Life Lesson #26: You can't die from boredom...but you can be driven to insanity by it.

I remember when I was just a wee little one (to be read with a Scottish accent), I would complain to my mother about being bored. Of course, my mother had neither sympathy nor empathy for me, told me to go find something to do and that I wouldn't die from boredom. Psh, she was no help.

As I've grown older, I have learned that boredom isn't just for the children. Side note: did you know a synonym for boredom is ennui? I learned that while reading trashy historical romance novels. I always thought ennui sounded like some porno word or something to do with erectile defection. Who knew? Anyway, boredom effects just as many adults as it does children and, in my opinion, effects them worse. Children, for instance, have the benefit of young minds which are easily led astray, a juvenile form of ADD. They can distract themselves with coloring books, imaginary friends, make believe, swing sets, and all sorts of other things. Adults, unfortunately, are usually bored due to uncontrollable circumstances, circumstances that can't be easily changed.

I am always bored at work. I never have enough to do and when I am given a task, it doesn't take long to complete and hardly ever involves using brain cells. It's infuriating and frustrating. How am I suppose to become unbored (no, that's not a word but I'm making it one) while sitting at a desk for 8.5 hours a day? Facebook, blogging, reading and playing Solitaire can only last so long and if I start playing make believe or talking to people who aren't there, I'll lose more than just my job. (Tomorrow's my last day, anyway, but that is a moot point where this post is concerned. Moot is another dignified word. Cue hat)
Okay, for the past 30 minutes I have tried uploading a picture of a person in a straight jacket, several different ones, and it won't let me. Odd. Does anyone else think that straight jackets look A LOT like Snuggies? Interesting...

I know other adults who get bored at parties or plays or meetings or, sadly enough, in bed. There's really nothing you can do but let your mind wander...which can be fun. Sometimes I like to make my grocery lists in my head or think about what I would do if I had the weekend free or how my wedding with Mark Salling will go...

 Hello, Gorgeous. Yes, I will marry you and I will never have ennui in your bed and I promise you won't, either...

Now him I could daydream about all day...and night but I am assuming that I would get nothing else done. And it wouldn't really cure my boredom so much as make me a giant pile of drool. Additionally, I don't think a 25 yr old drawing hearts that say Mrs. Mark Salling all over her legal pad at work looks good. Cue straight jacket Snuggie.

There's always something to do, I suppose. Whether it be catching up on correspondence (that means writing people, you youngin's), paying bills, doing laundry, dusting, vacuuming, organizing, cooking...I'm sure there is always something that needs to be done but sometimes it's not plausible to do those things, like at work or the theater. Sometimes, you are just shit out of luck...which is why Smart Phones have been invented and why Angry Birds (and games like it) are so popular. They are not only addicting but are mobile, handy and, um, SO MUCH FUN. They may be "juvenile" but since every one's doing it, it's okay. I'm sure it's how LSD was viewed in the '60s. Don't worry, Smart Phone games aren't as detrimental (cue hat) to your health and are totally legal.

The point is, boredom never leaves you, maybe when you're old and your mind has gone so you don't know you're bored, but even than you'd still be bored just not aware of it. I guess boredom just can't be avoided, like my mother or pap smears, you just have suffer through it and hope it too will pass. And, if give the choice, I would take boredom over pap smears and pap smears over my mother. Just an FYI.