Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Help me out here, or I'll have to take a nap

I've been staring at the screen so intensely today that my eyes hurt. Now that I'm home, I want to relax, but it strikes me that I don't have any hobbies that I can do with my eyes shut. Except sleeping, and I'm not sure that strictly counts as a hobby. I guess having sex isn't usually eyestrain inducing, either. (Note: if it is, you're probably doing it wrong). But there's only so much of that a girl can do in one evening.

The other problem is that I'm an incorrigible multitasker. When I listen to music, I generally knit or read; I have never been able to enjoy a good soak in the bath without a book to read. I don't usually multitask while having sex, you'll be pleased to know, but mainly just because it doesn't seem polite.

So reading, knitting, watching TV, doing a puzzle, blogging, surfing the internet, playing computer games, computer programming, writing, studying, etc, are all too tiring. What does that leave? I could exercise, but today is my recovery day after yesterday's all-out-just-about-killed-me gym session.

Any ideas? What do you do for fun that doesn't use your eyes?

16 Comments:

Anonymous said...

Bath with an audio book, so you can close your eyes and listen?

Stellar_muddle

Nicola said...

Meditate.

(I don't actually. But I do keep meaning to.)

Jim Gibbon said...

I love audiobooks. Just finished a pretty good one this morning. I have a bunch of non-fiction, fiction, even stand-up routines...If you have any requests I could zip some files and try to send you some...

Weekend_Viking said...

If you can multi-task during sex, you're probably doing it wrong.

Seriously, eye strain having been a crippling thing for me ever since the great eye rupturing trauma of '04, I find about all I can do with serious eye pain is go for a walk and focus on things more than six feet away, preferably infinity/horizonish distances. That, or be in the dark for a while.

Anonymous said...

Get a full body massage, with a special neck-and-shoulders session... it's totally eye-strain free but it requires of a hubby :)

Seeking Solace said...

I vote for the nap!

Psycgirl said...

I also vote for the nap. But you can listen to music, meditate, or get a massage with your eyes closed. Those are all good suggestions.

You can talk on the phone with your eyes closed too

Lucy said...

As a fellow multitasker, knitting (but only stockinette/garter stitch, so far) while listening to audiobooks works for me.

StyleyGeek said...

I only have one audiobook, and I agree that it's a good idea. Jim, that's a kind offer - do you have any detective novels or science fiction?

Queen of West Procrastination said...

I'm with geeka: I've been learning to play a couple of musical instruments. And a lot of that doesn't involve my eyes at all.

Also: baking. Much less eye strain than reading, knitting or watching TV.

Anonymous said...

Hmm, let me check. I guess "1984" might have once been considered science fiction, but if you live in the US these days...

StyleyGeek said...

Heh. It's okay. I've read 1984 a bunch of times already. Also, I guess it's probably illegal to loan audio books.

Thanks for the offer anyway, though.

Anonymous said...

Right, there's that issue, too.

Well, you could try LibriVox, which is all public domain. A guy posted recommendations of some of the better recordings he has found on the site, which include some H.G. Wells among others.

StyleyGeek said...

Oooh, I didn't know about LibriVox. Thanks for the tip!

Bardiac said...

I love audio books!

For me, there's a big difference between using my eyes for reading sorts of things that focus fairly closely, and using them for distance. Even for close stuff, it helps to stop every few minutes and relax to distance focus.

I'd suggest stuff that uses distance instead? A bike ride? Walk one of the parrots? :)

Badaunt said...

Audiobook, or a podcast. For stories, try Miette's Bedtime Story. There's a list of authors on the right. She's a good reader. And I find that although I don't often read short stories, I love listening to them.