Hobbies and Groups
Video Games
I have an artistic appreciation for video games, even though I don't have time to play them very much these days. I like mostly old 2D games. However I do appreciate new, creative games. Some of my favorites include Rez, Katamari Damacy, and Killer 7.
I have a collection of video game systems that failed in the marketplace. Sega CD, Virtual Boy, Atari Jaguar, etc. I'm not even sure why I do it anymore, but largely I find that there are some gem games that were for these systems, and being failed systems they're mostly pretty cheap to buy. My favorite of these is Sonic CD.
You can read about some of my very discerning opinions on my Video Game Snob blog, though right now I've only made one post; it's not currently a high priority of mine.
Juggling
I've been juggling in my free time, on and off, since I was a kid. For balls I've qualified 7 and for clubs 5. I've been meeting with local Chicago jugglers on and off for the past few years. I've found that just being around other jugglers encourages me to practice more, and helps me imprpove, even aside from the tips I get from them. They're also a fun bunch to hang around.
Groups
Chicago GNU/Linux User's Group (Chicago GLUG)
I've been attending most of the meetings of this group for the last couple years, and have become friends with their core members. It's a great eclectic bunch to hang out with. After-hours discussions prove that they have many angles to their personalities, and a great variety of opinions on all sorts of things. But they're still happy to help get you started with Linux.
Chicago Python User's Group (Chipy)
I'm not heavily involved in chipy, but I attend meetings on occasion.