Hair Man Style

Culinary College

Racing Wheels

I disagree with the comments that the question is in some way insensitive. Life (both as in “Life” and “living”) is given value when we produce or create something of value – something that helps the creator or the consumer of the creation grow. Time spent not creating value is time wasted, and may just as well have not been spent at all. While true, upon reflection I see that that’s uselessly philosophical. To make amends I’ll add to the list of death-equivalent activities: any and all time spent reformatting text in an input field because the programmer was too lazy to do the work ahead of time to deal with the parentheses and hyphens in my telephone number.

This subject is a common one among some office workers: “Well, this job is bad, but it is better than picking cotton (grapes, berries, etc.)” The comparisons are endless. But one day, the Wall Street Journal changed the situation because of an article on their front page, dealing with the study of fleas. Apparently, there are hundreds of varieties of the buggers; there is even a publication dealing with this specific subject. The process of distinguishing one kind from another is accomplished by studying their genetalia. So this put a whole new face on the system of job comparisons:”Well, this job is bad, but it beats the hell out of being a Pecker-Checker for a bunch of fleas !”

Are trackbacks broken or turned off? I tried pinging you but nothing showed up.

Exercise.
We’re told that If we run x hours a week, we’ll be likely extend our lifespans by z hours.
But you’re trading time when you’re young and vigorous – - and could be doing something pleasurable, self-destructive, and FUN – -
for an increased amount of time spent in a nursing home waiting for the release of death. I’ve never been convinced that it’s an entire net gain.

Would you make a deal with the devil to cut your life expectancy in exchange for hassle free gadgets & gizmos? Say, 5-10 years of life in exchange for improved battery life?

The fact that this offer may be somewhat tempting is a strong argument to reconsider some Luddism! I say that loaded down with rechargers, extra batteries, phones, cameras, pda, laptop, mp3 player… “Necessities” all.

Tellingly, I suppose, I actually enjoy maintaining my Windows computers, though I prefer the Macs.

But then again I enjoy reading Phil’s blog and most of his other work in teaching, photography, and travel.

Of course I do live in Vero Beach, FL, at least part time.

Do I detect a pattern?

I have a ‘friend’ with a long drive
to work who has been known to masturbate
whilst driving. To measure his ‘dead time’
properly would I subtract his time
inflagrante delicto, since presumably
he enjoys it? Additonally, should I add
a component for the afterglow?