After work is done, and you don’t have any more chores to do, how do you spend your time? What makes up a “good day” for you?
I retired last year, but it was a horrible year (30-year marriage fell apart, had to sell our house and find a condo, stressful move, etc.), so even though it’s been more than a year, I’ve only recently gotten to the “do what I want” phase. It’s probably somewhat colored by the recent stresses, but I find I really just like staying home and laying low. I read a stupid amount of SF and fantasy, play my guitar, play a bunch of classic wow with online friends, and occasionally go to lunch with real life friends. Maybe I’ll get to the point of wanting to go out and do stuff, but for now I’m happy with the quiet life.
Check out the Skyward series by Brandon Sanderson. It’s a horse girl story but the horse is a several ton fighter spaceship.
I have one of his series on my list - probably Mistborn - but haven’t read it. I mostly read SF, but a decent amount of fantasy too.
FYI I’ve been keeping notes on the things I read - here’s my 2025 post with links to the earlier ones.
The Dispossessed by Ursula LeGuin is a great classic sci-fi novel, if you’re looking for more :)
I’ve read it a couple times, including a year or two ago - it’s held up really, really well.
Time to start a band??
Heh, no, I really never play for anyone. I didn’t start learning until I was 30, so even though that’s more than 30 years ago, I’m not great. But I like playing and singing along. I play for the cat. She doesn’t enjoy it.
Sounds nice to me!
What are your SF recs?
As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I keep notes on what I read and have been making an annual post here on Lemmy for a few years running. Here’s my 2025 post with links to the earlier ones. There are so many books across those posts that your eyes might glaze over (the earlier posts are a little lighter on notes, the later ones a little heavier), but I generally try to say whether I like a book or not, and why.
That being said, my favorite author currently writing is Adrian Tchaikovsky, and almost everything he writes is great (and he’s really prolific). I’m currently reading Cage of Souls by him, which I’m enjoying.
If you can tell me the kinds of things you like, I could maybe make more specific recommendations.
I’m involved with my union, so I make union propaganda in my spare time. I also recently started a programming project, it’s an ereader app for The Anarchist Library.
Video games. I’m tired all the time from work and that’s all the energy and money I have for.
I think a majority of the global population is in the same boat. Honestly I think it’s a damn shame, like, wasted potential. Human beans are like the most wonderfully complex and hyper-multi purpose machines that exist in the known universe and the tasks some/most of them complete everyday are far too menial to remain fulfilling in the long term.
As someone who self identifies as a human bean, I feel seen
Currently collecting ebooks and reading, philosophy and some fantasy fiction, Joe Abercrombie.
Books are dense for their entertainment value. 20gb is like 88k ebooks.
I got laid off in January and still don’t have enough time in the day, mostly due to general life tasks. But I also spend a lot of time now working on art and walking the city. I’m glad I have a little bit of a nest egg to fall back on since the job search has gone as you expect (still searching though)
Go to sleep so I can do it all again tomorrow.
My whole consists of working for 10 to 12 hours then walking in circles with a screaming baby until it’s bed time for him then the wife takes him back and I sleep
Chill on my patio, play video games, run around on my jet skis, watch the osprey in their nest, watch the Bay shipping and fishing boats.
Very little.
I like that I have very few social or family obligations, and most days, I wake up and I can follow my whims. Usually that means books and wine, but I like the thought that I’m married to my freedom.
Fuck around with my computers and play video games. I also like to watch movies and read books. Also music, I’m a big audiophile.
Why is it so damn entertaining to fuck around with the computers? (Synology NAS with Docker in my case).
Does it help that I actually don’t work in a “hobbyist self-hosted” field?
Doing that and watching Anime/TV Shows/Movies takes a lot of time that I can’t really do other stuff that I used to love to do… Like gaming.
being in the general vicinity of my girlfriend is big on my list, otherwise time with family, listening to music and soon learning drums :)
I’ve been drumming for over twenty years and can confirm that drums are so much fun it’s unbelievable. Great choice, I hope you enjoy them! :)
yay! I’m probably gonna love it, and my dad knows drums if I ever need lessons. i like hitting things too so win win lol
Like to do? A many. But I only can afford to doom scroll or just waste my time on something that requires least amount of my energy.
I want to game like I used in my prime years but my eyes are too strained already after a day of work.
Hi, what is “Don’t have any more chores?!”
Make music. I record and produce my own music in my home studio. I sometimes don’t realize I’ve been in there for hours until I need to pee.
That’s mine, too. Over the last year, I’ve been buying all kinds of super cheap used gear through auctions, Facebook marketplace, pawn shops, etc., and have built a really nice little home studio.
I do genealogy, meaning looking through church books and population lists to make biographies of my ancestors in the 18th century or so. That hobby takes up a lot of time.
I also like to go for walks, ID plants and stuff. Sometimes my girlfriend and me just go collecting trash in the nature around us.
I try to read a lot, mostly classical literature or political stuff.
I try to go to the gym two times a week and I am always up for a round of Frisbee in the park or a beer in the pub.
Occasionally I play video games, but more mini games and puzzles as serious gaming draws too much time.
So the perfect day involves a little research, a bit of sports, a big round outside and finishes with a visit to the theater or cinema!
there for a bit I really enjoyed working with chemistry in my basement. Got busy with other things and haven’t gone back.
I have plans on expanding my workshop to have a small chemistry lab where I can experiment with anything from precipitation of exotic chemicals to developing my own custom 3D printing resin.
for some dumb reason I really enjoyed the math it took to increase, or decrease volume. I also liked the methodical result taking of each experiment.
