Play?

[pegkerr]

kijjohnson and I had an excellent talk last night, ranging over a wide variety of topics, but one thing we talked about that I have been thinking about ever since was that I remarked that I don't have much in my life right now that is there simply so that I can play.

I loved the Shakespeare playreading group that I was in with pameladean, carbonel and others for a number of years. I loved it. We don't do that anymore.

I loved playing Neville in nocturne_alley. That game is over.

I can't think of anything I do in my life right now simply for play. This is not good or healthy, I think. Edited to add: Well, there's LiveJournal, of course. LiveJournal's fun for me.

What about you? What do you have in your life that is simply for fun, simply to play?

Comments

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

Archery. Walking. Making candles, which I will start doing again soon. Cooking. Listening to music.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

You do archery? Why don't you ever write about it?

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

Because I'm not very good at it and it's just a matter of going to the range and shooting at a target once in a while. *g*

[gamps-garret.livejournal.com]

Livejournal.

I know that sounds simplistic. I have had RPGs to play within over the last year and a half or so (Lavendar in a short game, Snape in an on-going letter-based game that got away from me, and Ginny in a wonderful Post-Book7 game that became much more demanding than I'd originally believed). I've joined the choir at two separate churches in the lasst two years. I've joined a social group for young professionals. And all of them were nice, and fun, and enjoyable, but trying to keep up with a schedule, with other people relying on me, made the "fun" as stressful as my job.

So, I've backed myself out of everything that requires an actual time commitment, with meetings, and obligations. I completely altered the format of my LJ. And I write here, and play with pictures and layouts and text here, and interact with friends here. And I feel safe and loved, and at ease. It's my fun.


Although my trips the the gym with Kathy are terrific, "just for us" time, which certainly counts as a delight.

And I'm starting a Church and Society activism group in my new congregation -- I think that will be incredible. And I expect it to be stressful, in really good, change-making ways.


In a nutshell, that's my fun. :-)

[knitmeapony.livejournal.com]

I second the 'livejournal' comment. I'm in two RPGs at the moment, one of which is deliberately and amusingly insane (post-apocolyptic Harry Potter). I read and participate in a largeish number of communities that at least in some small way extend to my real life -- local comms, hobby comms, that sort of thing.

[morganmalfoy.livejournal.com]

Can you tell I'm bored at work today?

Well, in my apartment (this is a long term game) we play The Purloined Zebra, wherein the ceramic zebra from the red rose tea package is 'hidden' in plain sight, until someone finds it and rehides it. Obviously, this game is slow. We enjoy it though.

My roommate recently took up knitting as a hobby, and she's really started to enjoy the trying new things aspect of it.

I can't actually think of things I do to play. I play with our cat, I read, and I am busy. That's really about it.

[skylarker.livejournal.com]

There's the Friday Gamesday party at dreamshark's place: all kinds of board games, people of all ages - and at home I've got The Sims (entirely too addictive.)

[cedarlibrarian.livejournal.com]

On-topic: I write fanfiction for fun. Call me a masochist, but I really enjoy the lower-stress writing process and thinking about the characters in new ways.

Off-topic: You never told me you went to Maine South! Um, not that I should have expected you to, because I never asked, but I went to Maine East, so I had to smile.

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

I went to Maine East

Wow, really? Did you stay in Park Ridge long? I grew up there, lived there until I went to college. Cool. Small world.

[cedarlibrarian.livejournal.com]

I didn't live in Park Ridge. I lived in the Maine Township half of Niles, three blocks from Maryhill Cemetery, from the time I was a year old until I went to college, and my parents still live in the house I grew up in. Both of my sisters were born at Lutheran General and we're all Maine East grads.

[mizzlaurajean.livejournal.com]

Dinner parties, cocktail parties, music parties.

House concerts upcoming.

Spontaneous art projects like Big Stone Head.

Occassional plays and movies.

Curling up with a good Laurie King book.

It can be a bit of work to squeeze in but I agree it's important to have things that are just for fun.

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

I was soooo impressed by the Big Stone Head project. That was terrific. I was reading my friends page hit-or-miss that week and so missed the announcement and invitation to participate, and really regret it. It looked like so much fun! Well done.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Don't act too interested, or it'll show up on your porch one morning.

B

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

*snerk* Ooo, threats!

It would probably really alarm my neighbors . . . The girls would love it, though. (No, I do NOT want it!)

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

It's not about "want".

K.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Nobody every "wants" a big stone head.

At least at first.

B

[carbonel]

Watching too much TV while doing cross-stitch. I used to spend my evenings reading, but now I spend it watching TV shows and movies. I suppose I could blame TiVo and Netflix, but in truth I wouldn't do it if I didn't like it.

My bimonthly tea group.

Daily exercise doesn't really count as fun (I enjoy having done it, but not doing it), but I really enjoy the coffee sessions afterwards with Pat -- that's one of the things that keeps me going.

LiveJournal and Usenet, of course.

My problem is that I don't do enough that's social-in-person. I'm not as much of a hermit as my current situation would suggest, but I'm not sure how to get out and do more.

[ckd]

Me? LJ. Weekly boardgaming group most weeks. SF cons.

[sraun]

LJ. A couple of RPG groups - I'm getting three gaming sessions per month on the average. Reading. Playing with the four-foots. Iron Dragon on the computer. TV with iraunink. Dinner & a movie with iraunink.

[jbru.livejournal.com]

One of the things I've greatly missed during my stint as a third-shift worker is the amount of social fun things I used to do. Weekly war/board gaming with the guys, the occasional rpg, the Wednesday session at Kieran's, movies with Ericka and the like. Now that I've found a new job (one that has me working days staring Feb. 21) I look forward to doing more of these things.

[kiwiria.livejournal.com]

Livejournal, books, people coming by to play Settlers, Munchkin etc.

[ame-chan.livejournal.com]

I think this is why I knit. I took it up at a very hard time and now things are better but I still knit. I enjoy it. I've gone from knitting very simple things in a theraputic sense to really playing with yarn, color, texture and knitting more challenging pieces. NOT therapy! I also take bellydance classes and like to go clubbing - dancing is serious play to me.

[weaselmom.livejournal.com]

Most of my play comes from interacting with the girls, especially Kaylee, because there is nothing in the world more playful than a ferret. It's nonstop games and silliness on a totally spontaneous and unstructured level. I'm also making my way through an art how-to book called "Watercolor for the Artistically Undiscovered" that is very playful. I also recommend throwing rocks into rivers and playing Poohsticks if you have access to a stream, a bridge, and some sticks.

[kijjohnson.livejournal.com]

Live Journal may be interesting, fun, absorbing, and all the rest, but as we mostly use it -- therapy and connection and distraction -- it's not play as such, any more than sitting in a coffeeshop talking to your best friend is play.

Going to a zoo or a museum is play. Going skiing, especially when you don't know anything, is play. Trying to talk along the tops of fences is play. Anything where you end up covered with mud or water or snow on purpose is play. Sneaking into places is play. Learning a new sport is play, as long as you don't turn it into labor. Anything you would have done when you were ten is play -- unless it's enthrallment, which TV and books are: good for some things, but not play. Anything you come back skipping from. Or smile every time you remember. Slumber parties. Biking. Poker night.

You an play alone for a while and it's fun, but sooner or later you need to find a playmate, too.

[elfundeb.livejournal.com]

This is why I recently took up birding as a hobby. It allows me to do several things I enjoy -- walk; ride my bike; enjoy nature; compile lists; take, crop and organize photos; spend time in my yard. In just a few short weeks I've honed my visual and audio observatory skills, learned a great deal about various birds and their habits, and gotten exercise without even trying. And it's completely unscheduled.

Most of my other hobbies -- including anything that involves writing -- too easily become "work." This one is there for me whenever I like, or sometimes an interesting bird will cross my path when I'm doing something else. (I now carry binoculars in my purse, so I can take advantage of the opportunity.)

[catmcroy.livejournal.com]

My scrapbooking
The Sims on my computer

Play

[markiv1111.livejournal.com]

Louie and I play a lot of Scrabble. In fact, Scrabble has become a big enough part of our lives that I was (and I guess still am) thinking about doing a fairly lengthy post about it. I don't think either one of us is that good by the standards of the really competitive players (and Louie is better than I am) but it's a whole lot of fun and it keeps my mind flexible.

Nate B.

[mayakda.livejournal.com]

That's was one the things I realized, thru counselling, late last year -- I don't make much time for play. Between office & home chores, it's easy to neglect.
I looked thru the notebook I was sporadically writing in at the time and note the phrase "feed my soul."*

Since then:
My 9yo got a PS2 with a dance mat for Christmas. I play Dance Dance Revolution with her -- fun! (She beats the pants off me too).
Make a point of borrowing an upbeat dvd from the library on weekends that _I_ want to see and watch it while folding clothes on the weekend.*
Have silly conversations with a few "best friends" at work.
Doodle.
I'm thinking of giving crotcheting and knitting a try (got the "learn how to" kits and yarn).

*I am still in the habit, though, of trying to multi-task -- i.e., get a chore done while "playing." Which isn't really playing. One of the values of play is supposed to be that it helps you just be in the moment.

[shadownephilim.livejournal.com]

I was in fencing but found college fencing rather overwhelming. I started tae kwon do and joined the band. I may also join a gymnastics club if it gets started here, just for the sheer sake of learning it since I have no background in gymnastics. I'm also taking classes for fun! :D This semester I'm taking a class on Russian Fantasy and Science Fiction and an English course on the Gothic.

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

My audio books are about the only thing I have right now just for play. My hobby is quilting, but I have very little time and money to spend on it right now, and everything I make is for someone else anyway.

well...

[(Anonymous)]

I masturbate. it is play. it feels good. and it only take a bit of time. I am female, btw.

Re: well...

[(Anonymous)]

Me again. I hope that's not too much information. I hope it doesn't offend. I just have honestly found that I have little time for ANYTHING. So I may as well use the time I have for JUST ME.

Re: well...

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

No offense. A very sound use of what little time you have, I'd say!

Re: well...

[(Anonymous)]

THANKS!!! Tell that to my husband! :-)

[doccross.livejournal.com]

Play? The story of my life:)

I play/GM RPGS
I cook (doing an Iron Chef thingy once a month)
I garden in a kilt. (and yes, I go commando underneath it)
I play with kids
I flirt with women of all shapes, sizes and ages.
I sing
I change accents at random
I make my wife giggle
I dance down the street
I wrassle dogs
I juggle
I write stuff, both serious and seriously goofy
I play with toys
I rock & roll
I keep 'em guessing

and every once in awhile, I shake the pillars of heaven.

Life is too short not to have fun.

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

That is a most excellent list, I must say!

[avylou.livejournal.com]

Yes, my buddy Doc plays better than most adults I know, so I sent him here to this thread. I originally came here via Kij, who I met in Indy at her writing seminars, and have been reading your journal for several months now.

I play a lot, too. Neither Doc nor I are raising children, which certainly allows for more playing time. Thinking back on my own mother's life, I now have a much greater appreciation of how much she gave up for her family. But I remember her giving herself reading time and exercise time nearly every day. Now, with kids long gone, and both my dad and the long-term companion who followed Dad gone, she does a lot more playing - she hikes several times a week, climbs mountains with the Active Older Adult group in town, exercises like a fiend at the local Senior Center (at 72, she exercises harder than many 10 and 20 years younger, including me!). She volunteers, including ushering at local events like the state symphony. She goes on trips with her various groups.

I mostly read (I read A LOT - 3 or 4 books a week) and play online (LJ :-); knit and crochet when my hands let me; assign myself mini-courses on topics that grab my interest, like studying German enough to recognize and be able to pronounce German words that appear in books, or intensively studying Egyptian art and hieroglyphics for 3 months, or reading up on Irish poetry and mythology, so I'd recognize the mythological names that came up in reading, etc.; go to museums; attend concerts, performances and travelogue lectures in town (especially the free ones); take sightseeing drives; eat out; cook.