1. Do computer games count as a hobby? I was thinking of resubbing to Eve Online recently. You guys probably mean I should pick up something new though. I could start cultivating plants, could even make some good money from it if I'm successfull. I've always wanted to figure out a method to produce large amounts of Morchella. That would probably be a bit too ambitious for me at the moment though.
2. I actually stopped watching TV a long time ago, though I don't really read books unless I need information from them. I browse the internet mostly nowdays. I do have this story http://www.cca.org/cm/picnic.pdf that I planned to to read someday.
3. I never cared much for puzzles so I don't know that much about them. Know of any good ones?
Do Video Games Count as a Hobby?
Nope, Most Definitely not.
Video Games count as a Pass-Time.
Finding a way to get paid to play video games, or reviewing video games could be considered a hobby.
Generally, to be considered a hobby, whatever your doing has to both be something That gives you a challenge, or something you have to learn and spend time to become good at, while at the same time being something you enjoy. It also has to either A:Useful, B:Fulfilling, Or C:Money Making
Learning to cook cultivates a skill that you will find useful for your entire life.
Building Models or Cultivating plants gives you something physical or cool in return for your hard work and leaves you with a sense of accomplishment.
Learning a programming language, or how to build computers, or how to repair cars, Gives you a marketable skill that could allow you a future career doing something you enjoy.
When you play video games, you enjoy the moment, and feel a brief since of accomplishment when you finally beat it, but that's quickly forgotten once you realized you just spent 40 hours of your life on something and have nothing to show for it.
Well then read it XD.
Reading forces your mind to not only receive information, but also interpret it. As you read a story, any story, the brain tends to play it out, Words are converted into sight and sound, and all the little details have to be improvised on the spot.
Reading is like pushups for the brain, simple, but effective.
As for puzzles...
I recommend... The obvious answer.
Sudoku, Crosswords, Riddles.
Unless your a freaky puzzle person, they're not something one would normally just sit down and do.
I prefer the kind that you might do while your in line at the tax office, or sitting on the bus, or waiting for something.
The kind you would do at the same time most people would be playing angry birds on their phone.
I personally like turning philosophy into riddles, and pondering all the questions about the universe that no one ever asked, whilst doing mundane things like driving or walking the dog.
Conversely, you could try chess, that game is just as much of a puzzle than anything else, though you may have difficulty finding people to play with IRL.