I was reading recently about the skill of doing nothing. It's rare in a society where industriousness is praised and supported, so I decided to have a slow doing nothing Friday. Cold winds, not in the mood for the knitting group, between projects anyway.
Interestingly, the underlying agenda of the article was that a period of inactivity was necessary for -- productivity! Not sure the irony struck the writers but, moving on.
One project I've been not getting to was about the two lap pillows like this
For which I dyed and appliqued cases to use downstairs. The idea is to raise up anything I'm reading or working on so that I never bend my neck down the way I had been.
That's what caused, along with knitting, the neck pain and other problems I had for a couple of years. After faithfully doing all the exercises and improving the situation, I adopted this idea.
I never sit without a lap pillow raising up whatever I'm doing. And you may notice I don't complain about neck pain now. That's because it's been working. Only an occasional pins and needles, very mild.
This means the pillows have been getting a lot of use and at this point needed a bit of help. This was precipitated yesterday when, while I was doing nothing, I spilled tea all over, pillow, robe, me, amazing how far it went.
So that cover is in the laundry and repair shop, and I'm about to make a new one out of a huge, pretty, pretty huge, scarf I never wear.
Note the fancy fringes, too.
This idea came when I was trying to do nothing. It's harder than it seems. Today's solid wall to wall rain is a good time to get on with it.
I also caught up with Ash on YouTube, a hugely entertaining, brilliant person, costume designer, LARP enthusiast, who's into Dune. I only know about the new Dune from chat at the knitting group. I'd thought it was a remake, but no, it's a whole new iteration. Anyway, in the course of her work, this happened
Listening to Ash is also an education in gender fluidity, open, generous, funny, encouraging. And while they were making this dress with a train, they interspersed it with loads of enthusiastic book recommendations, fantasy, sci fi, queer, all their favorites.
So, being completely unversed in any of the recommended writers and books, I put a few on my library request and we'll see if I get into this genre.
And I spent the evening in a pod discussing Catherine's sad health news, good wishes for her recovery, and how very badly the minimum wage Royal pr team handled the news.
Do you fancy a Haggard Hawks puzzle?
So there's my day of doing nothing, surprisingly eventful.
Happy day everyone, I'm busy keeping dry. The daffodils love the rain up to now. I'm hoping they don't get flattened.
Photo AC
Love the lap pillow idea. I've a room full of pillows and have been holding up my books so I'm not tilted down to read...and duh, I could certainly put book on a pillow. So a do nothing day gave me a good idea. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteGood! It will save your hands
DeleteI couldn't handle a day of doing nothing because I know I would only last a few minutes and then be looking around for something to do.
ReplyDeleteI think I read Dune back in the day but can't remember whether I liked it or not. I just finished reading Ken Follett's 'The Armor of Light' and both RC and I really enjoyed it. Have to overlook the fact that it's a tome and heavy to hold onto and most likely would suit audio.
Maybe I'll check into that as an e-book, thanks
DeleteI like your comment to Ash! The costumes were one of the very best things about "Dune." (Though there were other good things too.)
ReplyDeleteIt sounds as if care went into costume, and design knowledge, too.
DeleteOne of my favourite books is Bertrand Russell's "In Praise of Idleness." An oldie but a goodie!
ReplyDeleteWhat on earth did he, prolific man, know of it?! I'll check that, too, thank you.
DeleteI have no problem doing nothing on cold wet days. those are just about over here though. well, hopefully we'll still get wet days.
ReplyDeleteWhat is nothing?
DeleteI am not accustomed to reading about you doing nothing, Boud. If that was nothing, your nothing is my busy
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how to define nothing!
DeleteI already spend way too much time in idleness. At least by my definition. So far it has not increased my productivity.
ReplyDeleteYou're constantly out and about, sounding hectically busy to this reader.
DeleteI always have a pillow behind my back when sitting. I haven't tried one in my lap, but now I will. I also liked your comment on the train sweep! I just now put a hold on the Ken Follett book. I always get good book recommendations here.
ReplyDeleteI need to check out the Follett, too. The lap pillow is so simple, but for me anyway, so effective.
DeleteOdd. I immediately got the Haggard Hawks puzzle this time. At a glance. Maybe it’s because I’ve been doing a whole lot of nothing. How wonderful you’ll put that beautiful scarf to good use and will be able to enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteI'm quite small and giant scarves get into everything, so this is better. Well done on the puzzle.
DeleteLap pillows , yes! most helpful. Yours are fancy, mine is just a thick slice of dense rubber foam. Industrial! Thank you for the you tuber Ash - they are amazing and if I looked that good I might take them up on some of their patterns!
ReplyDeleteI so agree with the "do nothing" thing as a motivational tool.
Ash looks marvelous in anything! Tall, slender, wide shoulders, perfect frame for clothes. Ordinary daytime, or cosplay or LARP fighting gear, all great.
DeleteI’m not sure how far you have to go to consider what you are doing to be “nothing.” I might be doing nothing all the time. Or never. Don’t know. I mean, do you have to just sit and stare at the wall?
ReplyDeleteI wasn’t that impressed by the first (recent) Dune movie. I seem to be the only person who thinks it’s peculiar for an epic hero to take his mom on his quest. But that was how it struck me.
best, mae at maefood.blogspot.com
All I know of dune is what I was told in my knitting group and Ash!
DeleteYou doing nothing sounds like you doing something! I think I've got the puzzle answer. I like the idea of a lap pillow.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what nothing would consist of. I thought maybe drinking tea, but you see where that got me.
DeleteOh I can’t have a day of doing nothing. Because that ends up with me looking in the fridge for food!
ReplyDeleteAnd it brings into sharp reality the pain in my body. I do think quietly crafting isn’t part of the manic must be productive all the time mentality.
It’s very soothing, unless you need to rip out stitches lol
I think people's nothings vary. To some people it's reading! To some it's not leaving the house. To some it's pottering about.
DeleteI think there is a generational thing that one has to be busy doing something productive. Just sitting quietly was frowned upon - unless in adult company and then children should be seen and not heard! Even now when I answer to nobody I still feel guilty for doing nothing.
ReplyDeleteBy the way - I was so happy to see another puzzle.
And I'm so happy to see you back and sneaking in clues!
DeleteYour efforts to prevent yourself from bending you head down (and your back rounded forward) are smart, Liz. Since getting an spine OP diagnosis, I've become so much more cognizant of my posture - and all the many ways I don't practice good posture. That my hand crafts all put me a position that isn't best makes me wonder if I should reconsider some things. Helping ourselves be as straight as we can while doing things we love is a good idea.
ReplyDeleteYou might want to consider a lap pillow, too. It might help.
DeleteI have had quite a few nothing days of late with not sleeping at night, and I too swamped myself with tea, cold so didn't get scalded, and yes it went everywhere.
ReplyDeleteThere's something very liquid about tea when spilled, more than most. Did you end up making something as a result of the tea deluge?
DeleteI use a big pillow to sleep on the left side. It can be cumbersome.
ReplyDeleteI should watch Dune2, but Dune1 wasn't all that special, and I am not sure that I would want to rent it again to catch up with where we left off. Loved the books, but that was a very long time ago.
I don't know how much the books are related to the latest movie. I don't know any of them.
DeleteIt is a rather delightful feeling to just doing nothing -- especially when one is always doing something! And it looks like you're still "doing!"
ReplyDelete