How do you Recharge?

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Sorry, I just spaced out for a second.... could be the last TV I had.

I do cross-stitch. I became obssessed with plastic canvas when I was 12, then discovered cross-stitch when I was 21. I haven't stopped doing it since. I do it almost nightly, keeping one eye on my work and one on the tv.

Around Christmas time, I sort of stopped doing the cross-stitch for a while. I had a bunch of magazines that had been piling up, so I was spending my evenings either reading those, watching tv, or surfing the internet.

I'd been becoming increasingly irritable, not totally, "blow up if you look at me" irritable, I just sort of had this nagging restlessness tugging at me all the time. I became more quiet and moody just in general. I started wondering if I was having some sort of depressive episode. Then, last week, I decided to start a new cross-stitch project. Holy crap, it's like the world was put back into balance! That nagging, restless feeling slipped away. It sounds ret*d, but it was like a drug.

I think cross-stitch could be considered a major stim. It gives me a place to sort of focus myself. Over the last few days, I've been affectionately referring to it as my "therapy". LOL.

I retreat to my studio, (although I cannot paint unless I am already recharged) it is small but I have everything I need in here. My mate looks in and says it is like a dorm room.

Here I can play computer chess, research my interests, lay and watch mindless tv... but the most important thing to "recharge" is I have to be completely alone for some time.

Another thing I have done for years is I walk late at night and I find this somewhat a release of the daily assault of the senses.

I put on the kettle and have a cup of tea...and if I have the funds, I also have jam and wheat or rye bread.

Haha, I love cross stitch! My mother has done loads and loads of cross stitch images, and now makes cards and does all sorts of other craft things like applique. I don't do any anymore, but I used to do it every day, almost from when I got up...usually I would stitch cats... I have a half done one here of two siamese kittens and it is huge. I currently play ps2 games to relax a little, but no doubt at some point I will return to cross stitch as you are right, it is very relaxing, but then, like a stim, it is a repetitive action.

Music that fits the mood I'm in
Writing something
Creating a funny scene or weird association
Wikipedia

I often find that I'm able to recharge when listening to some nice,quiet music as such or going for a peaceful walk around the lake I live nearby..

I go into my room and take a nap, or read, or use my computer (on some non-intensive activity).

It’s totally a stim – just the sound and feel of the thread going through the fabric, the repetitive motion to do it. It’s so calming. I did a really simple design once – one that was mostly lines rather than the actual x-stitch, and I didn’t enjoy it at all! It didn’t involve that smooth, steady, repetitive motion needed to create row upon row of the traditional x’s.

I started an appliqué project last October and finished it right around Christmas, and didn’t enjoy that nearly as much as I thought I would. But then, there’s nothing really repetitive about cutting out different felt pieces, embroidering/sequining them free-hand, stuffing them and then sewing them onto a bigger piece of felt. That’s way too many steps and each piece is different. Come to think of it then, I hadn’t done any cross-stitch since before I started that project in October! No wonder I was losing my marbles.

What games do you play on the PS2? I used to be a huge gamer. The last “new” game I played was Final Fantasy 8 on PS1 – just to give you an idea of how long it’s been! Funny – that was not long before I really started getting into the cross-stitch. One just about completely replaced the other. LOL!