Stupid Human skill ideas needed.

[seemsright]

Oregon is entering another lockdown (they are calling it a freeze) they are saying it is 2 weeks. I highly doubt it will be that short.

The last lockdown lasted 6 weeks and I lost my entire mojo. I am not going to lie I freaked out the Gov took away my gym and my family came home I lost my entire routine. I have yet to get my routine back, but I was okay as long as I went to the private gym I went to with a trainer (yes it is expensive but cheaper than losing my mind) Now that is being taken away...just as I was getting my body fat down.

I have a plan to keep on track with my workouts, and my trainer is going to help keep me on track via internet.

But I have ran out of things 'to do' I was looking around my house to see if there are any 'stupid human skills' I could learn. I found a few small balls in my kids ball bin and I am going to learn juggling. I can work on my knitting project, read books.

But I would like ideas of 'stupid human skills' that are just fun and almost pointless to learn like juggling. To add whimsy to the grey PNW winter where we cannot go anywhere for at least the next two weeks...and I am guessing it will be 6.

Thank you for any ideas you all may have.

[Frankies Girl]

Coloring or paint by number paintings. They are kitchy but kind of cool looking.

Learn a musical instrument. You can buy a ukulele for beginners on Amazon for less than $35 or check a local pawn shop for a cheap acoustic guitar or similar instrument. Lessons are all over YouTube.

Teach yourself a new language.

Grow cooking herbs/pretty flowers from seed indoors. Added bonus is that a grow light will also help any human that needs a bit of sunlight boost.

Put together models. There are SOOOOO MANY cool things you could make beyond the old school plastic car/plane junk. I read a blogger that makes these and then leaves them out in public spaces/parks for kids to find. Not endorsing these but just to give you an idea:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Fascinations/page/96E75E57-96AA-4E92-9CC3-0F70BB260E41?ref_=ast_bln

Find an old school video game that has a really involved storyline and get into it. I discovered Skyrim last year, and got sucked down the rabbit hole of this NINE year old game... and it is still AWESOME.

Create an intricate dance routine to a song. I would think for exercise, practicing like you're a backup dancer or getting ready to be part of a flash mob might be fun. Would be silly anyway along with getting some exercise in there...

[mozar]

Do elaborate/ multi step cooking with your family.

[Caoineag]

3d jigsaw puzzles. My most elaborate was a grey castle, it took weeks of concentrated effort. My dad had bought it to slow me down as I could put a 2d jigsaw puzzle together in a couple of hours. They had that as a statue in the house for a decade.

[Roadrunner53]

Sell some of your stuff on Ebay. You will make money and it sucks the time out of your life like you can't imagine!

Learn to knit or crochet. There is loom knitting which is repetitive but you could make knit hats for a hospital that treats cancer patients. A lot of times they have a basket for patients to pick a cap or caps. Due to hair loss during their treatments. These looms are round plastic and it seems you keep looping the yarn over pegs and then use a hook and join the next loop together. I have thought about doing it myself. You could make them for the homeless too.

My hub does word search puzzles. I do on line solitaire or on line checkers. It is a time sink and challenging to try to beat the computer.

You could buy some jewelry making kits and make bracelets, earrings.

Go to youtube and search things people do. I was there yesterday and I see people repurpose old sweaters into dog/cat beds, Take sweaters and restyle it into a vest or a child's outfit. Another lady tore apart a crib and repurposed it into a gate for her garden. People have amazing ideas!

Learn to make bread. I found a really great bread recipe on youtube. Look up Living traditions bread recipe.

Learn to make seasonal wreaths to enjoy or sell. Spring, summer, fall, winter. You can make festive wreaths for holidays like 4th of July, Christmas.

Adopt a dog or cat from your local animal welfare. You will have a new friend to keep you busy playing, walking, brushing, feeding.

Read up on history. I used to despise history in school. Now I find it totally amazing to think what people did a few hundred years ago like explorers going to the Antarctic, pioneers blazing a trail to the west in horse wagons. They had none of the modern conveniences that we take for granted, had no GPS, had no gas stations to get a broken wheel fixed, no computers or cell phones to look things up. No grocery stores that have an abundance of every imaginable food.

[ixtap]

Dancing - find a style that really challenges you

Learn an instrument. The fam and neighbors may prefer you choose an electric version that you can practice with headphones

Write poetry

Play video games

Have family game night, family olympics, etc

Post excessively on MMM...

[firestarter2018]

A fun one I've been considering is learning to solve a Rubik's cube.  There are endless tutorials and YouTube videos on how to master the basic algorithms.  Definitely a good party trick.  There's a short Netflix documentary called Speed Cubers on kids who compete in Rubik's Cube tournaments, I found it fascinating.

If you can knit, have you tried any other crafts?  I love needlepoint -- it's very easy (much easier than knitting, IMO!) and there's lots of beginner kits out there.  It is repetitive and meditative once you get the hang of it. Embroidery and cross-stitch also have big online communities.

Picking a random language on Duolingo and trying to keep up a daily streak is fun.  Just pick a language you never thought you'd try, not one you feel you should learn.

[BECABECA]

Learn how to pick locks. This skill has personally come in handy for me no less than 5 times over the last decade, and I only achieved a basic skill level.
https://toool.us/

[erutio]

Learn to do a hand stand. 

[GoConfidently]

Learn to draw. Requires nothing but pencil and paper. Start with an egg on a surface with a single light source (no outline allowed). When that is mastered, move to a lemon with texture. Then a bell pepper or other oddly shaped item. Then a spoon with reflections. Then try them all in pen using a variety of line types (hatching, squiggles, etc.) or color if that sounds more interesting. Once you have that, try some faces or landscapes from a gridded picture. One drawing a day every day and you’ll be shocked at the progress you can make in a short period of time. Drawing is a universal language and you never know when it might come in handy.

[OtherJen]

If you like a particular cuisine or style of cooking/baking, immerse yourself in it. One long, cold winter, my mom and I tried to bake a different recipe out of a cookie cookbook at least once a week. Or you could learn a tricky new kitchen technique.

Get a book of crosswords, sudoku, or another type of puzzle that you enjoy or think you might like.

I don’t know what your knitting skill level is, but if you mainly knit scarves, try a hat. Or a simple sweater. If you’re pretty good at following single-color patterns, try color work (e.g., fair isle, intarsia, brioche).

[Archipelago]

Coloring or paint by number paintings. They are kitchy but kind of cool looking.

Learn a musical instrument. You can buy a ukulele for beginners on Amazon for less than $35 or check a local pawn shop for a cheap acoustic guitar or similar instrument. Lessons are all over YouTube.

Teach yourself a new language.

Grow cooking herbs/pretty flowers from seed indoors. Added bonus is that a grow light will also help any human that needs a bit of sunlight boost.

Put together models. There are SOOOOO MANY cool things you could make beyond the old school plastic car/plane junk. I read a blogger that makes these and then leaves them out in public spaces/parks for kids to find. Not endorsing these but just to give you an idea:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Fascinations/page/96E75E57-96AA-4E92-9CC3-0F70BB260E41?ref_=ast_bln

Find an old school video game that has a really involved storyline and get into it. I discovered Skyrim last year, and got sucked down the rabbit hole of this NINE year old game... and it is still AWESOME.

Create an intricate dance routine to a song. I would think for exercise, practicing like you're a backup dancer or getting ready to be part of a flash mob might be fun. Would be silly anyway along with getting some exercise in there...

Hi there, would you want to share more about this model kit assembling hobby? The Hogwarts kits look really neat. I'm making a Harry Potter themed room this holiday season. These would be a very nice addition and seem fun to assemble.

[plog]

Object manipulation is endless:  juggling, Yo-Yoing, spinning tops, juggling sticks, plate spinning, card shuffling, coin knuckle rolling, object balancing, etc.  Search youtube for "object manipulation" and you could kill a week just watching amazing videos.

Ride a unicycle

I disagree with learning an instrument--I say master a song on water filled glasses.

Buy a running/cycling tracking device and spell dirty words by running/riding around your town.

Build a rube goldberg machine

Stop motion animation

The world is full of stupid amazing shit but needs more of it.  Good luck on your quest.

[ender]

Learn how to pick locks. This skill has personally come in handy for me no less than 5 times over the last decade, and I only achieved a basic skill level.
https://toool.us/

Hah, I've been watching the Lock Picking Lawyer on youtube a ton and it seems fascinating to me :-)

Hi there, would you want to share more about this model kit assembling hobby? The Hogwarts kits look really neat. I'm making a Harry Potter themed room this holiday season. These would be a very nice addition and seem fun to assemble.

I don't particularly like the metalearth models as I find them way too fiddly. If you end up doing models where you need paint, make sure you get kits that include paint initially.

[dcheesi]

Find an old school video game that has a really involved storyline and get into it. I discovered Skyrim last year, and got sucked down the rabbit hole of this NINE year old game... and it is still AWESOME.

You kids with yer new-fangled games... I fired up a fresh copy of Baldur's Gate and spent months playing it! (Granted, I'd played it before, back in the day, which probably made it easier to get into the old-school isometric interface etc.)

[Steeze]

Buy a speed cube online at www.thecubicle.com - learn to solve cube in less than 1 min. Impress children at parties.

Learn to build playing card pyramids

Learn to do a muscle up

Learn some yo-yo tricks

Download Li Chess and play chess online - see what your natural ranking is

Memorize multiplication / division tables above the number 12 (many people stop at 12) - say to the #50. "Quick what is 47 * 33?"

Learn a song on the piano / guitar or other instrument

Practice a stand-up comedy routine

Learn a couple magic tricks (cards / coins / handkerchiefs)

Download Speed Anatomy and learn all the parts of the human body

Download Map Quiz and learn to fill in an entire map of the globe - then work on capital cities

Learn to say "Hello, it is nice to meet you", "Thank You", "Yes", No" and "Sorry" in as many languages as you can

[SunnyDays]

Seek out activities/games you loved as a kid and revisit them.  I bought a spirograph the other day because that was my obsession as an 8 year old.  The etch-a-sketch was temping too, but I find it frustrating because I just don't have that kind of coordination.  But there are people who can recreate amazing photos/pictures on them.  I second the needlepoint - it's so relaxing.

[TrMama]

We're building an elaborate Harry Potter themed gingerbread house. I built a test model yesterday from cereal boxes. Good thing too since I totally flubbed the initial roof design.

Go on a short day trip to somewhere you wouldn't normally. I think our winter will involve a number of family hikes to further flung trails followed by "recovery" at the nearest bakery.

[Roadrunner53]

Jigsaw puzzles. Get a really big one and set it on a card table. At my local hospital, in the cancer unit, they always have a puzzle on a table and people that are waiting try to piece it together. Very time consuming!

I am guessing the hospital has done away with the puzzles due to Corona.

Buy ceramic things from hobby stores to paint and give as gifts: https://www.michaels.com/north-pole-diy-plaster-decor-by-artminds-christmas/10643096.html

[Fish Sweet]

Seconding big beautiful immersive games that are a massive timesuck.  If you have an older gaming console (PS3 gen or up) or a more modern PC/laptop with any kind of gaming capability, there's a good chance that you can run Fallout 3, Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion, Elder Scrolls V Skyrim, or Dragon Age Origins.  I got at least a solid 400 hours of gameplay off a $18 copy of Oblivion.  These games came out ~10+ years ago, so they can be bought for peanuts during massive sales, and computer technology has improved by leaps and bounds so that even a fairly mediocre laptop with a little gaming capability can probably run them on medium settings.  And they're no less fun even now!

[Frankies Girl]

Seconding big beautiful immersive games that are a massive timesuck.  If you have an older gaming console (PS3 gen or up) or a more modern PC/laptop with any kind of gaming capability, there's a good chance that you can run Fallout 3, Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion, Elder Scrolls V Skyrim, or Dragon Age Origins.  I got at least a solid 400 hours of gameplay off a $18 copy of Oblivion.  These games came out ~10+ years ago, so they can be bought for peanuts during massive sales, and computer technology has improved by leaps and bounds so that even a fairly mediocre laptop with a little gaming capability can probably run them on medium settings.  And they're no less fun even now!

I still have a working PS1-3, and ALLLL the cool oldskool games. I was addicted to survival horror at one point and I have some rare ones like Fatal Frame and the complete Silent Hill series. Hell, even the Final Fantasy games are awesome to replay. I went down a rabbit hole of breeding chocobos... :D

I just thought of something else OP:  what about learning to program a simple video game? I see these ALL THE TIME now so it's got to be possible to get started using something cheapy or free-wise. Or making music - there is a free program called Audacity and as far as I know, Apple computers still have a free practically pro level sound/music thingy on it... you could even PODCAST on a subject you enjoy....



@Archipelago I don't do these models myself, I just read a blogger (The Bloggess) that makes them as both a hobby and a way to control her anxiety disorder. They look really fiddly but interesting to me, and I also did like doing regular models (the plastic ones) back in the day. I also used to paint D&D miniatures but I'd need one of those lighted model magnifier mirrors now for that or the little metal model kits, and I have other hobbies that are priority so I don't see doing this myself. Mostly throwing things out there for the OP to see if anything sounded interesting. :)

[sebi13]

Learn to do a hand stand.

Do you still remember how long it took you till you could do a handstand reasonably well? I try to learn it since mid of October (so roughly a month), and I still struggle mostly with flexibility.

[lukebuz]

Do you have the space for woodworking?  Buy some Cedar boards and a plunge router.  1 hour to learn, lifetime to master.  Sky is the limit on creativity!

[Gone_fishing]

Basketweaving?  I made a tiny Native American raffia basket and it makes me happy to hold it and smell it.

[ToTheMoon]

Learn to balance an egg on its end. Takes a lot of time and patience, but it IS possible!

[Trifle]

Learn to whistle through your fingers (really, really loud).  I learned at camp one time when I was a kid, and it comes in handy surprisingly often.  This is how:  https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/how-to-whistle-with-your-fingers/.  It will take some time, and you may spray some spit at first, but it's a cool skill to have.  Once you can do it two-handed, switch to the one-handed method which is a little harder but a lot more useful. 

I'm also training to do pull-ups using the Marine Corps training plan:  https://www.marines.mil/News/News-Display/Article/673308/zero-to-twenty-plus-marine-develops-program-to-improve-pull-ups/.  Designed by a woman officer, and apparently now used in the Corps for male recruits as well.  (My DH who can already do a bunch of pullups switched over to this method, and has increased by 20% in two months.) 

Knitting is great.  I'm making hats and scarves for family Christmas presents. 

[use2betrix]

It sounds more like you want to continue on the path of good health and fitness as opposed to learning some mundane party trick.

You mention keeping your BF low, that is directly related to your diet. If you’re not working out as much, you should eat less if you want to maintain a similar body fat.

To my understanding, the lockdown doesn’t mean you have to stay indoors. You could run, bike, etc.

At home you could get one of those door frame pull up bars, do pushups, get a kettlebell or a set of adjustable dumbbells.

For people wanting to stay healthy and fit, a lockdown should certainly not be a reason to let it go by the wayside. It’s up to you to push yourself to continue to work out.

[erutio]

Learn to do a hand stand.

Do you still remember how long it took you till you could do a handstand reasonably well? I try to learn it since mid of October (so roughly a month), and I still struggle mostly with flexibility.

I learned in junior high, so I can't say how long it would take for an adult to learn it.  Since my teenage years, I probably end up doing it a few times a year as a stupid party trick or if I'm bored, more recently to show my kids.  Takes me a few minutes of muscle memory to kick in to relearn the balance. 

[Dogastrophe]

Learn how to pick locks. This skill has personally come in handy for me no less than 5 times over the last decade, and I only achieved a basic skill level.
https://toool.us/

Hah, I've been watching the Lock Picking Lawyer on youtube a ton and it seems fascinating to me :-)

Ha ha, same here. He showed up in my recommended videos one day and I started watching him. I always laugh when he takes 5 minutes to explain the lock and what he will need to do, then proceeds to pick it in 10 seconds.

[Smokystache]

+10 for Lock Picking Lawyer. I bought some old locks on ebay and have been having fun.

You can also get some ideas from Mike Boyd - his entire Youtube channel is about how long it takes him to learn a new skill - some physical, some more mental : https://www.youtube.com/c/MikeBoydVideo/videos?view=0&sort=p&flow=gridQ

[tawyer]

Origami, specifically the Kawasaki rose.

Knots.

[AccidentialMustache]

Old video game systems? Need to burn energy? Do they have a copy of ddr? If not can you curbside one (and a functional dance mat) from a used games store?

Same question; oculus quest. F-book gets a big old F in my opinion (I don't have an account) but if you've already made a deal with the devil, the quest 2 is fairly inexpensive as exercise equipment goes.

You could also get similar mileage out of rock band, but only on the drums. You are not going to sweat on guitar or vocals. You will as you get good on drums.