Waiting Time
 

I am a fellow in later middle age. Is that right? Going on 54, not young, not geriatric (don't pay attention to the bifocals and arthritis).

I've been the 4th of 6 kids, gone to school using public transit, raised 4 kids of my own and am step-parenting 2 more now. I've worked as a blue collar guy for a quarter of a century, often taking public transit back and forth to my various jobs. I've been on planes, waited at doctors offices and school offices, attended more sporting events, plays, practices and camps than I care to remember. Been stuck in traffic during commutes while wooing my Lady in another city. Waited to load and unload trucks, waited for instructions or advice, waited for the next available service rep . . .

I wondered what you folks do with yourselves when waiting. Is it a time sink, a sunk cost, a total negative waste of your precious moments of existance? Who here is the social type who gets all friendly with the fellow beside them at the bus stop? Who pulls out a Personal Data Assistant and checks their schedule, or has a phone for email? What do you do with this time that is positive, or advancing, or interesting? Is there things that could be shared that would make all of our times waiting a bit better spent?

I'm saying I've spent a lot of time waiting. As we all do. And I spend it without the ubiquitous smart phone. I always took a book when I was younger. Now I take a bag with drawing supplies. And I sometimes sketch what is around me. (Check out the blog in my website for the posts I'll be making with said sketches featured :thumbsup:)

What do you have to share, people?

Waiting time is thinking time. Waiting time is quiet time. Waiting time is pause time.

It's only a waste if you don't use it to your advantage. It's only a waste if you fret over having to wait when there is nothing you can do about it. It's only a waste if you resent it.

I sometimes "kill time" with my smart phone now that I have one, but I find I'd rather go the traditional route and use my mind instead.

I really enjoy zoning out and letting my mind wander.

I'm with BG on this.... sometimes I read (i have an e-book that I can resort to) but tend to watch stuff. A lot of my waiting is downtown, so there's much to watch - say no more!

I take in the world around me. The world doesn't stop simply because I do not perceive myself to be in forward motion.

I sometimes take in the world around me. It depends on the scenery. More often than not, I use this time to escape the world; it has little need of me for the nonce.

I read. A lot. Like, a lot a lot. I've had reading and walking down since I was about seven. Only walked into a pole once in that entire time. I read in restaurants, read when doing a daily walk, read while waiting for movies to start, while waiting in lines in the super market or coffee shop, in doctor's offices, when on long roadtrips with friends, when waiting for friends, etc. If I've got three minutes to myself, I've got a book in my hand.

When driving, I either think/plan/mull, call friends that I need to catch up with in case they think I've abandoned them, or (lately) listen to one of Bill Bryson's books on tape (SD card, in my case... whatever).

Poetry - I lived in a small city for many years and remember a woman who walked with a book. I bet she walked a good 5 or 6 miles to work, and appeared to walk everywhere else as well. Distinctive because she was so tanned in all seasons, and always a brisk walk while holding a book with both hands. The most I ever got good at was either to and from my highschool (a straight walk down my street) or the local bus stop different times when working (the morning zombie walk with a book made it bearable). Unfortunately I suffer from motion sickness and can't even look at a map when in a vehicle so that's out :(

I try to take in the world amonkie, but I seem to readily slip into a cow-like state where time passes and I become aware that it is later in the day, with no real involvement or direction accomplished from the time I've been waiting.

Leto, I have girl watched since I was a wee lad. The time is enjoyable in the moment but for the life of me I can't recall more than a small fraction of the passing multitude after the fact. That is also a bit like chewing the cud for me. I guess that's where the word ruminate comes from, but I don't really have anything of substance to pass into the stomach of the mind from my quiet foraging of imagery in the changing scene around me. It sure is a pleasant thing to do though. The ever present flow of loveliness is a balm to the spirit in a wait-laden day. Unless you find yourself waiting in rather dull places (I spend a lot of time near the concrete entrance to a hospital - not always pretty).

I do like the pause time Baraka. And I can even develop thoughts and imagery, or layer context over a piece I have in the studio through thinking about it while stimulated by a changed environment. That is a plus.

wow... what are the chances? I mean walking into a pole which commands so little space relative to the environment. that you even hit one pole seems to be very very lucky!

Kramus: Word. I have a friend, a high school buddy and conspirator-in-arms who along with me have developed a finely honed ability to observe, appreciate and communicate the existence of the obviously fairer gender even developing an argot to accompany the activity. He has since elevated his hobby to capture rather pleasant photographs of his experiences in Paris and set them to music in a slide show. I would be hard pressed to duplicate Paris' environs here in the big smoke... but feel up to the challenge. The boardwalk & the expansive beach at Ashbridges Bay would be a great place to start.

Wherever I go, I always have my imagination. I tell myself stories to pass time when I wait. I like peoplewatching, as well,

I also read a lot.

Planning. The future, or a current project, phrasing in a paper or what to cook for dinner. I enjoy planning. When it's crunch-time for exams, I replace planning with studying. I will run through concepts in my mind and do my best to explain them to myself, filling in missing pieces. I used to read primarily during those times, still do occasionally get into a book that I carry everywhere, but I choose to leave the books at home now. I found that I zoned out of the world around me far too much, didn't notice things that I should have. So planning took precedence, and it has served me well.

Actually, it was one of those pillars in Home Depot. Three foot diameter. I was nine and my parents still bring it up.

I can only assume it was a really good book.

While waiting in line at the grocery I almost always chat up the strangers, if they're willing. Waiting alone, I read, unless stuck in traffic. In my car, the radio is always on. & what snowy said: "I always have my imagination."

Now that I have a smart phone, I either read or play Angry Birds, depending on how long the line is.

I hate lateness, so I build in a lot of waiting time in any itinerary. If I have to be somewhere by 9:00, I aim to get there for 8:45.

I read. Books, magazines, the internet on my phone, posters, anything.

If I can't read (such as in traffic) I listen to music, or BBC Radio 4 (in my opinion the best broadcast invention of mankind).

I relax, and try to see the time as a quiet hiatus between jobs that need doing or things that need more serious consideration.

I have a very high threshold of boredom. I people watch and let my mind wander. The other day I riding the T (Boston subway) to work while watching the guy across from me try to pretend that he wasn't looking at my boobs.:rolleyes:

I read also. Everywhere. I always have books, magazines, or newspaper in my car. My back seat looks like the inside of a Boston Public Library bookdrop. On road trips I enjoy the "Great Courses" DVDs or CDs. I listen to music. NPR is one of my best friends.:)

I'm a people watcher. My Sig other and I were recently stuck waiting for a meeting on a university campus and were noticing how the students (especially the coeds) seem to be noticeably "heftier" now than when we were in school. He in the mid '80s and I in the mid '90s. Any other older TFPers notice that trend? Maybe just my imagination. Not wanting to threadjack.
Beautifully said.:thumbsup:

Lindy

I'm a chronic day dreamer. I always have a book with me and open it and pretend to read. I used to just stare off in to space but ended up having a lot of odd conversations started by people that thought I was checking them out instead of just being a space cadet.

If the wait is too long I will start to read eventually. I tend to get so wrapped up in books that I forget where I am. If I'm waiting for something important, I have to tuck a piece of paper in my book where I think I might be when I need to focus. I have missed connections on more than one occasion. I am a floaty sort of girl.