Between working two strenuous jobs for an average of 50-60 hours a week and going to school full-time, I do find it incredibly difficult to find time to actually step back from everything and to have time to myself.  My schedule is very hectic and nothing is set in stone, so I am forced to play each week by ear and find the exact times in which I will have nothing to do.  One of my favorite hobbies right now is sleeping.  I know this sounds wierd, but for the longest time it would be rare for me to actually get a full 8 hours of sleep, so I try to do it as much as I can because I do not know when I will be able to do it again.

Besides that, my all time favorite thing that I do to unwind is to ride my motorcycle.  This is one of the most relaxing things I do because nothing gives me more freedom.  When riding I feel like I leave everything behind and that is a great feeling.  Sometimes when I ride I find myself in a difficult position on whether to apply the brakes so I can turn around and head home, or to simply pull back on the throttle and just keep going.  I especially love going to Bike Night at the Quaker Steak and Lube in Dickson City on Wednesday nights during the summer.  Hanging out with a bunch of my friends and then going for a ride really does make me feel like I do not have a care in the world.

Another activity I do to unwind is that I love going to the gym.  Lifting weight is one of the greatest stress relievers, and sometimes if I had a very bad day I like to take it out on the punching bag.  Running is great to because it makes you not really think about anything else.  When I run I always just focus on where i'm running to.  Instead of saying I will run around the block, I say I am going to run to that stop sign, and from there I pick something else out.  It is just a really good way to focus your mind on something other than work or other problems and honestly puts me into a happy and relaxed frame of mind.