My Idea of Fun

Slice of Life at TwoWritingTeachers.org

Today is Tuesday’s Slice of Life Story Challenge, Day 133 in Bahrain’s coronavirus time, and day 98 of The Isolation Journals with Suleika Jaouad. Today’s prompt by Adam Grant was to determine my “fun age” based on what I love to do to play.

I laughed when I read the prompt sitting at this dining room table / office desk. It is full of supplies for fun (and a few for working). There is no more school this summer, so some of us church school teachers started a Zoom Bible summer camp so we can hang out with kids (and, of course, bless them with something to fill their days! No one is traveling to their home countries this year.)

I need to get to work on a certificate program for which I received an extension to complete. Instead, I find a lot of fun things to fill up my days–besides reading and writing and cooking, I love to paint and sketchnote, to create from throwaways, and be inspired by creations I see from others. I have a small collection of cool little toys that I like and I know kids would like too, so they are always at the ready. I am the first to volunteer in group situations where a volunteer is needed. When anyone wants to play a game, I am always eager. Sports–let’s play! Especially volleyball and softball.

It is easy for me to determine my “fun age.” It must be around ten. (I’m sure I would love to play tetherball right now too.) I loved being in fifth and sixth grades, and that is when I first wanted to be a teacher. I have made it a career to spend my days with children. I have several reasons for being a teacher, but certainly one of them is that children make life more fun. I love learning their games (like the cup song from Pitch Perfect) and teaching them my old games (like double Dutch jump rope).

Another part of today’s prompt was to ask your friends what their “fun age” is. Do you love drinking and dancing? Do you love knitting and bingo? Thinking of what you love to do for fun helps you determine your “fun age.” You get the idea. Then you can compare notes with your friends and find some new “fun” to have with those who are similar fun ages.

Here was another fun thing that happened this morning. My husband called me and told me a package came from the U.K. (I am sure he thought I had ordered something and paid some exorbitant shipping charge.) I knew what it was:

What’s your “fun age”?

P.S. Here is today’s prompt from Suleika on Instagram.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Anyone else struggling to find work-life balance while stuck at home? This has been my constant challenge, but since quarantine, any divisions between the two have been erased. I know this is a formula for burnout, but in the last few weeks, I’ve been trying to make a more concerted effort at taking time to have fun. I’ve been playing lots of Scrabble and, when I want a particularly simple diversion, I grab a lovely set of wooden pick-up sticks, toss them on the patio, and feel transported to childhood again. I’ve also re-upped my dedication to over the top pranks (Jon—watch yourself). This makes my “fun age” pretty confusing—somewhere between 80-year-old grandmother and 8-year-old boy. Today’s prompt from the Wharton professor, best-selling author, and TED speaker extraordinaire @Adamgrant has me reconsidering what these moments of fun might reveal about me—but more than that, how they connect me to the people I love. Day 98: ADAM GRANT I used to think a real friend was someone you talked to every week. Now I see a real friend as someone who’s there for you even if you haven’t talked in a year. Deep connection can exist without frequent communication. As I’ve reconnected with friends over the past few months, I’ve noticed that the most joyful interactions are with the friends whose idea of fun brings them back to the same mental age as mine does. My idea of fun is racing Mario Kart, playing Ultimate Frisbee and ping-pong, reading Ender’s Game, a game of Anagrams or Clue, watching Batman Begins, and going to a water park or a trampoline park. That makes my “fun age” approximately nine. If your idea of entertainment is drinking and dancing, your fun age clocks in around 19. If you’re more excited to knit a sweater and play Bingo, your fun age is about 93. If your dream day is driving in a red convertible and going on a date with someone half your age, your fun age is midlife crisis. Your prompt: Figure out your “fun age,” meaning the common age of those who enjoy the same activities as you. Invite some friends to do the same, and then compare lists. You might discover some new ways to enjoy your time with old friends. #TheIsolationJournals

A post shared by Suleika Jaouad – سليكة جواد (@suleikajaouad) on

8 thoughts on “My Idea of Fun

  1. Congratulations, Denise. I see your name on that book. How exciting. I don’t know that I have a fun age. Certainly, I like having fun, but I’m also a very serious person. You might say I’m “tightly wound,” and I wasn’t a very happy child. I’m a much happier adult. I have more of a contentment age. I need to read that prompt from the isolation journals.

    1. Hi Glenda,
      Thank you!
      I’ve added the prompt above from Instagram for you and others. It was a good one. I love your idea about “contentment” age. Contentment is very important, probably more than fun.

  2. What a playful age you have within you! Love this! I have been partaking of the Isolation Journals, too, and think a lot of my play comes from about the same age…8 – 10, or so…I loved gardening, drawing, bikeriding. I love this line of yours, “I have several reasons for being a teacher, but certainly one of them is that children make life more fun.” I suspect you make children’s lives more fun!!

  3. Your post brims with positive energy. I’m intrigued by this prompt and the idea of a “fun age”. I’ll have to give it some more thought, but I suspect mine might be geriatric :). That feels a bit depressing! lol
    PS–Congratulations on the book! Now that’s a happy package to receive in the mail 🙂

    1. Thank you, Molly. What a nice comment. It gives me more positive energy! Blessings. Not depressing–there is lots of good geriatric fun!

  4. Not sure what mine would be. Although I enjoy reading, I did enjoy climbing trees, walking the railroad tracks, and riding my bike through cemeteries. Does that make me 10 or 11?

    1. Yes. I think that’s the age I was when I walked the railroad tracks! I forgot about that. And riding through the cemetery was probably a kid fun thing to do!

Comments are closed.