Boredom Shmoredom

One of my pet peeves is hearing anyone, child or adult, utter the words, “I’m bored.” Heck, it’s right up there as my blog motto: “Boredom is not an option!” It’s really one of my life mottos, too.

I remember having a conversation with a coworker about retiring. I was still a few years away from that, but it was what Ken and I were working towards, and I said I was really looking forward to it. She said, “Won’t you get bored? I’d get bored!” I laughed and said, “No way! There is so much fun stuff to do!”

Over seven years later, and I don’t believe I have ever said or even thought to myself, “I’m bored.” It’s a bit of an alien concept to me because there is always something to occupy me. Music, a movie or TV show if I feel like watching something, articles to read, emails to write, and books...so many books to be read! I can color if I need something meditative, I can get ambitious and try to draw a picture (I’m not very good at that, but it’s still fun), or I can write some thoughts down here. There’s always housework, but that’s just a chore, nothing fun. But it still occupies your time.

I tend to think that anyone who says they’re bored is just lazy. It’s not MY job to entertain you or come up with some activities to delight and intrigue you. If you can’t figure that out on your own, with the vast array of interesting things that exist in this universe, then you need to try a little harder. Make an effort! Go for a walk. Look at the flowers and plants and interesting bugs. If you have mobility issues, get lost in your own head and dream up something wild and exotic. Write it down, or draw it.

I suppose it helps to have a natural curiosity about things. There is so much that I don’t know and so much more to learn. I am fascinated by things both large and trivial, such as recent articles about Donald Trump, and a research instrument called the Vomit Machine, designed to test the aerosol spread of Norovirus. Although mentioning Trump and a Vomit Machine in the same sentence is probably redundant. Ha!

Don’t limit yourself with easy proclamations of boredom, or expect those around you to entertain you. YOU have the power to change that, so do it. And say, “I’m bored” in my presence at your own peril!