Rebuilding Rob

Daily writing prompt

Which activities make you lose track of time?

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It is not enough to be busy. The question is what are we busy about?

Henry David Thoreau

I think there’s a big difference between losing track of time and just wasting time. It’s like the difference between being frugal and being cheap. It’s all about the connotation. Often when we talk about losing track of time, it’s because we’re so engrossed in a moment, a conversation or even a movie. On the other had, wasting time carries a negative connotation, and is more a case of under-utilizing the time you have. I’ll talk a little bit about both today.

The Internet / Social media – the great time-suck of our era. I can lose myself for hours just reading and looking stuff up. It doesn’t even have to be completely useless stuff. Sometimes, I can do deep dives on some meaningful, relevant information. Before I know it, I’ve spent a few hours on-line. With smartphones, we can disconnect from the most basic social interactions! It’s terribly tempting, and we’ve all seen scenes like this:

Streaming TV / movies – Another great time-suck. Nrtflix-style binge-watching has gotten so popular, many of your basic cable TV channels will air multiple episodes of a particular series in marathon-like blocks. Thankfully Netflix will ask you every few hours “Are you still watching…” They even provide some good reasoning for it on their website. There has been more than one occasion where I’ve told myself “I’ll stop watching as soon as I get ‘the question’”.

A deep, meaningful conversation – You know the type; those conversations where you and the other person have to clear the proverbial air and get things off of your chest. Sometimes when there is a lot you need to say – or a lot you want to hear – that can make time seemingly vanish. In my last Long Term Relationship, X2 and I made a point to never go to bed angry. We were successful, most of the time.

Attending a Detroit Tigers game – I’ve said this before, but whenever I get inside the fours walls at Comerica Park, I truly lose track of time. I attended a game in Cincinnati a little over a week ago and a game in Detroit on Sunday and it is my happy place. When I’m there, I feel like a kid again. Not only do I lose track of time there, i forget about my problems for a while.

What activities make you lose track of time?

Thanks for stopping by Rebuilding Rob. Be sure to like, comment and subscribe to my blog below. It’s greatly appreciated! Also, feel free to follow me on social media as well! Check out my most recent posts as well as some earlier, related posts:

• Acknowledge Me: The Simple Art of Being Seen
• Rob’s Retro Movie Review: This is Spinal Tap (1984) – The Movie That Scaled to Eleven
• A Death in the Family (And My Disposable Income): My Life in Comics
• The Supporting Cast: Navigating the Eras of Male Friendship
• Life is What Happens: A Look Back at My Non-Existent 2025 Vision

The article “the time traveler “first appeared on Rebuilding Rob