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gilbert-phyllis
Community Member

What do you do with an afternoon off?

Earlier this week, I delivered a big project that had been in progress since late December. Spent a couple days wrapping up other miscellany and lining up a couple of new things to launch next week, and realized I could close at lunchtime today. It's cold and windy outside, so I'm listening to the Sirius Mardi Gras radio station and getting ready to cook and can some figs. (5-6 gallons in the freezer from last summer that need to be processed)

 

What do you do when you manage to close early?

35 REPLIES 35
petra_r
Community Member


Phyllis G wrote:

 

What do you do when you manage to close early?


I cook something elaborate and more time consuming in large quantity so I can fill the freezer with real food in portions for those days I have no time.

 

Or I take dog out to the beach or the mountains. Where I live, it's possible to do both in one afternoon-

 

Or I do absolutely nothing which is delicious too!

I take my unicorn out for a spin.

 

swim.jpg

Christine A wrote:

I take my unicorn out for a spin.

 

swim.jpg


I take my Jaguar (and Murphy the Spaniel) out for a spin

 

Jaguar.jpg


Petra R wrote:
Christine A wrote:

I take my unicorn out for a spin.

 

swim.jpg


I take my Jaguar (and Murphy the Spaniel) out for a spin

 

Jaguar.jpg


Okay, you win. 🙂


Christine A wrote:

Petra R wrote:
Christine A wrote:

I take my unicorn out for a spin.

 

swim.jpg


I take my Jaguar (and Murphy the Spaniel) out for a spin

 

Jaguar.jpg


Okay, you win. 🙂


Oh, I call that a tie!

Garden - at least, I will tomorrow. I have to prune my roses - everything is sprouting - and if I have the energy cut the grass. 

a_lipsey
Community Member


Phyllis G wrote:

Earlier this week, I delivered a big project that had been in progress since late December. Spent a couple days wrapping up other miscellany and lining up a couple of new things to launch next week, and realized I could close at lunchtime today. It's cold and windy outside, so I'm listening to the Sirius Mardi Gras radio station and getting ready to cook and can some figs. (5-6 gallons in the freezer from last summer that need to be processed)

 

What do you do when you manage to close early?


I had a big planning meeting with a client in Westwood today, and decided afterwards that I was done for the afternoon. So in the beautiful LA weather of 70 degrees and sunny, I strolled over to the Grove, did some shopping, had some wine, then strolled back home. Some days when I'm done early or need a break, I stroll the other way to the art museum. It's not even a mile walk. 🙂 

Slightly off topic- or perhaps not...

 

Seeing Petra's Jaguar reminded me that when I retired from the car repair industry, the very last job I did before handing over my workshop to the new owner was replacing a 2-year-old Jaguar's engine. Here's hoping that Petra gets better mileage from the engine in her car!  

I had several friends and neighbors in New Orleans who bought Jaguars.  Apparently, although jungle animals, Jaguars do not flourish in hot, humid climates.  Money pits.  But oh, so beautiful.

When I take an afternoon off, I spread out on the sofa and read a good book until I fall asleep.

petra_r
Community Member


Reinier B wrote:

Slightly off topic- or perhaps not...

 

Seeing Petra's Jaguar reminded me that when I retired from the car repair industry, the very last job I did before handing over my workshop to the new owner was replacing a 2-year-old Jaguar's engine. Here's hoping that Petra gets better mileage from the engine in her car!  


I have never made a mistake buying a used car or a horse.

I have, twice, let my heart rule my head when buying a car. I KNEW both times that things weren't 100% but was seduced by beauty and speed (BMW 3.0 CSI) and acres of shiny black curves, and acres of soft leather and gleaming wood inside (The Jag)

 

In fairness, after spending too much money getting it perfect in Scotland, it carried me, my dog, my cat and everything I owned all the way through Scotland, England, France, across the alps and through Italy down to here in style and comfort and had the decency to keep going a whole 7 months before the gearbox blew up while overtaking into oncoming traffic.

 

Against my better judgment I had the gearbox replaced and it kept going, but it has suffered an intermittend electronic problem for the last year.

 

Should scrap it but can't quite bring myself to do so.

 

If I'm not working the following day then it's a trip to the pub for me.

If I am working then I'll spend the afternoon playing with the kids if they're about. Or maybe spend the rest of the day (PC) gaming. 

lysis10
Community Member

I don’t take afternoons off. I take mornings because I’m not a morning person. I found a gym friend and we have a standing morning gym sesh together and then I do errands. If I’m away too late I don’t mind working later.

I’m like a 1-6 type worker. So much better for me than a 9-5 where I just stared at my screen until noon.
joynul33
Community Member

I love to look at the movies. Typically I am going to a resort with my friends. 🙂

Joynul

I like to post in the forum. Also, tequila works.

bizwriterjohn
Community Member

Propose more projects.  But, I am a fanatic business person who has an Upwork life and human life integrated into surprisingly few purposes.

Profit is surely in the big three.

But then again, I am 57 and plan for two more years on Upwork.  I want to drive this third-career-of-mine to the ultimate limit of success and see if I can touch the stars by the measures I consider a solid judge of a career.  Delivery Prestige and Business Profit. 

 

Then it will be time to start my fourth career, and that one is designed to make sure my 2017, 2018, and 2019 mentees do not so very much have to work by age 30.  Or, have many careers if that is what pleases them.

As I think about it, I spend a lot of my time off working with them.  Setting goals. Pushing them to the limit.  Attempting to break their will to succeed.  Teaching management and delivery tactics. Coaching on strategic skillsets.  Sharing the pain.  In summary: forming them into global-class business superstars. 

 

That will be useful in 2022. Sort of all the same thing, as I think about that some more.  A perfectly integrated life courtesy of Upwork.

 

Driven to succeed has no off switch in some people.


John.

OK mods (all of you) it's your turn. What do you guys do on your afternoons/mornings off? 

Hello Nichola!

 

In the mornings, I usually play video games such as Dota 2, Warframe or HOMM3. Actually, Dota has been my morning routine for a few years now (now slowly changing). And yeah, I play supporting position there Robot LOL That is pretty much the only certain thing during any given day (except for the weekends). 

Most of the days off are spent watching movies and TV shows, but after doing that obsessively for almost 20 years I'm slowly running out of things to watch.

On some days I go fishing. The only problem with that is that I'm planning a fishing trip for almost 2 years now and somehow never manage to find time even though it's like 10-15 mins walk from here.

There is nothing special that I do or can do and every day is pretty much the same as any other which is great!

And yes, there is always music playing in the background and that makes everything more fun 🙂

~ Aleksandar
Upwork


Aleksandar D wrote:

Hello Nichola!

 

In the mornings, I usually play video games such as Dota 2, Warframe or HOMM3. Actually, Dota has been my morning routine for a few years now (now slowly changing). And yeah, I play supporting position there Robot LOL That is pretty much the only certain thing during any given day (except for the weekends). 

Most of the days off are spent watching movies and TV shows, but after doing that obsessively for almost 20 years I'm slowly running out of things to watch.

On some days I go fishing. The only problem with that is that I'm planning a fishing trip for almost 2 years now and somehow never manage to find time even though it's like 10-15 mins walk from here.

There is nothing special that I do or can do and every day is pretty much the same as any other which is great!

And yes, there is always music playing in the background and that makes everything more fun 🙂


____________________________

Do you live near a river (or lake, or the sea)? I like your fishing plan! It's like mine to get to a gym. 

Hello Nichola,

 

Yes, there is a river here nearby (the one 10-15 min walk from here) and several clean and nice lakes for fishing and swimming that are no more than 30-60 minutes drive. No sea though, at least not that close.

You can solve your gym issue in the same way as I did! Spend a small fortune for a home gym and let it collect dust. That way you can look at the gym every day and ask yourself why didn't you just pay for a 1-month gym membership and just went there on that first day. You can try that, but please don't Robot Happy

~ Aleksandar
Upwork


Aleksandar D wrote:

 

[...]

You can solve your gym issue in the same way as I did! Spend a small fortune for a home gym and let it collect dust. That way you can look at the gym every day and ask yourself why didn't you just pay for a 1-month gym membership and just went there on that first day. You can try that, but please don't Robot Happy


 ___________________________

Smiley LOL

 


Aleksandar D wrote:

Hello Nichola!

 

In the mornings, I usually play video games such as Dota 2, Warframe or HOMM3. Actually, Dota has been my morning routine for a few years now (now slowly changing). And yeah, I play supporting position there Robot LOL That is pretty much the only certain thing during any given day (except for the weekends). 

Most of the days off are spent watching movies and TV shows, but after doing that obsessively for almost 20 years I'm slowly running out of things to watch.

On some days I go fishing. The only problem with that is that I'm planning a fishing trip for almost 2 years now and somehow never manage to find time even though it's like 10-15 mins walk from here.

There is nothing special that I do or can do and every day is pretty much the same as any other which is great!

And yes, there is always music playing in the background and that makes everything more fun 🙂


Never got into Dota but got into LoL a little bit. I'm into single player atm because having 12 year olds screaming into the group chat with lots of slurs gets old sometimes and single player is so much more relaxing. I'm playing Assassin's Creed Odyssey. In an open world, I will do every possible quest. I've been playing this game since November and probably have at least another month's worth of game time.

 

Tried to get into Overwatch. It was aight but I like a good storyline and those types of games are just for shot "kill them all" sessions. 


Nichola L wrote:

OK mods (all of you) it's your turn. What do you guys do on your afternoons/mornings off? 


Well, many of you have seen me post about this dance I do - Lindy Hop - which pretty much is my hobby/social life/part time job at this point. So on most days after work I'll be either dancing, taking a dance class or teaching a dance class.

 

If there is no dancing, I hang out with friends or take my greyhound somewhere (yay for all the dog-friendly breweries Minneapolis has!)

 

I want to do more gardening, but Minnesota is frozen 10 months a year, so that's been challenging... I'm focusing on house plants for now. 

~ Valeria
Upwork

I go for an urban bike ride almost every afternoon, and a mountain bike ride about 2x a week. Set a goal for this year of 2020 miles in 2020 and you really have to stay on top of that! But I'll also do yoga or work in the yard... my grand experiment this year is to grow more milkweed varieties. Last winter I was scrambling to nurseries to get more milkweed because I had tons of Monarch caterpillars. I get insanely happy watching Monarch caterpillars transform into butterflies.

 

 

Drink to the last bottle of booze. Then go post some stuff here. I can see others do that, so why not me?

 

 

-----------
"Where darkness shines like dazzling light"   —William Ashbless

Looks live several days off the next few weeks with some quality family time.


Kelly B wrote:

I go for an urban bike ride almost every afternoon, and a mountain bike ride about 2x a week. Set a goal for this year of 2020 miles in 2020 and you really have to stay on top of that! But I'll also do yoga or work in the yard... my grand experiment this year is to grow more milkweed varieties. Last winter I was scrambling to nurseries to get more milkweed because I had tons of Monarch caterpillars. I get insanely happy watching Monarch caterpillars transform into butterflies.

 

____________________________________________________

 

I LOVE milkweed, a fascnating plant; it grows all over Canada and I think it is beautiful at every stage of its growth. I wish I had some here. I didn't know it attracted butterflies. 

 


 


Nichola L wrote:

Kelly B wrote:

I go for an urban bike ride almost every afternoon, and a mountain bike ride about 2x a week. Set a goal for this year of 2020 miles in 2020 and you really have to stay on top of that! But I'll also do yoga or work in the yard... my grand experiment this year is to grow more milkweed varieties. Last winter I was scrambling to nurseries to get more milkweed because I had tons of Monarch caterpillars. I get insanely happy watching Monarch caterpillars transform into butterflies.

 

____________________________________________________

 

I LOVE milkweed, a fascnating plant; it grows all over Canada and I think it is beautiful at every stage of its growth. I wish I had some here. I didn't know it attracted butterflies. 

 


 


There are lots and lots of different varieties! Native is of course best for local butterflies, but I ordered some seeds on amazon and am trying six new varieties this year. I work alone all day everyday. If it weren't for the cat and the birds and butterflies outside my window I think I would go crazy.

 

If you can find a tropical milkweed to grow as an annual that seems to be the favorite of Monarchs.

florydev
Community Member


Phyllis G wrote:

Earlier this week, I delivered a big project that had been in progress since late December. Spent a couple days wrapping up other miscellany and lining up a couple of new things to launch next week, and realized I could close at lunchtime today. It's cold and windy outside, so I'm listening to the Sirius Mardi Gras radio station and getting ready to cook and can some figs. (5-6 gallons in the freezer from last summer that need to be processed)

 

What do you do when you manage to close early?


If there is anything to see at the movie theater I will probably go do that because there is one close and it does not cost me anything.  Barring that I will probably read unless there is some show that someone has talked me into trying that my wife and I don't watch together.  I am also not above a brief snoozer.

 

I take the dogs to the dog park but I tend to do that in the mornings and when the weather is nicer.  I don't mind the cold as much as the wet because they just get nasty muddy.

 

I also play some video games and like Jen prefer to play single these days.  Nearly every day a friend of mine challenges me to some online version of a board game (Dominion, Ticket to Ride, and
Carcassonne are the current examples).


Mark F wrote:

Phyllis G wrote:

Earlier this week, I delivered a big project that had been in progress since late December. Spent a couple days wrapping up other miscellany and lining up a couple of new things to launch next week, and realized I could close at lunchtime today. It's cold and windy outside, so I'm listening to the Sirius Mardi Gras radio station and getting ready to cook and can some figs. (5-6 gallons in the freezer from last summer that need to be processed)

 

What do you do when you manage to close early?


If there is anything to see at the movie theater I will probably go do that because there is one close and it does not cost me anything.  Barring that I will probably read unless there is some show that someone has talked me into trying that my wife and I don't watch together.  I am also not above a brief snoozer.

 

I take the dogs to the dog park but I tend to do that in the mornings and when the weather is nicer.  I don't mind the cold as much as the wet because they just get nasty muddy.

 

I also play some video games and like Jen prefer to play single these days.  Nearly every day a friend of mine challenges me to some online version of a board game (Dominion, Ticket to Ride, and Carcassonne 
are the current examples).


We play Dominion a lot but old school. Maybe we should treat us with a new expansion. We have not played Carcassonne too much lately but we love Catan. Maybe we should get Catan Junior and try it with the kid.


Jennifer R wrote:

Mark F wrote:

Phyllis G wrote:

Earlier this week, I delivered a big project that had been in progress since late December. Spent a couple days wrapping up other miscellany and lining up a couple of new things to launch next week, and realized I could close at lunchtime today. It's cold and windy outside, so I'm listening to the Sirius Mardi Gras radio station and getting ready to cook and can some figs. (5-6 gallons in the freezer from last summer that need to be processed)

 

What do you do when you manage to close early?


If there is anything to see at the movie theater I will probably go do that because there is one close and it does not cost me anything.  Barring that I will probably read unless there is some show that someone has talked me into trying that my wife and I don't watch together.  I am also not above a brief snoozer.

 

I take the dogs to the dog park but I tend to do that in the mornings and when the weather is nicer.  I don't mind the cold as much as the wet because they just get nasty muddy.

 

I also play some video games and like Jen prefer to play single these days.  Nearly every day a friend of mine challenges me to some online version of a board game (Dominion, Ticket to Ride, and Carcassonne 
are the current examples).


We play Dominion a lot but old school. Maybe we should treat us with a new expansion. We have not played Carcassonne too much lately but we love Catan. Maybe we should get Catan Junior and try it with the kid.


My kids started on Catan Jr and have progressed to the full deal.  I have only the base set for Dominion in real life and haven't even unboxed Carcassonne yet!  Might have to play a few of these over the next few weeks or so!


Mark F wrote:

Jennifer R wrote:

Mark F wrote:

Phyllis G wrote:

Earlier this week, I delivered a big project that had been in progress since late December. Spent a couple days wrapping up other miscellany and lining up a couple of new things to launch next week, and realized I could close at lunchtime today. It's cold and windy outside, so I'm listening to the Sirius Mardi Gras radio station and getting ready to cook and can some figs. (5-6 gallons in the freezer from last summer that need to be processed)

 

What do you do when you manage to close early?


If there is anything to see at the movie theater I will probably go do that because there is one close and it does not cost me anything.  Barring that I will probably read unless there is some show that someone has talked me into trying that my wife and I don't watch together.  I am also not above a brief snoozer.

 

I take the dogs to the dog park but I tend to do that in the mornings and when the weather is nicer.  I don't mind the cold as much as the wet because they just get nasty muddy.

 

I also play some video games and like Jen prefer to play single these days.  Nearly every day a friend of mine challenges me to some online version of a board game (Dominion, Ticket to Ride, and Carcassonne 
are the current examples).


We play Dominion a lot but old school. Maybe we should treat us with a new expansion. We have not played Carcassonne too much lately but we love Catan. Maybe we should get Catan Junior and try it with the kid.


My kids started on Catan Jr and have progressed to the full deal.  I have only the base set for Dominion in real life and haven't even unboxed Carcassonne yet!  Might have to play a few of these over the next few weeks or so!


If you need some space for a Dominion expansion you can send Catan Jr to us.

I write 1000-worders in an attempt to provide my full scope of experience to newcomers who are having problems with their profile and perhaps the problems weak ones cause.  That is what I did with one afternoon off.  The next once, I will re-form the 1000-worder into (hopefully) two four-hundred worders, thus increasing my probability of audience read.   Good stuff.  Writers who love writing so very much obviously, think an afternoon off writing about what they want to write about - is heaven-on-keyboard.

I really enjoy reading what others do.  I have some goals set now to broaden my involvement with life.

Thank you.

Writing a book about narcissism on the Internet.

 

 

-----------
"Where darkness shines like dazzling light"   —William Ashbless
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