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What I Do When Not Working Or Blogging

January 11th, 2008

Steven Hodson over at WinExtra asks the question, what do you do to waste time? To rejuvenate and avoid the dreaded blogger burn out? Seems like these days, I’m either working, blogging, or sleeping.

Luckily, I actually mostly enjoy my work which is web design and Flash development. So the biggest fun time-waster is fixing some problem or learning something new – for example I only just got started figuring out ActionScript 3.0 which I should have begun on months ago.

As for video games – I have a large library of classic video games in ROM format that I occasionally fire up via MacMAME. I also got back into StarCraft, and sometimes do online games like Desktop Tower Defense or crossword puzzles. All of these run on an average computer.

Then there’s always watching DVDs, an endless supply provided by Netflix.

But when I do get out of the house:

  • Movies on the big screen. I have two on my short list that I want to see (Juno and Atonement), and one upcoming one, too (Persepolis). Our apartment is within walking distance to a decent movie theater but for the more “indie” flicks we have to be in San Francisco proper or trek down to Palo Alto.
  • Finding a new restaurant and giving it the old college try, either at lunch with co-workers or an evening out.
  • Hanging out with friends I haven’t seen in a while. I need to improve on group socializing in 2008.
  • Scoping out a neighborhood in the Bay Area (Noe Valley, Inner Sunset, Cow Hollow, Burlingame, Palo Alto, Temescal, Berkeley, etc.) that we can just drive to, park, and spend an afternoon milling about, checking out the stores. I have a weakness for bookstores, comic book shops, and antique stores, or some strange treat like Indian ice cream or a strange cheese.
  • I collect bottle caps so I’m always popping into groceries looking for new ones.
  • Museums – been a while but I’m always game for looking at some weird art. The last cool one we went to was Joseph Cornell up at the SFMoma. The serious geek one to go to is the Computer History Museum.

Nothing here is a big surprise – pretty run-of-the-mill stuff for urban dwellers. But it’s important to find balance between work and play. I nearly burned myself out late last year with too much work, which was thankfully balanced out with a holiday vacation to another state where I spent a fair amount of time doing absolutely nothing.

Now I’m back in the swing of things and it’s all due to taking some time off away from the computer. So my short response to time-wasting – do something different from your usual routine. Even if it’s as simple as trying a new flavor of ice cream.

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  • This is a fun list. Hey Jase, are you still doing the fatblogging thing too? And do you not do so much music or cartooning anymore?

    Also, here's a time-waster that me and one of the other guys at work have been addicted to for the past 2 weeks. Think Desktop TD addicting:
    http://www.imitationpickles.org/galcon/index.html
    (it's a download, but it's worth it -- even for the trial -- super simple, very short games and very addicting)
  • Definitely fell off the music and cartooning stuff in the past few years - been meaning to get back into both. I think the last time I picked up a guitar was for the Rock Band video game :)

    I'll definitely try out that game - thanks for the link.
  • Juno was good, but not as good as the trailer made it out to be.
  • Damn - that game is pretty nutty! I'll definitely have to try it again shortly (the train ride home. I sense the multiplayer mode might get some use in the future :)

    Eng, maybe I'll hold off on that one for Atonement...
  • Oh ... and regarding "fatblogging" - I'm still steady at 170 which is about ten pounds more than I'd like to be. I seem to have hovered around that number all of 2007 :|
  • I loved Juno: http://www.didntyouhear.com/2007/12/31/its-movi...

    If you're looking for a place to go see it in SF, definitely check out the Kabuki Theatre: http://www.sundancecinemas.com/kabuki.html I saw it there on their big screen, and loved it. It's newly renovated, and has reserved seating where you can get food and drinks (actual meals and alcoholic drinks) and bring them to your seats. Definitely a place to check out.
  • Cory, that's cool - I didn't know the Kabuki was renovated. That food at the theater concept is one I've been waiting to see again - when I lived up in Portland, there were a couple of theaters that would show cheaper movies and have food. The Parkway in Oakland does this too.

    So I've gotten a few good recommendations for Juno, maybe we'll give it a shot next weekend. I'm hoping to squeeze Persepolis in during the week as I work in the City - and inbetween MacWorld :)
  • If you are still into crosswords (hey - this post is over a year old, things change) we have 5 new *free* puzzles a day. You can also embed them on your site for your visitors to try as well.
  • Totally totally agree with doing new things / different things to keep life interesting. I've got onto this site called $30 date night - my partner and I use it for fresh experiences to keep the relationship interesting rather than sitting in front of the TV each night.

    Same concept - when you got a routine going on its important to keep some aspects of life different.
  • I dont understand why everyone loved Juno - so many of my friends got into Juno, I couldn't stand it. Although Kabuki Theatre sounds great... I'll have to check it out.
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