The eclectic musings of a bitter software engineer.

Something or nothing?

Thursday January 01, 2004 @ 02:56 PM (PST)

For the last two weeks, I’ve been doing absolutely nothing, and it’s been everything I thought it could be.

Actually, that’s not true. I’ve been doing tons of things, it’s just that none of them were work. Most of them were watching movies and playing games. Some of them were sitting around with friends. I don’t have to go back to work until Monday, but I’m already feeling that soul-crushing anxiety that always comes after a long vacation. I don’t want to go back. It’s not that I don’t like my job, it’s just that I want to keep doing nothing forever.

Which is probably also not true. A few years ago, I was unemployed for six months or so. I sat around and did nothing all the time, and it sucked. There’s only so much nothing you can do before it gets monotonous. Also, without a reason to wake up during the day, I tend to sleep all day and do nothing all night, which wreaks havoc on my internal clock.

So I don’t want to work forever and I don’t want to do nothing forever. What do I want to do?

Beats me. Happy New Year.

Comments

I know exactly how you feel. I have found myself spending more and more money on computer games, though most of them aren't very satisfying; even after I beat them.

Thursday January 01, 2004 @ 05:53 PM (PST) Posted by Nightshade
I've run into this same problem.

The truth is there is no answer. The only thing that would make you never desire anything again is to die, or kill yourself.
Friday January 02, 2004 @ 01:26 AM (PST) Posted by dhess

But you can't know if that's the truth, because we don't know what is on the other side.

Friday January 02, 2004 @ 12:39 PM (PST) Posted by Nightshade
For just that reason, it is commonly held that college is the ideal lifestyle, except for all those pesky classes.

Going to college far from home, I often stayed for the shorter breaks. I always had a blast when I did. There's nothing quite like hanging out on a college campus for a week with no obligations.

One must note that free time at college is better than free time working, because when you have a break at college, so do all your friends, so much fun can be had.
Friday January 02, 2004 @ 01:16 PM (PST) Posted by Mithrandir
I think the reason being unemployed is unpleasant is that you really ought to be doing something with your time, which (for me at least) greatly decreases the quality of slack time. Plus, there's the gnawing terror of not being able to meet financial obligations. That sucks too.

I imagine retirement will be nice. It has both a lack of obligations and a wealth of free time. Of course, that won't happen for many years yet...
Friday January 02, 2004 @ 01:22 PM (PST) Posted by Mithrandir
Not only the gnawing terror of not being able to meet financial obligations, but the mind-numbing shame of being supported by an English major. MWA HA HA HA HA!

That was an amusing, but stressful, situation.
Monday January 05, 2004 @ 12:42 PM (PST) Posted by Eilonwy
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