Existing is difficult. What are your favorite ways to unwind / chill out?
I personally have gotten really into crafting. Doesn’t take much in terms of tools and it feels good to get good at something without thinking about making money. My family also loves the gifts :)
drawing, listening to music or looking for posts here to free myself of the barrage of propaganda
I’m lucky to have space to have a large garden and a flock of chickens. Nothing outside the fences exists when I am watching my little t-rexs chase bugs or roll around in the dirt or when I am digging or weeding.
Potatoes are coming up in the next couple days.
Sounds very good for the soul :)
I listen to podcasts or YT videos while playing a simple flash game called Bubble Spinner. Because the game doesn’t require any real thinking, it actually helps me to focus on what I’m listening to.
That is entirely my relationship with Path of Exile. I have difficulty listening to podcasts / audiobooks without it because I feel like I need something to do with my hands to absorb anything
I try my best to keep focused on learning music theory/piano. I am getting quite a collection of synths that I want to engage with better. One joy of playing an instrument is when you really lock in, words just stop going through the mind. Only melody and emotions flow.
I really enjoy playing classical guitar but haven’t ever reached that “flow state”
How do you like guitar, or better phrased would be applying music theory through guitar?
that’s really cool! what kinds of thing do you like to play/learn?
Gonna be honest, can’t play any songs. But I have triad chords down and can sort of do one handed arpeggios over an octave. At least in the key of C.
I play in a dungeons and dragons game once a week. That really helps with the escapism and letting loose
Hell yeah! I’ve tried to play but scheduling always seems to get in the way…
Gaming & writing keep my distracted. I’d probably exercise more but my job keeps me active enough as is so I never have the energy for that, sadly.
At least the activity from job is good for health!
What kinds of gaming / writing do you do?
I write fiction, mostly. Sometimes I write down my thoughts just to exercise but mostly I write stories - mostly sci-fi & fantasy.
For games I prefer RPGs, Shooters, and Strategy games but there are a few others I enjoy.
I like meditation, tea/espresso, and reading fiction. I also play video games, but that’s less relaxing and more stimulating, if that makes sense?
I never find myself feeling 100% rested after playing video games. When I’m trying to get some reading done hopping on a mindless game and listening to an audio book really helps me absorb the info though.
Nice! Audiobooks just don’t work for me, but I appreciate their convenience!
Despite being involved in politics a lot I don’t really care about politics in any way. It is not my passion.
So my normal life consist of other things. My biggest passion in life is nature. I garden a lot, trying to create more biodiversity on my city balcony. Grow native plants and some food for myself. Herbs, veggies, fruits, that kind of things. I also go out to hike often.
Furthermore the gym is a place I frequent a lot. I like to keep myself active and keep myself fit and strong. Partly because of politics, partly because I don’t want to become a fragile old man later on like many people in my family did. Plus I like working out, so.
Currently my evening routine consists of reading Star Wars while drinking tea and listening to classical music, which I recently discovered I like a lot. The current star Wars serie I’m reading consists of 19 books and I have 17 more to go so it’ll keep my busy for a whole.
It’s good to keep doing your own thing. After all the majority of people don’t care about politics and the best way to stay in touch with them, I think, is to keep doing things you like and finding like minded people you can talk with.
Yeah, I’m trying to pursue more activities outside of reading theory so I can have more in common with my community. Being a politics nerd is great but your average person won’t respect you until you’ve already built a connection with them.
Video games have long been my go to for active relaxation (though the persistently obnoxious situation of the industry is part of what moved me politically >.<). For more passive chillout, ASMR. Fiction writing can be nice for creative expression.
I still want to learn knitting, but got stuck on technique the last time I tried. I just have to sit down with it for a while and be patient with myself about it.
Knitting is so hard! My stubby fingers were not built for that kind of fine motor work lol
Video games + audio book is absolutely goated combo
Video games + audio book is absolutely goated combo
For sure. I’ve done this combo with theory in audio form sometimes, in order to help motivate me to do it / help with concentration. As long as it’s rote enough gameplay, it can actually help me take in the theory better. Though I only do it as an occasional thing because it makes what would normally be relaxing more like work.
Last year was my first year gardening. It’s January, so it’s all hazy memories now, but I remember looking forward to coming home from work every day so I could check on now my vegetables were growing and I could take a few minutes and escape life. For 99.9% of human history, 99.9% of humans engaged with growing and caring for plants every day (in one way or another), and it feels good to get some of that back
I tried growing some tomatoes last summer but struggled. I think I didn’t fill my containers with enough dirt. Next year I hope to have a tub of kratky veggies + give tomatoes another shot!
Basically, hobbies and reading ‘theory’ in preparation for the fated day I will have to storm the streets with my comrades.
I like to do thought exercises on how we will build different systems after the revolutions which also includes planning. Sometimes I write those thoughts down. Because the revolution doesn’t only end in seizing the power of the state. We will have to maintain the infrastructure and build more productive forces to improve the average person’s material conditions, especially that of the poorest of the poor.
o7 you are bringing us all one step closer to fully automated luxury gay space communism
Crafting is good. Creating an actual real thing is a great way to ground yourself. What crafts are you doing? I sew and bake and just taught myself to knit.
I started with bookbinding, through that figured out I wanted to start learning leatherworking, and now I’m teaching myself to sew!
My first sewing project I want to complete is a Ushanka to keep myself warm, then maybe a big coat :)
Knitting is something I’ve always wanted to learn but there’s just not enough time to figure out how to do everything…
I have rediscovered naps (with my one year old child napping on me). Still working on mentally allowing myself the indulgence of sleeping away hours of my free time when my to-do list feels like the weight of the earth on my shoulders.
I also like making or fixing things, usually just little things in my apartment me or my family can use.
Sleep is important! Having a one year old is one of the best justifications for naps
