Should You Turn Your Hobby Into a Side Business?

What’s Up With That?

I took this image of the Andromeda Galaxy a few years ago.

For all of my adult life I have owned telescopes and enjoyed astronomy as a hobby. Five years ago, with the advent of affordable specialized astrophotography cameras, I began taking pictures of deep sky objects. I now have hundreds of completed images.

When I share these pictures with friends and family, a very common response is, I should start selling my pictures. That is, I should turn my hobby into a part-time business.

Is this a good idea? I’ll share my thoughts on this.

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Six Moon Designs Deschutes Silpoly — A Best Buy

Joyce bought me a Six Moon Designs Deschutes Silpoly shelter for my birthday.

The Deschutes is, in my opinion, the best buy on the market for a ultralight one person shelter.

After several days of rain, I finally got the chance to set up the shelter to seal the seams. While doing this I took a few pictures.

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3/4 of Century and Still Backpacking

75th birthday gifts from Joyce.

Senior Moments

My 75th birthday rolled around on the 15th of this month. There was no big celebration. No party. This was, as it has always been in the past, my preference.

Joyce bought me a new backpacking tent, some tent stakes, an 8L Exped dry bag, a couple polycro ground sheets for my floorless backpacking tents,  and a small REI Flash 18 backpack for our day hikes on camping trips.

I may be old by some measurements, but I can still do most things I did decades ago. I must temper this with the fact I have been lucky to inherit good genes, been fortunate not to develop any disease, and never been involved in any sort of serious accident. Good luck is nothing to discount! However, at 75, I am beginning to notice I am not as fast nor as strong as I once was. It is a reminder that we don’t live forever.

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