What to do when you are bored of Netflix

 Sooo... now that we are normalizing all these new norms in our lives, Covid19, working from home, wearing masks, etc... let's move on to what we can do at home... now... watching tele (short of watching the news, cuz that gets depressing at times), here are theGrouch's top 5 things to do at home!!

1. Netflix/Viki/Viu/whatever app/box/programmes

So yes, watching television is a fun thing... good to chill and vegetate in front of the gogglebox and just let your brain go to mush... I personally watch quite a bit. I have also since learnt, that when there is a lot of time being spent at home, it is way better to segment your time, so that you can better "savour" the various moments. So when we first started, I binge-watched several shows that I have been meaning to catch up on. 

And then... emptiness. 

My eyes were sore and gritty, from too much telly... and my heart was empty, cuz now that I have finished all the shows I wanted to watch, I was back to square one... Bored as hell. So now, even when I find a show that I want to watch, I do it for like 2-3 episodes... and then stop. I can always continue it tmr... so I dun have to keep thinking, I am bored as well and there's nothing to watch. So moderation and pace yourself. 

2. Gardening

So yes... the Singapore Govt has even given out some free seeds (yes yes, when you live in a City state such as ours, these are novelty items)... I gamely signed up, and receive two packets of seeds:

- Kang Kong (or water spinach) 

- Tomato (I am still not sure if it's the normal sized ones or baby tomatoes)

So yes, I tried to follow instructions and placed them in the egg holder, to germinate the seeds first. Failed. My excuse is, the dogs knocked them over as I had placed them on the ground. so the soil all spilled out... not sure where the seeds went, but pretty much nothing germinated... 

So 2nd try, I decided to just plant it into the ground, and I focused only on the Kang Kong, cuz according to my wise mommy, that is the easier vegetable to plant. And failed. I forgot to cover the ground, and one of the dogs went to dig the garden (cuz I think there was freshly dug soil and I dun know, maybe the scent of fresh soil makes him want to dig more). So that died. 

3rd try, I planted it and covered it somewhat. Success... some germinated, and I moved away the spikey cover that I had used to "protect" it from digging. Bad idea... dog(s?) ran over it.. two/three got uprooted. that was today. I just tried to stick it back in the soil... not sure if that works, but heck... I am starting to think I have no green fingers and I am jinxed. 

3. Play with the dogs & the rabbit

Yes, so the culprits (rabbit not featured) for killing all my attempts at growing kang kong... and also the loves of my life. 

I have renovated the rabbit's hutch, bough the dogs new bowls, switched up their diets, done whatever I can think of. But I have failed at teaching them new tricks, and getting the husky (name's Zeus) to stop peeing in the garden. That sneaky bastard. So the grass in the garden is totally ruined... ah well... he's already 1 years old... we will get that. We had the excuse that he was too young to hold his bladder... now, we will slowly get it into his doggy brain to wait for his walks before emptying his bladders and bowels... (if the grass in the garden is able to stay alive for that long.

And yes, the rabbit (Biscuit)... he has had a slight reduction in quality of life, but I would like to think that the mega hutch that I built for him, that he doesn't necessarily even leave voluntarily to roam the house, has made up for the fact that he is caged up when Zeus is around. My bad... when we got int Zeus, I didn't take into account his prey drive, which is really strong... and the poor rabbit was caught out a few times. But now we know... and biscuit still gets his turn to roam in the garden, but he no longer has the same amount of freedom. I am sorry Biscuit. 

4. Reading

I had thought that I had lost my interest in reading, given that work and other interests have overwhelmed me. However, when I calmed down enough to review and consider reading again, I realised, hey I still love my books and yes, she is one of my favourite authors. 

Just reading fiction is fun. I read both mandarin and english novels (more of the latter, just cuz I know better what to read, as opposed to mandarin, where there's limited resources and I don't even know where to start). 

And you know what's the funnest part? This book cover, is part of the Valdemar series, where she is like easily maybe 6-7 collections (generally 3 book series), and I had like maybd 4 collections? I used to borrow extensively from our libraries and possibly cost was a reason why I didn't "collect" them all. 

But as I was re-reading this series, I realised, hey, I am an adult who can now afford these books! And it gave me such a thrill when I ordered all the "missing books" that I have in my collection... and while I am still waiting for the books to be delivered, I am already on a high that my series will be complete, I get to them them all in chronological order and... I feel like, I have arrived in life. I can now afford to buy whatever books I want! Wahaha... cheap thrills in life, I know. 

5. Family Time

It was also during this huge slow down (worries about finances, work, business aside), that I realised, my parents have really grown old and it is important to spend more time with them. 

And as my parents are divorced, it means double the effort as we would need to spend time with dad, and then with mom. 

And so, we started twice a week Gin Rummy sessions with my dad, who's an absolute pro at this game. It's good to catch up over a game of cards and it also helps add purpose to gatherings, as we are not really the "sit around the fire and talk" type of family. Heck, we don't even watch tele together. We all have our own TVs/Mobile Phones... haha (anti social family), and since I still stay with my mom, the effort to have dinner with her at home and to go out once a week for a nice meal with her. 

So.... work aside, these are the top five things that keeps the Grouch busy! That and catch up with friends, depending on the social distancing measures in place. I still feel greatly confined, but again, I am glad that we are increasingly normalising some aspects of life... and hey, limited numbers or not, just being able to go out is a huge improvement. 

And you know what's missing in my top five list? Exercise. Don't even get me started on how guilty I am feeling when I see all these folks who managed to drop weight by exercisign at home and eating healthy... I wish I was one of them, but I am not. HAHAHA... ah well, maybe one day...