Someone over the weekend asked me what I like to do for fun.
I sat at my keyboard, ready to express all the myriad ways that I am a fun-guy [pun intentional] and realized… Wow. I don’t do that many things most folks would consider to be “fun”.
I used to play videogames quite a bit; obsessively some might say. But I’ve been unimpressed with most games that have come out recently and have had buyer’s remorse on more than a few of the titles. And nothing has sucked me in so completely that I would say that I was having fun. Some are fun to play, but nothing quite grabs me like it did those games of about ten years ago (with some exceptions). And game design lately seems to favor periods of slog (I’m looking at you Souls-/rogue-likes).
I read. I write. I create music. I research things even trivia buffs look at me askance at when I mention. I “meditate” (sometimes straight Zen-style, other times… well, we’ll just say meditate so I don’t have to explain what I mean).
I would hike if there was someplace I could go within 20 minutes drive that wasn’t reclaimed prairie or more like walking downtown than in nature. Heck, walking downtown is far more interesting than walking in an overpopulated nature preserve. [Note to self: consider roaming the downtown skyways during the “lost week” between Christmas and New Years]. I’ve decided at the worst possible time to [re]start walking around my neighborhood — with winter incoming, it isn’t the best decision I’ve made. That’s fun for me. And I can get in an audiobook when I’m in the mood for background noise while walking.
I’ve tried a few hobbies lately, but nothing seems to “stick”. I just don’t find those things fulfilling or fun that I’ve tried.
In effect, I’m pretty boring. I don’t do much for “fun”. Maybe I should take up bowling?
What do you do for fun? What am I overlooking from your lifestyle that I should really, really, totally consider adding to my dull existence to boost my fun factor? What things that you have tried should I absolutely avoid if I want to have fun — those things you found to be highly overrated?
Maybe you can help me reclaim my cool. Doubtful, but everyone will get a gold star for trying to help a lost cause!
32 responses to “Half-penny thoughts — 24nov25”
My “fun” as a Florida resident looked quite different from my “fun” currently as a DC resident.
Currently: photography jaunts (about 1 every 6 months vs. every weekend in FL), non-stop music listening, walking (very interesting here in the District), road trips (mainly twice a year to Toronto and once a year to FL), volunteering (mostly to counter food-disadvantages), grass-roots resistance, and, of course, reading voraciously.
Overrated? Socializing in public places. It’s so hard to converse with semi-strangers in a world that is the most polarized I have ever seen. Better to stick with who you know.
I tend to avoid stranger conversations these days myself. You never know who’s going to fly off the handle because of an offhand comment that offends their sensibilities — either left or right —although I have found just by listening that I would probably offend more folks on the right than on the left.
I can imagine walks in DC could be interesting. I miss my own walks in Seattle, where there was always something to be seen that was interesting.
I wish I was remotely good with photography, but every attempt I’ve made at the skill has proven that I just don’t have a good eye for the stuff. My shots are pretty boring compositions as far as photos go. 😖
If you know what’s wrong with your photography compositions, you can fix them post-shot with a myriad of photography apps. This exercise in “fixing” will also teach you what to look for and how to frame when you take your photos to avoid having to edit them. Don’t give up. A camera is the best therapy I can think of. It blocks out the world and focuses your brain on something you find interesting and relatable.
I have a surprising amount of ineptitude, but I do marshal on in spite of my lack of skill.
Thanks 💙
Write, read, paint, draw (some), hang out with my bestie, photography, lately I’ve added cooking to that. Trying to improve my heath. Slightly crafty. In all honestly, this list isn’t going to improve your cool. 😎 There are some things I think are just more fun doing with someone, hiking or eating out.
Yeah, I think Cool is allergic to me. That ship has sailed a long time ago.
Having a friend in real life would probably give me something different to do, but I’ve managed to scare those kinds of people off; either because I annoy people or they say/do something embarrassing and would prefer to not have to face me afterward. Or I do it and fail to see that I am embarrassing them. 🤣
Or I’ve been a loner for too long and make people uncomfortable with it.
I hear you loud and clear. My bestie says I’ve been alone too long. 😃
Cool is allergic to you. No way. We just have to redefine our cool. My days of being ‘cute’ are over. During covid, when we had to wear masks, I had a collection of different style. One team building exercise we had to do was say something nice about your co-workers. Someone said I wore the cutest masks. Now, I wear fun and different earrings. From flowers to dinosaurs; if they are fun, I’m wearing them. 😉
Cute is long gone for me too 😬
I guess I’ll have to settle for “inoffensive” and “mostly harmless”. LMAO.
Love your heart. 💕
😜 Next we will be loosing all our filters. 😮 That inoffensive will be super important. 🤭
Oh no! Filters lost? 😂
Thanks! 💙
Like you, I consider myself boring. I can’t say what I do for “fun” but I do enjoy card games and board games (if I can find people to play with), I enjoy bicycle rides, I used to love riding my motorcycle but alas I don’t have one currently, I have a love/hate relationship with art such as painting and drawing, I usually enjoy cleaning/housekeeping as it’s my “meditative” time, oh! driving in rural areas, of course reading, researching and analyzing “random” information, and… this will sound super boring to most, but I do very much enjoy watching my rabbit be a rabbit and any wildlife outside. I guess I mostly enjoy life, except the terrible bits like shopping or being in any city.
I sometimes get there stares and the kids will nudge me to see if I’m still alive.
I knew that’s why we got along. We collect trivia that even the trivia buff would disdain. 🤪
I might have to pick up biking again next spring. By that time, my damaged toe might actually have a toenail and I can cruise around without being in (much) pain.
I miss the cycle. It was great to ride away from the city and go down rural roads, even the service roads next to the freeway. Completely different experience even though the freeway was adjacent. Alas… hard to justify the cost for a decent one these days just so I can tool around on byways.
Definitely. We’ll have to make a time to meet in the middle somewhere and check out rural MN or IA come spring time. Lots of lakes and country roads to explore.
Sounds like a plan!
Hey maybe “someone” asked you that question because they already thought you were “cool?” Maybe they wanted to get to know the YOU that you are right now… IDK.
Possibly, but it is interesting to ask other people what they do for fun too. Who knows? I might get ideas, LOL.
[scary thought…. Michael with “ideas”…]
Sure you know the original Addams family quote but I’m making a new one “Fun or boring is an illusion. What is fun to the spider is boring to the fly.” 😉 I play lots of music loudly, sing (badly), draw, write, play different games, watch a shit ton of movies & TV shows that I find intriguing and my reading list is both too long and too short 😅 I barely leave the house except when I need to yet I love nature. I think we are all a contradiction – two opposing things can be true at the same time. Oh & for context I always call myself boring 😜
Sounds about my speed 😁
Including Addams family.
I’d spend more time out in nature, but I have a hard time with the peopling part. It was much more enjoyable when you could walk along trails and not see a soul for the whole route. Like you, if I don’t have to leave the house, I usually won’t. Driving has gotten to nerve-wracking this past decade — everyone is so angry and in a rush. So I just stay as close as I can to home most days.
I also sing badly! We can form the bad singers club online 🎶
Reading, writing, listening to music, sudoku, jigsaws, watching TV and films, going for walks and out for lunch somtimes. That’s me, and it’s not too far removed from what you do, but it’s fun enough for me. Best of luck with finding something. 🙂
Not gonna turn my nose up at a good idea, but I’m also not looking too hard. Any coolness factor I might have had left around Y2K. 🤣
That’s also about the time I quit doing fun things… Hmmm 🤔
Maybe the bug got me?
Possibly. Maybe that’s for being too technical- minded? 😂 Seriously, I know my idea of ‘fun’ changed over the years. I was never what you’d call a party animal, but I could join in and enjoy. Now I’d rather stay home with a good book, a good film and wine. Not sure that helps you … 🤔
No wine for me, but every once in a while I get a good read in. Maybe a film if they ever quit making everything into a superhero flick… 🤣
It’s not been a great year for films. We’ve seen a few lemons recently. Always on the lookout though. Best of luck in your search for Your new fun. 🙂
Getting philosophical I guess it all depends on how you define ‘fun’. Like the old saying: the grass is always greener…
I consider myself to be pretty boring really – but sometimes I wonder if that’s because of the inevitable comparisons we make with situations we see in movies or on TV or we read about; why was I never part of a ‘gang’ – it looks cool (reality – not my thing at all); wouldn’t it have been cool to have had a best friend to do everything with (reality – I prefer my own company and, whilst I’m OK in social situations I’d rather be alone).
So ‘fun’ is mostly solitary past times; reading, listening to music, a bit of (rusty) guitar playing (again, just messing around as I never really wanted to play anyone else’s songs), walking (although it’s not easy finding somewhere without other folks these days – and I do miss late night walks with the dog), and I’m enjoying the challenge of learning Norwegian. Board games and quizzes with the family (although I’m sure they get a bit passed off because I have a bottomless pits of useless Trivia which means I usually win quizzes).
Writing (of course) – although it’s always a challenge to try to do something original!
I’ll shut up now!
Writing
Yep, we connect because we have many of the same inclinations and conceptualizations of fun.
Oh! Nighttime or early, early morning walks. There’s an idea… I used to like the silence and, with the supposed impending apocalypse… I mean, snow… it will get even more quiet at night. At least tonight or tomorrow morning. I should go walk in that stuff.
I’m afraid we’re loners, both you and I. Can get by on socializing, but would rather sit/walk/do in silence by ourselves. A wave to a comrade in arms across the pond.
👋 Good job we’ve both got heads large enough to get lost in!
I concur.
I’ve never been a fan of snow – other than for its obvious beauty and the fact that it keeps people indoors!
Walling when it’s quiet is to be recommended!
Prince said he liked Minneapolis because the winters kept people away. Not so much anymore, but people do tend to move on after one of our winters.
They do sound somewhat harsh!
They can be. There are harsher places.
Our first couple of inches arrived last night. I’m not clear why they thought it was enough to declare an e-learning day aside from the fact that it is the day before Thanksgiving and half the kids wouldn’t be around anyway (for travel). This way, they could sneak in a learning day even for the travelers (sigh). Back in my day, this would have been a standard school day. I mean… really? Two inches of snow? We went until at least twelve inches of the stuff was on the ground (no exaggeration).
Maybe not twelve inches over here, but certainly I recall trekking to school through six inches (and having an ‘organised’ interview class snowball fight!).
Health and safety gone mad these days! Funniest time ever when I was working was when we had heavy snow all day and more was forecast for the following day. Everything got closed down as a result. Of course by nine the next day it had completely thawed!
Can’t beat the unpredictability of the weather over here!
That’s part of what I enjoyed when I visited Scotland is that unpredictability.
I have my suspicions about why they declared a snow day. Mostly so they could trigger distance learning instead of letting kids be kids.
🤣 Probably true!