Okay WP, I see what you’re doing here and I’m not falling for it. I’m not going to let you get in my head and make me feel guilty for spending too much time with my device in my hands and my laptop on my lap. Obviously wasted time is time wasted. This prompt is taking us to places we should feel bad about and ashamed for.

At least that’s how I see it. Of course I wish that the easy winner in this category wasn’t “spending too much time on social media/WP”. Of course. Time spent doing just that is time I’m not spending doing more productive and fulfilling activities. It’s the opposite of being present and that is unfortunate. But at least I’m aware of that right? With awareness brings change.

I do feel this prompt sets us up to feel failed because of the wording. We only “waste” time on unimportant things and those that probably don’t enrich our lives. We’d never say we wasted time weeding the garden. Or we wasted time reading a novel. Or we wasted time taking our kids to the park. Or wasted time cooking a delicious supper.

But we can’t spend every second doing such honourable tasks can we? We’re not martyrs. Even seventy years ago people wasted time. Ladies sat and flipped through magazines while waiting for the dough to rise. It’s the same thing. I’m trying to think of other examples of the ways people my parents age and even older wasted time but I’m coming up short. LOL.

I guess I feel attacked by this prompt because when I was growing up, wasted time was akin to sinning. Working hard and being productive was important to my dad. Sitting around watching TV, unless it was in the evening when all the work was done, was frowned upon. That stuff stays with you.

Today I can have the TV on in the daytime, it’s usually toddler-ish cartoons now but even before Sid I did watch cooking shows in the afternoon but it always took me back. Our TV was rarely on in the daytime, unless my mom was watching Sally Jessy Raphael, Phil Donohue or Oprah. And anyway, she could do no wrong in my dad’s eyes and she worked hard so her if she watched TV in her down time here and there, he wouldn’t say a word.

My kids know what he’s like but sometimes I’d like to send them there to live with Grampa just to see what their take on his rules would be. They wouldn’t last more than a couple of days I think.

Anyway, it’s a beautiful blue sky day here and I’m not going to let WP or my dad’s funny old fashioned rules sway my mood. I’ll waste all the damn time I want.

By the way, “Wasted Time” is one of my favourite Eagles songs.