Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson for August 27, 2015

To focus on doing nothing is a wonderful luxury.

They talk on their phone while they drive? Were cell phones already a thing back when this was made?

But they were huge. I had to help put a cell phone in a briefcase with a battery that would give it a 4 hour charge time (not talk time — that was much less). With an antenna built into the lining of the briefcase. It weighed about 20 pounds.

Drive now, talk later.

heh heh heh….mrs wormwood lurks…..just around the corner….

…and they’ve gotten to expert level in that field!

May 5, 2012I don’t want to play I just want to bang on the drum all day I don’t want to work I want to bang on the drum all day I …. Iiiiiiiiiiii don’t wanna work, just wanna bang all the drums all day!I don’t want to play I just want to bang on the drum all day I don’t want to work I want to bang on the drum all day I …. Iiiiiiiiiiii don’t wanna work, just wanna bang all the drums all day!

Trying to relax…. Learned a long time ago to relax, no “trying” necessary. Defeats the purpose.

Sounds pretty boring to me.

Awesome!

We think we need to be busy to get everything done, so we multi-task, lose the enjoyment of being focused and present to what we are doing, don’t do things as well as we might because of our self-distraction, and end up busier than ever. And we allow interruptions to further distract and busify us.

Calvin is wise, wise beyond his years—at least in this regard. (Even if we count the 25+ years since this was published.)

@Egrayj,You make a good point!On what was Hobbes concentrating, …“trying” to go to sleep? That’s even harder than “trying” to relax!

Focusing “on doing nothing at all” is still doing something.

I feel like this at work a lot.

I used to listen to music while I was doing assignments in college (earphones plugged in of course)It made me work faster.xxx

Today’s Calvin and Hobbes is from 1995. Here is a Nokia 232 cell phone from 1994:I’m posting later and less frequently these days, due to changes in my work schedule and “work/life balance” during the summer.

Focusing on doing nothing at all, is called meditation in the east. Beginners focus on their breathing, and only that. It’s very difficult to do that, even for 20 minutes. Highly respected and highly practiced in some religious faiths, like Buddhism.

Sitting in a tree while talking. Makes perfect sense.

Thanks, Nun’Ya Bidness and NightGaunt49. I appreciate your frequent comments that help to set a positive tone for this site.