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Miscellaneous Rambling

Yes, two straight days of "Miscellaneous Rambling." Though perhaps I should've ran this one as "Autobiographical Reflections" . . . * * * * * * * When I first read Josef Pieper's Leisure, the Basis of Culture, I was sold on Pieper's argument: The modern world is a world of total work, where everything is devoted to labor. Even hours that aren't spent at the office are dedicated to some form of productive enterprise, and even those few hours that are set aside for strict relaxation have to be justified as "down time" to "recharge" for one's work. It's not a good thing since the best things come to those who have leisure, but it's the state I've found myself in for the past seven month and I can't break out. How does a wage earner put aside relentless labor without being disloyal to that primary vocation? Nearing age 50, I find myself with fewer and fewer answers to such fundamental questions. In this, I suspect I'm not alone for people my age. Maybe that's why "the highest suicide rate [is] among people 45 to 59 years old." * * * * * * * By the way, don't cry for me. I'm bummed out about this, but not remotely suicidal. Inclined to grab a bottle more often? Yes, but not suicidal, and even the bottle comes off the shelf only once or twice a week. I just keep waiting for this work pattern to "cycle out" and things will return to normal. Besides, my work requirements haven't exactly reached coolie levels. I'm still watching about two hours of TV per week (while I eat), take Sundays off completely, and even do a little bit of gardening (more on that later). * * * * * * * Maybe I need to heed that old Zen koan: “You should sit in meditation for twenty minutes every day – unless you're too busy. Then you should sit for an hour.” * * * * * * * I really like paradox, which is the essence of the Zen koan, I believe. It's also the literary device that Chesterton is most known for. I wonder if there's a "Zen Chesterton" work out there. A few quick searches yielded nothing.

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