Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Weekend Assignment: Fun, Fun, Fun

I was going to do Karen's Weekend Assignment over the weekend (duh!), but somehow got sidetracked and completely forgot about it. Here it is now, a day (or two) late and a dollar short.


Weekend Assignment #218: What do you do to have fun? Since you're reading this blog, let's assume that one of your leisure activities is blogging and reading blogs; we don't need to rehash that one, nor the subject of books, which we covered just recently. What else do you do for fun? Are you a runner, a hiker, a birdwatcher, a surfer? Or do you prefer to lie on a beach? Is cooking a joy rather than a chore? What do you enjoy doing, when you're not doing the usual stuff?

It's easy to get in a rut with the usual stuff and forget about having fun, but the usual stuff usually includes blogging, reading blogs, surfing the Innernets, &c. that is fun, but I see we're not talking about that.

This is probably my favorite time of the year. The weather is warm, maybe a little hot during the day and very pleasant at night. If your going to be out at night for a long period of time, you might want to wear a long-sleeve shirt, but you can definitely pack up the sweaters, jackets and coats. A fun thing for me to do is get out in it however possible -- a long walk around the neighborhood, a day trip to a park or a nearby historic site, a hike through the woods, fishing, camping, bird watching, sky gazing, anything that gets me outdoors communing with nature.

It's fun to read about something historical that happened locally (in and around Chattanooga), then going out and actually walking the ground and learning even more.

Photography is fun, but I've never really had the kind of equipment I'd like to have. Right now, I have no equipment -- my antique digital camera has finally bitten the dust. I should be able to get something basic and affordable later this month when my stimulus check arrives.

I like spending weekends watching NASCAR, and catching a baseball game whenever I can. And college and pro football, though I'm not a year-long fanatic about it like some -- all things in their season.

Getting in a car and driving wherever the road takes me is fun, but that's a joy that's waning with rising fuel prices.

Crossword puzzles, Sudoku, video games (driving games are my favorite), listening to music, and watching movies and selected TV shows (especially Battlestar Galactica and Lost) are also on my list of fun things to do.

Extra Credit: What fun thing (no restrictions) do you plan to do next?

Well, I'm listening to music now...

----------------
Now playing: Dream Academy - Power to Believe
via FoxyTunes

...and I'll probably work a little more of the Sunday crossword puzzle before I go to bed, but I'd really like to get out to Cloudland Canyon very, very soon.

6 comments:

Karen Funk Blocher said...

That's a good range of leisure activities, indoors and (mostly) out, active and passive, intellectual and not-so-much. Good stuff!

Carly said...

I'm with you!

Alan and I love walking around Tilden Park here in Berkeley. It is a fabulous place, with lots of trails, and wide open spaces. Lots and lots of space to get away from the city, and still be close to home. And the views of S.F. from atop Grizzly Peak are stunning. Many times it has served as the perfect place to jumpstart my photography. Lots and lots of natural beauty. You would enjoy the Steam Trains and Lake Anza, both contained within Tilden. Let me know if you would like to see it, and I will send along some photos.

-Carly

Kiva said...

Yep, you do see a lot more when you walk around. I'd rather do that than go by car unless it's really far away!

Florinda said...

It sounds like you've got quite a wide range of interests there!

I lived in Memphis for ten years, and at this time of year it's already pretty hot and humid out; Chattanooga's climate sounds more pleasant.

Mike said...

See, you like the outdoors; golf gets you out there. I never got into sudoku. I have a feeling I'd end up pulling hair out.

fdtate said...

Almost immediately after I posted this it went from hot to too hot, with temps more appropriate for August.

I thought that about Sudoku until I figured out the tricks to working them. Start with some easy puzzles and use just a little logic and you'll be set. Most puzzle books have a section that explains some of the tricks; you figure out more as you go along.