13 Oct 12 I’m Bored? I Don’t Understand!
I so often hear it. Online, and in meat space too. Sometimes I wish I could say I’m bored, but I really don’t have the time.
That’s right. I don’t have the time to be bored. I’ve always way too many things I want or need to do.
On an average work day, like most people, most of that twenty four hours is taken up by life’s basics; sleep, eat, work. As I work shifts my leisure time is sometimes in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon, sometimes in the evening. That has it’s plus and minus points.. I can get things done during the week, that a regular nine-to-fiver cannot. It’s often easier for me to schedule appointments, such as doctors and dentists, and I can go shopping for things during the week, and let everyone else suffer the weekend crush in the stores.
Bored? Take this morning. I got home from work quite late last evening, so I didn’t get up until after nine. By the time I shave, shower, make coffee, cook breakfast, fix some sandwiches for work, and get dressed, it’s already 11.30. As I start work at 2.15pm, I’ll leave home no later than 1.30, so I’ve got two hours. I’ll read today’s news from a few online sources (I quit buying a newspaper on a daily basis about four years ago, when I realized I didn’t find time to read it all, or at all). That’ll take anything from 15 minutes to an hour, depending on what I find that personally interests me. I’ll probably fire up Spotify and find a few new tunes to listen to. Oh, and that’s after I finish typing this blog post.
I don’t get home tonight until after midnight, so it’ll be a quick check of email, and then time to count sheep, and do it all again tomorrow.
On a day off, I’ve always got something to do; something I need to do (but don’t always want to), or something I want to do.
Raining? I can stay at home, read a book, watch a movie, surf the net, write more stuff.
Where I live there’s always places I want to explore. I’ve been here almost two years now, and I’m always finding somewhere interesting to go, or a restaurant or bar or pub or store to check out. There’s plenty of parks around here, and walking down by the river is an absolute delight on a fair weather day.
I belong to quite a few meetup.com groups, and I simply don’t get time to go to more than a very few of the meetups. I’m either working or I’ve got something else going on.
I enjoy photography, so I’ve almost always got a camera in hand; either my DSLR or my cell phone, which takes pretty decent photos, and HD video too.
Back home, and particularly on that rainy day I mentioned earlier, I can while away too many hours in Lightroom, editing and cataloguing my photographic efforts.
I work a five day week, albeit including weekends, but I’ll quite often work an extra day or even two. It’s more pennies in the pot so I can enjoy doing more things, on the days off, and know I’ve paid for it upfront.
I believe that in many cases boredom is just a symptom of laziness. How often I’ve heard “I’m bored, there’s nothing on the TV tonight”. I can’t but help think ‘Well, get off your butt, and go do something else!’
I don’t rely on the television for my entertainment. In fact, I almost never switch it on. I don’t have time!
And now, I have about an hour left, so I’ll check my email, open the snail mail, and try on the new pair of shoes that I ordered online yesterday, that have just arrived. Then, it’ll be time to head out and earn a few pennies.
Have a great day. Oh, and don’t get bored.
Tags: eyebee, hobby, time constraints
16 Sep 12 A New Laptop Bag
I needed something sturdy and protective to take my laptop around in, so I purchased this. Check out the video.
You can get one too, by following this link:
Swissgear GA-7488-14F00 Saturn 17 Inch Laptop/Notebook Messenger Bag
Tags: amazon, laptop bag, laptop notebook, online purchase
12 Sep 12 I Should Get About More.
I have a common problem. I like to write. I like to blog.
The problem is what about? Write about your experiences is a common answer.
Some folks post daily journals on their adventures, or photographs. Thing is, I’m like many people - I go to work five or six days a week, and do much the same each time, going to the same places. It’s very rare there are stories to tell, or at least anything worth telling.
When I get a day off, it’s easy to be lazy and stay at home catching up on personal computer tasks, and that’s when I really should get about more.
When Kathy and I have a day off together, we usually make the effort to go somewhere, at least when the weather is good. In the winter when it’s cold and raining, it’s easier and sometimes justifiable, to make it and excuse to stay at home in the warm and dry.
Often, when I have a day off by myself, which really isn’t often, as I usually work six days a week, and sometimes seven, I find that the self motivation isn’t there. I tell myself that tomorrow morning, I’ll go for that run (OK, a brisk walk) in the park, before work, and before breakfast, but it’s only happened about twice this year so far, and we’re already into the second week of September!
Today, though, I kind of made a small effort. I got up, showered, and instead of making a pot of coffee, and cooking breakfast and sitting in the kitchen for an hour that turns into four, I went out. OK, so far, I haven’t gotten far. To the local Starbucks, which is about ten minute walk from the house.
Still, long walk start with small steps, and the jazz in here is rather nice in the background, and even the latte with the extra shot is going down well today.
Perhaps I really should get about more, then I’ll have something to write about!
Tags: brisk walk, computer tasks, daily journals, experiences, jazz, latte, small steps, starbucks, tomorrow morning
