Brian / November 14, 2005 6:22 AM

Friday.

Veronica / November 14, 2005 7:40 AM

Watch television. Everything's better when there's an episode of Gilmore Girls on.

holden / November 14, 2005 7:49 AM

exercise and/or stretch. a good workout on the eleptical or 45 minutes with weights helps me burn off any stress buildup.
i love a good stretch, really stretch out all your different muscle groups and you do feel better.

Ian / November 14, 2005 8:14 AM

A good long walk or bike ride, across the Loop to the lake. The exercise seems to convert that nervous energy and allows you to think more clearly.

Highly recommended.

nico / November 14, 2005 8:16 AM

play LITERATI -- or ride my bike.

slb / November 14, 2005 8:36 AM

i *think* about exercising.

but i *actually* start drinking right after work.

fhm / November 14, 2005 9:23 AM

Drink specials.

Frantic Francis / November 14, 2005 9:32 AM

I leave my office and roam around my floor clowning around absurdly for whatever audience I can find.

Moon / November 14, 2005 9:35 AM

I have found that a good panic works wonders, especially a manic panic.

Ron Hump / November 14, 2005 9:47 AM

What's gonna happen in the next Harry Potter book

Tommy Chong / November 14, 2005 10:04 AM

Bongs.
Loads of 'em.

It's easier on your costitution than stress.

MikeH / November 14, 2005 10:13 AM

Tommy Chong beat me to it, but yeah, smoke weed. Definitely, it's smoking weed...

brian / November 14, 2005 10:14 AM

I find the Lawn Goose Designs website to be relaxing. Looking at a concrete goose dressed in Harley gear makes me laugh and relax.

sky / November 14, 2005 10:27 AM

Wine. And a good friend. And some dirty good food. Top it all off with more wine. And perhaps a Sex and the City marathon.

dan / November 14, 2005 10:50 AM

I just got a George W. squishy stress doll for my birthday last week.

Unfortunately, it is not of the best quality >> I accidentally tore most of it's head off within the first five minutes.

K. / November 14, 2005 10:55 AM

French fries, booze and my Arrested Development DVD's. (RIP)

Carrie / November 14, 2005 11:27 AM

I swear under my breath a lot and roll my eyes. Then I start mumbling, "why don't I keep a flask at my desk?" and "seriously, I need a drink". Then I start IMing everyone to see who will grab a drink with me after work.

Sometimes though I "behave" and drink chamomile to calm my nerves.

Spence / November 14, 2005 12:32 PM

Cooking and those Sudoku puzzles

Shasta MacNasty / November 14, 2005 1:04 PM

1. Over-think the situation.
2. Come up withe some kind of plan to deal with whatever is stressing me out.
3. Eat.
4. Multiple self-love sessions.

lacey / November 14, 2005 1:10 PM

I like playing Dance Dance Revolution. It's excercize AND it's video games. I used to play raquetball but that just made me angry. DDR inspires much less violence.

Amy / November 14, 2005 1:11 PM

my next vacation

julie / November 14, 2005 1:11 PM

paint.
sleep.

mike-ts / November 14, 2005 1:55 PM

How to solve the problem that is giving me fits. When my cpu fan was stressing me out by sounding like a truck engine brake (brrrrrrrrr), I bought a new one and installed it. Gutters ticking me off by overflowing after heavy rains? Gutters are clean, so I put on extra downspouts. Basement dry, stress be gone.

Or I find something else to occupy my time. There's a lot of stupid tasks to get done wherever I find myself, whether physical or mental. Finding diversions, or wallowing, never did me any good. It usually leaves me with having pi**ed away my day, and still finding myself in the same predicament after my diversion. Focus does wonders.

The Serenity Prayer is a good way to split what to stress over. It's raining? Oh, well. No clean clothes? Then do laundry.

But the goose store looks pretty good, if you're in the diversionary mood and have a block of spare time and need a laugh. Almost as funny as dogs running on linoleum, with the added benefit of being able to call it on demand. If you have neither a dog nor linoleum, it's hard to make that good laugh happen when you want.

van Moxie / November 14, 2005 3:27 PM

Relieve stress? You can do that? I usually just hold onto it. You can tell how much I'm holding by looking at my skin and the way I wear my teeth down while I sleep. Oh, and the seething. You can see it there, too.

Emerson Dameron / November 14, 2005 3:39 PM

Although I was raised Episcopalian and no longer attend church, I recommend channeling a fiery Baptist preacher and composing an appropriate sermon.

Brenda / November 14, 2005 3:50 PM

I pet the kitty.

No, not *that* kitty. Get your mind out of the gutter.

Okay, maybe that kitty too.

Huckle Cat / November 14, 2005 4:33 PM

When I'm stressed out I'm usually not in the mood for things that would actually relieve the stress (like exercise or dancing). So that leaves drinking and eating...

But laughing's also good. Call a hilarious friend or pop in a ridiculously stupid movie.

Trev / November 14, 2005 5:09 PM

I throw in some Van Halen and do push-ups.

mafouf / November 14, 2005 5:26 PM

belly dance!

tony / November 14, 2005 5:44 PM

Damned (mostly) healthy people, doing non-destructive things to relieve stress... *puff* *puff*

Leah / November 14, 2005 7:26 PM

Stare at the piles that are stressing me out. Bills. Laundry. Dishes. Books. Okay, not books, books don't stress me out. Expense reports.

After I'm done staring, I move the piles off the counter so I can bake bread from scratch.

Or I go drink coffee.

Or sangria.

Or go to bed.

cory / November 14, 2005 7:28 PM

i clean. clean a desk, get organized, get things straightened, etc. if that fails, i like to cuss.

Moon / November 14, 2005 8:58 PM

I just got a George W. squishy stress doll for my birthday last week.

Unfortunately, it is not of the best quality >> I accidentally tore most of it's head off within the first five minutes.

I think you missed the point of that doll. It's a Bush stress doll - it falls apart under stress, just like Bush.

Moon / November 14, 2005 9:39 PM

mafouf

belly dance!

That's your answer to EVERYTHING, mafouf. EVERYTHING.

Moon / November 14, 2005 9:42 PM

Shasta McNasty

Multiple self-love sessions.

That's your answer to EVERYTHING, Shasta McNasty. EVERYTHING.

Baldeesh / November 14, 2005 9:53 PM

When I had roommates, I used to give one of them a backrub. The more upset/pissed off/stressed I was, the more I threw myself into it. I came home from work one night in March and he had to ask me to stop. Repeatedly.

Lately, I clean, organize, and tidy.

Leelah / November 14, 2005 10:30 PM

I drink tea with milk and sugar.

Ari / November 15, 2005 8:08 AM

Road trip! Throw in some Beasties, Chemical Bros or Ministry (when I'm feeling REALLY stressed)and stop at a few small town dives. Never fails.

kerry / November 15, 2005 8:16 AM

arts 'n' crafts (needlepoint, knitting, beading)
walks, long or short
shopping
wine

The shopping thing is just trouble, because when I endure long periods of low-level stress I overspend and that just makes things much, much worse.

waleeta / November 15, 2005 8:22 AM

Sit and stare at the wall, and try to actually FEEL my ulcer get bigger. Grow quietly angrier, and finally, try to sleep it off. No wonder I am an insomniac.

paul / November 15, 2005 8:58 AM

I usually do an ashlee simpson jig when no one's looking.

p / November 15, 2005 9:42 AM

It was strange to conciously think of my activities since I don't have set mechanics when stressed. And the activities sound pretty ridiculous when written out. Since I've quit smoking they're even wacker- eatin' cookies, cleaning, taking a walk. Younger me definitely co-signs the cruising to Ministry. And why come the stressed love has to be self?

Mike / November 15, 2005 10:15 AM

I honk my horn in the alley repeatedly and bring my kids over to Taste of Heaven to let them have the run of the place.

Kevin / November 15, 2005 10:16 AM

Multiple self-love sessions.

That's your answer to EVERYTHING, Shasta McNasty. EVERYTHING.

You say that like it's a bad thing.

robin.. / November 15, 2005 12:43 PM

cook, sew, sleep, whack off.

not necessarily in that order.