Category Archives: Rest and relaxation

Solitaire: A Game of Nostalgia and Mind Exercise

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Playing solitaire is more than just a game. It is a memory of the past and a way to keep the mind active in the present. For many people, solitaire is a reminder of their youth, a time when entertainment was simple, and life was not so complicated. As technology advanced, solitaire has evolved into a digital version, making it accessible to people anywhere, anytime.

Introduction to Solitaire

Many people have fond memories of the person who introduced them to solitaire. In the past, solitaire was played by elders to pass the time. Before the digital version, shuffling and dealing with cards was the norm. For many, it was a way to spend quality time with family and friends. For others, it was a way to relax and unwind.

Uncle’s Lessons on Solitaire

I reminisce about my uncle, who introduced me to solitaire. It was a game that brought back memories of my youth. Unfortunately, my uncle is no longer around, but the game of solitaire lives on.

Age-Inappropriate Card Game

My grandmother thought solitaire was age-inappropriate and did not allow me to play. However, I found solace in the game later in life when I was in college. It was a time when computers became a part of everyday life, and solitaire was a click away.

Online Version of Solitaire

In the present day, I still play solitaire. It is a game that entertains and relaxes me from daily stresses. The digital version of solitaire found at solitaire.org makes it convenient to play, and there are various free versions available. I prefer the classic solitaire and Klondike versions, which are easy to play and do not require complicated moves.

Goal of Solitaire

The goal of solitaire is simple. Using a standard 52 deck of playing cards, the player moves shuffled cards into four Foundation stacks from Ace to King. The Ace is low in Classic Solitaire, while the King is high. It is a game of concentration and skill that anyone can play.

Other Fun Online Games

Aside from solitaire, there are other fun online games that one can play. These games range from Pacman-inspired games to word search puzzles. I enjoy the Cookie Monster game, where the character eats pellets and turns ghosts into cookies. I also enjoy the Daily Word Search, which helps exercise my brain and improve my vocabulary.

Addicting Games

I find these games addicting. I enjoy seeing my improvement over time and beating my old scores. These games help me take care of my mental health, which is essential in today’s world. With social media being a source of digital drama, online games can provide a way to get busy and keep the mind occupied.

Improving Memory and Concentration

Playing online games like word search puzzles can help improve memory and concentration. I, who am in my early 50s, am already starting to become forgetful. I hope that playing word search puzzles online will help improve my memory and concentration.

Conclusion

In conclusion, solitaire is more than just a game. It is a memory of the past and a way to keep the mind active in the present. Online games like solitaire and word search puzzles help exercise the brain and take care of mental health. With what is going on around us, having something to get busy with can help fight isolation.

Activities that Help Me Get Through Lockdown

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Many people have discovered they have hidden talent or skills during the lockdown. Some learned they have wanted to bake, cook, play musical instruments, or sing. Others develop hobbies like gardening, painting, reading, and writing. And some pass away the time binging on movie series or playing games to entertain themselves. All these activities have helped us get through this time.

I have my list of favorite activities that cheer me up through the lockdown. 

Online games

Playing online games keeps my sanity from the daily stresses. When I get tired from doing the household chores, I rest a bit and grab my mobile phone to play with block puzzles. It is like a mental exercise to me when I need to focus on something important.

When I am sitting in front of the laptop, I would be playing a fight virus game. It is a hospital simulation game where you get to destroy the nasty COVID-19 virtually. Even if it is just a game, it feels like you are doing your share protecting hospital workers and patients against the virus. 

To play this, tap or click on the virus to disinfect the hospital environment. By destroying the virus, you keep the hospital staff and patients safe from the virus infection; tap patients (with heart signs) to help them recover more quickly. A meter in the lower-left corner illustrates the percentage of how infected the hospital is. The game is over if it reaches more than 70 percent.

Korean Dramas

South Korean dramas are popular among their Filipino audience. I started binge-watching Korean dramas in 2016, around the time I was recuperating from a medical procedure. Watching KDramas has kept me company from boredom, and I’m still hooked, until now. I was thankful for this streamlined series because I have learned many things about Korean culture and fashion.

What is good about KDramas is that the seasons are shorter, and soundtracks are appropriate to the theme and unforgettable, too, even if I do not understand the lyrics. The funny part is I get the hang of reading subtitles fast while catching on to the scenes.

I watched almost all KDrama genres: drama, romantic comedy, melodrama, action, thriller, horror-comedy. I have tons of still unwatched KDramas on my list.

Decluttering

It is the least of my favorite activities. However, decluttering has helped me lessen my anxiety and focus on other things. It is therapeutic.

I have started putting away old clothes, a stack of newspapers, old receipts, old school books, and paper books. I am planning to sell the newspapers and schoolbooks to the junkshop. I have a bit of a problem with old clothes. Hopefully, I could find a recycling shop that would accept the clothes.

The next project will be decluttering the kitchen.

Gardening

Planting is one of the activities that hubby and I share. We do not have many plants, but we are content to see them grow every day. Gardening helps ease our worries from day-to-day activities. We are not getting any younger, and a simple hobby like this is good for our mental and emotional health.

The activities may be simple but, they help me get through the lockdown.

How about you? What are your coping mechanisms all this time? What activities do you think have helped you refocus your priorities, how it helps your mental state? 

Pocket Vegetable Garden

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Hubby is so excited about growing a mini vegetable garden. He started with the sili labuyo plant (chili pepper) which I bought from Halamanan sa Pasig last month. I also purchased from them three Bacularis plants which are known for their air-purifying quality.

He got inspired by the siling labuyo plant that he decided to also plant tomato seeds, spring onion stalk, more sili seeds, and later kinchay or Chinese celery.

Update: We have already picked at least eight ripened chilis. Their so small but spicy.

We’ve got tomatoes growing right here. I’m excited about this project. We’ve been planning to have our vegetable garden for so long and it is slowly being realized this year.

Update: The young onion (upper right corner) and the celery (lower right side) died. The tomatoes grew a bit.

Planting is one of the small things that made hubby and me happy these days. It’s something that eases off our stress and worries from day-to-day activities. We are not getting any younger and simple activity like this is beneficial to both our mental and emotional health. 

My certified plantito hubby. 😀 This batch (of the plant) will serve as a fence right outside our window to secure it from irresponsible neighbors who leave their garbage and whatnot on the sidewalk.