Constructive cures for cabin fever
May 6, 2011 5:16 PM Subscribe
I am caring for an elderly relative who needs someone nearby 24 hours a day. I'm left with a lot of free time that I'd like to fill with something constructive. What (cheap, indoor, offline) things can I do that will have satisfying results in the 4-6 weeks I'll be here?
My relative and I already spend time together talking about things like historical events and his childhood memories, of course; I've also been cooking for him and trying new recipes. But when he's napping or watching TV or just wants some time alone, I'd like to develop skills in my weaker areas, such as math and physical fitness. I've been thinking about relearning calculus or taking an introductory logic course, if it's possible to make much progress on that in a month's time, but I'm open to almost anything, including useful life skills and unusual hobbies.
There's one big problem: he lives in Nowheresville, USA. Civilization and groceries are an hour's drive away. I can't leave him alone very often, so whatever I do can't require too much in the way of supplies or leaving the house. I could order a book or two from Amazon, but anything more than that would either be too expensive or too much to pack when I leave.
Other caveats:
* Technology: I have limited internet connectivity. Text files and small programs are fine, but downloading large files or watching videos is out (so no university lectures, unfortunately). I can spend as much offline time as I like on the computer, and I have a printer.
* Fitness: I have a healthy BMI and don't need to lose any weight, but I could definitely be in better shape in terms of stamina, strength, coordination, etc. Fitness suggestions that don't reqire equipment or going to the gym are most welcome! The more idiot-proof, the better.
My throwaway email is cabinfevermonth@yahoo.com. I may take a day or so to respond. Thanks in advance!
Asking anonymously because my family reads MetaFilter.
My relative and I already spend time together talking about things like historical events and his childhood memories, of course; I've also been cooking for him and trying new recipes. But when he's napping or watching TV or just wants some time alone, I'd like to develop skills in my weaker areas, such as math and physical fitness. I've been thinking about relearning calculus or taking an introductory logic course, if it's possible to make much progress on that in a month's time, but I'm open to almost anything, including useful life skills and unusual hobbies.
There's one big problem: he lives in Nowheresville, USA. Civilization and groceries are an hour's drive away. I can't leave him alone very often, so whatever I do can't require too much in the way of supplies or leaving the house. I could order a book or two from Amazon, but anything more than that would either be too expensive or too much to pack when I leave.
Other caveats:
* Technology: I have limited internet connectivity. Text files and small programs are fine, but downloading large files or watching videos is out (so no university lectures, unfortunately). I can spend as much offline time as I like on the computer, and I have a printer.
* Fitness: I have a healthy BMI and don't need to lose any weight, but I could definitely be in better shape in terms of stamina, strength, coordination, etc. Fitness suggestions that don't reqire equipment or going to the gym are most welcome! The more idiot-proof, the better.
My throwaway email is cabinfevermonth@yahoo.com. I may take a day or so to respond. Thanks in advance!
Asking anonymously because my family reads MetaFilter.
Netflix! Get a 7-at-a-time subscription and design your own film studies course.
posted by mochapickle at 5:35 PM on May 6, 2011
posted by mochapickle at 5:35 PM on May 6, 2011
Yoga? Or kickboxing? Or pilates? Something like that where you can get a video or book to learn some of the basics.
You could use the time to read classic literature.
If you're really in the middle of the no where, you could go stargazing at night and learn to identify constellations etc.
posted by lucy.jakobs at 5:40 PM on May 6, 2011
You could use the time to read classic literature.
If you're really in the middle of the no where, you could go stargazing at night and learn to identify constellations etc.
posted by lucy.jakobs at 5:40 PM on May 6, 2011
Can you take him out in a wheelchair?? Seems win/win if you could push him in a chair (it's hard work!) and he'd get to get out.
posted by beccaj at 5:42 PM on May 6, 2011
posted by beccaj at 5:42 PM on May 6, 2011
re: exercise: one hundred pushups
re: other: musical instrument. You mention expense; I'd look into renting something, perhaps. Acoustic guitar? Or buy a cheap harmonica. Also, for math, order a workbook of whatever level you're interested in off Amazon.
posted by curious nu at 5:59 PM on May 6, 2011
re: other: musical instrument. You mention expense; I'd look into renting something, perhaps. Acoustic guitar? Or buy a cheap harmonica. Also, for math, order a workbook of whatever level you're interested in off Amazon.
posted by curious nu at 5:59 PM on May 6, 2011
How about knitting?
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 6:57 PM on May 6, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 6:57 PM on May 6, 2011 [2 favorites]
Does he have cable television? Comcast (Xfinity) has an exercise channel that I just found last week. Lots of different options.
posted by raisingsand at 7:17 PM on May 6, 2011
posted by raisingsand at 7:17 PM on May 6, 2011
Or transcribe those memories of his for the rest of your famly.
posted by raisingsand at 7:18 PM on May 6, 2011
posted by raisingsand at 7:18 PM on May 6, 2011
Skills: learn to knit or crochet.
Exercise: get a travel hula hoop and learn to hoop.
posted by mogget at 7:19 PM on May 6, 2011
Exercise: get a travel hula hoop and learn to hoop.
posted by mogget at 7:19 PM on May 6, 2011
You could sign up for DailyLit, which can give you page-sized portions of books and stories. This can give you something to look forward to each day.
posted by dragonplayer at 7:50 PM on May 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by dragonplayer at 7:50 PM on May 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
Project Gutenberg. You can download books as text and read them offline.
posted by galadriel at 8:24 PM on May 6, 2011
posted by galadriel at 8:24 PM on May 6, 2011
Further to galadriel's suggestion, help out on Project Gutenberg by becoming a proofreader.
posted by alonsoquijano at 10:07 PM on May 6, 2011
posted by alonsoquijano at 10:07 PM on May 6, 2011
To expand on alonsouijano's suggestion, I spent quite a bit of time proofreading at PGDP when I had dialup, by opening half a dozen pages in different tabs, disconnecting to proof them (so that the phone line was available for calls) then reconnecting to post. This tends to work better with pages that require a lot of effort, instead of the ones you can breeze through with only a mistake or two per page, but it depends what you're interested in (I spent quite a lot of time with ancient Greek geography and a Scottish geologist who liked quoting lots of French and insulting everyone else in his field, but nothingl ike that seems to be available at the moment).
posted by Lebannen at 2:14 AM on May 7, 2011
posted by Lebannen at 2:14 AM on May 7, 2011
Does Nowheresville have a library? Check out (if possible) all the books they have on a particular subject of study, supplementing with Amazon purchases.
posted by sarajane at 10:58 AM on May 7, 2011
posted by sarajane at 10:58 AM on May 7, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by spinifex23 at 5:30 PM on May 6, 2011