Dane Bramage: Thursday Thirteen #12

13 things about Dane Bramage

13 Stress Relievers Edition

I have been under a lot of stress lately. For some time I've had mortgage issues hanging over my head. My home is packed with family and friends and I am the only source of income. My best friend and foot model is in the hospital with pancreatitis. My mom had to move out of her house, and yesterday a friend I worked with for over 5 years succumbed to cancer. Tomorrow are the calling hours and Friday is the funeral. Now that I have thoroughly bummed you out, I would like to share with you 13 things I do to relieve stress.

Pray. There is nothing that you can't take to the Lord in prayer.

Soak in a hot bath tub. Nothing melts away the tension like a hot soak. I'm not into all those fragrances you add to the water. Just soap and hot.

Mindless Computer Games. Sometimes I can sit and play some 4X game for hours. When I'm micromanaging a galactic empire I don't have time to focus on my problems. Not when the fate of billions depends on my decisions. It is particularly fun sometimes to be supertyrannical. Making the lives of imaginary people imaginary hell is kind of cathartic.

Drive. Taking the long way home or just taking off to go exploring is very relaxing. Now to overcome the stress of gas prices.

Gaming with friends. When a bunch of us get together and play a game, any game, I always have a good time and get very relaxed. Super Munchkin was the featured game last week. We laugh so hard we cried at times.

Reading. Of late I have been reading Ann Coulter. I have to be careful. Her humor gets me laughing but the points she makes about the left sometimes gets my blood pressure to rise. I need to find some nice fiction.

The rest of the list is below the fold. Go to the end of the post and click "We want to read more!"

Naps. A nice lazy Saturday or Sunday afternoon nap. Drains all the tension away.

Foot Rubs. I enjoy giving and receiving foot rubs but lately I just don't have any massagers or massagees.

Veg. I will sit in my comfy chair and just blob. I let my mind wander (you've read some of those results last week) and I let the stress ooze out of me. It is one of my favorite stress reducers.

Over indulge. Not recommended even for me but sometimes I say "to heck with dietary restrictions and portion control" and I pig out. Usually at Golden Corral. This usually leads to a session of Veg or even Nap.

Compute. Besides playing games, I use my computer for other creative purposes. I write stories related to the games I play or photo chop some pictures.

Doing something nice for others. This may sound strange but it works. When I get really stressed to the point of depression, I try to do something nice for someone. It always works. My Pastor told me this. He has never steered me wrong.

Talk to my Pastor. The Bible commands us to seek godly counsel. No matter what burden I have going in to see the Pastor I always feel that burden lifted when I leave.