You know the type of people I mean, the stereotyped anorak wearing, spotty sad loner freaks who choose to spend their spare time with a pair of binoculars stuck to their hands. Spending their Sunday mornings out in the cold watching trains instead of curled up in bed watching Hollyoaks on T4. Thinking about it, isn’t it us that are the geeks?

First of all put that stereotyped image to one side. My first boyfriend who I went out with for 19 months was a train fanatic. He was drop dead gorgeous and huge, in every sense of the word. He often dragged me kicking and screaming to the National Railway museum just ten minutes from where we used to live in York. He was so passionate about all the old steam trains and the old Royal Carriage which his grandfather had helped to build. His parents’ house was full of model trains and even a train telephone (ok this is where I’m drawing the line). It was, you could say, his hobby.

Thinking about my hobbies, the dictionary definition is ‘activity pursued in ones spare time’, the only thing I could think of doing on a regular basis is getting pissed.

Does going down Canal street all dressed up at 9 o clock on a Saturday night, being hammered by 11, falling out of a club at four with WKD stains all over your clothes, and then, spending all of Sunday in bed nursing a hangover with a packet of Anadin Extra and last nights kebab count as a hobby?

Wasting our days off, not using our brains, not socialising in a mature manner with an intellectual conversation are we the real geeks?

Here’s a list of our top 5 hobbies that at first may seem boring, but read on and discover true excitement (with a slight Puffta twist, naturally).

5. Doll collecting. That’s right people actually collect these hideous china dolls. Why not put a spin on things, all you need is a lock of your ex boyfriends hair, attach to the doll and, voila, your very own voodoo doll.

4. Hiking. Not as boring as it may seem. Early on a misty Sunday morning walking your dog across the moors, you cross the path of a tall handsome stranger. Perfect for the outdoors type.

3. Fishing. Hours upon hours waiting for a bite. Try a change of venue and head for the Manchester Ship Canal. Set up camp on Canal Street and it may not just be the fish that are biting your rod.

2. Model making. Spending hours sticking together model airplanes and boats requires the patience of a saint. Get good enough though and it will not be long before you’re making model planes with engines and remote controls. Now add a camera to the model and you’ve got you’re very own spying device to check up on your boyfriend. Start now and it may be complete by 2010.

1. Stamp collecting. How could this possibly not be number one? Cheaper than many other hobbies with stamps costing 31p, with the added bonus of a thrill every morning (without the need to change your sheets) when the postman comes. Collect enough and you could have the whole Royal Family sitting in your front room. And who else can say they’ve licked the queen more times than you? Become so addicted as many do and travel the world looking for that rare stamp to complete your collection, why not take in a few cultural gay bars along the way?

Use the related links at the top of the page to explore these hobbies! If you've got an usual hobby, why not tell us, feedback@puffta.co.uk we might feature you and your hobby on puffta.co.uk!

22.05.06 Sub Editor Rory Michael Smith.