Your De-Stress Entertainment

I'm not advocating going to entertainment instead of Jesus to deal with life problems. I'm talking about that situation where you've gone to scripture, seen and absorbed good, perspective changing truth, you've even felt a reduction in your stress. But since its something you've been thinking about for so long, there's still the echo of it in your mind, like an annoying tune you just can't get out of your head. (The first song from "Beauty And The Beast" has been in my head since we watched it on Friday. Crap! Why did I just remind myself of it again!)

We had a crazy 10 days of house hunting that finally seems to have settled down. And while the stress has effectively passed (for now), I'm just ready to think about things other than houses. So tonight I think I've got a date with Assassin's Creed 2.

Either Kotaku or Polygon recently had an article on the virtues of horror games during stressful seasons, since they force you to really be in the moment, rather than having wandering thoughts about your day/life/etc. For me, horror movies can sometimes do the same thing. Or a video game that is hard enough to stress me out a little.

What kind of entertainment do you go to for immediate "thought-replacement"?

For me, at the moment, it's Stargate SG-1 on Stan (an Aussie Netflix clone)
Generally, with me, it's less about thought replacement (But that's sometimes necessary, especially when I've been stressing about money, chosen to give it to God, and need to put my mind on something else), and more about energy replacement. It's the "I'm too tired to do anything else" moment.
That's why I haven't been reading much in the last week or so. I'm just too tired. I can't even concentrate on listening to an audio book.

<!-- Begin Shameless Plug -->

I watch CGC videos on YouTube.

<!-- End Shameless Plug -->

jorowi wrote:<!-- Begin Shameless Plug -->

I watch CGC videos on YouTube.

<!-- End Shameless Plug -->

(Muttered softly: "Excellent. My subliminal 'thought replacement' plan is working just as I... planned.")

Thanks, John! Glad to be useful!

As I have said before, I have an anxiety/panic disorder, and so my mileage may vary.

I need to actively try to ...not "avoid stress" so much as moderate its influence, steer its direction, and sometimes simply pull the wool over its eyes.

I was having a talk with a mother of a child with anxiety/attention issues, and I pointed out that, for me, keeping my mind occupied is much more effective than clearing my mind of input. Rather than painting my office with "calming colors" I painted it in the "dazzle" camouflage patterns. (I think I've posted pics before). Yoga, which was recommended as a stress-reducer ... pardon my French a bit here, but it is the most direct way of saying it *pisses me off*... royally. Not only is it a form of religious "experience", but the "blankness" of the practice turns up the volume on my subconscious mind, and down the volume of my conscious mind, and that is a very bad thing for me.

I used to paint miniatures, but I'm bad at it and that angers me. I recently hand-sewed a project (which I really need to mail out) while I watched "The Expanse". -that kept both my motor functions and active attention engaged.

So... geeknesswise? I like strategy games because, while the action is slow, I am constantly weighing factors, measuring distances, plotting actions, and judging the possible outcomes of those actions. Kind of a huge string of "if-then"s. But-there has to be growth. Paradox Interactive games can be great, but they can also be supremely frustrating. Spending hour upon hour waiting for resources and technology and just the right dominoes to fall into place...well, my mind turns to other things.
I'm playing SWThe Old Republic, right now, and that works fairly well. World of Tanks is good, as long as things don't go too badly. (I'm "good" but that isn't the same as "good enough")

For me, movies and tv shows are background, or what I do when I am unwinding for sleep. Books are... tough for me as they don't engage any motor skills: they need to be entirely engrossing, and I haven't read a book like that in at least a decade, maybe two. I listen to books and podcasts while I work, and that is a stress management technique, but I couldn't walk around reading a book while I work.

I really miss sports. The complete attention-demand of football or rugby along with the physical demands or the explosion of emotion when throwing a shot put (putting a shot, really)... nothing really compares to that complete mind-body experience.

I'll stop before I create too great a wall of text.

mikel.withers wrote:

I really miss sports.

What keeps you from getting back into sports?

Paeter wrote:

mikel.withers wrote:

I really miss sports.

What keeps you from getting back into sports?

It is a combination of things.
First, and foremost, is that I get elevated anxiety when my heart rate goes up, so exercising, by itself, is difficult for me. As such, I am out of shape. Which leads to my not being as good at sports as I was earlier in life, which leads to frustration and elevated stress which leads to anxiety... and so forth.

The local rugby team all got old and had kids, so it doesn't really exist anymore. Even if that weren't the case, I've had a couple injuries that my advanced age (42 as of writing ...oh wait, let me do the maths... 41! ) haven't allowed to fully heal. Nerve damage in my shoulder from a freak tackling accident, a "stretched" MCL, a trick rib, and an ankle that is mostly scar tissue.

So, I tried church softball. I did it as a younger fellow, and I, not to boast but just being honest, was quite good at it. The old body just doesn't do quite what I tell it to anymore. When I and my best friend could turn a game around pretty much at will, I didn't mind when the umpire made a bad call, but now it angers me. Church league, seething anger, fat, frustrated former athlete... Not a good combination. I resigned before I did something truly damaging to my testimony.
*it turns out the "good sportsmanship" of my youth might just have been not having much to get mad at...that is troubling.

Pick up basketball? Well, I could never shoot well (some sort of depth perception issue?) but I could jump (I'm a haircut under 6' and I could dunk). Now, I can't shoot and I can't jump so...
well...
Bowling? -I was never, ever, any good at it. I was in a league for a year, and had a 78 average. Not 178, definitely not 278. just 78.
Golf? too expensive, and with a hook like mine, it is just plain dangerous to bystanders.
And I hate, despise, hate, loath, hate, and hate running.

So, I am down to lifting my knees as I vacuum the church... which, granted, is a couple hours of low-key exercise, maybe hitting the stairs an extra time or two...

Now I'm depressed, and I need to eat some chocolate...

mikel.withers wrote:
First, and foremost, is that I get elevated anxiety when my heart rate goes up, so exercising, by itself, is difficult for me.

Man, I'm so sorry. That's hard to imagine for me, as I find that exercising (push-up and weights specifically) when I'm stressed or anxious basically burns off any energy I have to fuel my anxiety. But it sounds like you've got a tougher beast than the garden variety, as you've mentioned.

Early on I used to do push-ups when I was frustrated with our boys, too. They were at a much tougher age then and I was just starting exercising. So picture me taking a rage break to go up upstairs, into our closet, where I would growl in fury as I did those "girl push ups" from my knees. Now I wish I had video of that. Might go viral.

Ha, nice.
I had a habit, that I need to get back into, for gaming.
Every loading screen, I would drop and do 10 pushups.
Doesn't burn many calories, but I could push a mop like no one's business.

mikel.withers wrote:Ha, nice.
I had a habit, that I need to get back into, for gaming.
Every loading screen, I would drop and do 10 pushups.
Doesn't burn many calories, but I could push a mop like no one's business.

Rickster does burpees when he dies, I think. I love those ideas. I just never remember!

I've taken to watching an episode of Cheers on Netflix every Friday night, usually when I have my after dinner cookies. Saturday is a stressful day of teaching for me, but I've ideally gotten most of my stuff planned out by Friday evening, so there's nothing left to do but wait. I know Cheers isn't really a geek thing, but I've never actually watched much of it before, and the old style sitcom is sort of a soothing nostalgia for me. I don't binge watch; just one episode a week. And I've got 11 seasons to get through, so this ritual should last me a while.

mikel.withers wrote:Ha, nice.
I had a habit, that I need to get back into, for gaming.
Every loading screen, I would drop and do 10 pushups.
Doesn't burn many calories, but I could push a mop like no one's business.

What a great idea.

Reed Benson wrote:I've taken to watching an episode of Cheers on Netflix every Friday night, usually when I have my after dinner cookies. Saturday is a stressful day of teaching for me, but I've ideally gotten most of my stuff planned out by Friday evening, so there's nothing left to do but wait. I know Cheers isn't really a geek thing, but I've never actually watched much of it before, and the old style sitcom is sort of a soothing nostalgia for me. I don't binge watch; just one episode a week. And I've got 11 seasons to get through, so this ritual should last me a while.

DUDE! I started rewatching Cheers about a year ago! I'm in the middle of Season 6 right now!

Discovered that show through late night re-runs when I was in college. It holds up SO well, and Ted Danson's subtle style is so ahead of its time. GREAT show.

And I likewise have found myself watching it in the midst of stressful situations. That opening theme song just strikes a chord with me and sometime makes my eyes well up. Dorky, I know. But to me it paints a picture of the kingdom we're all longing for. A place where everyone knows our names, is always glad we came, and who all share the common problem of sin and a need to be rescued from it. ("troubles are all the same")Its also the kind of atmosphere we should be seeing and helping to create in our local Christian communities.

Great song. Great show.

A few years ago, my de-stress choices were Rob Zombie cranked to 11 and Turok: Rage Wars. At some point I realized that wasn't really healthy. Nowadays, I run. Usually with the headphones in, sometimes with music, more often with podcasts or audio books. I set a destination just go. If the weather is bad, then I hit the YMCA instead, using their track or machines.

For some reason I don't find tv as relaxing as I used to. Might just be my season of life. I haven't got the patience anymore even to enjoy my favorite shows unless I have something to occupy me physically, even if it's just fiddling with a Rubik's cube. Note that I did not say solving.....

mindspike wrote: I haven't got the patience anymore even to enjoy my favorite shows unless I have something to occupy me physically

I have some of that, too. My guess is we're either being infected by the short attention span disease so widespread today, or we're turning into a couple of crotchety old men who have seen too many shows and read too many comics to find much fiction that feels original anymore.