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What do you do for fun?

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susansherbert
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What do you do for fun?

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If you could see me I'd be jumping for joy. Why? Because I can't contain the enthusiasm for my book Grown-ups Don't Skip Have FUN, Be Happy Enjoy Life.

If your life is all work and no play, or if you can't remember what it feels like to be happy and enjoy life, then this book is for you. These pages contain amusing stories, lessons, and thought-provoking ideas that will show you how to bring fun, joy, and wow back into your adult grown-up life.

My mission is to help people smile so there is plenty of motivational information to appeal to your grown-up side, but my witty yet intelligent writing style is likely to cause a giggle or two. This book is the perfect balance between adult knowledge and childhood amusement.

But the question I must ask is, "What do YOU do for fun?"
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Re: What do you do for fun?

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Ummm, does it make sense if I say I have different kinds of fun?

I love reading, obviously. I don't know what the experience of reading a book is for anybody else, I'm actually interested in what other members here might have to say about that, but for me it's very... expanding? engrossing?

When I'm enjoying a book several things happen. On one plain I'm concentrating on imagining what I'm reading, trying to construct the layout of where stuff is happening, who the characters are and how they look, trying to act out in my head how they're moving or acting, what they look like, what they sound like...

On another level (don't tell me what I mean by level, I just get this feeling I'm doing several things at the same time, or in rapid succession) I'm critically appraising the book from a narrative, literary and interpretative perspective:

how aesthetically pleasing is the language? is it evocative? lyrical? Does it convey an accent, a mood, a state of mind?

how aesthetically pleasing, interesting, deep and well-thought out is the premise? Does the "spirit" of the book inspire me in some way? why? what does it reveal of the author? (I tend to try and imagine the author, and wonder how likeable, or how interesting he might be) how do the themes reverberate with me?

how is the story structured? is it predictable? what's going to happen next? is it intense? mysterious? dramatic? are the situations and actions contrieved? natural? is the story stereotypical? intentionally atypical?

And on another level I'm intermittently thinking about the story from a birds-eye view, sort of thinking about it in terms of other stuff currently on my mind.... sort of linking it, interpreting it...

These things don't happen immediately or all at once... the experience is very engrossing, and seem to happen somewhat subconsciously while I'm reading, so that I'm focused on the narrative and on the "imagining" while I'm reading but somewhere in the back of my mind the rest is going on by itself. Then insights of what I read start coming to me while I'm doing something else.. I call it "digesting" the book, and it happens continuously during the time that I'm reading the book.. I'll stop reading, digest for a while, and then when I go back to read more I'll realize something, and start looking at what I've read from a new perspective...

When I really like a book, it's like my mind catches fire and I can't stop thinking about it. It feels like I'm touching on something liminal to my understanding, to my consciousness... I guess it's what I think an epiphany must feel like. And then there's times when I can't wrap my head around why I like or dislike a book, or why it's got me so excited, and the "digestion" process sort of extends, and I can't stop worrying about it; sort of like "indigestion" xD.. because it won't let me think about anything else until I've figure out what it is that's got me so worked up... and I'll have to go back and reread some part of the book that I think is important.


So... I don't know if that matches your interpretation of what "fun" is like, but it's certainly very entertaining and... desirable for me.

But it's very different from the exhilaration I experience when... playing... having fun with friends playing paint-ball or mario kart... chasing people around or being chased... playing with one of my younger cousins (6, 10 and 12 years old)... when I'm doing judo, or playing tennis.

And that's different from the feeling I get from being surrounded by people I enjoy and love, talking, just being relaxed, or joking around... Sometimes, in moments of general cacophony (you know, when everybody's talking all at once, and you've got like 5 different conversations going on all over the place), I just lay back and say nothing and just soak it all up.. just the camaraderie, the familiarity, the feeling of being at home. Of being completely relaxed with people I truly cherish.

...And that's different from the feeling I get when doing something challenging and solitary.. like climbing, or programming... then the enjoyable thing is focusing on the different important parts of what I'm doing, holding a design in my head, structuring how a program should flow, what the consequences are, what should happen next.. and the feeling of competence while I'm doing them, of strength and continuous challenge. It's not like reading.. reading is easy, relaxed. These things are usually tense, and leave me exhausted, but they're very entertaining...


I don't mean to make it look like I'm happy all the time. Planning in general and thinking about the future at this point in my life makes me very tense. Writing my thesis is horribly stressful, for example. My job isn't always fun or easy, and there's times when I get frustrated over something I feel in my head that I can't accomplish... to the point where it makes it very hard to think clearly about it. In fact, I wish I had more fun and happy times now xD, I probably need it.
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susansherbert
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Re: What do you do for fun?

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Now that is interesting, and you are right there are so many levels of fun. And what is wrong with being happy all the time? Good for you! I never understand why adults put such a low priority on fun. Isn't fun, friends, and enjoyable moments the reason for living. We work all year long so we can afford a two week vacation. Two weeks in one year is not enough. So if reading a good book gives you pleasure, then I say you are doing something right.

And by the way. Golfing is what I do for fun! And I do manage to get out once a week.
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Re: What do you do for fun?

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I ride my horse.

Don't know what I'd do without her. She and I go out with Beau the Wonder Dog, and he spots for us, and she watches him.

Together, we have fun and relax. I highly recommend it
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Re: What do you do for fun?

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Golfing is great! My dad loves golf, and because of that I've played a few times. Anytime he's in town, we usually go out and have a round of golf. I invariably lose these games because I suck at golf (I can't really complain, since I never really practice). It's still fun though.
As a sport, it's very interesting ... it's absolutely Japanese in its demand of excellent form, constant, meaningful practice and a calm mind.
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susansherbert
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Re: What do you do for fun?

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The Wizard - I had a horse growing up so I can relate. They are such big animals, but great companions.

VMLM - You are right about the golf. It's fun but it can sure be frustrating!
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dowright
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Re: What do you do for fun?

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I focus my free time on gardening, investing, watching sports (mainly NFL and NHL), and exercise.
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susansherbert
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Re: What do you do for fun?

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Gardening and investing what a combination. The seem kind of opposite to me. But It's actually a goood combination because investing is about people and garden in down to earth. Oh I I have a corny joke for you.

How do financial advisors know when their clients are serious about their money?
Answer... they start to show a little INTEREST.
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dowright
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Re: What do you do for fun?

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susansherbert wrote:Gardening and investing what a combination. The seem kind of opposite to me. But It's actually a goood combination because investing is about people and garden in down to earth. Oh I I have a corny joke for you.

How do financial advisors know when their clients are serious about their money?
Answer... they start to show a little INTEREST.
Financial Advisors: Excellent joke :lol:

Unfortunately, I've heard far too many unpleasant stories about people's experiences with financial advisors.


From my experience, gardening and investing have a lot in common. In both cases, you invest some money and hope that your investments bear fruit (or vegetables or money...) :mrgreen:
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