Go Vacuum

I break every vacuum cleaner I touch. It's been a long running problem in my twenty four years of life. I've never found one that can survive me using it. Is this probably some kind of user error? Maybe, but I like to think it's a result of family karma. I wasn't alive when this took place, so I can't vouch too much for what really happened then, but my grandmother had a rule. If you told her you were bored, you had to vacuum. This comes from an incident with a cousin when my Dad was a kid, but I grew up hearing the story. As as result, bored was not part of my vocabulary whenever it could be avoided. Since, every vacuum cleaner I've ever touched as quickly bit the dust, I wasn't often punished with vacuuming, but the rule still imparted on me an ability to entertain myself. 

I talk to a lot of people, the internet is a good place for that, and in an effort to make friends and influence people I tend to respond to most messages I receive. One thing this has taught me, is that I unfortunately share my grandmother's extreme displeasure at someone constantly complaining they are bored. Let me show you how many of my conversations go: 

Random Person: What're you up to? 

Me: I'm just working. You?

Random Person: I'm bored af. 

Me (having a quiet stroke as I've received that exact response 8 times today): That sucks. 

Usually any further conversation is ended then, because I have no desire to continue to talk to someone so useless in their life that they can't entertain themselves (not to mention that a lot of people really have no idea how to hold a conversation in the year 2022). I know exactly how harsh that sounds, and I really don't care. I'm an asshole, this is something I've had to except about myself. 

Now let me preface what I'm about to say with this: I do get bored sometimes, usually as a result of finishing a project, book, tv show, etc. that has had my attention for a prolonged period of time. We all know about a show hole, it happens. What I can't imagine, is sitting around lamenting this to random people on the internet. Where is the motivation to live, the want to at least impress people you're talking to. At best it's a conversational dead end, at worst it's a look into how unfulfilled you are in life. I like to call these type of people NPC's, they may have a hobby or two (video games or something outdoorsy), but there's no passion to live, to experience new things, to grow the mind. Truthfully, the whole reason they're texting me is in hopes that I am a dancing monkey who will entertain them. I detest this. I have no lack of passion for being alive, or lack of things to do. From hobbies to chores to catching up with friends and family to work, there is always something to be doing. Now, I love a nice lazy day, but I make the choice that I want to relax and take time to myself, certainly not out of boredom. 

I think it's also important to note that 9 times out of 10 the person saying that to me is of the male persuasion. I think this is likely because many men near my age (really any age, but I'll only speak from experience) are not equipped with the ability to take care of themselves. Our society often sets men up to be cared for first by their mothers, then subsequently by their girlfriends or wives, so they often lack the urgency of things like household chores, raising children, etc. I've been blessed to be raised by men who don't act this way or believe it's okay, so I have little tolerance for do-nothings. There's always something to be doing, and if it's not some kind of important life necessity, there's so much art in the world. So many things to experience, why not seek them out. 

Or go vacuum. 

Just don't text me about it. 

Taila Out.