Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Rainy Day Fun List!

Okay, it's raining again.Take a look at my list of fun things to do. I wrote this out years ago when I used to live in a basement apartment, which if you've never experienced living at grass level or lower, can really make you feel like lump of wet moss. These ideas help the clouds move along.

  1. Take a pair of scissors for a walk in the garden. Cut branches, pick leaves or grass, take some rocks or dead twigs home and arrange them in a pot. If you don’t have a garden ask a neighbor if it’s okay to snip a few branches from their bushes, but remember, public parks and gardens are scissor-free zones!
  2. Brainstorm and come up with a perfect slogan for yourself or your family. Write it out on a big piece of paper, include photos of everyone or draw one another around your slogan and post it in a place where everyone can see it everyday. The refrigerator or the bathroom mirror is a great place to hang your slogan. Here are some ideas to get you going: We are the best and we do the best we can! Giving is receiving! or Everything is possible!
  3. Take a soothing hot bath. Make sure to use lots of bubbles and start a new book, something about exotic lands and romantic encounters on deserted tropical beaches. 
  4. Promote good health at work. Overtake the tidbits with bowls of fruits, veggies and humus, dried fruits and nuts, and herbal teas. I used to bring frozen fruit pops.
  5. When was the last time you had the kind of non-stop, rib-busting, fall over, pee in your pants kind of laugh? Find out where your local stand-up comedians work and visit one night after work.  Theatersports is also a fabulous way to laugh your head off!
  6. Pull out your colored crayons and your artistic talents! Make a list of everyone in your family and then imagine them as an animal, give them a few super powers and then go ahead and draw them. 
  7. Card Crazy! Teach someone a card game you know or learn a new one. You can find all kinds of fun things to do with cards on-line or at your local library. Learn a magic trick, build a card castle or practice multiplications. 
  8. Make it a board game night! Trade a board game with friends or neighbors if you are tired of the ones you have at home or make it a family custom to purchase a new one every year- Choose any day on the calendar and call it BOARD DAY! 
  9. Make crepes in a blender. Set up a buffet to go along with them; coconut, nut butters, fruits, nutella, jam, lemons, brown sugar, cinnamon, apple sauce, syrup, seeds etc...
  10. Write a letter to your grand-parents and tell them all about your favorite things. Ask them you tell you all about their favorite things. Try to think of interesting questions like: “ What’s your favorite dream? What’s your favorite book?” “ What was your favorite toy when you were a kid?”
  11. Go to the library and get the librarian to choose a biography for you! Read all about that person and share what you learned with your family and friends. Ask about your ancestors and what they were like.
  12. Pull out 5 items (or more) from your closet/garage/basement/pantry and make a box for your local charity. Look on their website to see what else they might need that you don’t use anymore. Some charities even pick-up items from your home!
  13. Isn't it funny when you go hiking all the people that you run into on the trail always say hi,wave or make a friendly comment about the trail, yet, in the city, people often completely look the other way and ignore each other. Make it a point today to smile at 3 people, just 'cause it feel good for you.
  14. Imagine yourself as an astronaut and looking down at the earth or as an underwater welder swimming through a cloud of clown fish. Why not spend a few hours researching a new career- choose something out of your ordinary; an animal trainer, a pageant organizer, an inventor, a candy-tester, a clown or a stock broker.
  15. Choose one thing in your home and try to imagine how it was invented and why. Explain how it has progressed and what will happen to it in the future and see if your speculations are right by looking it up on-line or at the library.
  16. Write down the Grand Master List of all Times. This is a list of all the things you want to do in your life. Go bananas with it. Imagine you are 6. What would you actually write down?
  17. Let’s face it, poetry is not popular, at least not in my circle of friends, but why not rediscover your poetic self and write a poem. Start small with roses are red....
  18. Walk down to your local community center.  You might find yourself learning how to make sushi, throw a wobbly bowl in pottery class or taking adult ballet classes. If you have an idea, why not suggest it to them? You never know who else in the area has the same passions as you. 
  19. Here’s a really scary idea, something most people would rather jump in a boiling vat of hot oil rather than do this, but I really want to suggest joining a Toastmasters club. Imagine how proud of yourself you would be if you could talk in front of people without having a panic attack or a neck full of hives?
  20. Wake up your taste buds. There are millions of free recipes online, or borrow one from a friend. Try something new with a new ingredient. Something like….kasha or quinoa, or maybe seaweed or kale. Invite a neighbor to eat your experiment.
  21. Some of us, and I won’t name names are still typing with only 2 fingers. Why not put the other fingers to use with the help of an online typing test. 
  22. If you are like me, you learned in elementary school how to play the recorder. Now, the recorder has never been a very popular instrument and I rarely see it in rock videos, but it’s a great way to relearn the joy of making music for a measly $10. Another option could be the harmonica. When you find that you get better at a certain song, learn another. If you are already musical, run down to your local music store and buy a new book or trade with a friend.
  23. Take an atlas or a map and choose a country. Try a country you wouldn’t necessary think of.  For me, I don’t know much about Iceland, Hungary, the Ivory Coast or Panama and many others. Once you’ve picked one, research all about it’s history, people, food, traditions, religions, and attractions. You’d surprised where you might end up going on your next vacation.
  24. Look at the list below and do one of the things on the list that you haven’t done in the last 2 months. You’ll feel better, trust me. A) Get a haircut. B) Change your bed sheets C) Wash and vacuum your car  D) Throw out any lonely socks. E) Wash you pet   F) Write or call your relatives that live far away  G) Clean out the “Junk Drawer”  H) Have your bike and or piano tuned. I) Gather up paints cans, car batteries and other chemicals and return them to your local recycling depot. 
  25. Replace all your environmentally-unfriendly cleaning products with the magic of vinegar! Get a spray bottle and fill it with water and vinegar, this works for everything from windows to counter tops. For crustier jobs, use warm water, soda and elbow grease.
  26. Call around and find out if the local museums have a ‘cheaper” day or night and if not, ask if you can volunteer in return for free or reduced admission. The Vancouver Art Gallery is by donation on Tuesday nights.
  27. Find out which local beach or park needs a spring cleaning and suit up for the great outdoors. Keep Vancouver Spectacular is great way to help clean the city and meet your neighbors.
  28. If you’re an adult, go to the children’s section of the library. Look for books you used to read as a child. I promise you’ll have a smile on your face when you leave. The “Humor/Cartoon” section is always good for a laugh too!  

1 comment:

  1. Wow!
    Lots of options I never thought about it.

    ReplyDelete