I don't really but that magic is exiting and I have played it in the last. It doesn't compare in level of exicting to dance fast and intimate Salsa or Bachata with an attractive woman. The emotions that come up by playing a card game are comparably weak.
The best time I've ever had was when I made top 8 at the New Jersey State Championships in 2001. I was on top of the world for a long time afterward. I have been dancing, but I've never taken any kind of lessons though. I enjoyed myself, but it wasn't exactly what one would call a "peak experience". The path of the would-be champion is hard, but rewarding.
If I would say on Lesswrong that you should seek a spiritual experience because it just provides an amazing experience that I can't even put into words, nobody would take me seriously.
Well... I've heard various claims to that effect about meditation and other spiritual practices that basically work by putting the brain into weird states, and also about various drugs...
Most people who pick up magic as a fun thing to do are not going to be champions.
When recommending hobbies to people it matters what they're likely to experience, not just what happened for you. I like playing music and dancing a lot, but people I recommend them to tend to enjoy them less than I do. They still enjoy them, so I still suggest them to others, but I don't recommend them nearly as heavily as I would if I knew everyone picking them up would get the enjoyment I've had.
On ChrisHallquist's post extolling the virtues of money, the top comment is Eliezer pointing out the lack of concrete examples. Can anyone think of any? This is not just hypothetical: if I think your suggestion is good, I will try it (and report back on how it went)
I care about health, improving personal skills (particularly: programming, writing, people skills), gaining respect (particularly at work), and entertainment (these days: primarily books and computer games). If you think I should care about something else, feel free to suggest it.
I am early-twenties programmer living in San Francisco. In the interest of getting advice useful to more than one person, I'll omit further personal details.
Budget: $50/day
If your idea requires significant ongoing time commitment, that is a major negative.