Well, I had two days off in the middle of the week and took that time to move my GF, Honesty back to her grandmother’s house. This was not a break up, as much as it was getting some needed space from complications while I see a counselor for my depression and she gets the medical treatment she needs. This was a mutual decision, as two people with depression living together were just feeding off one another. So Honesty will be staying with her grandmother indefinitely while I go home to a cat that I didn’t really want in the first place. (The poor thing had been abused, I felt sorry for it and agreed to take it in.)
The problem is, I don’t sit around and watch TV all day, I let Honesty take the Playstation, so after work I come home and have nothing to do. I can only sit in one place and read for so long and don’t currently have the extra cash top go out with my friends. I also know that sitting around the house all day alone with a cat I don’t particularly like can’t be good for my depression. My sister is busy with the new baby all the time and doesn’t really have time to do things.
So does anyone else live alone and how do you cope with boredom?
Well,if the cat is used to abuse, you could always amuse yourself by torturing it. That’s what I do to psycat’s dog when she’s away. (Ooops, was that my out loud voice?)
I’ve thought about that, but I have a strange work shcedule, and usually I can’t get together with my friends more than once or twice a month. The rest of the time either I have to be at work or they do. I don’t like going to a club or something alone.
As for your cat suggestion, I guess I could buy an electric shaver . . .
Nope, not gonna shout at you for this one - I’ll elt someone else have the fun! (PCs are better these days anyway - in the old days it would have had better graphics et, but now? Yuck!
This I’m gonna shout at you for! Don’t you listen?! Brat said he was broke. If he’s in the least bit intelligent & responsible (which he sounds like from his posts) & he’s depressed already, going out to a club and spending money he doesn’t have & getting in trouble with the bank is the last thing he needs!
Brat - it’s not much consolation if you’re a confirmed computer freak (the worst bit of my RSI was being told not to touch a computer for a fortnight!), but have you tried reading? Putting the radio on or a tape for some background noise tend to make the place feel less empty too. Or get your friends to come over with a few beers & a video - a lot cheaper than a club & still company. Board games? RPG? All cheap, all involve company & the cat remains un-vivisected!
Sorry Squirrel, I guess I’m not very good at shouting at people! That was one of the quietest shouts I ever saw (well it can’t heard on here can it?)
The playstation isn’t the issue - a second hand one is really cheap because they’re old hat now, but all those expensive games is the problem - he’ll have let her take those, no point in him having them without a machine, is there.
Brat - we honour you for this sacrifice more than LouisB for the roses!
Really, it eases depression for many reasons.
It can be a release of emotions and it gives one a feeling of pride to say “I made this!”
If you put enough effort into it, it can keep you busy for a long time.
Even if you say you can’t draw or can’t do anything artsy, that’s not true.
Yes, some people have more inherent ability than others, but anyone who does it enough can learn to draw or write or paint or taixderm small mammals.
Maybe you could poison the cat. When it dies, skin it and got out and shoot a wee pigeon with a sligshot (nobody will mind).
Cut off the pigeon’s wings and sew them onto the cat. Then paint the cat green and put sneakers on it.
It should keep you occupied.
Nah, don’t kill the cat, but I do like the idea of grafting wings onto it. Just think of the commercial possibilities of feline aviation if you succeed…
Alternative number 2, dye the cat’s fur so it looks like a skunk. Hilarity will surely ensue.
Well, if said girl is anything like me, she lucks into what very well may have been the only used copy of Chrono Cross in all of Columbus, and spends about 10 hours a day playing it while on break from school.
Sorry to hear about your recent troubles. I hope you are able to get things back on track soon.
As for cheap stuff to do when you’re bored and don’t want t.v., computer, or sitting reading a book, here’s some things I do:
Write letters (people love to get real live letters. Do you have grandparents or other older people in your life that you would feel ok writing to? Or, write your congressman! Write big companies and complain and ask for free stuff–sometimes the results are funny!)
Play solitare or other solo card games (with a REAL deck of cards!)
Find a hobby (collect bugs or plant specimens or stamps…it may be nerdy but it’s something to do)
Go for walks (I like to drive to a ritzy neighborhood and just walk and look at the fabulous houses)
Go to a local park or someplace and people watch
Go to the library (you don’t actually have to read while you’re there but there’s lots of great stuff to browse thru)
Go to the museum (usually free or a small $ donation to get in)
Listen to books on tape (usually while walking)
Try new makeup and hairstyles (this one might not be for you )
Volunteer (my favorites–teach people to read, soup kitchen, old folk’s home. Volunteering is free and makes me feel very good.)
Anyway, when I first met Mr. Sunshine, neither of us had any money. A big date for us was sharing a Happy Meal and going to the dollar movies. We had to invent ways to entertain ourselves that didn’t involve s-e-x. I hope this comes in handy.
::: sending a patented Sunshine Smile your way :::
You know, the irony of it is, I’m quite good at artistic things. However, I also gave Honesty my art books and pencils and drawing paper cuz she needed a hobby (she’s quitting drinking, another reason she had to leave while we deal with our depression - at home she has her grandmother around to keep her company, at my place she’s alone all day) See, Honesty was hit by an 18 wheeler a few years back and can’t work. She just hangs around all day, so I let her have the Playstation, the art stuff, the games, etc so she’ll have something to do all day. At least I have work to keep me occupied for 8 hours of the day, she doesn’t even have that. I think I may still have some clay somewhere though.
My computer was damaged when I moved into my apartment, so I can only do computer stuff when at work.
I do read, and the first thing I did when Honesty moved out was borrow the Harry Potter books from my brother-in-law (I’d never read them and want to see what the big deal is), but I can only sit still and read for so long.
Honesty did let me keep the stereo though (a trade off for her taking the Playstation) so I will take up the suggestion of having some background noise. It’s been a while since I listened to the Instant Monty Python CD collection.
As for my friends coming by, as I said earlier, we all have different work schedules and it’s hard to get together. One works nights, one is a stand-up comic, one is a contractor, etc.
Thanks for the advice anyway, I’m sure I can at least sketch stuff on notebook paper with a regular #2 pencil. Maybe I’ll buy some coloring books and crayons.
You got Chrono Cross!?!? Can I borrow it?? PLEAAAAAAAASE?? I rented it but I had to bring it back
Have you ever figured out how to do dual techs? The game didnt come with instructions…stupid blockbuster…
I personally think that Brat has been through a lot and could use some help from the Teeming Millions. You can’t post your address on here, but if there is somewhere we could send you some stuff, would you accept it? Think of the possible stuff we could send to keep you busy. We all have stuff laying around we don’t use, or could spring a few bucks for a sketch pad. It only costs a few bucks to mail something, so why not. I say we show Brat that we really care and send him some fun stuff. I can think of a few things right now that I would be willing to part with.
Thanks, Zette, that’s sweet, but I wouldn’t accept it and after some of the suggestions for what I could do with the cat, I’m kinda scared what I may find in my mailbox. I’m a little strapped for cash, but I don’t think it’s going to be a long term problem. I’m just looking for some way to keep from getting bored while living alone. I don’t have a problem doing some sketching with a regular pencil on notebook paper until I can replace my art pencils and get some real paper. I also have some clay around that I can sculpt with, I just need to dig it out of one of the boxes in the extra bedroom.
I would also go outside and play a little racquetball against myself at the high school across from me, but it’s so damn hot in St Louis right now that schools are being closed. No way in hell am I going out in this this heat if I can avoid it.
I live alone and go through depressive episodes every now and then. Here’s some stuff I’ve managed to do to keep busy (and stay alive, for the worst of those episodes!):
Start a garden. If you live up north somewhere, you can keep potted plants indoors during the winter – take 'em outside in sprint and presto! You have a “container garden.” Grow gourds and make birdhouses and give 'em to your friends… or neighbors.
Call people. Talk to old friends, relatives. Call your mother just to say hi.
Train the cat to use the toilet instead of a litter box. Not that this is really necessary, but training cats can be very time consuming.
If you can (you own or your landlord will let you), repaint your house. Inside and/or out.
Re-arrange the furniture, clean out closets, re-organize your life. Catch up on filing. Give your old clothes to Goodwill.
Volunteer somewhere. Like reading for little kids at a library or taking the cat to nursing homes, or helping build a house with Habitat for Humanity. Do something selfless for someone else can often help raise your own spirits considerably.
Help the old lady next door mow her lawn, trim her hedges, shovel her sidewalk (assuming you live somewhere where it snows.)
Pick up a new art/craft. I refinish furniture in the winter when I can’t be at the beach. Learn to cook, and make something different. Or, learn to make a new dish.
Go window shopping or “thrifting”. Hit the flea market or local farmer’s market. Buy some berries or peanut brittle…
I think the most important way to get yourself over the I’ve-got-the-lonelies hump is to engage yourself with other humans. It should not cost you much – if any – money to interact with others. Go feed the ducks at the park with some stale bread crumbs…
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