Bad habits? I don't have any bad habits, really! Expensive hobbies? Oh yes - flying and owning airplanes (I've calmed down a lot in that area, down to one airplane - well, actually, two, from having owned 9 or 10 at once a few years ago, no longer own any warbirds - that is incredibly expensive - but I don't fly single engine airplanes anymore, had a "far too exciting" experience in one at night over the mountains a year or so ago, only own and fly twins now), motorcycles (rather addictive, as well), fast cars (primarily big-bore sport cars, they have to be able to corner and brake extremely well, as well as accelerate quickly enough to push your face to the back of your skull and be capable of at least 150 MPH), though I don't really push them or routinely double (or triple) the speed limits anymore. Shelby's, Corvettes and various Z-28 Camaros are known to inhabit my space - I guess once a sport car racer, always a racer. I really have cut back there, though, the '06 Mustang GT is gone, and I sold my Cobras many years ago (one of my long-standing regrets). I have resisted occasional urges to get back into drums and guitars (although a nice old Fender Stratocaster that recently appeared at my favorite pawn/gun shop is calling to me from the back of my mind). The one hobby I just can't seem to get control of is my gun addiction - I don't think even guns anonymous can help, I just can't help myself. That has been a lifelong situation, which, of course, has gone through periods of intense activity and periods of remission. I always seem to have at least 5 or 6 on lay-away, and frequently make outright purchases - if I see something I want, I just can't rest until I get it. Of course, I can stop any time I want to - yeah, I really can, I just don't want to right now. I did cut down on the fast women thing, though. It just got to the point that the costs and negatives of dealing with all the high maintenance stuff became far greater than the perceived rewards. Perhaps growing older and, to some extent, wiser, had some effect there, as well. A few years ago, a pilot friend of mine who was into golf in a big way was playing the course which the house I had at the time backed to. I happened to be in my back yard when Mike and his wife were at the tee behind my place, and we waved at each other. He ran a pilot shop that I frequented, and the following Monday, I was in there picking up charts, and he commented that he was pretty sure I wasn't married. I confirmed that, and he said his wife would never let him park sport cars on the back patio, or even have them! Freedom has its good points. I do have a girlfriend, who is very attractive, intelligent, and, above all, nice. We get along quite well, especially since I moved 150 miles away, and don't have to put up with all the daily BS (although she usually calls about 8-10 times a day), its very nice when I go down to the Valley and see her. Also a lot less expensive than constantly "doing something." Ah well, enough rambling. Time to go home and check the "new" 66-1 I picked up the other day, or maybe the Pre-29, or one of the Pythons, or ....
A long time ago I quit smoking then I quit chewing. That wasn't enough I then quit drinking and chasing wild women. The only thing I got left is my guns as a hobby or bad habit. I refuse to give them up as life would be really boring. Don
