My equivalent is hifi, and latterly telescopes / astronomy gear. Unfortunately both have a tendency to get expensive, so have to be self-rationed. 
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SO MANY potential double entendres in this thread! I will behave. 
We went to be around 10:30 NYE for what is probably the first time ever that I can remember - TBH I didn’t really want to, but sleep is challenging these days and I was genuinely tired and not wanting a late late night. Besides my wife would certainly have gone to bed alone if I’d not come along, and that’s not right on NYE.
Maybe one day I’ll grow up. Maybe.
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I only ever liked one or two of the musicians/bands so I didn’t miss it at all. I could have watched it. We enjoyed watching the celebrations in Paris (on tv)
I’m very content with my hifi - Leak 20 valve amp, valve preamp and excellent new DAC, so pleasing that I’m in no hurry to get a new cartridge for the record deck. Sometime this year I’ll try to get my 300b amp and my SIT amplifier working. I used to scoff at people at hifi shows streaming music from their computers and now I’m doing just that (Qobuz). Sounds very analog!
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I like to own physical media, and am not so keen on paying a subscription, but I can see the attraction of streaming, for its convenience and a very wide choice of music.
DACs have come a long way for sure. I have an Audalytic AH-90 (made by Gustard) which uses AKM chips and sounds great. I feed that from an Audiolab 6000CDT CD transport.
Amplification is a Musical Fidelity M2si and speakers are Q Acoustics Concept 30s.
Since last June I’ve started buying vinyl again, played on a Rega Planar 3 with AT VM-95ML cartridge. I like the old-school experience of vinyl; I don’t think it necessarily sounds better than a good CD, especially as modern pressings are often mastered from a digital source, and can have a fair bit of groove noise.
I do have copies of most of my CDs and some downloaded music on a Mac Mini which will eventually become a music server running Plex.
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My father had a Rogers valve amp and pre, he upgraded to a Leak amp, couldn’t say which one but had plenty of valves. They change hands for a lot of you can get one.
It makes sense to have plenty of valves in a hifi amp because it’s really 2 separate amplifiers in a single case, plus of course the rectifier valve in the case of the Leak above (big valve on the right by the transformer).
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I paid around £230. Got lucky on EBay. I changed capacitors and resistors. Also the el84 valves.are now Russian bought some six years back. My other* valve amp is in two parts with a cable in between. Each part weighs a ton, especially the power unit with a huge choke and transformer. Sounded amazing last time I had it working. Trouble is a lot of valves are now very expensive. I need a tester.
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Thank you, 55 to 70 sounds about right I suppose, and I am only one year behind you. Until about 80 almost, I was doing thousands of kms per year transporting rescue dogs which took me all over Europe, I missed the job that did the same after retiring at 60 so was very interested when the first journey was proposed to me. But now I am happy to be largely out of it, and settle down to read alot, certain chosen tv plus YT programmes and doing minimal work in my now extended garden. Not because I am lazy but because I enjoy the natural nature of it. Next summer I will be spending much time just sitting in the forest after a walk with eyes trained 60 or more feet above to the tree tops and wildlife within. 
Accompanied by a similar aged, in dog terms of course, dog. Preferably a very large and thickly fluffy one. Recent events showed me just how important that can be. 
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Have you got some binoculars David? That might add to the interest of spotting wildlife?
Are you in a house David or a single level dwelling? Asking as stair climbing is a great strength builder at any age and combined with your walking should keep you going safely.
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I have, and have had them many years and was shown how to use them by an expert, focussing one eye first then focussing both together with the central knurl. Seemed to have lost the knack now but you have encouraged me to try again. Good idea. 
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In years I’m beyond middle age but still active, walking, cycling, cutting down trees, cutting and stacking wood for burning etc. etc. Therefore my middle aged pleasure is still being able to do the things I did when I properly fitted the “middle-aged” category .
Excellent.
FWIW I do it the other way around - I close my right eye and focus with the main focus wheel, then swap eyes and adjust the small focus tweaker on the right eyepiece.
I’m not sure it makes a lot of difference, except that you have a greater range of focus with the main wheel so if it’s far off to start with you won’t be able to get a sharp image if you start with the small adjuster.
Single ish dwelling, but haven’t you been reading? I have one step within the house, been there for 26 years so must be used to it by now, but tripped last week and went my length banging my head hard on the floor. There are 3 steps outside up to the front door. Just think what mayhem I would cause with a full flight of stairs.
But you are right. A large portion of my heart attack recovery involved walking the house as I called it, the full floor space into every corner of every room, it calmed the tingles I was getting moving up from my feet and into my body.
As far as safety is concerned, both my recent falls have been through tripping while walking, so I have bought some alpine walking sticks and at present, before the much missed dog returns, am experimenting with the best use of them, as they are both telescopically adjustable for length.
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Good thinking Batman, I’ll give that a try. Must admit though I have been mainly trying to zoom in on the loads of high flying planes that head south from Blighty, and not with much success.
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Yes they are tricky - high up and going quite quickly!
I bought my binoculars (Nikon EX 8x40) mainly to look at the night sky, but I find I can’t hold them steady enough to get a clear view! Hence I have graduated to a telescope for that…
I have a telescope, must dig it out again now that I have a good tripod too. 
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Strange as it may seem, that is how most falls happen. Be it foot drop or balance it seems the mind muscle connection reduces with age and the legs being the biggest muscles in the body are so important. Even getting off the sofa or chair without using your hands or arms is a great and safe exercise. Also when the legs are tired afterwards you can sit and relax until your muscles recover.
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