Fun and Rewarding Indoor Activities
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Don't despair if, for some reason, you're forced to stay indoors for a few weeks, or even months. You know
you can watch TV, read a magazine and exercise, but why not use the time to try new activities...
LEARN PHOTOGRAPHY
Photographing friends and relatives is a creative way to increase your social contacts.
Family albums can be a gift that the younger generation will treasure. Or take photos of "a day in your life,"
and send them to friends.
Don't buy expensive equipment, at least to begin with. Mid-range cameras, such as the Canon EOS Rebel
2000 (about $340) and the Pentax IQ Zoom 200 (about $320), take excellent pictures. A refurbished camera
is probably fine -- as long as it comes with a guarantee of at least 90 days.
Camera stores can recommend helpful books on photography. One I particularly like is Mastering the Basics
of Photography, by Susan McCartney (Allworth).
Home-study courses are offered by several institutions, including the New York Institute of Photography
(www.nyip.com).
PLAY A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT
Learning and performing pieces of music can be immensely rewarding. If you learned an instrument but later
gave it up, this is a great time to rekindle your interest. Or maybe this is your chance to learn an instrument
that always intrigued you.
Some music teachers, listed in the Yellow Pages, come to students' homes. High school music teachers are
often eager to earn extra money by providing home instruction.
Music stores can recommend self-study videos. While they don't take the place of one-on-one instruction,
videos can help you practice the right way.
PLAY NEW GAMES
One of the difficulties of staying indoors is the lack of intellectual stimulation, especially if you're accustomed
to dealing with complex problems.
Chess, bridge and even Scrabble can provide both a mental challenge and an outlet for your competitive
urges.
Again, local merchants can help. Game stores offer books on these games and should be able to
recommend teachers. If you don't already know players in your area, you may be able to find them through
social and business clubs as well as religious organizations.
Bridge is a particularly good way to socialize, since it requires four players. Some players take the game very
seriously. Others enjoy the socializing as much as the intellectual challenge. Before inviting friends over to
play, make sure they approach the game with the same attitude you do.
Many games, including chess, can be played by mail, and players today also compete on-line via the Internet
and E-mail. On-line bridge is also popular.
Caution: If you don't already play chess or bridge, don't expect to become a sharp player overnight -- these
games require months to achieve even a modicum of expertise. But no matter what your level, it's usually not
difficult to find players of similar ability.
Canasta, hearts, Chinese checkers and Monopoly are easy to learn and exciting to play. You don't even need
a book to learn these games. Just ask someone to pick up a game for you at a local store, and follow the
instructions. Then invite friends who have a good sense of humor.
Though it might be satisfying to win a chess game, laughing with friends for a few hours may be even more
rewarding.
BECOME A MAGICIAN
If you enjoy performing, almost nothing is more fun than amazing an audience with feats of magic. If you
perform for kids, you'll be a star overnight.
Many cities have magic stores -- listed in the Yellow Pages -- that sell magic equipment and instruction
books. Some hold classes.
If a magic store isn't easily accessible, try the local library for a book on magic. Or phone the nearest Borders
or Barnes & Noble and ask them to send you a beginning book on magic. Two good books...
Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic (Courage).
Magic for Dummies by David Pogue (Hungry Minds).
You may be able to hire a local magician to give private lessons -- especially if you assure him/her that you
won't reveal his secrets.
READ THE GREAT BOOKS
We may talk knowingly about great works of literature, but have you really read them -- at least recently? If you
haven't, you're missing out.
Here are what I consider to be the top 10 great books...
A Tale of Two Cities
The Metamorphosis
The Color Purple
The Big Sleep
The War of the Worlds
Lady Chatterley's Lover
Ten Little Indians
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Brave New World
These books are available at almost any public library, bookstore or on-line bookseller. You can also search
the Internet for other reading lists of great books.
WRITE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION
Society is changing faster than ever. The younger generation isn't likely to know much about the world that
you knew as a child. One way to make sure that it does is to write it yourself. Put down on paper what it was
like to go to school... watch men walk on the moon... experience the assassination of a president... and live in
a world without the Internet.
Write about meeting your spouse, raising a family and overcoming the challenges of your youth. Write about
anything you feel will be valued by the next generation. Don't be concerned about style or format. Your children
or grandchildren will appreciate it regardless of how it's written.
REDECORATE
Begin with a modest project, such as changing the paint or paper on a single wall. You'll be surprised at how
much the color of only one wall can affect the look of an entire room. Once you make that change, you may be
inspired to undertake a more ambitious project.
Ask a friend to pick up paint and wallpaper samples at neighborhood stores... or ask the store to mail you
samples.
If you're physically unable to handle the project yourself, ask your spouse or a friend for help.
