Usually this time of year tends to run on the boring side for me. For one; the weather turns nasty in the mountains and foggy in the valley that I live in that outdoor activities tend to become limited. More so between work and family both tend to draw a lot of my time around this part of the year, both can be fairly non-engaging or an outright bore. Not to make an excuse for myself but I've had ADHD my entire life so the slower pace of anything tends to be grating to the mind. So that got me thinking; what does everyone do to alleviate boredom when it sets in.
Some of the common activities I engage in to relieve boredom are as follows:
- Running and/or lifting on days when I wasn't planning on doing so since it can kill a couple hours. At the same time it gives me the sense I actually did something. Hiking is much of the same also but is far less frequent.
- Update an older highway article I wrote to something more in line with my more recent formats. The mental exercise of having to review documents again tends to get my mind going.
- Read a book version of a movie I've already seen. For some reason I enjoy finding the plot differences.
- Watching movies generally tends to be a great way to kill some time, especially if it's though provoking.
- Yard work, especially if I build something for some reason is rewarding and relaxing. Example; I built a side walk last winter because it was something to do rather than something I needed.
- Driving; obviously since I'm part of a highway web site with a huge focus on history it tends to come the territory. I've always found scenic drives alone in the mountains to be incredibly relaxing.
Some stuff that used to work in the past but no longer does is watching TV and playing video games. TV shows are so scattered in when they are shown and with commercials that I've found them essentially unwatchable even with modern streaming. Video games just really don't do it for me anymore. Nowadays I'd much rather go for a drive or hike if I want a sense of adventure.
I would have to say the most boring part of my own life was when I lived I the Midwest with my parents before the age of 18. Neither was all that outgoing and the weather tends be not the best most of the year. They also were talkers which tends to wear thin for me as an enjoyable activity somewhat quickly.
Before High School I used to play video games like Counter-Strike & Garry's Mod all the time with friends. Since then, not only have I lost contact with those friends but I have enrolled myself in more rigorous school courses. Simply put, I don't have as much time as I did to play those games. I never got good at them and it's a frustrating and tedious process to do so. As such, I have lost interest in video games for the most part, with exceptions. Since then, I have found driving to a nearby town or park I haven't visited yet as a great way to kill a few hours on the weekends.
I don't usually run on the weekends though I should since I am on a cross-country team. I don't run during off-season (when I have nothing else to do, ironically) and then wonder why I'm so slow.
Reading off-topic threads on a forum :-D
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn-webimages.wimages.net%2F051d46b3e6fb8381906e9f6b3e0af8fd85c9f2-v5-wm.jpg&hash=54fa4181f71e2c8764799ac9b312098d3d890f59)
October, boring? Fall is, IMO, the most interesting time of year around here. If you run out of leaf-peeping and other scenic adventures, there's never-ending leaf cleanup to do! And the dwindling daylight only adds to the season's intensity! I actually don't have to worry too much about boredom in any season, because life (let's leave that one there). But spring (March/April) would be the boring season, if any.
October is far and away the best month of the year. January, February, and March are the boring months.
January is a dead month
The "-ary's" are throwaway months. 15 minutes after the ball drops on New Years', it's like "now what?" after all the festivity of the holiday season. Only thing that keeps me sane is playoff football. Being a tax preparer, at least February is the start of my busy season. As far as I'm concerned, New Years should really be March 1st.
Quote from: jp the roadgeek on October 25, 2019, 06:52:51 PM
The "-ary's" are throwaway months. 15 minutes after the ball drops on New Years', it's like "now what?" after all the festivity of the holiday season. Only thing that keeps me sane is playoff football. Being a tax preparer, at least February is the start of my busy season. As far as I'm concerned, New Years should really be March 1st.
March is my least favorite month. The only good parts are the basketball tournament and that one day towards the end of the month when it gets to 55 degrees and it feels like summer, only for it to snow two days later.
Quote from: jp the roadgeek on October 25, 2019, 06:52:51 PM
The "-ary's" are throwaway months. 15 minutes after the ball drops on New Years', it's like "now what?" after all the festivity of the holiday season. Only thing that keeps me sane is playoff football. Being a tax preparer, at least February is the start of my busy season. As far as I'm concerned, New Years should really be March 1st.
It used to be. The original Roman calendar started the year on March 1, ran through December 30, and then had 61 days not part of the formal calendar.
That said, I find it hard to consider January and February boring. Then again, NYS gives state employees three day weekends for Martin Luther King Day and Presidents Day, and I take clinching daytrips on those weather permitting. Same for Columbus Day in October (which also has Halloween). September was really boring for me this year, for some reason. After Labor Day was over the month just seemed to drag on and on. Depending on when Easter and roadmeets fall, March, June, and August can end up being boring months for me. Somehow I usually end up with at least one overnight trip in the April/May timeframe, and often in the greater October timeframe too.
I am too busy to be bored.
But I agree with you.
This time of year is the worse time of year.
They say you are supposed to be Jolly.
That is not possible.
Actually I find it so difficult to concentrate especially if the weather gets bad, I hibernate.
And I don't want to wake up until Spring.
Quote from: In_Correct on October 26, 2019, 02:26:50 AM
I am too busy to be bored.
But I agree with you.
This time of year is the worse time of year.
They say you are supposed to be Jolly.
That is not possible.
Actually I find it so difficult to concentrate especially if the weather gets bad, I hibernate.
And I don't want to wake up until Spring.
I
am really
Sorry
About that.
Quote from: webny99 on October 25, 2019, 12:03:03 PM
October, boring? Fall is, IMO, the most interesting time of year around here. If you run out of leaf-peeping and other scenic adventures, there's never-ending leaf cleanup to do! And the dwindling daylight only adds to the season's intensity! I actually don't have to worry too much about boredom in any season, because life (let's leave that one there). But spring (March/April) would be the boring season, if any.
Here down south the peak of the fall foliage doesn't arrive until November. October definitely has some of the best weather of the year though.
Quote from: ozarkman417 on October 26, 2019, 10:19:41 AM
Quote from: webny99 on October 25, 2019, 12:03:03 PM
October, boring? Fall is, IMO, the most interesting time of year around here. If you run out of leaf-peeping and other scenic adventures, there's never-ending leaf cleanup to do! And the dwindling daylight only adds to the season's intensity! I actually don't have to worry too much about boredom in any season, because life (let's leave that one there). But spring (March/April) would be the boring season, if any.
Here down south the peak of the fall foliage doesn't arrive until November. October definitely has some of the best weather of the year though.
The mountains around here are getting speckled, and the maples are really popping right now. If I didn't have kids at other kids houses this weekend for playdates, and my wife basically hibernating due to the cold, rainy weather we've had the last few days, I'd be doing a scenic loop across the Ozarks in north Arkansas/south Missouri this weekend, but I'll likely have to push that off until next weekend where it'll be closer to peak anyway.
Quote from: vdeane on October 25, 2019, 08:56:34 PM
Quote from: jp the roadgeek on October 25, 2019, 06:52:51 PM
The "-ary's" are throwaway months. 15 minutes after the ball drops on New Years', it's like "now what?" after all the festivity of the holiday season. Only thing that keeps me sane is playoff football. Being a tax preparer, at least February is the start of my busy season. As far as I'm concerned, New Years should really be March 1st.
It used to be. The original Roman calendar started the year on March 1, ran through December 30, and then had 61 days not part of the formal calendar.
That said, I find it hard to consider January and February boring. [snip]
I like February, although that's probably because it is my birthday month. When January comes, I'm just enjoying the fact that Christmas season is finally over. With how the Christmas season seems to start immediately after Thanksgiving, I'm just glad it's over by the time of January 1st. I think holiday fatigue is a real problem nowadays.
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on October 26, 2019, 11:02:36 AM
Quote from: vdeane on October 25, 2019, 08:56:34 PM
Quote from: jp the roadgeek on October 25, 2019, 06:52:51 PM
The "-ary's" are throwaway months. 15 minutes after the ball drops on New Years', it's like "now what?" after all the festivity of the holiday season. Only thing that keeps me sane is playoff football. Being a tax preparer, at least February is the start of my busy season. As far as I'm concerned, New Years should really be March 1st.
It used to be. The original Roman calendar started the year on March 1, ran through December 30, and then had 61 days not part of the formal calendar.
That said, I find it hard to consider January and February boring. [snip]
I like February, although that's probably because it is my birthday month. When January comes, I'm just enjoying the fact that Christmas season is finally over. With how the Christmas season seems to start immediately after Thanksgiving, I'm just glad it's over by the time of January 1st. I think holiday fatigue is a real problem nowadays.
February is my birth month too, but my birthday falls right at the beginning of it, so most of February I have nothing to look forward to, so it's pretty dismal. At least spring tends to arrive in mid-March here so there's not as much drudgery to contend with.
And of course, some people seem to insist on Christmas beginning on November 1 (or earlier!) and completely overrunning Thanksgiving, so holiday fatigue is worse than ever.
Sam's Club in this area has had Christmas decorations on the shelves for 3 weeks now. And it isn't even Halloween!
Quote from: MikieTimT on October 28, 2019, 12:57:28 PM
Sam's Club in this area has had Christmas decorations on the shelves for 3 weeks now. And it isn't even Halloween!
Most retailers put that stuff out in September. My wife loves to browse that stuff but it's modern junk to me. Costco had everything out the first week of September by me.
Quote from: MikieTimT on October 28, 2019, 12:57:28 PM
Sam's Club in this area has had Christmas decorations on the shelves for 3 weeks now. And it isn't even Halloween!
And craft stores probably had them out months before that. (Based on past visits to stores with my wife - managed to miss out on that so far this year.) Cause people need time to make things.
Quote from: GaryV on October 28, 2019, 02:22:01 PM
And craft stores probably had them out months before that. (Based on past visits to stores with my wife - managed to miss out on that so far this year.) Cause people need time to make things.
I mean, does it really take more than a month to make Christmas stuff? I mean, if we're going to go this route, why not have Christmas shit available all year? Then you have forever to make things!
Just went to Walmart and the entire Garden Department alcove has already been transformed to the Christmas Department. Worked in retail for several years. In one job that I had in a food store, Christmas was actually the slow season, as most were eating out and shopping at the mall. But right after the first of the year, it seems everyone would come out to stock up their freezers for the winter, and it was extremely busy the first half of January. In another, the worst part of the year was late August and September when all of the merchandise actually came in and you had to help unload the trucks and put it on storage shelving to be put out the week after Halloween. The worst was actually over once everything was set up.
Try being depressed all the time. Every month is boring.
I get bored when i do the stupid math problems at school (mostly equations), and have to redo them.