"Mental Laxatives" - Do you have any? - What are they?
By gifana
@gifana (4833)
Portugal
June 13, 2007 7:36pm CST
I am sure that most of us need to tune out and turn off to avoid stress and conflicts (both with yourself and with others). I have/have had several mental laxatives that I have used over the years to clear out the cobwebs and shut out the world temporarily. When I was in college it was bridge. On my first foreign assignment I added the game of golf. I also used "the cube" for awhile until I solved it. My latest, however, is sudoku. It is difficult, if not impossible, to be good at any of these unless you are completely wrapped up in what you are doing. I'm sure there are many other ways of "tuning out" and I am interested in knowing which ones I need to tackle.
4 people like this
4 responses
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
14 Jun 07
I don't know, my Lady. I just mope. Does it work for my constipation? I am feeling upset now since I just received a pm from a friend that my discussion was deleted. And earlier, I was writing in for 2 friends whose accounts got suspended/terminated by myLot. It is a sickening state of affair and I don't feel like myLotting anymore. This feeling is nothing new but surprisingly, I am still not numb enough yet each time the feeling is renewed by fresh triggers. Just ranting, my Lady. And yes, ranting is one good mental laxative too. But goodness, I think I am really constipated. I still don't feel like going to the toilet.
@gifana (4833)
• Portugal
17 Jun 07
Good evening your Grace. Just moping somehow doesn't lend itself to clensing the brain....only the opposite it would give me more time to clog it up and hence need a larger dose to "unplug". I can't understand why they would delete one of your postings....compared to some that I have seen that remain for eternity....like some of mine that don't have any responses. I hope that it's just your state of mind at the time and you are not seriously thinking of leaving me. And yes, ranting can be considered as a "letting off steam" laxative. It works for me in the few times it happens.
It's funny but when I first arrived in Portugal when I asked people how they were they would answer that they were "constipado". It really drove me wild until I finally learned that the word "constipado" in Portugese meant that they had a cold. You can imagine my "relief" when I heard that as I was worried if I were going to end my days here in Portugal being constipated all the time.
Always a treat to chat with you Your Grace and you will be surely missed should you decide to give up myLotting. Also, I will no longer have access to "royalty". +
2 people like this
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
17 Jun 07
Thank you, my Lady. I am better now.
1 person likes this
@arkaf61 (10881)
• Canada
14 Jun 07
LOL I have a few myself. Usually reading or drawing does the trick nowadays.
Canasta was also one at some point.
I find that lately I need to use it more than what I used to before.
Logic problems is another one. Sudoku is not something that might work for me because once I see numbers I enter in a state or stress LOL
2 people like this
@gifana (4833)
• Portugal
17 Jun 07
I used to play canasta when I was younger but after learning how to play bridge canasta was not a challenge any more. Never thought of using logic problems but it would certainly do the trick. I'll have to think of that the next time I need a "laxative". Always nice to see you arkaf. +
1 person likes this
@claudia413 (4280)
• United States
17 Jun 07
Gifana, I sure do like your use of words...LOL. My "mental laxatives" are reading (which I am constantly doing), playing games at Pogo.com (also spend a lot of time there playing and chatting with online friends), and spending time here in myLot responding to discussions. I can also get pretty wrapped up in a good movie or just watching the History Channel or the Discovery Channel.
1 person likes this
@killahclaire (3665)
•
14 Jun 07
Lol I dont know what country you are form but I know in my country the only time the word laxative is used is when in reference to going to the toilet.
I actually thought that your discussion was going to be regarding relieving constipation by thinking of things and not eating or drinking anything.
I thought that was a very new and interesting idea but was open to listening.
My way of tuning out is definately here on the internet. I tend to have a very addictive personality and before I found mylot I was addicted to playing literati and before that it was probably board games or something.
I trhink myLot has stuck with me for so long cos every discussion is different but whreas if I am just playing a game it results in the same thing every time.
I am in fact a big fan of sudoku and enjoy doing it. Here in the UK we normally have 2 of them or something in the daily papers. One being harder than the other but I only tend to do it when I ma in by myself and have some time to kill cos you are rigth - it does need full concentration. I love the idea of it though and love the sense of achievement when I get it right.
I used to have the DS and it had a brain training game with it which had a Soduko bit in it which had limited levels but if you went to their "hotspots" you could update new and harder levels. The good thing about that was that you could write on the screen and erase things easily plus put in small numbers for possibilies. When you are doing it on paper and make a mistake sometimes it is just too awkward to cross it out and write in the correct numbers.
2 people like this
@gifana (4833)
• Portugal
17 Jun 07
I am originally from "New" England...but am now living in Portugal. I use the word "laxative" to signify a cleansing or purging of the mind to clear out the cob webs and thoughts that keep clogging the brain. I, too, used to play a lot of online games before finding myLot. I used to play bingo a lot and used to chat with new friends. Spent a lot of time at that. Got a little expensive, however, so I had to quit. LIke it better when I receive rather than when I pay. Not sure what the DS is that you referred to but I think you mean the Daily Sun. I started out using pencil on Sudoku so that I could erase my mistakes but know that I am more confident I see pen. It is a little harder when you make a mistake but I try to make sure I'm right before I enter a number. It's not always possible to do so...especially on the master level. I sometimes allow myself to look up one number in the answers but only as a last resort. I'll have someone else check it for me so that I don't see the others around it. Thanks for dropping by and for your input. +
1 person likes this
