Pocket Guide to Pass the Time
Is it safe to say that time works a bit differently when you’re in a pandemic? And at certain moments, it’s nice to be able to exhale and take away all that stress that tends to build up as you take in those news headlines, chat doom and gloom with your friends, and continue to be plagued with additional uncertainty as the days, weeks, and months tick by.
Given all that is happening around us, I’d like to share some activities that you may find helpful when trying to achieve your own healthy balance in life — and most of these activities can be low cost, if not free!
eBooks!
Has it been awhile since you buried your nose in a book? I have good news for all you Pittsburgh residents. Forget those subscriptions, and sign up for a free library card to the Carnegie Library. By doing so, you can download their free app, Libby, which allows you borrow and read eBooks and audiobooks from your local public library for free! The user experience within the app is fantastic, and with only a few clicks you can borrow or put in a hold request for titles within no time!
Board Games!
Folks, we are many many years past the days of the traditional Monopoly and Clue board games. In fact, over the past 10 years or so, the board game industry has gotten a pretty extreme makeover. Looking for a family game night? Perhaps a cooperative strategy game? What about competitive deck building? There’s pretty much something for everyone out there, and the nice thing about board games is that you can build up your collection and borrow (or trade) with other gamers in your community. Game Nerdz has a pretty impressive online catalog of board games. And I like that they have a variety of offerings that can fit any budget and play style.
Yoga!
What a great way to stretch out the body and relieve some stress! I recently stumbled upon an app named Down Dog. This is a neat little platform that allows you to build a customized yoga lesson — there are over 60,000 configurations based on your inputs, so you never have to do the same lesson twice! Memberships are $7.99 per month and they are currently advertising promotional discounts for new members. Even better, Down Dog is offering free memberships to students and teachers!
Learn to Cook!
Cooking doesn’t have to feel like work. When your adventuring becomes somewhat limited, why not turn to the kitchen? Yes, this may sound intimidating for some of the newer cooks out there, but there’s all sorts of inspiration available. For instance, check out Pittsburgh’s own From Scratch Cooking Show. This YouTube channel is a quirky, flavorful twist on the traditional cooking show. The video quips make it laughable and entertaining, all while educating the audience in a short 15-20 minute cooking demonstration.
Let’s Talk About It
How do you pass the time?