With the east coast of Australia experiencing one of the wettest and coldest winters in living memory, many Aussies are choosing to spend their leisure time at home where it’s safe and warm. While curling up on the couch with a good book is still an option on cold and rainy days, we’re living in the 21st Century now and all you need is an internet connection to access a world of entertainment online.
Here are just a few ideas to get you started.
Social Media
If you’re one of the very few who don’t have a social media account, you’re really missing out and maybe you should take this opportunity to register for a free account on one or more of the many social networking sites available on the internet. Facebook is a great way to keep in contact with family and friends. Or you may like to contribute to a trending conversation on Twitter or Reddit. Other popular social media sites include: Instagram, Tumblr and Pinterest.
Online Gaming
While puzzles and casual games such as hidden object, match 3 and time management, continue to be popular with the ladies, women of all ages are playing alongside the guys on Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPG) such as World of Warcraft and trying their luck online at an Australian casino. There’s nothing to be ashamed of, just about everyone spends time playing games on the internet these days.
Watching TV Online
Did you know that in addition to subscription TV (Netflix, Presto and Stan) you can also access thousands of hours of free television programming on the internet? All of the major television networks in Australia now offer catch-up TV and you can access programming that isn’t shown in Australia and therefore, not subject to copyright restrictions, on the internet. Some of my personal favourites include documentaries on PBS Frontline and true crime stories on NBC Dateline, particularly those with Keith Morrison. All you need is a HDMI cable to connect your TV to the internet, or watch from any room in the house using a mobile device.
Blogging
While the rise of social media has taken focus away from the blogosphere, expressing yourself and your ideas in a blog post is still one of the most popular past-times on the internet. There are many sites that will give you a free space on the internet from where you can blog about what interests you to your heart’s content. Tumblr and Google’s Blogger are a good place to start, particularly if you want to have your blog posts read and commented on by others.