What's Fun? (1 Viewer)

Reading these threads and fending off accusations of being square, I've realized there's a big spectrum of what one considers fun. 

My fondest fun memories involved summers as a kid, with no plan or obligations, typically riding bikes or exploring the woods nearby with friends. All that changed as a teenager, as priorities shifted to pursuing the opposite sex and experimenting with mind-altering substances. While the spoils of dating are nice, I never really enjoyed any of that.

As an adult, I've returned to the outdoors, but much more purposefully. The most fun days are usually a little scary, pushing my comfort zone and experiencing something/somewhere new. I'm typically exhausted at the end of the day. Powder skiing, mountain biking, climbing or hiking/backpacking followed by a shared hot tub or campfire with my wife and friends fits the bill. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy dinner at a nice restaurant and a Broadway show, too, but if given a choice, outdoor physical activity wins every time.

What I don't find fun is anything crowded - parties, bars, sporting events (watching on TV is fine), concerts, etc. Can't stand small talk. Even hanging out with friends for more than a couple hours in the absence of some kind of activity quickly becomes boring. 

Clearly there is no right answer, but I'm curious what you guys have to say. What do you do for fun?

Terminalxylem said:

What do you do for fun?

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That's just a great question whereupon one can learn a lot about the people that he or she is hanging out with.

I'm going to go with music appreciation and travel, especially the trip I just took to Italy (especially Florence), where things were absolutely beautiful and felt like I was in a dream world.

rockaction said:

That's just a great question whereupon one can learn a lot about the people that he or she is hanging out with.

I'm going to go with music appreciation and travel, especially the trip I just took to Italy (especially Florence), where things were absolutely beautiful and felt like I was in a dream world.

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Once you reach your destination, travel is great. I still haven't made it to southern Europe, but it's on the short list.

drinks and a nice dinner with friends

golfing with some moderate action on it

sexing with the wife

planning a meal and cooking it

buying stuff for family 

reading a great non-fiction book

surfing the internet

watching football, big-four tournament golf, baseball playoffs and world series

watching netflix/hbo, etc series with family

seeing my mom

I’d first answer this by saying what I tell my kids - try to learn to have fun in more situations and doing different things - my philosophy is life is meant to be fun so do so as often as possible.  

But I know that’s not your question.  My answer would be hiking, swimming, Disney, travel, watching sports (although this has drastically reduced over the years), having sex.

I'm lucky that maybe my favourite thing to do is just spend time with my wife but in terms of events or activities, for me it's basically the opposite of you - I love concerts, sporting events, time at the local pub with friends, beer/music/food festivals, time at the lake with friends/family, listening to music. Where possible combining a couple these things together.

Peace and quiet 

Requisite Kramer:

Who wants to have some fun?

AAABatteries said:

I’d first answer this by saying what I tell my kids - try to learn to have fun in more situations and doing different things

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Pretty much. Just about everything listed in this thread so far fits with me. The only things I devote time to on a frequent basis are centered around fantasy sports and running. But just thinking about all that we've done over the last couple months: sunset at a newly refurbished beach park, local church festival, rock concerts, beach vacation, trying off-the-beaten path local places to dine while road trippin, 6 person 60 mile relay race w/post race beer tasting/concert, baseball game, golf, hiking/swimming adventures in nearby national/metro parks, an evening w/friends I don't see often enough at a local pub, off broadway show, going to a lakehouse vacation next week...other things I don't care to list because I/we did them for the kids and not for us. And summer isn't over yet either.

.

Terminalxylem said:

Once you reach your destination, travel is great. I still haven't made it to southern Europe, but it's on the short list.

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Overseas, yes. 

In the last few years, I've driven from Nebraska to San Diego once and to North Carolina coast twice. The biggest problem we have is time. If you remove the time issue, traveling around this country can be fun. Get off the interstate. There is a lot of cool things to see. 

Seeing and feeling the bobber go under when fishing.

Bussing nuts.

Scooping massive pots.

That feeling when you know you threw a good bad and it explodes the rack resulting in a strike.

80 yard TD for one of your fantasy players.

KCitons said:

Overseas, yes. 

In the last few years, I've driven from Nebraska to San Diego once and to North Carolina coast twice. The biggest problem we have is time. If you remove the time issue, traveling around this country can be fun. Get off the interstate. There is a lot of cool things to see. 

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We happily made a 10 hour drive home from Myrtle Beach earlier this summer 14 hours by stopping for 4 hours in and around Mt. Airy, NC.

fun:

- catching, shaving & racing groundhogs

- angering Asian prostitutes

- dancing around ridiculous rules for online thoughtplay

- writing my sequel to Breakfast @ Tiffany's

- making Mexican dishes with Vermont supermarket ingredients

- singing along to Stevie Wonder

- fat-shaming household insects

- helping folks not take life personally

- remembering Lowell George

- forgetting what a #####-on-wheels my Mary was

- laughing back at fate for these five years in this frozen tomb

- watching crows argue in our orchard

- getting to spend even a second in this magnificent head

- 

Watching my boys play basketball & baseball while it lasts

Video games

Drinking by a bonfire when friends are available

Watching a movie on my projector when friends are not available

While the activity itself is not always fun, I'm finding the feeling of a project done on the house is rewarding

Bull Dozier said:

Watching my boys play basketball & baseball while it lasts

Video games

Drinking by a bonfire when friends are available

Watching a movie on my projector when friends are not available

While the activity itself is not always fun, I'm finding the feeling of a project done on the house is rewarding

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Oh, sure.  But when your friend from the year 1200 calls, you don't have any time for him?  I'm guessing this is something he'd love to do.