On this episode of This Is My Thing, we’re talking with Becky James about her love of upcycling greeting cards. While downsizing to a smaller home after retirement, Becky realized she had dozens of old cards and stumbled upon a new hobby -- determined to keep those cards out of a landfill, she started turning them into new and improved cards and gift tags, giving them a second life. She's since expanded to work with cards from friends, relatives, and strangers, and now sells her cards at small shops and craft fairs (but she's not really in it for the money). We'll hear about about what this hobby does for her creatively, about the unexpectedly emotional journey one can go on while looking through a lifetime's worth of greeting cards, we'll hear the verb 'piddle' more than I have in years, and so much more! This is My Thing is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this podcast by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

On this episode of This Is My Thing, we’re talking with Theresa Bond Zelazny about her love of what she calls guerrilla art. That's her term for the hobby she developed a few years ago, which involves creating small pieces of art and distributing them in random places for strangers to find. She's put dozens of artworks around Austin, Texas, and also spread a few on her travels, taking them as far away as Spain. We'll hear about about her lifelong love of art, when and why she decided to get some formal training, what prompted her to start sharing her art with the world in this unusual way, and what it all means to her. Plus we'll hear about Ben Bond's Museum of Plunder and Relics, the small business her father ran which was some kind of mix between museum and barn-full-of-stuff. This is My Thing is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this podcast by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

On this episode of This Is My Thing, we’re talking with Justin Kizzart about his love of sumo wrestling. Justin discovered the sport about a decade ago while visiting Japan with his then-girlfriend (now wife), who hails from Osaka. Justin had trained in other martial arts in the past, but he unexpectedly fell hard for sumo and it became his primary passion. Now, ten years later, he runs his own sumo club (Dark Circle Sumo in Austin) and coaches Team USA in international competitions -- and all this is while still working a day job.  We'll hear about how he fell in love with the sport, how it's connected him with his in-laws, what his hopes are for the future of sumo in America, and what it all means to him. This interview was recorded just before Justin and Team USA headed to Thailand for the 2025 World Sumo Championships, and if you stick around until the end, you'll get an update from Justin on how thing went. Don't google it. It's more fun to hear Justin tell you. This is My Thing is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this podcast by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

On this episode of This Is My Thing, we’re talking with James Hughes about his nearly lifelong love of miniatures gaming. He discovered the hobby as a kid and has been an avid fan ever since. It's, in a way, three hobbies in one -- it's a collection, it's a creative outlet (because James hand paints all of his miniatures) and, of course, a game. We'll hear about how he fell in love with miniatures, what the hobby and community means to him, which celebrities are rumored to be fellow gamers, how he deals with his Pile of Shame (also known as the Lead Mountain) and much more! This is My Thing is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this podcast by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

On this episode of This Is My Thing, we’re talking with David Morley about his love of bike polo. For the unfamiliar, bike polo is a sport similar in many ways to traditional polo, with the key difference that players ride bikes instead of horses. David’s been playing for around fifteen years now, having started in San Marcos when both he and the sport were very young. We'll about how he discovered the sport, what it means to him, how he and the sport have changed over the years, what he thinks the future might hold for bike polo, and much more! This is My Thing is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this podcast by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

On this episode of This Is My Thing, we’re talking with Kim Reist about a relatively new hobby for her. During the pandemic lockdown, she started experimenting with fingernail art; to her surprise, she found the possibilities endlessly fascinating, and it’s become a great source of creative expression and stress relief for her. Kim’s in what she calls a ‘sub-niche’ of the nail art world, meaning she doesn’t decorate her own natural fingernails but prefers reusable press-on nails. And speaking of press-on nails, quick disclaimer – my last name is Lee but I am not an heir to the Lee Press-On Nails empire. This isn’t some weird buzz marketing to get folks to buy more press-on nails. We'll talk with Kim about what this creative outlet has meant for her, what it's like to carry her artwork around on the ends of her fingers every day, how she combines her love for nail art with her love for Star Trek, and much more! This is My Thing is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this podcast by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

On this episode of This Is My Thing, we’re talking with Cory Squires about his love of whittling and woodcarving.  We'll talk with Cory about his whittling origin story (his grandfather handed him a knife and a block of wood when he was bored as a child), his history with the practice, what he likes to carve (mostly funny animals and pop culture figures), which parts of the house he's allowed to whittle in,  and what it all means to him. This is My Thing is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this podcast by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

On this episode of This Is My Thing, we’re talking with Anna Kehl about her love of quilting, a topic she didn't know much about before attending QuiltCon several years ago. She became not just an avid practitioner of the art form but also an active member of the Austin Modern Quilt Guild. We'll hear Anna at work on a quilt at the Guild studio, we'll talk about her history with quilting and with art in general, we'll get the lowdown on the 'quilt police,' and much more! This is My Thing is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this podcast by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

On this episode of This Is My Thing, we’re talking with artist Carol Aaron about her love of encaustic painting. That's an art form that doesn't use the sorts of paints you're probably more familiar with (like oils or acrylics) but instead a mixture of beeswax, resin, and pigment. It's been around for a couple thousand years, but it's not very well known these days outside the art world. We'll hear Carol creating a piece in her beloved garage studio, and we'll talk with her about her artistic journey, why this medium was such a ideal fit for her creative style, when she finally felt comfortable calling herself an artist, and much more! This is My Thing is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this podcast by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

On this episode of This Is My Thing, we’re talking with Bart Jacob about his decades-long love of the board game Go. He was introduced to the game in 1979 as a grad student and has been a dedicated player for nearly half a century. That's a pretty long time, but just a blip in the 3500 years or so that the game has been played.  We'll hear some audio of Bart at the weekly meetup of the Austin Go Club (every Tuesday night at Dragon's Lair Comics and Fantasy), we'll talk with him about his history with the game, all the places around the world he's played, his Go board and stone collection, how Go has affected his outlook on life, and more! This is My Thing is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this podcast by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

With this episode, we’re going back to the show’s beginnings; this was one of the earliest interviews we recorded, way back when This Is My Thing was just an idea for a show that we were hoping would make it onto the airwaves and/or podcast streams someday. It took a little while, but we’re happy to bring it to you now. On this episode of This Is My Thing, we’re talking with Mitch London about his love for metal detecting. For Mitch, it’s a hobby born out of another hobby – he was already a coin collector when, a few years ago, he was introduced to metal detecting as a way to search for rare coins. Now he also uses his skills to help strangers find meaningful (metal) objects they’ve lost. We joined Mitch on a hunt for a lost earring that holds great sentimental value for its owner; on this episode you'll hear some highlights from that search along with our in-depth conversation with Mitch about his love of metal detecting. We talk about how he got into it, what kind of equipment he uses, what he's hoping to find, and what it all means to him! This is My Thing is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this podcast by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

Lesley Murray grew up as a competitive swimmer, so she was already pretty comfortable in the water when she decided (on a whim, she says) to take a Deep End Fitness class. She fell in love with the practice, which led her to Underwater Torpedo League. Now she loves the sport, which she finds both meditative and exciting (it's 'meditating on fire,' she says). We'll talk about her history with the sport, how it's played, and what it means to her.  This is My Thing is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this podcast by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

On this episode of This Is My Thing, we're talking about a thing that's kind of three things -- the triathlon, a competitive sport that combines swimming, running, and cycling into one very challenging race.  On this episode of This Is My Thing, we’re talking with Tiffany Saunders and Caitlin Saunders about their shared love of triathlon. They met on a race (where they came in second!), fell in love with the sport and each other, and now train and compete together as Team Saunders. We'll talk about their origin stories with the sport and with each other, why they love competing, how they train for all three elements of the race, and much more! This is My Thing is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this podcast by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

Several years ago, while looking for ways to improve at golf, Steve Merritt created a game on his property in Wimberley, Texas. Before long, that game had a name -- Cowboy Golf. And not long after that, Cowboy Golf had an annual event -- the Three Steves and a Dan tournament. As one might guess, that yearly tournament involves Steve Merrit, two additional Steves (Dehmer and Raatz), and a Dan (Vineyard).  Dan was unable to make the taping, but I spoke with all three Steves about Cowboy Golf's history, its future, and what the sport means to their decades-long friendship. This is My Thing is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this podcast by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

This week we’re talking with Ben Rollman about his longtime love of LEGO. Like a lot of AFOLs (Adult Fans Of LEGO), Ben’s affection for the plastic brick began in childhood, then went through a ‘Dark Age’ when it loosened its grip on him. But as an adult, Ben's love of LEGO came back with a vengeance and now he builds LEGO sets, collects LEGO sets, creates his own original works using LEGO bricks, and even helps to organize conventions of fellow brick lovers. We'll talk about the timeless appeal of the brick, the challenges and rewards of using LEGO as an artistic medium, the special language of brick fans, and a lot more! This is My Thing is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this podcast by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

When Lyzz Donelson retired from her job as an Austin firefighter a couple of years ago, she knew she'd find other ways to keep busy -- she already had a few ideas on a list. But then she surprised herself by falling in love with something that wasn't on her radar at all: making permanent jewelry.  Now she attends artists' markets and private parties, looking to make connections with folks and bring a little extra joy into their lives by welding non-removable jewelry onto their person. We'll talk with Lyzz about how she stumbled upon the world of permanent jewelry, why it drew her in so quickly, and what she loves about the community she's discovered. This is My Thing is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this podcast by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

On this episode of This Is My Thing, we talk with Rae Loos about aggressive roller skating! This episode comes to us from my friend Zahra Crim, who until recently was KUT’s Community Producer. Zahra’s moved on to go to grad school and new adventures, but before leaving, they worked on this piece for the show. It’s kind of a full-circle moment. The day I met Zahra, they were interviewing for the job at KUT and we talked a bit about hobbies and outside interests. Zahra mentioned that one of their main hobbies was something called aggressive roller skating, a term I had never heard before. That piqued my interest, of course, because I was already developing this show… and now this piece about that very hobby is Zahra’s last official task as a KUT employee. Zahra talks with their friend Rae Loos about their shared love of the sport, how it’s different from skating at the roller rink, and what it means to Rae.

Some folks like to watch trains or photograph trains or build model trains, but for Marc Opperman only the real thing will do. His love of trains led him to become a student conductor on a real, functioning vintage train, or what he calls '12 inch to the foot scale.'  We'll talk about Marc's lifelong love of trains, the responsibilities of being conductor (even a volunteer student conductor), why a particular spot on the train's path holds a special meaning for him, where he finds his happy place onboard, and a lot more. This is My Thing is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this podcast by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

We're talking with Dan Schumacher about his love of tattoos and about the tattoo collection he's amassed on his person over the years. This episode of This Is My Thing comes to us from my friend and fellow KUT producer Juan Garcia. Dan was Juan's faculty adviser back in his college radio days, and they share an affinity for tattoos. This is My Thing is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this podcast by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

On this episode of This Is My Thing, we talk with Mendy Ouzillou about his fascination with meteorites and get a tour of part of his large collection. This is My Thing is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this podcast by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org