More advice — mostly directed at myself

by chuckofish

It’s the second week of October, the weeks keep slipping by and I’m checking in with my usual refrain: nothing much happened this week. But don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for the quiet times. With a contentious election looming, we should savor the calm while it lasts.

The trouble with that is, well, that quiet gets boring and routine. We begin to lose track of time, we lack purpose and life seems meaningless. Work is either boring or stressful and our usual entertainments begin to pall. What to do?

Accept the challenge! No one ever said life would be continuously fun or rewarding. We have to make it so. Decide to be happy and interested. Do something new:

  1. Cook something difficult and take photos of the process. If it’s a disaster, laugh about it!

2. Investigate something: an ancestor; a historical mystery, or even the news from every angle (figure out how everyone is lying to you). You will learn something and keep boredom and depression at bay. If you’ve always wondered whether the Loch Ness Monster is real, look into it! Or go for something less grand. Personally, I’m interested in several family history mysteries: what happened to my grandmother’s cremated remains? What was my aunt’s name, where was she born, when did she die, and where is she buried? Did she even exist? If any of you want to help with those questions, let me know!

3. Learn a new language. Okay, this isn’t for everyone. I know it’s not something I’ll be able to do. I’m too old and that part of my brain atrophied a long time ago, but even if I don’t become fluent, I’m sure to pick up a few choice phrases. Knowing how to say “Is my porridge ready?” in Gaelic (A bheil mo bhrochan deiseil?) could really come in handy someday.

4. Get outside and rake leaves, preferably while it’s very windy and none of them will stay in your leaf pile. This is either an exercise in faith or a lesson in existentialism. Your choice. But remember, we must imagine Sisyphus happy.

I’m not even going to attempt #5. I have no more ideas and it’s time to get to my primary Sisyphean task — grading papers. Hang in there and have a great weekend!

Photos found on Google Image.