Ask HN: What do you consider fun?

If you're inordinately in front of a computer screen for a living, day in day out, week after week, when you've finally had enough and need a break, what works for you to counter it?

No matter the weather (UK, its grey and dank), or locale, a timer and an enforced outdoor solo walk generally perks me up.

22 points | by IndySun 1 day ago

12 comments

  • enduser 1 day ago
    I bought a new camera recently for a trip to Bhutan. I ended up getting a Nikon Zf which is great for shooting in full manual mode. There are some exceptional third party manual focus lenses.

    It’s all very tactile and gets me out into the world. I really treasure the photos from it in a way I never did with smartphone photos. It’s also really nice to just leave the phone at home.

    Sometimes I go for photo walks with a friend. We play with light and composition and just generally have a great time being present and creative.

  • gethly 12 hours ago
    martial arts was so far the best thing i did. it has so many positive aspects that there's just too many to name. but an overlooked one worth mentioning is that it is also a social activity and programmers could use a lot more of that.

    unfortunately i have no gym i can go to nowadays.

    i started seriously running this year and i like it.

    going for a motorcycle ride is also nice, especially if you have good roads near by(which I don't).

    going for a long walk with your dog, somewhere into the nature.

    personally, when i find something new that interests me, i usually obsess to achieve 90% mastery/knowledge and the move on. it can be absolutely anything. inspiration can come out of nowhere. so nothing specific to recommend as it is always personal.

    buy a telescope and go skywatching :)

    ps: i bought an electric guitar that i wanted to lean but it is quite hard and i am not obsessing over it so it stays in the cabinet :D

  • zem 1 day ago
    I spend an inordinate amount of time reading (fiction) when I'm not at work. always a nice break from anything else I'm doing.
  • Cerium 1 day ago
    Hand tool woodworking. Zero screens needed. All you need is about a 8x8 foot space that you can get messy.
    [-]
    • pmdulaney 1 day ago
      Zero screens needed? I don't follow.
      [-]
      • pmdulaney 1 day ago
        Never mind -- I get it. (I was thinking maybe you were talking about mesh wire screens or something.)
  • sloaken 23 hours ago
    I love walking around as a mental break from thinking. Preferably solo, but when at work I typically invite others as it is the socially approved event and makes me feel like I am being a good person, despite rumors otherwise.

    At home, for fun, I enjoy working with plants. I get a joy out of re potting plants. I especially love finding out an experiment to propagate a plant worked. Ask me about my random Christmas cactus success. I was so thrilled, 6 months later I brought in to work a dozen little plants to share.

  • stavros 1 day ago
    MORE COMPUTER SCREEN!

    Seriously, I just cannot get enough of making things. Hardware, software, CAD, whatever, I just love making stuff. The more I can make, the better.

    I can't get enough of computers, either. I love it.

    [-]
    • timeattack 1 day ago
      Where to find a wife like that though? :D
      [-]
      • stavros 1 day ago
        Oh I pay for the $20/mo Claude plan, so I have lots of downtime between rate limits :P
  • acheong08 1 day ago
    I wander. Take the bus somewhere far, spin around a few times, and just start walking for hours in a random direction. Pray there is a bus line near wherever I end up. Not having to plan anything feels very freeing
  • Isamu 1 day ago
    Making things, I made my daughters wooden practice swords, two-handed claymores. Now for Christmas I always make something. This year was cross-body bags with elaborate patterns. Fun for me, I’m just glad they put up with the eccentric choices.
  • 4d4m 14 hours ago
    Writing music, design, modifying cars, making art