My head feels like mush. I don’t know what it was about this week; there was a lot of work but not any major crises; nevertheless I arrived at the weekend just feeling like somebody’d run over my brainmeats with a tractor and then sort of haphazardly shoveled them back inside my skull. Somebody called yesterday and asked “How are you?” and I wasn’t trying to be dramatic, the only thing I could come up with was, “I have no idea.” I need … I don’t know, a hot bath, a stiff drink, something.
What do you do to recharge the batteries?
A.
Laughter does it for me.
A funny old movie, Mystery Science Theater (or its ‘modern’ equivalents, Rifftrax or Cinematic Titanic), recordings of The Goon Show from the 1950s, the writings of James Thurber and S.J. Perleman — all work in various combinations.
Art Linklater was right, laughter really is the best medicine.
You can recharge them??!! Wish someone had told me that earlier – I might have made some different choices
Hockey!!! The NCAA D-1 men’s tourney just started yesterday, and it’s already been pretty exciting, especially if you’re an Air Force or UMD fan. I know your Badgers and my Tigers didn’t make the field this year, but still…
You’re in Wisconsin, right? Did you notice the sun lately? No?
Go tan.
i don’t think i ever have. if i could, go ‘up nort’ for the air.
A long walk in the woods usually does it, especially in a place where there are few or no people. Mt. Agamenticus in southern Maine, the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Sanctuary, certain parts of the Middlesex Fells Reservation in the Boston area, all do it for me. Chipmunks, chirping birds, soft breezes, trees. Lots of trees. Maybe it’s the extra oxygen.
Peace, V.
WatchYoung Frankenstein. I never get tired of it.
Get as far away from the city as possible. Search for trilobites up on Sunrise Mountain, take a long, long hike through Red Rock Canyon, find a spot out in the desert with no-one else around and just sit and watch my shadow move.
If it’s a day of strong winds and too much pollen like today, I’ll read a pop fiction novel by Lee Child, David Baldacci or someone like that and give my big brain the day off and let the little brain enjoy the action.
If the weather’s good (as in the sky isn’t orange with blowing dirt) go to the park. Maybe hike, maybe picnic, maybe just sit in the sun and listen to the birds.
If the weather sucks (as in the sky IS orange with blowing dirt, which pretty much describes West Texas from mid-February through mid-April, along with random other days), go to the library and read magazines I can’t afford to subscribe to. Or copy out recipes I want to try.
All else fails?? go to the zoo.
Assuming, of course, holing up in a hot tub to soak with a good book and a thermos of mocha’s not do-able.
Cinematic Titanic
Which reminds me, I must watch “Blood of the Vampires.”
What do you do to recharge the batteries?
I’m a constant 9 volts.
.
Time. Alone. In. Nature.
A nice bath, a good Abita beer, and something I haven’t done in a while – venturing to a local watering hole to take in some live local music.
Out and about in nature’s pretty darn nice, too, if you can do it.
And, by Gawd, I need to take up yoga again. I’ve never felt as relaxed and refreshed as when I was doing it regularly. Having a child and a husband who has a long commute made doing it a back-burner sort of thing, but I really oughta go back to it.
I don’t. I just let the batteries drain away until I’m basically dead.
At least that is what I did 14 years ago. I ran like a high powered race car that got fast pitstops but no maintenance. I didn’t stop until I had metal (mental) fatigue and broke. If this was another era I would have just had a heart attack and died like a good corporate drone. Since I lived in CA I had enough understanding of the brain to see that my body was telling me to stop since my brain wouldn’t.
In some ways the damage was done. Like a NiCad battery that can’t be fully recharged after being used incorrectly I don’t know if I can ever come back to full power. I might be able to do it for a while, but it will probably kill me.
Two hour bike ride rain or shine. (well not too much rain) Lake Shore path may do the trick.
Give yourself an entire day to do nothing. By that I mean don’t plan anything. If you feel like going for a walk, go. DVD marathon? Cool. Cook something really yummy or do takeout (healthy!). Put on comfy clothes and have a slacker day. The errands and laundry and paying bills can wait.
Note-this doesn’t work as a way of life, just a one day, brain vacation kinda thing. 😉
Here here to the D-I Men’s Hockey playoffs. Nervous watching Miami U. right now – leading Min Duluth by a pair.
College hockey is so sloppy compared to the NHL, but it is so much more exciting to watch because things can turn around so quickly!
Go Redhawks!
Well, Marco, my CC Tigers aren’t in the mix this year, so I’m going with Bemidji State. Gotta love the way the Beavs hammered Notre Dame! Besides, it just doesn’t pay to go against any team coached by a Serratore.
AZ – I absolutely LOVE the way Bemidji St. plays the game. So fast and so aggressive. They cause such problems because their opponents have no time to think – they are on the puck too quickly. Of course, aren’t they born with skates on in that part of Minnesota?
This is going to be a great semi-final – two #4’s that nobody thought would go this far. So either way, a Cinderella is in the finals.
I sing. And when I can’t do that (like last week–Worst. Head Cold. Ever.), I find a good computer game and veg for hours. And barring that, teevee (a Remington Steele marathon is always popular, ditto Moonlighting, not to mention more recent fare like BSG, Doctor Who, Torchwood–but there’s something about the lightness of the 80’s detective shows that refreshes me).
And when the weather permits, a long bike ride. (Today would *not* be a good day–nearly hurricane force winds combined with snow flurries. Meh.)
Music and/or nature. A visit to the FeralFarm is like stepping into another world. Unfortunately I have to return…