Hey guys, life has kind of been kicking my ass recently, and I've been getting a lot of stress migraines because of it. I need some good, brainless distractions. Draw Something was good for the first 10 minutes, but you have to wait for, like, real people, so that's out. The free iPad blokus app lasted a few days until I realized that the opponent's strategy is not to use all his pieces in the most space effective way possible, but to prevent me from using any pieces at all. Stupid.

Looking for web games, iPad apps, brain numbing books, or any other (free) time sink. Bonus points if it makes me smile.

I've been playing a lot of Ascension, an iphone adaptation of a deck-building game that I've never played IRL. I find it entertaining and just challenging enough to be interesting.

If you want to read a bizarre and funny mashup of the Cthulhu mythos, computer hacking, and British bureaucratic absurdity, try The Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross

I finally got around to watching Buffy, Angel, and Farscape on Netflix. I'd recommend any or all of them.

It's not quite brainless (actually, you might need a cheat sheet to keep track of all the characters), but have you read the Game of Thrones series of books?

Hey guys, life has kind of been kicking my ass recently, and I've been getting a lot of stress migraines because of it. I need some good, brainless distractions. Draw Something was good for the first 10 minutes, but you have to wait for, like, real people, so that's out. The free iPad blokus app lasted a few days until I realized that the opponent's strategy is not to use all his pieces in the most space effective way possible, but to prevent me from using any pieces at all. Stupid.

Looking for web games, iPad apps, brain numbing books, or any other (free) time sink. Bonus points if it makes me smile.

Monk, the show where my signature is from, makes me laugh AND feel better about myself because no matter how bad the universe is treading on me, I've got my shit together more than him. It's on Netflix, if you have that.

Also, I just read Lamb: The Gospel According To Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal. That was pretty good.

As for mind-numbing books, you could slog your way through War and Peace. That's on Gutenberg. Better things on Gutenberg: the Importance of Being Earnest (IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THIS, THIS IS WHAT YOU MUST DO), the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, that John Carter thing that Disney is trying to force down our throats (the book is "A Princess of Mars"), the Three Musketeers, et cetera.

... actually, now I just want to see the early 90s version of the Three Musketeers with Chris O'Donnell and his curly hair. Maybe that's what I'll do tonight.

Rastus- great ideas! Will try both!

Fox- I don't have Netflix, but I remember watching Buffy and Angel while they were airing. On the WB, oh sooo long ago. It was too scary for me at the time, I remember having nightmares about all the Buffy episodes with the creepy little girl who sang, and the weird Chuckie doll.... But I still love David Boreanaz.

Fren- I tried reading the Wheel of Time series in 2010 and gave up after 7 1/2 books because I couldn't keep it straight. Can I read the sparknotes of Game of Thrones? Or actually just watch it, cause I have it on Blu Ray now :P

Im- I've seen the play and was superbly confused. Like, really REALLY confused. Maybe War and Peace, my mother has said for 30 years it's her favorite book.

Also, I just read Lamb: The Gospel According To Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal. That was pretty good.

Lamb is a fantastic book. Hilarious and really moving at the same time. Read it!

Mezcal...lots of Mezcal.

Mezcal...lots of Mezcal.

Brendar agrees with much of what Pilsner says.

I read the entire 'The Hunger Games' on a 4.5 hour flight from Chicago to San Francisco. It's a pretty easy read, and entertaining too.

Plus, (if you've seen the movie it's easier to picture) you can daydream about Lenny Kravitz the entire time. That man is beautiful.

This GIF kept me distracted for at least 10 minutes today:

Have you seen the site Goodreads.com? I was introduced to it recently. I found it gives a LOT of good recommendations that haven't popped up before, or things I haven't heard of based on my reading history. Course it takes a couple of hours to set up rating all the books you've read and putting them on your "bookshelf". They also have online reading groups, so you can discuss and read books together without having to leave home (if you want to leave home, I then recommend meetup.com for anything local you might want to see about with, ew, people). I joined a YA Reading Group and have been enjoying the books and the discussion.

Otherwise, um... get a Sudoku app for your phone? I know it keeps me busy when I'm waiting in airports.

http://forums.sennadar.com/
Fel (as he goes by on his forums) is a pretty awesome writer. He publishes his own books a chapter at a time on his forums. It is sometimes a chapter a week and sometimes a few months before you will see the next chapter in whatever you may be reading from him. His books are a pretty good read though. If you are looking for a writing style that pulls you in and makes you forget how long you have been reading, I have found his books to do that to me.
There are several books completely finished in his chapter announcements forum. There is even a couple of series that are pretty much done unless he feels the urge to write another sequel...

.... that John Carter thing that Disney is trying to force down our throats (the book is A Princess of Mars")...

A Princess of Mars

ERB list

Or this as a distraction: