Unplugged entertainment : how do you amuse yourself offline?

[ChippyMalone]

I'm making a real effort to find more hands on ways to stimulate my mind while I continue to recover from spinal fusion surgery. I have a lot of brief periods of time during the day when I have to stop and recover physically with a break. Instead of waiting for you wonderful people to come online and entertain me, I'm looking for fun little things I can do and complete in about 15 minutes that would be the analog equivalent of a casual smartphone app except that it would stimulate some higher thinking skills. Should be as close to zero cost as possible.

So far, I've come up with origami papercraft and tangram. I've found that if it's really fun to leave little origami birds everywhere I go for people to find. And playing with tangram has brought about quite a few philosophical highdeas.

 

[lwien]

Crossword puzzles
Sudoku

 

[Enchantre]

I color at work between & during phone calls.
I use high quality pencils, usually, and right now I'm switching between Crayola's coloring pages for kids, holiday, and my Mandala book.

I also have a mini Labyrinth, which you use a stylus with, to travel. It's about the size of a salad plate, and can be really meditative to use.

I was thinking today about another hobby of mine that I love (and miss), which is dipping beeswax candles. That might not work for recovering from spinal surgery, but making something useful is fun!

I'm also growing a plant. That's incredibly therapeutic! A single plant isn't terribly difficult, and ours doesn't need any special ventilation, etc., just the one CFL bulb. Looking forward to a wonderful reward for the work is engaging, cheery, and takes me out of the present.

 

[randybishop]

Hobbies?
My hobby is forbidden to talk about according to fuckcombustion.com TOC.

 

[Madcap79]

I attempt to learn songs on guitar. Guitar, video games and collecting vapes are my only hobbies, as sad as that may be.

 

[ChippyMalone]

@Enchantre, I considered drawing but I'm really not talented that way, but I can color in the lines of a coding book. I bet there are probably adult coloring books too. That labyrinth sounds neat. I'm getting one of those forever spin tops to play with. They are supposed to be really fascinating.

Growing a plant or two since I legally can isn't a really bad idea. I grew one single outdoor Bubba Kush this summer that is now cured very well. With the possibility that the state legislature could harm mmj patients in Washington this winter, maybe getting a high CBD mother plant or two started to have a small crop this spring and to make a couple clones for summer outdoors.

 

[Egzoset]

Salutations,

As the title reads, e.g. "Unplugged entertainment : how do you amuse yourself offline?"...

Well, lets call this a favourite off-line "hobby": using my modded VG pipe.

FC: VaporGenie (2014-Sep-4)

Because, IMO it has proven entertaining enough.

 

[h3rbalist]

I find my 2x2 Homer Simpson head rubic cube keeps my hands busy. Had it for 6 years and the closest I have got is two squares away.

If asked satna for a Perplexer original maze ball.

Fingers crossed.

 

[accrete]

well my hobbies don't really _need_ the internet...but my preferred ones do need electricity
In order of enjoyment:
Reading a good book on my Kindle Paper White (a variety from SciFi, History, Health, Paranormal/Spiritual)
Creating/Using BrainWave Entrainment audio/visual files
Creating art & trance/ambient-music on iPad

During the summer months (spring thaw through fall freeze) i'm camping with my wife somewhere in the Pacific Northwest.

 

[ChippyMalone]

@accrete I have a Procyon light/sound machine. I can tell you which model it is if it helps, but it was a higher end programmable one when I bought it some years ago. I got it out last night and played with it a little.

Are you able to make it possible for this device and music I like to somehow come together? I have such a wandering mind that I have a hard time stopping thinking about things while it is drumming in my ears and eyes.

I need relaxation with the intention to distract me from chronic pain or to help me in other ways.

 

[Vicki]

I play with my pussy.........cats.

 

[killick]

@ChippyMalone I was on a 3 month pain mgmt program last summer. It was mainly fluff but a few things helped. We spent a couple of hours learning juggling (I started with handkerchiefs, and also finished with them). Apparently things like this help with neurogenesis, which is also supposed to somehow help remap your brain to alleviate chronic pain (I didn't see that myself, but did learn a few things). Also Lumosity is an interesting time waster but is online.

 

[accrete]

Greetings @ChippyMalone . Yup i have a Procyon also.
Yes it is possible to utilize one's own music coupled with basic BWE audio _beat_ to trigger the Procyon in a more _relaxing_ way than the stock programs. One thing i will often do is use a river background with a simple isochronic beat without music...but then i like to explore the innerverse.

BUT as you hoped, there could be the intent in the design of the audio file to attempt to get the mind off of the pain. . . though remember, we are all wired different...so what might work for one, may do nothing of another. I have used some home-spun BWE audio tracks in the Dentist's chair to get my mind off what was taking place inside my mouth!

There is lots of research on the subject (such as this listing at the site i purchased my software from years ago).

I would imagine there are some nice relaxing files over at the mindplace Procyon forum? There were when i visited some months back.

Cheers,
Thom

 

[Quetzalcoatl]

I've taken up woodworking, just small stuff with a knife and a block of basswood. Lots of stuff to make with an endless imagination!

 

[ChippyMalone]

I've taken up woodworking, just small stuff with a knife and a block of basswood. Lots of stuff to make with an endless imagination!

I've been playing around making some little carved things too. Once I get to where I think they are any good, I'll show them here and see if other people like them too.

You are right that working with a natural material to make something from your imagination.

 

[Havelock Vetenari]

So far, I've come up with origami papercraft and tangram. I've found that if it's really fun to leave little origami birds everywhere I go for people to find.

So should we start calling you Gaff from now on?

I am partial to reading good books,which i've not done as much as i would have liked the last few years.
That might change as i am waiting on notification that my firstvarifocals(new reading/computer combination)have arrived.
As sad as this is in clearly demonstrating my being subjected to the ravages of time ,i can't wait to start getting into some new literature !

 

[ChippyMalone]

@Havelock Vetenari Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is one of my most favorite books. I listened to an audiobook version of it recently instead of re-reading it.

 

[clukx]

I like to go for drives with my girlfriend finding new little restaurants and stores and my little beagle baby dog!