OT Thread: How do you spend your off-time?

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psych844

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So I've posted here awhile and feel i know the regulars, almost like a small family here, so hopefully people don't mind an off-topic thread. I was curious, when you guys are off and not utilizing Freud's principles, what do you do in your spare time?

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Guitar in a few bands, movie junkie, read non psych stuff, good bourbon.
Good stuff.

I enjoy travel, going to nice restos/eating good food, walking around my city/spending time outside, last few years using good binos for general use/birding (going to buy some really good binos soon).
 
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I dance and teach dance professionally. Mostly ballet and that sort of stuff. I also hate the fact that whenever I say, "I dance professionally" people automatically assume I moonlight as a stripper :(

When not rehearsing / teaching class, I'm brushing up on my photography and playing video games =P

Video games are also an interest of mine, mostly strategy..and also watching marathons of 48 hours mystery/dateline nbc lol
 
Singing, theatre, opera, reading, watching TV and movies, playing with my pets, swimming and boating when I have the opportunity, shopping, playing video games
 
Video games are also an interest of mine, mostly strategy..and also watching marathons of 48 hours mystery/dateline nbc lol
Same, I primarily play RTS (Starcraft) or empire-building (Civ) type games. Not so much for FPS games. Platformers are also an old passion of mine but no good ones have come out recently :(

I'm also a HUGE documentary junkie xD have watched most of the ones on Netflix... even the 1-star ones about sex workers.
 
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Same, I primarily play RTS (Starcraft) or empire-building (Civ) type games. Not so much for FPS games. Platformers are also an old passion of mine but no good ones have come out recently :(

I'm also a HUGE documentary junkie xD have watched most of the ones on Netflix... even the 1-star ones about sex workers.

Pssh, all of the cool kids are playing LoL these days. ;)
 
Spending time with my wife and kids. I teach mindfulness and meditation as a side gig. I like reading fiction and binge watching my favorite series after they show up on netflix. Street photography and taking pics of my kids.
 
I've stopped myself from getting into it solely because I'm afraid it would destroy any semblance of a social life I actually have.

Just need to limit yourself to x number of games a day. I've fallen way behind though. I pretty much only play ARAM these days. Don't play enough to maintain a good enough skillset for ranked play for some time now.
 
Just need to limit yourself to x number of games a day. I've fallen way behind though. I pretty much only play ARAM these days. Don't play enough to maintain a good enough skillset for ranked play for some time now.

Yeah, I make myself stick to one game at a time. I've been an MMO person now and in the past, but have also been giving "Don't Starve" a belated try, and just finished Dragon Age: Inquisition (again, belatedly), which puts me about at critical mass game-wise.

I also enjoy reading classic fiction (think: all the stuff from those swell high school reading lists), but have been trying to get myself more into personal finance books as well, given how ignorant I am on the subject.

Outside of that, I try to spend time with friends and family, swing by a new restaurant or a favorite happy hour, get by the gym a few times per week, and sit by the pool on weekends.
 
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Advanced amateur photographer and hardcore foodist (I hate the word "foodie") in NYC.

I am as well, and had a chance to visit Manhattan in 2010 but didn't get a chance to try as many places as I wanted. Spent some time in chinatown and had some Popeyes on upper east side. :) lol
 
I am as well, and had a chance to visit Manhattan in 2010 but didn't get a chance to try as many places as I wanted. Spent some time in chinatown and had some Popeyes on upper east side. :) lol
Which Chinatown - Queens, Brooklyn, or Manhattan? (Best answer: Queens). No comment re: Popeye's... but the best fried chicken in NYC is a tie (IMHO) between Sylvia's and River East.
 
Which Chinatown - Queens, Brooklyn, or Manhattan? (Best answer: Queens). No comment re: Popeye's... but the best fried chicken in NYC is a tie (IMHO) between Sylvia's and River East.
Manhattan.
And yeah, I know Popeyes is not the best chicken but just ended up going there..was sort of a joke as I said I was a foodie too.
 
Manhattan.
And yeah, I know Popeyes is not the best chicken but just ended up going there..was sort of a joke as I said I was a foodie too.
Haha, I figured... but couldn't resist the comment! Get back to NYC soon. It is the greatest city on the planet, and I have been to almost all of the biggies (and mediums, and so many smallies). And, no, I am not even remotely a "Native New Yorker" (more accurately known as a "New Yorker by Occurrence of Birth"). I hail from elsewhere, but have chosen this great city as my town.
 
Haha, I figured... but couldn't resist the comment! Get back to NYC soon. It is the greatest city on the planet, and I have been to almost all of the biggies (and mediums, and so many smallies). And, no, I am not even remotely a "Native New Yorker" (more accurately known as a "New Yorker by Occurrence of Birth"). I hail from elsewhere, but have chosen this great city as my town.

Was just a funny experience for me because I took the subway somewhere from chinatown or might have been penn station and just randomly came out the subway station somewhere on the upper east side..had no idea where i was exactly..and as i came out the exit i saw a popeyes across the street lol. (pretty sure it was Harlem 125th street subway stop) Was sort of funny because im not sure if I saw one white person anywhere in the area and def not inside the popeyes..so was just funny to be the only white person there..i was eating alone as well..so its an experience that sticks out in my head.

I found the chicken quite nice though, because comparatively where I live I've never tried many chicken places aside from KFC...was way better than KFC here..but I of course know that most people experienced with good chicken would not think popeyes was good lol
 
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Golf, squash, travel, foodie/food tours, photography, and attend various sporting events. I dabble w. vintage gaming (NES, N64, Genesis, etc) and also Destiny on PS4. It's maybe once a wk, but a fun way to wind down. Traveling is by far what I enjoy most, so I take a lot of long wkends and a few wk long trips a yr. Flexible scheduling and time off are big QOL factors for me.
 
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Dad, Golf....I'm out.
 
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Was just a funny experience for me because I took the subway somewhere from chinatown or might have been penn station and just randomly came out the subway station somewhere on the upper east side..had no idea where i was exactly..and as i came out the exit i saw a popeyes across the street lol. (pretty sure it was Harlem 125th street subway stop) Was sort of funny because im not sure if I saw one white person anywhere in the area and def not inside the popeyes..so was just funny to be the only white person there..i was eating alone as well..so its an experience that sticks out in my head.

I found the chicken quite nice though, because comparatively where I live I've never tried many chicken places aside from KFC...was way better than KFC here..but I of course know that most people experienced with good chicken would not think popeyes was good lol
As far as fast-food chains go, Popeye's is definitely superior to KFC, so I "forgive" you LOL! However... if you ever find yourself at the Harlem 125th St station again, you would only need to walk another block-and-a-half north to get to Sylvia's, which is a true sit-down (cloth napkin) restaurant and has outstanding fried chicken and other options.
 
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Exercising, playing with pets, spending time with significant other, watching TV and movies....looking forward to having time to read for leisure and perhaps get into cooking :)
 
Surprised how many gamers we have here, given I haven't met a lot in the field (or at least not who talk about it publicly?). Once upon a time was big on MMOs, but haven't had time to be seriously involved in them for many years now (not to mention the genre has moved far afield from my preferred style). Actually intending to integrate it into my research program now that I'm forging out more independently, so may get to build a bridge between my work and fun;) Do still enjoy any and all forms of gaming from time to time and my wife recently played Mario Kart on Wii for the first time and is now obsessed so I may be able to make a case for getting a console again. I did set up my PC to run all my old NES favorites though.

Absolutely love traveling - 2 international trips this past year, with hopefully many more in the future. Love food and beer (toying with the idea of home brewing once I have the space for it), but oddly enough I don't partake too much when I'm traveling. Think its because I'm generally more partial to countryside than cities. Dublin was "meh", but I'll move to rural Ireland in a heartbeat if ever given the opportunity.

Running faded out this past due to internship/dissertation, but I was an avid runner much of my life and hope to get that going again shortly. Used to teach tennis (pre-grad-school) and am hoping to find some regular games upon moving. Also used to play hockey but am approaching an age where I may be better off watching (....maybe a minimal contact league...). That's about it for the interesting stuff. I read excessively - always have and always will. Doubt that is particularly unusual for this crowd though.
 
I believe in taking care of myself, and a balanced diet and a rigorous exercise routine. In the morning, if my face is a little puffy, I'll put on an ice pack while doing my stomach crunches. I can do a thousand now. After I remove the ice pack, I use a deep pore cleanser lotion. In the shower, I use a water activated gel cleanser. Then a honey almond body scrub. And on the face, an exfoliating gel scrub. Then apply an herb mint facial mask, which I leave on for 10 minutes while I prepare the rest of my routine. I always use an aftershave lotion with little or no alcohol, because alcohol dries your face out and makes you look older. Then moisturizer, then an anti-aging eye balm followed by a final moisturizing protective lotion.

or, you know.

Regular: Gym between 2-7 times/week, cardio intensive. New restaurants. Approximately 30 minutes/day of home remodeling. Investing. Reading.

Periodic: Opera/symphony, cooking classes, classes in other interests, cycling, traveling, etc.
 
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I believe in taking care of myself, and a balanced diet and a rigorous exercise routine. In the morning, if my face is a little puffy, I'll put on an ice pack while doing my stomach crunches. I can do a thousand now. After I remove the ice pack, I use a deep pore cleanser lotion. In the shower, I use a water activated gel cleanser. Then a honey almond body scrub. And on the face, an exfoliating gel scrub. Then apply an herb mint facial mask, which I leave on for 10 minutes while I prepare the rest of my routine. I always use an aftershave lotion with little or no alcohol, because alcohol dries your face out and makes you look older. Then moisturizer, then an anti-aging eye balm followed by a final moisturizing protective lotion.

or, you know.

Regular: Gym between 2-7 times/week, cardio intensive. New restaurants. Approximately 30 minutes/day of home remodeling. Investing. Reading.

Periodic: Opera/symphony, cooking classes, classes in other interests, cycling, traveling, etc.

I generally assume people who assert that they "go to the opera" are lying.
 
I think there are a lot of misconceptions about the opera. I started going because a) I wanted to learn more about it and b) because I needed a really nice date to appease the GF. My mom still talks about my dad taking her to see Aida like 500 years ago, so.... fun date that the GF could brag about to her coworkers. Generally not more expensive than a really nice dinner (I think it is around $200 for two tickets). In my city, it is 4 shows a year. Not a huge time sink. Season tickets allow you to donate missed performances to charity, so even if you can't go you can write it off on taxes, making it something different to look forward to.
 
I think there are a lot of misconceptions about the opera. I started going because a) I wanted to learn more about it and b) because I needed a really nice date to appease the GF. My mom still talks about my dad taking her to see Aida like 500 years ago, so.... fun date that the GF could brag about to her coworkers. Generally not more expensive than a really nice dinner (I think it is around $200 for two tickets). In my city, it is 4 shows a year. Not a huge time sink. Season tickets allow you to donate missed performances to charity, so even if you can't go you can write it off on taxes, making it something different to look forward to.

I love the opera, too. I wish people would realize that the stories are super dramatic and often ridiculous/hilarious. They can actually be pretty low brow once you get past the gorgeous music and foreign language.
 
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I believe in taking care of myself, and a balanced diet and a rigorous exercise routine. In the morning, if my face is a little puffy, I'll put on an ice pack while doing my stomach crunches. I can do a thousand now. After I remove the ice pack, I use a deep pore cleanser lotion. In the shower, I use a water activated gel cleanser. Then a honey almond body scrub. And on the face, an exfoliating gel scrub. Then apply an herb mint facial mask, which I leave on for 10 minutes while I prepare the rest of my routine. I always use an aftershave lotion with little or no alcohol, because alcohol dries your face out and makes you look older. Then moisturizer, then an anti-aging eye balm followed by a final moisturizing protective lotion.

or, you know.

Regular: Gym between 2-7 times/week, cardio intensive. New restaurants. Approximately 30 minutes/day of home remodeling. Investing. Reading.

Periodic: Opera/symphony, cooking classes, classes in other interests, cycling, traveling, etc.
the night before, hop in the shower, really cold water from shower head on eye area/face and you won't wake up with puffy eyes/face.
 
the night before, hop in the shower, really cold water from shower head on eye area/face and you won't wake up with puffy eyes/face.
Haha. He's being facetious. It's a quote from American Psycho ;)
 
lmao..that is great..I never watched that movie.
 
my leisure time seems to fall into 2 categories -- physically active, non butt-sitting stuff. exercise, hiking/camping, playing w pets
and mentally disengaging, not-listening-to-others stuff -- video games (love civ and am currently mildly obsessed with clash o clans), watching sports, going to movies, binge watching comedy (stand up, late night, etc)

thankfully my SO gives me space for both categories, and my favorite way to exercise, swimming, meets both needs. Hard to listen when my head is underwater!
 
Hiking/backpacking and anything outdoors. I actively do/have done pretty much all outdoor adventure sport though.
Until last year, it was this. Then EPPP. Now I have a child. My hobbies now include changing diapers, burping, etc. Oh and making bottles. Man do I love doing that.

Occasionally I get to play vidjagames. Ps3. NCAA football / Skyrim stuff. I still get to read for fun, but that's kinda a must for me to stay sane.
 
Walking, reading the Kindle when I remember to borrow something from the library, random craft projects, looking around my house at the need to clean it but not actually doing it, playing board games (trivial pursuit), lots of TV and movies (streaming, DVD....the days of going to the theatre are over for now) with the husband. All that said, most of my free time these days involves trying to occupy my almost 1-year-old who has an insatiable desire to grab at anything he's not supposed to touch (cords especially).

I have a fairly long list of things I'd like to do with my time post-tenure (and post toddler-dom). Here's hoping I get to do them!
 
Spending time with spouse, hiking, Kayaking, skiing and more skiing (I can't wait for winter!). Travelling, video games, gardening. Reading sci-fi and fantasy novels. A little mindless TV at times.
 
Another video gamer here :) we own one of each of the next gen consoles and there are more computers than people in my house. I love many of those mentioned, and we also kept all of our original consoles and will sometimes bring them out to play the classics. The next game on my list is Witcher III. I did get to finish DA: inquisition during a lull last fall semester ha.

My kiddo keeps me busy, but he's getting to the autopilot age where I don't have to run around constantly after him in my free time, and I can now answer the "what do you do in your free time" questions with non-kid related answers.

I also love hard core science fiction novels --Peter F. Hamilton, Robert L. forward, David Brin, Greg Bear, as well as fantasy. I honestly haven't read much for fun lately. Oh oh, except for the Iron Druid series by Kevin Hearne. It's urban fantasy in the vein of the Dresden files, but imho better.
 
I think I would enjoy hanging out with many of you! Def surprising how many people are into gaming. I love games like Civ, Europa Universalis, GTA (when the police mod gets done, fun to work as a team and catch the bad guys lol), and also love management type games..soccer, or restaurant, hotel, etc. I just love playing games that are mostly text but tons of data.
 
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