# Unusual ways to relax. Mine is Lube Smithying. What's yours? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 19, 2014, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-ways-to-relax-mine-is-lube-smithying-whats-yours/698943 "2014-09-19T16:49:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-ways-to-relax-mine-is-lube-smithying-whats-yours/698943/21 "2014-09-19T21:24:27Z")
**Qadgop** - I’m sure you’re a real hit at cocktail parties. 😉 StG ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-ways-to-relax-mine-is-lube-smithying-whats-yours/698943/22 "2014-09-19T21:42:23Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > I cut pieces of paper in half with a paper cutter. > > I go through a lot of scratch paper at work, and while we are well-supplied with notepads and things, I prefer to be frugal and also be green and reduce-reuse-recycle. Better to find a second use for those those nearly empty sheets that come out of the printer with that one last line of somebody’s email sig or whatever before throwing them in the bin. Or maybe I have a bunch of things that I can get rid of that are printed on the top-half only, making the bottom halves perfectly suitable for a re-use as scratch paper. It’s really a very sensible thing to do. > > But the REAL reason I cut pieces of paper in half to use as scratch paper is that I genuinely enjoy using a paper cutter. Thwunk-thwunk-thwunk. Relaxing AND useful! As least you’re cutting off the portions that aren’t used. I have clients who like to save paper by printing bank statements, W-2s, etc. on the back of pages they’ve already printed on. I can’t tell you how many times I’m left scratching my head about how some random back-of-the-page is relevant to their tax or bookkeeping documents. ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-ways-to-relax-mine-is-lube-smithying-whats-yours/698943/23 "2014-09-19T22:05:49Z")
**Shodan** —seriously awesome. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-ways-to-relax-mine-is-lube-smithying-whats-yours/698943/24 "2014-09-19T22:10:23Z")
I like to save up the shredding for times like that. I get a lot of proprietary information from my subcontractors, and after proposal ends the information provided by the losers is just a liability. We save one electronic copy in case of protest and everythings else gets the chop. Buzzzzzzzzzzzz, Shoop! Buzzzzzzzzzzzz, Shoop! Buzzzzzzzzzzzz, Shoop! Buzzzzzzzzzzzz, Shoop! Buzzzzzzzzzzzz, Shoop! Buzzzzzzzzzzzz, Shoop! Ahhhhhhhh! That’s better. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-ways-to-relax-mine-is-lube-smithying-whats-yours/698943/25 "2014-09-19T22:25:18Z")
I just gotta go bubble wrap myself. Think of all the wars and violence it has averted and lessened. ---
**Author:** ![Grestarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grestarian/32/3227_2.png) [@Grestarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grestarian)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-ways-to-relax-mine-is-lube-smithying-whats-yours/698943/26 "2014-09-19T22:30:39Z")
Y’know, [these devices](https://www.google.com/search?q=toothpaste+squeezer&biw=1280&bih=835&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=oa0cVNnaJ9DkoATOxIDAAg&sqi=2&ved=0CE0QsAQ) have been around for a while and can probably save you a lot of time. Then again, you’d still have that frustrated energy to get rid of. And, Crotalus, I hate you\*. Think of me and grin from ear-to-ear when you’re taking a break at home. [\*Only because envy is not a strong enough word.] –G! My boss: Breaks!?!? Slaves don’t get Breaks except in bones! ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-ways-to-relax-mine-is-lube-smithying-whats-yours/698943/27 "2014-09-19T22:37:28Z")
That chestnut tree isn’t the only thing that’s spreading at **Qadgop’s** office. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![LouLou7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@LouLou7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouLou7)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-ways-to-relax-mine-is-lube-smithying-whats-yours/698943/28 "2014-09-19T22:53:15Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > \*Under a spreading chestnut-tree > Doc **Qadcop** ’s office stands; > The Doc, a mighty man is he, > With large and sinewy hands; > And the muscles of his brawny arms > Are strong as iron bands. > > His fingers long, and sure and strong > His face is like the tan; > His wrist is lubed, shot from a tube, > He probes whate’er he can, > And looks the whole world in the face, > When he’s not looking up their can. > > Toiling,–rejoicing,–sorrowing, > Up their butts he goes; > Each morning sees some rectum delved, > Each evening sees it close > Medically sanctioned sodomy, > Has earned a night’s repose. > > Thanks, thanks to thee, my worthy friend, > For the wisdom thou dost dump! > Thus on that paper-covered table > My chest and back you thump > And latex-covered well-greased hand > Goes probing up my rump.\* > > [Cite.](http://www.hwlongfellow.org/poems_poem.php?pid=38) > > Regards, > Shodan _wiping away tears_ That was a thing of beauty. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-ways-to-relax-mine-is-lube-smithying-whats-yours/698943/29 "2014-09-19T23:02:22Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Did I mention my [musical Anoscope](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMjI-cMn_ag)? > > Anoscopes get used more than fingers; and I only use one finger when digits are appropriate. Never two fingers. Fists are right out. Not even by special request? ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2014, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-ways-to-relax-mine-is-lube-smithying-whats-yours/698943/30 "2014-09-20T02:44:09Z")
> [@Grestarian](#): > > Y’know, [these devices](https://www.google.com/search?q=toothpaste+squeezer&biw=1280&bih=835&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=oa0cVNnaJ9DkoATOxIDAAg&sqi=2&ved=0CE0QsAQ) have been around for a while and can probably save you a lot of time. > > . . . OMF’ingG I laughed so hard at that link. [This one](http://image.dhgate.com/albu_341876551_00/1.0x0.jpg), Qadg, get you one of those!!! ---
**Author:** ![DingoelGringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@DingoelGringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DingoelGringo)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2014, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-ways-to-relax-mine-is-lube-smithying-whats-yours/698943/31 "2014-09-20T02:47:30Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > When things get hectic in the middle of the day, after dealing with my patients’ random shankings, seizures, acute desires for opioid drugs and other countless laments, sometimes I just need 2 or 3 minutes to myself, to relax and find my focus again. > > Fortunately, I’ve found a way to combine my need to relax with useful work! > > In my business, I go thru a lot of tubes of surgilube. Gotta check a lot of nether orifices due to complaints of prostate trouble, bleeding, etc. etc. This results in the production of a lot of 3/4-squeezed tubes of surgilube with useful lube still in them. But they’re so bent up and deformed that the remaining lube is not easily expressable. And the office budget being what it is, we need that remaining lube! > > Enter my new mini-hobby! Lube Smithying! > > I take my reflex hammer, and hammer away at the tube, working my way from the distal end towards the proximal tip, straightening out all the bends, moving the useful lube distally, and making it accessible again. So satisfying! Yet productive! And better than hitting my patients with a hammer (well I do that too, but just on their knees.) > > How do you take a mini mental health break at work or elsewhere? You mentioned lube, so it made me think of my relaxing method back before i retired. When I got over whelmed by paper work I’d go out in the shop and change the oil on one of the trucks or similar diversion. ---
**Author:** ![DingoelGringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@DingoelGringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DingoelGringo)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2014, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-ways-to-relax-mine-is-lube-smithying-whats-yours/698943/32 "2014-09-20T02:49:35Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > The tap artificially induces the muscles there to stretch and your body reacts by sending a message back telling the muscles to contract. They do, and since they’re on the front of your leg and they’re getting shorter, they pull the leg up with them, and that movement we’ve termed a kick. Why this particular reflex developed, I can’t say, although I imagine it has to do with balance and that it can be activated by striking the knee is a coincidence. I haven’t had a doctor do that to me for 25 years. I thunk it was all in the past tense. ---
**Author:** ![3trew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/13edae/32.png) [@3trew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3trew)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2014, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-ways-to-relax-mine-is-lube-smithying-whats-yours/698943/33 "2014-09-21T04:47:58Z")
> [@](#): > > When things get hectic in the middle of the day, after dealing with my patients’ random shankings, seizures, acute desires for opioid drugs and other countless laments, sometimes I just need 2 or 3 minutes to myself, to relax and find my focus again. I was skimming along, moused over the OP, misread it as “parents’” instead of “patients’”, and just had to get some insight into that particular family dynamic. I have rarely been so thankful to have been wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2014, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-ways-to-relax-mine-is-lube-smithying-whats-yours/698943/34 "2014-09-21T14:33:33Z")
> [@DingoelGringo](#): > > I haven’t had a doctor do that to me for 25 years. I thunk it was all in the past tense. I had it done at my last physical, by the physician’s assistant. Took him a few hits to get the reflex action. At the office if I need to relax/calm down/etc, I typically get up and talk to the office manager. She usually has a good joke or story ready to get my mind off work for a minute. ---
**Author:** ![Fluffy\_PickleSniffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/77aa72/32.png) [@Fluffy\_PickleSniffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fluffy_PickleSniffer)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2014, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-ways-to-relax-mine-is-lube-smithying-whats-yours/698943/35 "2014-09-21T14:53:04Z")
When things get tense in my workplace, we saran-wrap random cars in the parking lot. Works off a lot of frustration and stress, and is soooo entertaining to watch people trying to get into their cars at day’s end. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2014, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-ways-to-relax-mine-is-lube-smithying-whats-yours/698943/36 "2014-09-21T15:21:57Z")
Q: Whats the difference between treatment with a reflex hammer and lube and treatment with a ballpeen hammer and lube? A: Ask your Doctor or Pharmacist! ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2014, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-ways-to-relax-mine-is-lube-smithying-whats-yours/698943/37 "2014-09-21T15:58:42Z")
When I have to throw away a 34"X44" map I just take it home and use it as a drop sheet for spray painting. I used to have a boss that tore through the plotter paper and it drove me mad. "Well, print out all 16 versions so that I can decide which one I like."Grr. It mitigated my hatred of the waste to get at least some use out of them. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-ways-to-relax-mine-is-lube-smithying-whats-yours/698943/38 "2014-09-22T00:57:47Z")
When I worked at the shitty job from hell, I used to knit when I was on the phone. It wasn’t like I could do anything else. I made three or four scarves. ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-ways-to-relax-mine-is-lube-smithying-whats-yours/698943/39 "2014-09-22T01:21:01Z")
Shodan that was seriously inspired. Well done. To the question, I generally sit back and stare into space but one thing I play with as a relaxation toy is my home made stressball yoyo. Basically, I got one of those small plastic retractable ID card [holders](http://www.google.com.au/search?q=retractable+id+badge+holder&safe=active&es_sm=122&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=-3gfVIKpLMfX8gWjyIDYCA&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1680&bih=927). Attach the clip to a stress ball with some elastic bands and you have a soft touch yo yo ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-ways-to-relax-mine-is-lube-smithying-whats-yours/698943/40 "2014-09-22T01:23:42Z")
Shodan that was seriously inspired. Well done. To the question, I generally sit back and stare into space but one thing I play with as a relaxation toy is my home made stressball yoyo. Basically, I got one of those small plastic retractable ID card [holders](http://www.google.com.au/search?q=retractable+id+badge+holder&safe=active&es_sm=122&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=-3gfVIKpLMfX8gWjyIDYCA&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1680&bih=927). Attach the clip to a stress ball with some elastic bands and you have a soft touch yo yo. One of my staff bought her kid in one time, I faked to throw the ball to him, while holding the string end. He shaped to catch it as it sailed toward him, then looked surprised and grinned as it flicked back to me. Just fiddling with stuff, gives the brain a break. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-ways-to-relax-mine-is-lube-smithying-whats-yours/698943.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-ways-to-relax-mine-is-lube-smithying-whats-yours/698943.md?page=3)