What Do You Do When You're Not Reading?

[Andrea]

I usually do Swap-bot.com but I'm on hiatus for the summer.

[G.R.]

I'm usually writing these days so yeah, writing, reading, reading, writing with occasional bouts of eating and drunkened socialising.

[[deleted user]]

Patricia wrote: "I spend a LOT of time sewing. I have a little Etsy shop where I sell handmade purses and all kinds of little bags and carriers for ereaders. I also care for my 2 year old granddaughter for 3 days..."

You have some really pretty covers on there :D, sewing is something i have wanted to take up, my mum does an awful lot from making tradtional rag dollies to Knitting bags etc.

I unfortunately have little time for things like that at the moment as when I am not reading I am studying for my child nursing degree, or working at my part-time job, if I am not doing any of these i am either doing housework (which is what i am supposed to be doing now)! watching tv (favourites include TrueBlood, Fringe, Haven, House atm..) catching up with my friends and enjoying social gatherings.. catching up with family, spending time with my wonderful boyfriend and working on our first book together.. so as for hobbies as such bar reading i can't really squeeze anything else in... :( oh and computer stuff like forums facbook twitter etc!

Oh i used to be a paranormal investigator as part of a team working through out the night to try and get to the bottom of certain "unexplained" goings on in some historical sites around the uk..

[Bronwyn]

When I'm not reading I'm working to make money to buy books now and into the hopefully distant future. When I am really really old I shall buy books and with what is left I will buy food and shelter. Or maybe I will camp on my children's lawn and they can bring toast and tea to me as they leave for work. My daughter in law has already told me to take good care of my eyes. She already has a book case and rocker in the basement for me. I asked if I could move in now!

[Hayley]

I've just started an apprenticeship so I'm working and cooking and the rest of the time is either keeping up with family/friends online or watching random movies for the umpteenth time.

[Nancy]

When I'm not reading I'm working. I'm a veterinary assistant at an emergency veterinary clinic. When I'm not working or reading, I have several hobbies. I love to bead, cook, listen to music, surf the Net, watch movies, take care of my cats and my husband and belly dance.

[Carolyn F.]

Wow Nancy, I feel like a slug compared to you!

[Nancy]

Well, I can do a couple of things at once. I can bead and listen to music or watch a movie. Or I can cook (I really love baking) and watch a movie. A lot of time I just veg out in front of the computer. So I'm not on the go all the time! :)

[Cheryl]

stormhawk wrote: "Or working. Or doing something responsible.

I crochet. I am currently on a crochet kick.

This week I have finished a scarf, a triangle shawl, and a hippie supermarket carry bag. I am curren..."

I knit and cross stitch. I also look after my birds and hedgehog. I'm researching my family tree.

[Tori]

I make baby quilts, just finished one for my tattoo artist and his wife

[Cary]

When I am not reading I play guitars. I play blues, jazz,rock and folk music. I have all antique guitars steel body Nationals and old electics and a Fender tube amp. I also collect reptiles. Right now I have three adult bearded dragons. I really love dragons. I also have kept venoumous snakes and a gila monster along with all kings of other animals when I lived in Arizona. Now that I am older I pretty much stick to the dragons because of their intelligence and personality. I go to bed early and get up early. I like to sleep. My dreamscapes are incredible and it is disapointing to wake up sometimes.

[stormhawk]

I have found a new way to trick myself into not knowing I'm exercising.

I went geocaching for the first time today.

Geocaching is a sort of a scavenger hunt that uses GPS units. You program the coordinates you find on the Geocaching Website. http://www.geocaching.com

You go to the GPS location, which you usually have to hike to, and then bumble around looking for something ranging in size from a pill bottle to an ammo can that has been cleverly hidden in the brush, or a tree fork, or under a rock or something like that. I was just in a camping store that had geocaching supplies and I found a true "nanocache" ... it was a teensy weensy cylinder, wouldn't even cover a quarter. There's a tiny logbook folded up into it. Bring your own pencil, obviously.

I went with a friend, and another friend's two children.

Normally, this would add to the fun and adventure. It did, well it certainly added to the adventure.

My friend, you see, is rather ... directionally challenged.

To put it mildly.

We each had a GPS. She has one of the specialty ones developed for hiking and orienteering. High impact, rugged, waterproof and all that.

I have a car GPS. And a fancy cell phone for back up.

So, we input the coordinates for the nearby cache, and are ready to go ...

In opposite directions.

"Um ... yo. Wrong Way Corrigan. We're going this way."

"But the arrow is pointing this way."

"Yes, it is. That's North. The arrow always points North."

To be fair ... she's never used this device before and she couldn't find the directions.

"But don't I go where the arrow goes?"

"The arrow will follow you when you start moving, but it points north. You're heading for the black square at the bottom."

"That's why I'm heading that way. that's where the black square is."

"It doesn't work like the one in your car. Your destination isn't going to look like it's ahead of you. See that squiggle? That's the road over there, behind you."

This happened more than once. I even had to keep her from climbing a 70 degree incline hill at one point, because that's where the magic line was pointing. I was pretty sure the trail was going to curve up ahead of us, particularly since the website indicated Easy for the terrain type.

Now, I am not woods-wise. I have to have poison ivy pointed out to me every time I go camping. And yes, I know the rhyme, but when I'm looking at plants, every single darn one of them seems to have leaves of three. But I do know that when something is marked easy it's not going to require me to climb a 70 degree incline.

No bloody way.

One of the kids actually found the cache for us. It was in a large pill bottle that was cleverly hidden in plain sight. She got to take a toy out of it, a Bakugon, which is apparently the latest kind of cute Japanese Monster with superpowers. We put in a load of stickers, and signed the logbook. We triumphed ... thanks to having a sharp-eyed teenager.

The GPS devices don't take you exactly to the spot you put in, you see ... there's a random error programmed into the things so they can't be used to target missles or anything like that.

So you have to do some wandering around, looking. Plus the extra walking involved when Wrong Way Corrigan headed down the trail we were on rather than turning around and heading back to the parking area where the trailhead we needed was.

Now, I do admit to having some advantage in this whole map adventure thing ... I have a degree in Geography and Planning. But that advantage should be trumped by being a retired Naval Officer, although apparently she plotted beautiful courses in the entirely wrong direction in OCS. It is a good thing they didn't let women on ships in her day ...

It was threatening to rain, and in fact started just as we called off our search and went back to the car from the second point we were looking for. But we are going back.

Oh, and next Thursday, Wrong Way, the two kids and I are going to Ricketts Glen, a nature trail that is part of the Pennsylvania State Park System.

Wish us luck.

[Helen]

Lol! Have to say that sounds like lots of fun. I hope it travels to the UK. Good luck.

edit - just checked the website. It is, I might have to do this!

[Michelle]

Geocaching is a lot of fun! I've been a few times but I haven't had a lot of time lately. Make sure to take lots of pictures, sometimes the caches are in really cool places that you normally over look.
One of my favorite finds was in an old chimney that was in the woods a bit off the road, I never even knew it was there and I've driven by it at least 50 times.

[Helen]

I don't know if my mobile has gps on it (without me paying more) but I think it sounds fun.

[stormhawk]

In the US, most of them do. I know several people that use their cellphones (old style, not even new smartphone type) as GPS for directions. Not sure if those phones are sophisticated enough to do Latitude and Longitude, though.

[Helen]

I will check it out, although I'm away soon so perhaps when I return.

[Leslie]

They had a story about geocaching on NPR. It sounds really fun.

Cary, your music and dragons sound really cool, too!

[Cate (The Professional Fangirl)]

I've been watching Studio Ghibli movies in my free time lately.

[Anne]

I would love to try geocaching! Right now, I am finding my way into the second chapter of my life - newly retired teacher, and loving it! I am an artist/painter, and I also like to walk, watch independent films, and travel. Right now, I'm reading, reading, reading. :)

[Larry]

I write. ;-)

[Leslie]

Wow--I'm impressed, Larry! :)

[Susan]

Stare at my books and wonder why I'm not reading them! LOL

[Rachel]

Movies, painting figurines, writing (though I don't do as much as I used to) and doing puzzles...
Not much different from most people, I guess.

[Cate (The Professional Fangirl)]

Lately, I've been reorganizing my travel memorabilia and generally cleaning up my room. That chore has been neglected as of late lmao.

[Cary]

Im either watching movies or lurking here in goodreads when Im not reading

[Cary]

Im either watching movies or lurking here in goodreads when Im not reading

[stormhawk]

I survived Hurricane Irene.

It wasn't a big trick, I'm not on the coast or anything like that, but I am in the Philadelphia suburbs.

My apartment complex sent out a four page memo telling us how we had to prepare ... a paragraph about standard disaster preparedness and three pages of take all your stuff off your porch.

So I did that.

I'm already prepared for the emergency. If the world ends tomorrow, I'm ready.

Filled the bathtub for emergency flushing water.

And made sure I had bags for my camping potty bucket (told you I was prepared).

And then I got a phone call.

The County Emergency Dispatch Center staffs a "rumor control" line during major incidents. It's a non emergency number that keeps some of the pressure of non-emergency calls off the 911 operators.

I was scheduled to be there at 6am Sunday Morning (meaning that in the height of the storm I had to drive somewhere).

Not a problem. I actually had a buddy who was going to take part as well, he was staying over with me, so I had to clean the couch and make sure I didn't look as much like a crazy hoarder as I am ... you know how it is, you live alone, you toss stuff on the couch when you're done using it rather than putting it away properly. Turned out I could have left the couch looking crazy ... my friend cancelled on me. He had to study.

So ...

I had been awake since 7am. I had everything ready, both with respect to the house and what I needed to take to the Dispatch Center. I was going to go to bed around 9pm, to wake up at 4am to get there ...

Yeah.

Best laid plans and all that.

at 530pm, the phone rings ...

"Yeah, this is George. I know that you're not ready, but we're having problems with staffing, is there any way you can be here at 6p tonight?"

"Well, George, I'm actually ready. I just have to put on shoes (and a uniform shirt, but he didn't need that visual. George is older and I didn't want to stress his heart. He was already worried enough about the hurricane).

I had a completely uneventful trip to the Dispatch Center. No trees down, no flooding, no high winds blowing me across the roadway.

Once there, I made a major mistake in the initial briefing.

There was a manual we had to read through ... and every other line said "pass to the rumor control manager," "ask the rumor control manager," "the rumor control manager will ..."

So I raised my hand.

And asked, "who is the rumor control manager."

The director of emergency operations looked at me and said ... "You are."

oh.

So ... I was the rumor control manager, had the fancy chair and the fancy phone, and took the majority of the phone calls.

And they fed us, which was really nice ... as they'd told us we'd have to be self sufficient. I had chicken salad sandwiches, the result of a trip to a warehouse store the day before.

I stayed up all night. Emergency Services coffee is really strong ... I only had two cups.

The phone rang just often enough that I didn't get to spend a lot of time reading, although I did crochet a hat.

Another uneventful trip home the next morning ... to find that my apartment had power, and my carpets were dry.

Sweet.

Finally got some sleep.

Woke up and decided on Blueberry Pancakes for breakfast (around 4p. I am an adult and can have breakfast any time I want). In the middle of making the pancakes, the fire alarm goes off. Not my personal smoke alarms ... but the big one, the fire alarm for the whole building. Checked twice to make sure my pancakes were not responsible ... turned off the stove, grabbed my emergency bag, and evacuated.

I survived a hurricane unscathed and now I'm evacuating? What??

Turned out that the person who can't cook is in the other wing, on the third floor.

The firefighters brought out dry hose.

Wahoo.

I went back to bed.

Today is a lot brighter.

Actually the high that follows a hurricane brings beautiful weather and blue skies. It's pretty nice out there today.

[Helen]

Glad you're okay. I've been noticing it on our news over here.

[Carolyn F.]

Right now, I'm on the computer (duh!), which is what I usually do when I'm not reading or working.

[Cate (The Professional Fangirl)]

I will attempt to learn how to either knit or crochet lol. I'm a leftie so I didn't really learn from any home economics class I took in school. XD

[Sandra]

Have too many interests so whenever I'm not doing something serious I practice on my knit, crochet, sewing, wire wrapping, wood painting, cooking... Depending on my mood.

[Cate (The Professional Fangirl)]

Okay, so I'm crocheting right now. My September goal is to make a Gryffindor scarf.

[Terrence]

I've been trying to get back in the gym, getting any kind of a workout in during the day makes getting to sleep so much easier and makes me feel a ton sharper.

[Helen]

Okay so I've had 5 weeks and 4 days off work (school summer holiday). Spent the 4 days in South Wales visiting mum. Spent 9 days in/travelling to Tunisia.

That left 3 whole weeks. I've watched the digital box to reduce the 90% of recorded programmes (the ones on too late to watch in the night or that clash), it has nicely filled up again to about 50%!

I've read Eleganta, Witching Hour, Queen of Kings, Secret Garden and am on Basilisk Station.

I've been to the cinema, and out with friends and family.

Then finally, in my last few days, I've started cleaning the house and baking.

I should have - planned, assessed etc ready for the new school year!

[Jessica]

I try to write. I make jewellery. Learning how to knit (slowly). Today I alphabetised my CD collection. And in a few weeks I shall be back in college, for which I cannot wait.

[Reese]

Working, doing projects around the house.

[J.D.]

I'm working on a book trailer! :) I'm going my own graphics for it, which is actually kind of fun. :)

[Helen]

I've emptied and tidied my kitchen cupboards, now everything fits in it as opposed to loitering on top! I did throw some old tupperware - it seems to have bred.

[Carolyn F.]

I just listed a bunch of books on Ebay for resale. Cleaning out the house! I've made about $120.00 over the last month (which I turned around and spent - thank you very much). The pain is taking pictures of them and then sitting there listing each book. That takes lots of time. I've worked on it for about 6 hours today.

[Valerie]

Besides work to support my book habit?? ;) Some times I'm just veggin' out... gotta keep my sanity, ya know?? LOL Other times, especially on weekends, I have my little 3-yr. old grandson over quite a bit... No reading done with an active little guy running around. But it's all good... he's a sweet boy & makes my heart smile :)

[Nissie Lambert]

I watch a lot of movies. I also like to nap, play with my dog or work out. I'm a big homebody, so I do a lot of nesting, too. :)

[Cate (The Professional Fangirl)]

Working. I got a new job last week handling perfumes. :)

Now, I usually read at night or in transit.

[Nissie Lambert]

Sounds like a great job, Cate. Congratulations :)

[Jessi]

Work, write, play sims, watch a movie/tv show, scrapbook.

[Joe]

play chess.. on line at gameknot.com and live. i am dangerously close to becoming average.

[Jasja]

Spend time with my furry best friends! I do that even more than I read... :D

[Jessica]

I knit, write, play video games, draw, practice yoga. Spend far too much time sitting in front of my computer.

[Cate (The Professional Fangirl)]

Nissie wrote: "Sounds like a great job, Cate. Congratulations :)"

Thank you! :) I'm liking it so far. It's a light load. Handling different kinds (and priced) of perfumes is a plus.