Flatpack Fun

Many thanks to Pat for leaving a comment on the previous post (see it here). I agree with Pat that DIY provides an excellent opportunity for living in the moment - as does life in general. Speaking personally, though, I don't find it has the same power to engage as something like writing does. There's too much scope for the mind to wander. After all, it takes a lot of time for those screws to get tightened up. And believe me, my mind does wander, allowing me ample opportunity to make all possible mistakes: drilling holes in the wrong places and at the wrong size; fitting parts in flatpack furniture the wrong way round, upside down, and back to front etc. etc. I once assembled a flatpack chair with the back legs pointing down (in accordance with the usual custom) but the front legs pointing up upwards. And yes, I'd got both legs on and all tightened up before I realised what I'd done. Presumably practising Buddhists and other people who live in the moment wouldn't make such mistakes - though as Buddhists usually sit on the floor, perhaps we will never know.

Comments

[Paul Vincent]

Tsk, Simon, the essence of humour is observation. And timing. The *two* essences of humour are... Anyway, maybe a Tibetan Buddhist would sit on the floor, but I doubt you'll find many Western Buddhists who'd choose to. Not with these knees, anyway. A duff bit of stereotyping, in short. I always find listening to music works for me as a way of tent-pegging myself into the present moment, though I tend to grow physically restless, or start dozing, if I just sit listening to music. Some mindless menial task, combined with music listening is my perfect combination. Washing-up is not bad, but doesn't tend to take very long. Painting large expanses of exterior woodwork is another good one, but can only be deployed infrequently. Ironing a basket of clothes is ideal - needs to be done every week, and takes an hour or so. Just long enough for a long symphony or twenty tracksworth of iPod shuffling. Somehow my mind can just switch back and forth between the music and the ironing, always fully intent on one or the other, and totally rooted in the present moment.