The Lost Art of Idleness
One of the problems with the pocket supercomputers that we all carry 
around is that they've killed the simple act of being idle.

Many years ago, we had a basement. In that basement I had a real stereo 
system with a 5 speaker system that was perfectly balanced to my spot on 
the couch. Not infrequently I would head to the basement with a drink, put 
on a CD, and just sit there in the dark enjoying an album the way the 
artist intended.

I haven't done that is probably 15 to 20 years. To be fair, since we moved 
in 2017 I have lacked a room for a proper stereo set up. But even if I had 
that, I'd probably be doom scrolling to Led Zeppelin instead of enjoying 
Led Zeppelin.

The closest I come to that state of zen these days is birding. When I'm 
birding I'm totally absorbed by looking and listening. It's really the 
only thing I do in my current life where I reach that state of detached 
concentration.

But birding is not idle.

Most people, given 10 seconds in a checkout line, will pull out their 
phone. Nobody can just be, not even for 10 seconds. That can't be healthy.

I need to find a way to be idle at home.