When do you like to do your reading?

Recently, I started to read the Dune books after I watched the second film and found myself sort of falling in love with reading again. This feeling that you do not want to put a book down and cannot wait to read what is going to happen next. As it happened, this renewed reading streak happened right at the start of my holiday, which made any transit or waiting time a bit easier.

It started at the airport, where much waiting was happening. There is no better way to train your concentration then trying to read while there are tons of families keeping their kids happy, airport staff zooming in between with carts and coffee, anouncements on which flights are delayed and all types of chatter about the flight destination and the supposed weather there.

Then, taking a budget flight there was no in-flight entertainment, I read on with my forehead comfortable against the seat in front of me. It even makes you forget the whole agony about placing you arm somewhere if you have the middle seat. It also makes you less susceptible to noticing the flight attendants walking by with all their wares to sell, which is especially necessary when it is edible stuff they have.

Arriving at the destination I was lucky enough to take the train and could read to my heart’s content. Afterwards, there would be more car rides with limited reading time since I get carsick quite easily and we would be in the mountains as well. Also, the space in the train was quite cramped so it mostly, but not entirely prevented my limbs from flailing around too much.

The rest of the time, any waiting time was gladly filled with reading a few pages to the next chapter. After the holiday, I read on the train and also before sleeping, trying to make it part of my more common routine. Sometimes, I feel drained reading so much news or information at work, and delving into a book can really uplift, even if you basically do the same thing. Bonus point, if you do it on your phone, you can also feel slightly better about the reason being glued to your device.

Taking a shot at my retirement hobbies

The past months were quiet, literally and figuratively. While looking for a new job and being in the second lockdown since the beginning of this year, I had a lot of free time and not many places to go to. So like all of the other, seemingly hypermotivated people, I took a shot at some new hobbies.

Yes, I went the full self-development route, doing some music (or impersonating a steamboat as my neighbors called it), trying to do some online courses (with motivation increasingly lacking) and following YT tutorials on things I had always wanted to do (super-basic photo editing skills, check). But what struck me in the end, was the fact that so many things I did required a laptop and looking at a screen constantly. Something I did for hours when I was still working and also during my lockdown in China.

So I wanted to do something else. I am not much of a handicraft person, beyond the occasional origami, and feel a lot of things you make end up just cluttering your house. I have a prime example in my family who does ceramics, sewing, jewelry, painting and drawing. Still, after doing a sort of deep clean of all my stuff (goodbye 2014 instant noodles), I felt I had a bit of room to add new things.

It ended up being macrame. The rope knitting stuff that I remember from my youth as being something the elderly had in abundance.

Truth be told, once I wanted to start on some projects with basic knots, I made an unfortunate discovery. 75% of what I saw being made, I really found ugly. The standard boho/hippie look that is not my jam at all. I am all about clean and graphic work, without fringes or beads.

Nonetheless, I found it quite easy to learn most knots and I made some plant hangers. For a fake plant, because I do not have any wish to grow any plants. And although my back hurt a couple of times because I was so bent over my project, it was nice to work on something tangible and use it as well.

So I am all set for my elderly life of leisure now. I just need to hang on for like 40 more years.