Don’t just do something, sit there!

Don’t just sit there
Do something!

So the advice flows:
Don’t idle your life away!

Pack something, anything
into every waking moment!

Sleep an hour or two less
and gain months of life!

Don’t be a lazy bum
who’s good for nothing!

Time wasted
is time lost forever!

Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Blah, blah, blah!

Tell me what’s wrong
in goofing off
once every now and then
so that my mind roams
while my body rests?

Why must I run races
with others, or even
my very own self
every day and every night?

Listen, world!
I’m plain and simple tired
of filling all my time
with meaning and productivity.
So I’ve adopted a new motto
which goes like this:

Don’t just do anything,
Sit there!

Image above is a self portrait taken with my travelling buddies Dumbo and Spacey in Phuket on my 42nd birthday, Feb 2008. Captured with my Nokia phone.

Photograph by Nokia Gunawardene

Author: Nalaka Gunawardene

A science writer by training, I've worked as a journalist and communication specialist across Asia for 30+ years. During this time, I have variously been a news reporter, feature writer, radio presenter, TV quizmaster, documentary film producer, foreign correspondent and journalist trainer. I continue to juggle some of these roles, while also blogging and tweeting and column writing. View all posts by Nalaka Gunawardene