Why hello there!
I don’t know about you, but I feel like 2020 has been a year where we need to be able to find the fun. I sincerely hope you have found yours, but if you’re looking for some inspiration to try something new then please keep on reading. :)
Since it’s been a while since I’ve been in your inbox — sorry about that! — I’m bringing you two interviews this month.
First up is Nic Justice, who shares his hobby of collecting playing cards and cardistry. He says that playing cards can be like objects of art, loaded with fun secrets to discover.
Then we have Pete Codes, who is telling us about his love of running. Pete went from barely being able to run seven minutes to completing a half marathon in only two years.
I hope you enjoy the interviews. A big thanks to Nic and Pete for contributing!
Who are you and what business do you run?
I’m Nic Justice and my business is Watch Me Rise Films, which creates films for educators and art organizations that achieve fundraising goals.
What hobby are you going to be telling us about?
Playing card collecting and cardistry.
Cardistry is somewhere between slight of hand and juggling. It’s basically shuffling cards in a very impressive way — enough to be a performance in and of itself.
I’m pretty terrible at it, usually ending with a deck of cards scattered all over the floor.
Collecting playing cards is a lot easier, you just buy them, haha. Some people have collections of casino cards or vintage souvenir cards, but most currently you can invest in a Kickstarter design and then that deck can become rather valuable if supply and demand hits the right balance.
How long have you been enjoying this hobby?
About two years.
What led you to start?
It started as just wanting to know a magic trick for a family gathering so I looked up ‘card tricks’ on YouTube. Turns out I'm not very good at magic tricks, but it is common for magicians to have their own custom deck. So rather than buying a magic kit of sponge ball props I got a fancy deck of cards. Now I’m trading decks on Reddit and buy sold out decks on eBay. It is a small ecosystem but an active one.
What do you love about it?
I like a deck of cards as an art object. They can be simple and loaded with fun secrets to discover. I try not to be very precious with a deck of cards so we will play games as a family. I subscribe to a deck-of-the-month from a famous designer and recently the deck was based on Robin Hood. My 6-year-old became very fascinated with the characters on the King, Queen and Jack cards, so we spent most of the week reading about the characters and stories, and watching various versions of the story. Not to mention playing plenty of card games.
Do you find it difficult to fit hobbies into your life? If so, how do you manage it?
I was rather intentional and went out seeking hobbies that weren’t related to my company but still selfish enough that they are mine. I was able to get excited for an investment of $10 and practice in front of the TV or on a phone call.
What do you think might surprise people about this hobby?
As with any form of collecting, it is amazing the community around it. Of course, the cost of some rare cards is outrageous—it’s pretty common to see cards for $50 but there are plenty of stories about $500 decks out there.
There is a major element of street wear in popular cardistry decks. These are similar to sneaker stores that have people lining up outside a store and then they sell out in 15 minutes. It is a true lesson on brand building. The best at this is the people behind Fontaine cards. These cards are always sold out in an instant and resell like crazy on eBay.
How do you recommend people get started?
Oddly enough I don’t know if there is a centralized hub. But here are some resources:
Fess up — have you ever considered trying to make money off this hobby?
I like watching what other people are doing while making money at cardistry — selling tutorials or designing decks and using Kickstarter to get them made. I don’t have any ambitions for this hobby doing anything other than costing me some money and enjoyment.
I am lucky enough that my business was born out of my love for filmmaking. That’s taught me firsthand that you can do something you love but if you aren’t careful the fun can fade when money gets too important to the hobby.
Who are you and what business do you run?
I’m Pete from No CS Degree.
What hobby are you going to be telling us about?
Running!
How long have you been running?
I did it briefly in school and university but not competitively. I was always bad at sprinting but good at mid- to long-distance running. I’ve been taking it seriously and running consistently for three years now.
What led you to start?
At the end of 2017 I was wanting to get fitter and I had just moved next to a park. In the UK there are 5K runs every Saturday (pre-Covid) in lots of parks which are organised by volunteers. They are free to enter and you get a barcode so you can record your time. As I was being woken up each weekend by the noise of hundreds of people running I figured I should see what the fuss was about and join them. I was also living in a new city where I didn’t know anyone and wanted to meet people.
What do you love about it?
It’s very relaxing. It takes my mind off work or any other stresses I have. I often come to solutions to problems when I go out for a run or I get new ideas even when I’m not trying to brainstorm. I mostly run with friends and it’s a very sociable activity. Most of the people I know in Edinburgh are people I’ve met from a running club. There’s also the famous runner’s high and the nice feeling you get after working out. I also enjoy trying to beat my records for different distances.
Do you find it difficult to fit hobbies into your life? If so, how do you manage it?
Not really. As I run my own business I set my own hours. So I’m free to run for an hour during the day. I always make time for exercise each day.
What do you think might surprise people about this hobby?
You can make a lot of progress if you do a little extra each time. If you push yourself to run a bit further each time you can soon rack up some impressive distances. In the space of two years I went from barely being able to run seven minutes to completing a half marathon.
How do you recommend people get started?
I would say running is more fun when you can do it with other people, at least in the beginning when you are working on your fitness. Knowing your running buddy is going out means you won’t want to let each other down, even if the weather isn’t great. If you can combine going for a run with something relaxed like having a coffee or something after that can make it more appealing. Search for a local running club or meetup group — there are loads!
I would get a reasonable pair of running shoes and go to a proper running shop. That way you can speak to an expert and get advice about what shoe is best for your feet. I recently bought a foam roller and it’s amazing for reducing injuries! The great thing about running though is you don’t need much kit to get started.
Fess up — have you ever considered trying to make money off this hobby?
Nope! It has never crossed my mind. A friend set up a running club where I live and it’s free so I have plenty of people to run with. I use the Strava running app so that takes care of tracking my workouts. I don’t need much else!
That’s a wrap — thanks so much for reading! And please do get in touch if you’d like to share your favourite hobby with readers in a future edition.