Comments on: The Art of Not Doing http://recluse.me/2008/03/27/the-art-of-not-doing/ The great paradox of the writer's life is how much time he spends alone trying to connect with other people. ~ Betsy Lerner Sun, 07 Sep 2008 06:49:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Liane Spicer http://recluse.me/2008/03/27/the-art-of-not-doing/#comment-2717 Liane Spicer Sun, 06 Apr 2008 15:41:25 +0000 http://nubiana.co.uk/2008/03/27/the-art-of-not-doing/#comment-2717 "...a factor in my declining level of sanity..." I know what you mean... “…a factor in my declining level of sanity…”

I know what you mean…

]]> By: PJ http://recluse.me/2008/03/27/the-art-of-not-doing/#comment-2693 PJ Mon, 31 Mar 2008 19:11:04 +0000 http://nubiana.co.uk/2008/03/27/the-art-of-not-doing/#comment-2693 Thanks Matthew, you always know just what to say to cheer me up. My garden definitely needs cultivating. Thanks Matthew, you always know just what to say to cheer me up. My garden definitely needs cultivating.

]]> By: Westcoast Walker http://recluse.me/2008/03/27/the-art-of-not-doing/#comment-2677 Westcoast Walker Fri, 28 Mar 2008 08:27:53 +0000 http://nubiana.co.uk/2008/03/27/the-art-of-not-doing/#comment-2677 Hi PJ - I think as humans we are inherently restless and we are not well suited to having too much idle time, so I think in this broad context your condition makes sense. Hang in there, life has these ebbs and flows, and I fluctuate wildly myself between being too busy to think and being bored to tears with the more mundane aspects of life. Learning to simply be in the moment is hard work, and I think that living in an accelerated cultural milieu contributes to this as well. I don't think many people actually "arrive" and get it all sorted out, and most of those who claim to are likely trying to sell you something. I would recommend reading Voltaire's "Candide", you'll find lots of educated philosophical types having a miserable time of it, and the happiest bloke being the farmer who wakes up everyday to work his field in order to be "free of three great evils: boredom, vice and poverty". As the character Candide would conclude, "we must cultivate our garden." BTW, the honesty and vulnerability in your posting is admirable. You still remain my favourite reclusive urbanite (and no, not the only one I know either) Hi PJ - I think as humans we are inherently restless and we are not well suited to having too much idle time, so I think in this broad context your condition makes sense. Hang in there, life has these ebbs and flows, and I fluctuate wildly myself between being too busy to think and being bored to tears with the more mundane aspects of life. Learning to simply be in the moment is hard work, and I think that living in an accelerated cultural milieu contributes to this as well.

I don’t think many people actually “arrive” and get it all sorted out, and most of those who claim to are likely trying to sell you something. I would recommend reading Voltaire’s “Candide”, you’ll find lots of educated philosophical types having a miserable time of it, and the happiest bloke being the farmer who wakes up everyday to work his field in order to be “free of three great evils: boredom, vice and poverty”. As the character Candide would conclude, “we must cultivate our garden.”

BTW, the honesty and vulnerability in your posting is admirable. You still remain my favourite reclusive urbanite (and no, not the only one I know either)

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