Thursday, July 19, 2007

Over Achieving

It's a little hard to come up with things to blog about at the moment. I'm having quite a good time - I've got a couple of people to tutor in maths, I'm managing to do various things I enjoy, I'm looking forward to going to Sydney, I'm looking forward to Saturday and the release of Harry Potter...
Today I did a load of washing; made muffins; went to church to do photocopying; bought a new ink cartridge and some wool...then had to sleep for an hour and a half to recover. I'm only awake now because the living room had become a little chilly and I had to get up to put the heating on and make a cup of tea.
It doesn't really make for much to write about. I suppose what there is to write about is that I'm having a good time. I'm (mostly) feeling really chilled and content with what I'm up to at the moment. But it is odd that I feel this need to justify my days - when Husbink gets home I feel compelled to tell him all the useful things I've managed to do, to show I'm not a waste of space. Which is such an odd thing.
I was discussing the other day with friends this whole "time that isn't being used is wasted" thing. And the guilt we can have for relaxing or not achieving or sleeping or whatever it might be that isn't up there in the "achieving" category. One of the guys was talking about a book he'd read that followed the idea of Socrates being transported to a 20th century university. The main theme being that he could not understand why people had no time any more, why people no longer met together just to discuss things, why life wasn't fluid enough to be able to have those discussions when they arose rather than pencilling in a date in three weeks time. There are plenty of bonuses about our modern lifestyles but yeah, I'd like a little more time and I'd like to be able to lose this need to justify myself to people other than God.

5 comments:

Mad Medea said...

I used to have a great sense of the need to avoid "wasting time" - so much so that I nearly married the wrong man. It's worth finding a way out of the mental trap - go Socrates!

SuzySnoo said...

"But it is odd that I feel this need to justify my days - when Husbink gets home I feel compelled to tell him all the useful things I've managed to do, to show I'm not a waste of space. Which is such an odd thing."

I could have written this!! You know I understand! I think we need new categories of 'achieving'. Instead of how much 'work' we have done, or what 'useful' things we have done, we should try and get other, perhaps more important things done in a day. Do something creative. Do something kind. Try and learn or understand something new. etc... If you come up with any good ideas let me know won't you!

doctor/woman said...

we all need time to just be. it is so hard though - i know exactly where you're coming from. something i need to work on too. xx

Ruth said...

Perhaps we could arrange a swap?, as I suffer from the reverse of not caring a jot if I 'waste' time, to the extent that I miss out on 'achieving' things :)

AdventuringJen said...

MM - Do you do better at wasting time now? I'm working on a way out, I'll keep you posted :)
Snoo - I know :) I like your new categories, they are pretty cool. I'll let you know what clever plans I come up with!
d/w - "being" time is so important, on your own, with other halves, with God...
Ruth - heh heh! Well done for wasting time! Any time you want a lesson on over achieving, let me know ;)