Need
a break from work or study? Tired of TV?
Want to take a break and relax with a different kind of
entertainment? The
Internet now has a plentiful supply of everything from humor, music,
films, celebrities and games to art and books.
How
about a smile or a laugh to brighten up the day?
The Internet has plenty of sites with humor, though many of
them don't seem to last long for some reason. Perhaps the best
bet is to use Yahoo's
122 direct links to humor websites as well as many links under various
categories.
Why
bother listening to radio on the Internet?
As
one writer for Lycos put it, "I love listening to the radio. Talk radio, music radio, random static--it's all music to my
ears. But whenever I
bring the old Philco into work with me, the boss gets all antsy and
starts having one of his `fits.'
Live365.com
has thousands of commercial-free online stations--you can just tell the boss you're doing some
complicated software beta-testing."
If
you have Windows Media Player, you can tune in to radio broadcasts and
music of all types while you surf.
For
ballet fans, American Ballet Theatre has information about the company
and national tour dates, plus the synopsis and history of many
ballets. Classical Net includes a repertoire list, reviews and
articles, CD buying guide and a database of composers.
An
excellent directory including the Web addresses for these and many
more sites can be found at Lycos.
Atomfilms
has
collections of films for viewing with Real Player. They haven't yet
integrated surround sound with the home cinema experience, and the
films aren't quite Oscar candidates, but the short films can provide
an interesting break in the work routine.
For
TV on the Net KCTU
TV brings: “The World Wide Web's Premier Television Station. The
World's first 24 hr a day commercial television station that brings
you great television programming from the heartland of the USA.”
For
live online video events, the Media
Channel has a listing of the month's webcasts on the Internet.
A
number of Internet sites now have live cams for viewers from around
the world. There's a live
cam atop one of San Francisco's famous hills updating a view of the
San Francisco Bay and Golden Gate Bridge.
A
favorite live cam is stationed on Bourbon
Street in New Orleans. Following
the street action at any time is fascinating; but during the Mardi
Gras, it's a special delight. Earthcam
has a directory of live cameras around the world on the Web.
The
Net even has an online Magic
Showroom, featuring professional magicians for a treat in Internet
magic.
If
you have a favorite celebrity, Lycos' celebrity
page has links to pages featuring news, information and pictures
of actors, actresses, models and athletes.
It's even possible to correspond with some of the celebrities
by email.
Eonline
has a fascinating website with entertainment news and features,
gossip, TV and music features and celebrity news.
The
Internet now embraces a number of excellent sites for serious art
lovers. The best, complete with an index of all major artists and
photographs of their works, is the Web Museum Bienvenue.
In
addition to the Artist Index, art reproductions have been classified
by themes from Gothic through the Renaissance and Impressionism to the
20th century along with Japanese art and architecture.
Read
a good book without going to the local library, where you may not find
what you’re looking for anyway.
The Internet now has loads of good reading available.
Ever
popular works like 20,000 Leagues under the Sea, Aesop’s
Fables, Alladin and the Magic Lamp, The Call of the Wild, Dracula,
Heart of Darkness, Kidnapped, Les Miserables, Little Women, The Red
Badge of Courage, Robinson Crusoe, Stories to Tell Children, The Wind
in the Willows, and The World Factbook can be downloaded free!
These
and more, all good reading and including some of the great classics,
can be found at the Project
Gutenberg.
Finally,
for those who like the distraction of a game during a break from work
or study, the Web has a plethora of games for all interests, from
action to the quieter board games.
One of the best all-round websites for gamers is Yahoo's.
For
Scrabble aficionados, the Official Worldwide Scrabble
Home Page, available in English, Spanish, German and French, has
online games, news, tips and club listings.
Chess
players have a couple of good sites for online action.
Yahoo
Chess has sections for beginners, intermediate and advanced
players, and you can compete live against players from around the
world.
The
harder you work, the more you need to give yourself some time for
play. Relaxation and
enjoyment relieve stress and clear the mind.
Take a break!
