Page 1 of 2

Favorite activity to avoid writing

Posted: September 14th, 2010, 1:58 pm
by Mira
Robin's video made me wonder, what's your favorite thing to do instead of writing?

I think this topic has been done before (?) but I never mind a repeat. :)

My favorite: video games. Love them. They give me this totally false sense of accomplishment that I can ride on for days. I love when I get little rewards for easy puzzles, and they tell me I'm wonderful for simply logging in. I don't get that kind of feedback when I write. The computer screen just sort of stares at me.

Anyone else have a fun distraction?

Re: Favorite activity to avoid writing

Posted: September 14th, 2010, 4:54 pm
by Quill
Reading.

Re: Favorite activity to avoid writing

Posted: September 15th, 2010, 9:37 am
by Jaime
Sleeping. And I'll get neither done in a couple of months when I have my baby, so I'm enjoying both while I can!

Re: Favorite activity to avoid writing

Posted: September 15th, 2010, 11:54 am
by Mira
Jaime - congratulations!! :)

Re: Favorite activity to avoid writing

Posted: September 15th, 2010, 11:59 am
by Jaime
Mira wrote:Jaime - congratulations!! :)
Thanks, Mira! Although, I'm so uncomfortable that even sleeping is difficult right now! I think I need to make a trip to NASA to float around in a zero gravity chamber :P

Re: Favorite activity to avoid writing

Posted: September 15th, 2010, 7:06 pm
by Sommer Leigh
Mira wrote:
My favorite: video games. Love them. They give me this totally false sense of accomplishment that I can ride on for days. I love when I get little rewards for easy puzzles, and they tell me I'm wonderful for simply logging in. I don't get that kind of feedback when I write. The computer screen just sort of stares at me.

Anyone else have a fun distraction?

What video games do you play? This is also one of my distractions.


I would say my go-to distraction though is reading. I convince myself that it is almost as good as writing because it is an activity that makes me a better writer. And then I can go about my merry way blissfully guiltless in my procrastination.

Re: Favorite activity to avoid writing

Posted: September 15th, 2010, 8:09 pm
by Mira
Jaime - I haven't done this myself, but my friend who recently had a kid wished someone had told her how much it makes your arms ache to carry a kid around the first couple of weeks, until they get stronger. She would have carried around potato sacks or something to strengthen them.

There, I've passed on her words of wisdom to you. :)

Sommer - I like your strategy! Good thinking. ;)

You play games, too? Cool. What do you like?

And I'm immersed right now in the Sims, but I love any good strategy game - Civilization is a favorite - or role-playing game. While I'm in school, I only allow myself to play casual games - otherwise I'd never get ANYTHING done.

Re: Favorite activity to avoid writing

Posted: September 15th, 2010, 9:42 pm
by Jaime
Mira - Haha! I've already got a 2-y-o. I have biceps of STEEL!!! :P

Re: Favorite activity to avoid writing

Posted: September 16th, 2010, 1:27 am
by cheekychook
I don't generally avoid writing...but I have been known to mindlessly watch youtube videos as a little mini-break. Like this one...

Re: Favorite activity to avoid writing

Posted: September 16th, 2010, 6:15 am
by Heather B
Shopping, going out for coffee. More shopping.
Occasionally I'll clean my room to make it look pretty again but that's only if I'm really desperate.

Re: Favorite activity to avoid writing

Posted: September 16th, 2010, 9:03 am
by Sommer Leigh
Mira wrote:Sommer - I like your strategy! Good thinking. ;)

You play games, too? Cool. What do you like?

And I'm immersed right now in the Sims, but I love any good strategy game - Civilization is a favorite - or role-playing game. While I'm in school, I only allow myself to play casual games - otherwise I'd never get ANYTHING done.
I do! I have to be careful when I start playing something since I will probably play non-stop for a week or two until I finish and I get nothing else done. So I'm there with you, casual games only if I want to get writing done. Or chores. Or dinner.

I play mostly on my Xbox 360, and I like Left4Dead and Left4Dead 2. I just finished LIMBO, possibly the creepiest, most awesome game I've every played. I like roleplaying games as long as they aren't big sandbox games like Oblivion. Too many choices! I also like: Fable, any Zelda or Metroid game, Mass Effect, Portal, almost any Star Wars game, etc. On the computer: The Sims for me too! My husband is actually playing through a Civilization game now and when he's done hogging it I'll play it. Arcanum and Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines are also great go-to roleplaying games I like on the computer.

Re: Favorite activity to avoid writing

Posted: September 16th, 2010, 11:17 am
by Margo
Mira wrote:And I'm immersed right now in the Sims...
OMG, deadly deadly deadly distracting. I have a little over 20,000 Sims2 downloads. That's not a typo. 20k custom user files.

Re: Favorite activity to avoid writing

Posted: September 16th, 2010, 11:39 am
by Mira
Margo wrote:
Mira wrote:And I'm immersed right now in the Sims...
OMG, deadly deadly deadly distracting. I have a little over 20,000 Sims2 downloads. That's not a typo. 20k custom user files.
Margo - tell me about it!!!! I strongly recommend that you do NOT get Sims 3. It will swallow your life.

Sommer - me, too. I have very strict rules about what and when I can play. I've been known to seriously consider calling in sick to work just to play video games. I love console games - especially the role plays, because I like them close-ended as well. But I'm not allowed to buy a console until I finish grad school, or I'd........never finish grad school. :)

Too bad we don't all live closer. We could have a gaming bash.

Re: Favorite activity to avoid writing

Posted: September 16th, 2010, 11:40 am
by Jaime
Sommer Leigh wrote:
Mira wrote:Sommer - I like your strategy! Good thinking. ;)

You play games, too? Cool. What do you like?

And I'm immersed right now in the Sims, but I love any good strategy game - Civilization is a favorite - or role-playing game. While I'm in school, I only allow myself to play casual games - otherwise I'd never get ANYTHING done.
I do! I have to be careful when I start playing something since I will probably play non-stop for a week or two until I finish and I get nothing else done. So I'm there with you, casual games only if I want to get writing done. Or chores. Or dinner.

I play mostly on my Xbox 360, and I like Left4Dead and Left4Dead 2. I just finished LIMBO, possibly the creepiest, most awesome game I've every played. I like roleplaying games as long as they aren't big sandbox games like Oblivion. Too many choices! I also like: Fable, any Zelda or Metroid game, Mass Effect, Portal, almost any Star Wars game, etc. On the computer: The Sims for me too! My husband is actually playing through a Civilization game now and when he's done hogging it I'll play it. Arcanum and Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines are also great go-to roleplaying games I like on the computer.

SIMS!!! Is it bad that I've created my characters and am playing out their relationships from my novel? No? Good :)

And I'm totally an XBox360 gal too, Sommer. More of a Halo3 gamer, and as of this week, HALO REACH!!!!!! Of course there'll always be a special spot in my heart for Zelda, Banjo Kazooie (my gamer tag is Jinjo!), Hitman, Perfect Dark, Smash Bros., etc. I would love for them to bring out a 360 Buffy game. The other XBox Buffy's were pretty good.
As for PC, no game has stolen more hours from me than The Sims. Maybe Age of Empires? . . . No. Definitely The Sims. This weekend my Sim is heading back to China to complete his adventure and earn more visa points! *ahem* I mean . . . writing. That's what I'll be doing. Writing. :)

Re: Favorite activity to avoid writing

Posted: September 16th, 2010, 11:55 am
by Margo
Jaime wrote:
Sommer Leigh wrote:SIMS!!! Is it bad that I've created my characters and am playing out their relationships from my novel? No? Good :)
ROTFLMFAO. Me too.

Want worse? Creating yourself and all your family and friends...and ten minutes into it, letting them do what they want, they're all doing exactly what the real people would be doing. And people used to think photographs stole their souls...

Now, the real question. If a Sims character is being uncooperative, is it wrong to lock all the bathroom doors?