☕️ Lifestyle
Our cultural attachment to our phones, she says, is paradoxically both destroying our ability to be bored, and preventing us from ever being truly entertained.
“We’re trying to swipe and scroll the boredom away, but in doing that, we’re actually making ourselves more prone to boredom, because every time we get our phone out we’re not allowing our mind to wander and to solve our own boredom problems,” Mann says, adding that people can become addicted to the constant dopamine hit of new and novel content that phones provide. “Our tolerance for boredom just changes completely, and we need more and more to stop being bored.”
A quote from Sandi Mann, a senior psychology lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire in the U.K. as well as the author of The Upside of Downtime: Why Boredom Is Good.
Although a relatively older article, I’m always looking for insights from credible sources that effectively back up what my kids have been hearing from me for years.
I’m using my phone to scan the notes and handmade cards I’ve received from my kids over the years. Even though I now have a digital copy of everything, I’m still having a hard time putting the physical copy in the recycling bin. Does anyone else struggle with this? Any encouragement you can offer?
It’s interesting how the scope expands so easily. Yesterday, I started thinking about getting a bike and budgeting for that and now I am thinking I also need to get a trailer hitch installed on my car to accommodate the new bike rack that I’ll also need to purchase. 💸
Embracing a new adventure! 🚴♀️ My bum knee and aching joints have convinced me that running doesn’t enjoy me. So, I’ve swapped my sneakers for a stationary bike. But I miss the fresh air! I’m considering investing in a bike—maybe a gravel bike? 🤔 Any seasoned cyclists out there? I’m all ears!
Although it has happened unintentionally, I’ve noticed a daily routine I’ve established. It seems I’m (accidentally) practicing intermittent fasting. Despite waking up and being at my desk working by around 7 AM every day, I typically don’t have my first meal until around noon. Again, this isn’t intentional, but it’s been happening for at least the past six months. The only things I consume in the first half of the day are water and a couple of cups of coffee. I’m unsure whether this is good or bad, but it has definitely become a habitual routine.
Cold but clear PNW morning. Clear enough to grab this quick capture of Mt. Rainier. 📷🏔️
Yearning for Video Store Vibes in a Streaming World
I had the most random thought run through my mind tonight and I’m still not really sure what prompted it. It might have been on my walk to the mailbox and something triggered the memory of “back in the day” when I would make the trip to the mailbox for the Netflix DVDs that would arrive as part of my subscription. This, in turn, caused me to think about how the dependence on physical media (either DVDs delivered in the mail by Netflix or picked up from a local Redbox) has been made obsolete by the availability of streaming services.
What’s strange is that I found myself yearning for the ritual of visiting my neighborhood video store, leisurely wandering through the aisles, and selecting a movie for the night. It’s a sentiment that contradicts my overarching preference for the convenience and accessibility offered by streaming services. However, in all honesty, my quest for something to stream often entails scrolling through an overwhelming array of options that fail to capture my interest. More often than not, I end up settling for a familiar movie I’ve seen before or reluctantly paying for a rental that isn’t covered by my subscription. And, if I’m honest, there’s something about the ritual involved with physically visiting a video store and tangibly engaging with DVD cases.
I’m willing to acknowledge that this desire to ritual is probably most closely associated with something I’ve mentioned before. As someone who works (and works out) at home, I think I’m essentially craving excuses and opportunities to leave my home and engage in community and interact with flesh and blood outside of my own home.
Tomorrow is the sentencing hearing for the two individuals who took my sister-in-law’s life in March 2020. Writing the victim impact statement and anticipating the hearing has stirred up a new wave of emotions. Although I know it won’t change much, I’m looking forward to getting past tomorrow.
Today is my first day back at work after taking time off during the holidays. I definitely enjoyed my time off but it is difficult to jump right back into things at work. There’s always a tax to pay after being away for a bit. I’m determined to take smaller, more frequent breaks from work this year.
Working from home for the past 3+ years has saved me around 2.5 hours per day in commuting time and I’m very happy about that. But my commute is when I would listen to my podcasts and/or audiobooks. I’ve never really figured out how best to incorporate that back into my daily schedule. Sure, I still make time to read but I realize I miss some of the podcasts to which I used to listen. I might need to start blocking time for that during my day.
When my iPhone 12 Pro died the other day, my kids thought it was obvious that I would just get a new iPhone 15 as a replacement. While I still might do that, in the meantime I decided to put my old iPhone 6s back in the rotation. It’s taken me a while to get used to the home button again.
I was not planning on upgrading my device but my iPhone 12 Pro (which I’ve had for 3 years now) decided to die for no reason. It was working fine and then I set it on my charger and I returned to the black screen of death. Tried the usual fixes and tried to run diagnostics but it’s dead dead.
I’ve been sick for 3-4 weeks now and just can’t shake it. My cough and other symptoms seem to have improved a bit today but I just feel absolutely exhausted. Really looking forward to feeling “normal” again.
📷 Day 8 - Yonder
📷 Day 7 - Panorama
Perhaps not a panoramic photo but certainly a nice panoramic view.
📷 Day 6 - Well
The Old Well on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus.
📷 Day 5 - Forest
📷 Day 4 - Orange
📷 Day 3 - Precious
I guess Sam is kind of precious. I ran out of time today so this will have to do for today’s photo challenge. 🐈
📷 Day 2 - Buildup
