One of the things I have always loved is sitting down to a good documentary.
Oh my god, I cannot tell you the joy I have felt watching hundreds – if not thousands – of them over the years. It also helps explain why I have over 3000 of them filling my house and storage units all around the bloody world.
However now I have a son – a super active, super happy son – it’s hard to even watch a commercial without interruption, let alone a movie.
So recently, when I was on a plane for a work trip, I shunned falling asleep [something I normally do even before the plane has taken off] and forced myself to watch an inflight film.
To be honest, the movie wasn’t that good, but the ability to sit there and be able to concentrate without interruption was a revelation.
I literally felt a different level of engagement and entertainment.
Of course, it helped that I also couldn’t use my phone – because normally, I would be on IMDB and getting info on what I am watching, while I am watching it.
For possibly the first time I understood what Jill means when she say’s she often feels I’m not fully present when we’re watching something together.
I used to think it was her way of saying, “Just fake being happy to watch a period drama with me” … but no, she meant I wasn’t going to get as much enjoyment out of our shared time together because I was allowing myself to be distracted.
But now I know.
Now I know that as much as I love my son … as much as I love my tech … there are moments where stepping inside a bubble is good for you.
Not just in terms of focus and calm … but in terms of enjoyment.
This should not be a shock to me.
Hell, I did something years ago for a hotel group based on this very issue, but I guess the real insight here is that nothing makes you see something like having it taken away from you.
Guess this means I’ll be finding a bunch of overseas work trips to be going on now. Ha.
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the last thing jill should ever want is to willingly share any fucking time with you. the woman is ill, get her to a quack now.
Comment by andy@cynic May 25, 2016 @ 6:26 am3000. you fucking idiot.
Comment by andy@cynic May 25, 2016 @ 6:26 amIf he’s willing to admit to 3000, that most mean he has 6000.
Comment by DH May 25, 2016 @ 6:34 amThat’s real insight.
Comment by George May 25, 2016 @ 6:42 amI’d say I have natural talent but planning is dead easy isn’t it.
Comment by DH May 25, 2016 @ 6:56 amSays the man who [temporarily] started a film company.
Comment by Rob May 25, 2016 @ 7:47 amNo wonder you sleep as soon as you get on planes, you must get so tired from managing all your freeloading.
Comment by DH May 25, 2016 @ 6:33 amThat old hotel post wasn’t bad. Do they still have phone blockers in their hotels?
Comment by John May 25, 2016 @ 6:41 amI looked at their website John and they don’t mention it so I am assuming not. Shame, it was an excellent idea and very successful if I remember.
Comment by George May 25, 2016 @ 6:44 amYou can blame their current agency.
Comment by John May 25, 2016 @ 7:07 amThat’s a massive disappointment. Though maybe it’s illegal now, to have signal blockers – it was touch and go when we did it – so they might have a legitimate excuse. Bugger.
Comment by Rob May 25, 2016 @ 7:49 amLegality would never have stopped you before.
Comment by Bazza May 25, 2016 @ 8:14 amWhen you look for information on IMDB, is that to help you with understanding the plot or to make it seem like you’ve worked out whodunnit before Jill has?
Comment by John May 25, 2016 @ 7:07 amParenthood helps you rediscover simple pleasures.
Comment by Lee Hill May 25, 2016 @ 7:17 amHaving 3000 documentaries seems a bit excessive, especially paying for them to be kept in a storage facility. Why on earth would you do that? But you always flirted with excessive tendencies so I should not be surprised. Thank goodness you have stayed away from alcohol.
a bit excessive? even elton fucking john wouldnt do that. stop being so fucking nice to him, you give him enough good shit already.
Comment by andy@cynic May 25, 2016 @ 7:27 amIn my defense the only reason they’re in storage is because when we moved to China, the government would only allow me to bring in 50 “pre-recorded pieces of content”. I originally thought it was in case I corrupted young minds with my Western made material, but now I know it’s because they wanted me to buy most of it again from their DVD stores that only sell pirated material.
Comment by Rob May 25, 2016 @ 7:51 amBlame the government. They’re good for everything.
Comment by DH May 25, 2016 @ 7:58 amQuality time. Dame Edna once defined it as ‘the time you spend with someone when you’d really rather be doing something else’.
Now that’s an insight.
Comment by Ian Gee May 25, 2016 @ 9:43 amAwesome. As I wrote here, comedians are fair better at recognising and expressing insights than any planner.
http://tinyurl.com/jpv98of
Comment by Rob May 25, 2016 @ 1:15 pm[…] As I was settling in for my 5 hour flight [that turned into a 10 hour trip, which is a story for another day] I reached for the headphones so I could enjoy my new luxury of watching a movie uninterrupted. […]
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