I would like some recommendations for leisure activities I can do
while at work, that to a passerby; would appear as if I am actually
working.  I do have access to the internet, and I am looking mostly
for things online, but creative suggestions of other things I can do
at my desk would be welcome.  My desk is a half cubicle in the middle
of the office and does not afford much privacy.  Everyone walks back
and forth behind my back when I am looking at my computer, making it
difficult to sense when someone is coming and quickly minimize
whatever game I am playing.

Basically I need websites to pass the time that do not involve
explosions, flashy colors, or anything that would draw attention. 
Even better would be websites that should a passerby, i.e. my boss,
look directly at my monitor they would assume I am busy at work.  As a
point of clarification my job involves a variety of tasks, some
actually involving surfing certain websites, reading text information,
database , etc?so anything can be on my screen that is ambiguous
enough in nature would be acceptable.  For example: Wikipedia.  I
regularly read articles on the website for hours.  The text nature of
the website without flashy banner ads makes it a perfect match.

The websites would ideally be something I could do for a couple hours
or at least engage my mind (or engage in mindlessness) to help pass
the time.  Thanks in advance!

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Clarification of Question by jaster-ga on 28 Sep 2005 11:50 PDT

To help with suggestions, here are some of my personal interests:

Reading:  I love books and stories of all kind.  Websites that have
online collections of books or stories would be great, especially
since all that text on the screen makes it look like I am hard at
work.  I avoid sites that have overly flashy banner ads though, as
they draw too much attention.

Puzzles/Games:  I love puzzles, games, riddles, wordplay, action, all
that good stuff.  The problem is so far, none of the stuff I found is
covert enough.

I am into science, history, math, etc, and love reading discussions
and articles on a variety of academic subjects.  I am open to all
kinds of new forums or sites if they meet the criteria.

Ya, anything that is fun and can help pass the time!  Thanks!

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Request for Question Clarification by sublime1-ga on 28 Sep 2005 12:50 PDT

jaster...

StumbleUpon.com provides you with a toolbar which allows you to
visit, at random, interesting sites which have been submitted by
members:
http://www.stumbleupon.com/

You can tailor the types of sites you'd prefer to visit so that
only the ones which will pass scrutiny will appear.

Let me know what you think...

sublime1-ga

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Clarification of Question by jaster-ga on 28 Sep 2005 13:55 PDT

While I am do like the idea of StumbleUpon, I am prevented from adding
software or functionability to my computer.  The idea of random sites
although intriguing for my personal time, is a little scary at work. 
I would gladly take the heat for spending all my time google answers
or any other site I personally use should they check, random sites
would be more difficult.  I would be more interested in a list of
content sites for my refernce.

jaster...

Surfing and playing on the "net" while at work ( unless you are on
break or lunch ) is frowned upon by most employers. Most big companies
have the technology to monitor what sites you have accesssed while at
work and can/will terminate employess for wasting company time.

If I were you, I'd be very careful. If you are bored, why not just ask
your boss for extra projects or jobs to do?

A very concerned,

Steph53

I have just the thing for you then...

Remember the old text based adventure games? ie, 

You are in a field, to your left is a giant sleeping dragon, at your
feet is a BRONZE SWORD. What shall I do
>> get sword

You pick up the sword.

>> Examine Sword

The sword has is engraved with the words "Dragon Slayer."

Anyway, all those old school games are online, and don't have any graphics.

for example

http://www.ifiction.org/games/index.php?cat=1

Good luck !

I meant to post this link


http://www.ifiction.org/games/index.php?cat=44

Scott Adams games were the best.

Steph53 

Thank you for your concern, perhaps an explination will help, maybe it
wont.  I am not looking to avoid work or slack off at the office.  I
am very good at my job and very efficiant and get my work down quickly
and have down time between tasks.  I do a good job every time and
offer myself to all my co-workers to help in their projects.  There
simply isn't enough work at my office though, for the amount of
workers and we all find our selves with down time despite our best
efforts.  However in corporate america, not giving your blood and
sweat for a company is frowned upon for some reason and my boss seems
to associate if I look busy all the time with the quality of my work.

Shock and awe

Thanks for link! I cant believe I didn't look for those before! I
wasted many hours way back with text based fun.  Maybe I won't get a
raise by the end of the year, but i will get to lvl 50!

Shockandawe,

The games are great, and I have been poking around with them.  However
they are still a little too flashy.  The black back ground and with
colored texts makes them standout, any way I can change the formating?

Yep!

on your internet explorer menu go: tools, internet options, click the
button that says, accessability, check mark ignore colors, ignore
fontsize, ignore font style.

There's also online books...

The Online Books Page
http://digital.library.upenn.edu/books/

Thanks Cynthia for the link, exactly the kind of thing I am looking
for.  So many of the online books I had found where either full of far
too flashy banner ads, or you had to download them.  I am unable to
download at the office.  Any other book collections or recomendations
would be great in an official answer.  Thank you!

Great tip shockandawe, I can now quest to the nasty dragon and its
firey breath and then when I am done talking to my boss... I can play
my games in secret. =)

You can always, disallow pictures when browsing..
menu... tools.. internet options... advanced... under multimedia
options you can unclick, show pictures, play videos, play sounds..
that combined with ignoring fontstyles and colors will make any web
page look legit.

You are the IT dept.'s dream come true. They will be able to remotely
determine evey site, time and date stamp, amount of time, and unless
you f-disk the hard drive or replace it, every image, password etc.

jaster-ga, you have this backwards: you need to get a job where
goofing off and playing games all day won't get you into any trouble;
in other words, you need to get a government job :)

No need to hide the monitor; your boss, another bureaucrat, probably
spends  his work days playing online poker.

Seriously, I once had a job where I didn't have enough to do and
seemed to spend half my day sharpening pencils and doing arts & crafts
with paperclips.

I asked for more responsibilities but didn't get any. Instead of being
given more work, I -- inexplicably -- received a raise. (Incredibly,
it was not a government job.)

shockandawe thats rocks, thanks yo!

NancyLynn,

I like the way you think!  The weird thing is though, I really love my
job... when there's work to do.  And not just because it affords a lot
down time.

Now as a fellow paperclip artist, I would be fascinated to know what
kind of work you did.  Sculpture?  Abstract forms?  I once went so far
one day as to bring in a small pair of pliers to help tackle a
difficult paper clip project I was working on.  (a to scale replica of
the Eiffel Tower, but it turned out looking more like a tool of
torture)  Maybe we could unite the paper clip artist of the office
place and show some of our work?

Hey, I'm impressed! I always gave up on grand schemes and just wound
up just making daisy chains out of the paper clips.

(I once took up knitting for a very brief time. No matter what I
started to make, it always turned into a scarf. I'm not very creative.
Or competent.)

Maybe you could start a sideline business selling your paper clip art!

You could try answering some of the questions on Google Answers that
the researchers have ignored for a few days, may because they're
priced too cheaply or because there too was too much low-hanging
fruit.   Then if someone catches you out you can claim you're just
honing your reserach techniques.  Personally I would find this more
entertaining than playing adventure games, or at least a change.

I'm in the exact, exact same situation as you.  Everyone can see what
I'm doing and it seems like they make sure to look at my monitor when
they pass by.  During slow times, there's only so much filing, etc.
that one can do.  I've asked other people if they need help but then
it turns into a big project that I can't finish because suddenly my
boss gives me stuff to do and then I'm swamped (which I hate).

This is no help about how to fill your free time, but remember the old
adage that I learned in the Army:  Always leave a shovel-full in the
hole you're digging so that you can be working when the Sarge comes
back.