"

American Gourd Society
http://www.americangourdsociety.org/

"The American Gourd Society promotes interest in all activities relating to gourds: cultivation, historical uses, gourd show competition, craftwork, and artistic decoration." Beyond basic information about state chapters and publications, the AGS Web site offers image galleries of art created by its members as well as tips on how to grow and use gourds. Art ideas include projects for children. The site also offers the ability to send postcards to friends.

Society of American Magicians
http://www.magicsam.com/

This site details membership information for both the Society of American Magicians, and their junior association, the Society of Young Magicians (for youths ages 7-17). Also included are descriptions of their monthly publications "MUM" and "SYM", direct e-mail links to contact anyone who is a national officer, council member, or member of a committee, and details on the various events and activities the society participates in.

U.S. Parachute Association
http://uspa.org/

"The United States Parachute Association (USPA) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting the safe enjoyment of skydiving. USPA works with skydiving centers and clubs, member skydivers, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to identify and eliminate potentially unsafe practices and provide proper training for instructors and skydivers." With information for both beginners and experienced skydivers, this site has general information on skydiving, links to skydiving schools and clubs, safety and training info, news about competitions, and a calendar of events.

The Unicycling Society of America
http://www.unicyclingusa.org/index.html

"The Unicycling Society of America was formed to promote and encourage unicycling. It does this through a newsletter, annual and local conventions, the Internet, and by setting voluntary standards for competition." Various information is available from their website including conventions, racing records, skills, rules, as well as, links to members and local affliiated clubs.