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Author Topic: Relaxation Thread  (Read 163 times)

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Steve

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Relaxation Thread
« on: November 10, 2024, 07:15:26 am »
SUMMARY - I thought that it would be nice to start a thread about things around the Internet that could help people relax. We already live in an environment that doesn't appreciate the current pandemic and other events have transpired (of which I will not elaborate) to cause those who appreciate the ongoing severity of the pandemic to be more anxious.

For this premiere post, I thought that I would share a wonderful project that needs all of the attention given to it. "Futureport 82" is a project that looks to recreate the theme park "EPCOT Center" inside of the Unreal game engine. EPCOT Center has changed dramatically over the years, with attractions being closed or significantly altered. This project aims to allow people who never had the chance to experience these attractions in-person to at least experience them virtually.

Having been to EPCOT Center during the time periods being recreated in this project, I can attest that it has been an absolute joy to see these attractions recreated as faithfully as possible given the programming restraints. The project is not complete but it is ongoing; What is available now is already wonderful and more continues to be added. It is a hefty download and it does take a capable computer to run it but, otherwise, I fully encourage people to take a look at it and walk around inside of the virtual environment.

Everyone is obviously welcome to post their own contributions into this thread and I look forward to seeing what others share.

LINKS -

https://www.futureport82.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@Futureport82

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Masked Man

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Re: Relaxation Thread
« Reply #1 on: November 10, 2024, 11:24:31 pm »
Here's my list on what either relaxes me or gives me a sense of wellbeing (I'm either by myself or with significant other as I am pandemic savvy and will get stressed by activities that involve direct contact with the public)

Here are activities that relax me. Some of these activities depend on internet more than others while all these relaxing arts and activities can be further enhanced or be more deeply explored or understood by reading books or going online via the computer and internet if one so desires...

1) Being creative ..I get a sense of relaxation from artistic creativity like
putting together my little Masked Man videos. That obviously involves computer and being online and I enjoy recording music into computer because I'm a musician and so I sing and play guitar and am learning to make little movies with my own music. all this is made possible by computer..I wouldn't get to share my music without the computer. I enjoy that immensely to be able to feed my music and videos into computer and be creative. I get a kick out of that creativity!

2) Bicycling... I get a sense of well being after bicycling in my mask(by the way, bicycling in my mask is the closest I'll get to people in public usually zipping through parking lot or zipping far around somebody on a sidewalk... Ive still got my mask on and I don't get stressed out when I'm on a bicycle out in public because I can avoid people on a bicycle and don't have direct contact with them. I would tend to get stressed out being near public if I wasn't bicycling even in my mask. I don't see anything wrong with my being stressed out by the general public because after all I consider myself more intelligent and sensitive than the average person.. I don't lack confidence and have a high sense of self worth and self esteem)

3) Weightlifting... I weightlift just a little..one can use light weights and still get a lot out of it.. sometimes it is difficult to find discipline but it always feels okay once I get started and tends to relieve head stress for me.. and relieves the stress of anger. I just do lightweight stuff.. a little weightlifting is like a sedative afterwards (my theory is its natural to get angry.. we just have to channel it in a healthy way)

4) Dancing... My loved one and I enjoy dancing.. it brings a smile to our faces and is a good lightweight exercise.. we don't get too wild and we just dance in front of the internet we use  You Tube and we like trying to follow the dance moves featured in You tube.. we watch some wonderful woman teach us to dance on a show  called: "375 dance studio".

5) Music...We do music in front of You Tube .. we do a search for "backing tracks" We play our music instruments along to what are called  "guitar backing tracks" which consist of some online background music that allows some space in the music for us to fill in  our own music and instrumentation...  My loved one plays electric bass and gets absorbed in improvising on electric bass while I play electric guitar in living room together.. we just mess around with music we improvise and just play whatever notes pop out as we don't try too hard or study at it too hard.. doesn't matter to us what it sounds like we play music for fun experimenting. Music instruments are fun even just messing around on.We just play for fun and we don't necessary try to play a song or anything that requires stress..lol. its fun to make noise! that being said there are tons of free and amazing guitar and music instrument lessons online..unbelievable amount of all different kinds of music lessons online!

6) Juggling ...and a little stretching and a few martial arts moves. It relieves stress for me when I'm outside in my mask to juggle balls or beanbags in my mask...I dance around a lot chasing after ball in back yard ..its fun and special to be able to juggle and its actually more exciting to me that watching sports on tv... if you think about it I'm making three balls dance in the air which is lot more fun to me that watching a whole score of guys fight over one ball..lol ..I also like to keep limber and stretch a little and I just work alone on some old martial arts techniques as martial arts is like dance for me and teaches me how to move my body correctly when I tackle other things such as raking the yard, pushing a wheelbarrow.. for me martial arts teaches me special postures and techniques that actually help me do everyday tasks. Ive only just lately started to practice  martial arts techniques and forms I learned as a child and it helps develop balance and overall agility and hand eye coordination. It may sound weird but the principles behind martial arts helps me learn how to use a hammer and saw and gives me understanding of how to climb ladders and chop wood and things like that. I'm sure online yoga or some online ballet classes would also stimulate and promote balance, hand eye coordination which plays a part in well being which is all part of relaxation.

7) artistic stuff like drawing and painting are great escapes.. I haven't done these creative things for while but I should ;) In the past from time to time Ive painted along with some of those online painter teachers while they painted.. there's great drawing and painting classes online.

8 ) Reading/Studying .. education frees the mind from stress.. love of learning enriches sense of wellbeing.. improve the mind and it improve wellbeing. when I learn something new it just gives a sense of wonder and amuses the mind... I like the author and philosopher educator Mortimer J. Adler... that author inspires me to think about great ideas and so Mortimer J. Adler is like springboard to other books and works of literature for me.

9) sense of humor is important to beat/survive stress … to laugh a little is to breathe a little .. head will explode without a sense of humor in my opinion. Getting in touch with ones feelings and becoming in harmony with feelings and then expressing those feelings the most healthy and constructive ways possible seem important .. it’s important to allow oneself to feel all the feelings and go through the gamut of them or heads will explode with stress and blood vessels will pop or so Ive heard :)

10) Taking care of other creatures and plants...
This could be anything from hermit crabs to goldfish to bonsai trees! There's something relaxing about taking care of things and creatures outside ourselves... it sort helps to center people to focus on nature and bringing it indoors a little be it a little creature of even a plant! It brings us joy to be part of this chain of life forms and play a hand in caring for creatures and plants. Big animals can create stress sometimes if ya don't have the time and space so go for the small creatures which are majestic I suggest a terrarium of harmless reptile like the American Anole or even a hermit crab to observe as well as the good old fashioned goldfish.. it's relaxing to watch nature and creatures.. these are beautiful lifeforms to relax to. Simply Watching and regularly observing birds & squirrels outside window is also big time relaxation and pastime.

I'll give an example of everything I just mentioned into play just example,  Here's me an my dog Scamp video..Ive got a little something of everything here..there's my music.. my singing was fun to record and relaxes me ..I mess around with learning how to do videos..

I am with my pet which relaxes me  it brings me joy to to see him everyday and relaxes me Here's my I Love My Dog Scamp Music Video. I will try to sing "puppy love" by Donny Osmond and "Hot Diggity Dog" by Perry Como for you!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hrzCuqveXeW1VqspvHLt8ob2OG_IoLcR/view

Some people find simply watching creatures is relaxing Here's some feral cats.. they were born in the wild and its simply relaxing to spy on these majestic creatures through the window.. I sing music because it is relaxing and stimulating and can set a desired mood here's a music video I made of  mama cat and her  feral kittens for relaxation..observing nature is relaxing and helps people:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vFiB3Z5Olv-aR9_lH1BsKD8yMs-3tu42/view

11) Tools and Instruments can help relax people... Some people are actually relaxed and get a sense of wellbeing with a camera in their hand as it stimulates them to focus on things almost in an objective way ... the mere act of taking pictures can also be a great aid in relaxing or getting a sense of wellbeing. Videotaping The feral cats adding my electric guitar  creating a video all gave me a sense of wellbeing and gives good vibes like I was creative, had a good time, and it is like I made a good memory for myself when I revisit the videos I make:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/138VZLhdgOkrfMAg2jrQDaEToeDaWmYH7/view


12) Taking Notes... Yeah you heard it.. take notes on a clipboard or something.. for some reason writing lots of things down helps me and probably a ton of others with stress..
..when. person takes notes or jots stuff down , they often become more thoughtful and more objective and simply engaged and more in the present moment.. There is something about writing and taking notes that helps one stand outside themselves, yet really become attentive and "one" with the moment. and really become deep in thought and very present at the same time. Taking written notes provides a sense of control, well being, and relaxation for me and probably many other people. 

....Again some of these activities I mentioned that help me depend on internet more than others while all these activities can be further enhanced or be more deeply explored or understood by reading books or going online via the computer and internet.








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« Last Edit: November 20, 2024, 01:24:30 pm by Masked Man »
Masked Man

Masked Man

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Re: Relaxation Thread
« Reply #2 on: November 14, 2024, 04:34:12 am »
Here's one of my sessions of relaxation I can share. a Juggling video I made! ...It relaxed me to break up the monotony of chores such as bringing in a box of farmers market veggies and washing veggies to make an online video of me juggling. I added my own singing in which gave me a sense of wellbeing when I record music into computer with online karaoke background music... This is how I deal with stress.. I make little Masked Man videos because it makes me feel good and gives me a purpose which is to inspire others to wear the safety mask in public to help prevent airborne disease such as covid.. To me it feels good and gives me a sense of relaxation being able to share with others online especially with things I believe in so here's a video that gives me pleasure and a sense of well being to produce as well as watch of me dealing with stress by juggling while I work..The Masked Man juggles and sings "Everybody Loves a Clown" and "Daydream Believer" for relaxation Link:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1waT4SEXyS1X0Dc2_6X6plpaemw-wd0TG/view
« Last Edit: November 14, 2024, 04:37:31 am by Masked Man »
Masked Man

Masked Man

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Re: Relaxation Thread
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2024, 12:36:41 pm »
Another sample/example of relation technique involving internet... the internet can provide a real social stimulus for us who have chosen to isolate and those of us who are pandemic savvy/wary.
In this case my immunocompromised loved one and I exercise in the privacy, safety, and convenience of our own home to You Tube's dance workout program called 375 Dance Studio..as you can see we don't have to go anywhere to have a good time and the Internet is full of interesting and talented people who give us their teachings, personalities and spirit through the internet for us to enjoy.
Diana and I try to dance workout to you tube's 375 dance studio  at least 15 to 30 minutes once a day as seen here in our little video:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DIYxNyoLnj58FoHt9WS0_iJmNvR9kuaJ/view





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« Last Edit: November 20, 2024, 01:25:34 pm by Masked Man »
Masked Man