I’m a highschool teacher and my boyfriend is a bartender, so often I’m home alone in the evenings. Since I don’t have a TV and like it that way, I tend to do other things.
Here is, in no particular order, a list of my ten favorite things to do when home alone:
1. Read a good book.Be it fiction or factual, there’s nothing like tapping a hot bath or crawling into bed with a good book. Right now I’m reading Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss and ‘Shakespeare’ by Another Name by Mark Anderson, both brilliant in their own way. If you feel uninspired I suggest starting here. GoodReads is a community where you can track books you’ve read, want to read or might want to learn more about later. You can browse other users’ lists, browse categories, learn about new releases or simply browse books at random.
2. Write blog posts.This is the perfect time for me to write on my blog. I spend my day at work running between classes, talking to students and planning my courses. There simply isn’t time to sit down and really write. At the most I’ll jot down an idea I have for a blog post. Then when I’m alone at home I can work on my posts undisturbed for as long as I like.
3. Watch a lecture on TED and learn something new.TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design and is a small nonprofit enterprise devoted to “Ideas worth sharing”. If you ever wanted to find inspiration, get new perspective or just learn something from smart people this is the place to go. If you think educated people aren’t funny, I warmly recomend watching Ze Frank’s nerdcore comedy presentation. He’s young, passionate and brilliant. Just be warned: TED is addictive.
4. Browse youtube.Have you seen Improve Everywhere’s “Subway Ride With No Pants“? How about the Dramatic Prairie Dog? Youtube is a fascinating social phenomenon that can keep you busy for hours on end. Plus you never know where you’ll end up.
5. Catch up on social networking.Being home alone is the perfect time to respond to e-mails from friends, browse Facebook to get updated on the whodunnits and chat on skype with friends who are too far away to have coffee with.
6. Take macro photographs of things at home.I have to be pretty bored or in an artistic mood to do this one, but it can be a lot of fun none the less. You’d be surprised how many things can look really cool when photographed up close or in a particular lighting. You don’t even need a digital SLR camera, most compact cameras have very decent macro functions. After uploading them into my computer and playing around with them in Photoshop, I usually post the ones I liked best on Flickr.
7. Play with iPhone.Yes I bought an iPhone. I’ve had it for about five months now and it is my number one favorite toy ever. Reading books, playing games, checking e-mail and Facebook, composing shopping lists and browsing recipes – all from the comfort of my bed or sofa, without the loud fan of a laptop. Not to mention the integrated iPod. iPhone App Reviews.net has up to date reviews on all kinds of applications and is my personal pick from among the application review sites.
8. Play computer games.Yes I’m a nerd. I used to spend most of my time playing this online roleplaying game and blogging about it. I don’t have the time needed for that kind of game anymore, but I still play games. Right now I’m slowly working my way through Bioware’s Dragon Age: Origins and loving every single line of dialogue in it. If you don’t know what games to play, I suggest starting over at GameTrailer. You can find both trailers and fantastic reviews there, even if you’re not a hardcore gamer.
9. Play loud corny music and lip sync in front of the mirror.Admittedly, I don’t do this all that often, but it sure is fun. Being home alone means you can play whatever music you want, without bothering anyone or being judged. I usually log on to Spotify or youtube if I’m in the mood for a particular song. If I’m just out for a general genre, I usually go with Last.fm which is brilliant for discovering new music similar to what you already listen to.
10. Have a cup of tea by the window and muse about life.I work with people all day and spend a lot of time socializing with friends, so from time to time I like to just turn off all electronic devices – the computer, my phone, even the radio – and just spend some time alone. Tea helps me unwind and I can think about whatever might cross my mind without worrying about having to be anywhere or having to get anything done. Just be.
I didn’t put “grade student papers”, “clean up” or “do the dishes” on that list even though I do that a lot too. But let’s be honest: who likes doing those things, anyway?
What’s your favorite way of spending your alone-time?
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