how much time do you spend "you time"

[kensuguro]

I guess this is for people with day gigs and a family... how much time do you spend every day, on yourself? Like, just reflecting on your thoughts, messin' around at the Z, stuff like that. I feel like I need about 3 hours minimum, or else my brain is over heated and I can't go to sleep. Sometimes, if I come back from work around 8:00, cook dinner for myself, wife, clean up by 10:00, practice piano 'till 12:00, chill out.. I don't get my 3 hours, and my brain's just like in full speed. Especially since I practice right before trying to go to sleep... Dunno, it's usually very managable, but at times I do wish that I didn't need to chill out for 3 hours.

I mean, obviously, for those that know me on the Z for a long time... I'm one of the more introspective types, who likes to think things out, and figure out crap. Be it meaningful or not. Just a ponderer I guess. So I'm curious how other people are managing.

You know, I remember I used to call people a lot when I was a teen.. talk 2 hours on the phone about why bleach based detergent wouldn't bleach the hair I threw in it in 2 hours (as I narrated the process, lol). I guess people don't do that anymore. (maybe they didn't at the time, but didn't want to hurt my feelings)I kind of miss that. I could talk on and on about crap.. but people don't put up with that sort of stuff anymore. hehe. At least no man at age 29.

I guess in a sense, that's what I do at Z eh? lol. Often throwing out strange details that people may or may not care about? I do meet people who are interested in things like that, most often creative types.. like VERY creative people. Most everyone on the Z, and other artists I meet in real life. So many people have conditioned themselves to NOT spend time pondering about insignificant (at least to normal people) things, that are actually very interesting if you just twist it an angle or two.

I won't say I'm forver young, or anything poetic like that, but at 29, I really feel people around me of similar age (or above), or rapidly loosing that sort of.... dunno, playfulness? Like, wasting creative energy on insignificant things? Blah, I dunno. Something's dieing very quickly, and I feel it every day, in every day interactions with people. I do feel it's a bit of an obligation though, for us to be asking questions like this, and thinking about it. Seems an important issue about life in general, and if nobody took the time to stop and think about it, it'll just be forgotten in all the re-blogs and meaningless youtube videos.

Um, so I was all over the place, but uh... the ball's in your court. What's your take?

[garyb]

i like my time too.

you go, man!

[skwawks]

well Ken I found out that music and sleep dont go together so I made a point of putting in some seperation . And there is never enough ME time , and you're right about playfullness ..it does go missing . Some people never had it anyway you just didn't notice .
What can you do? just keep rockin and cook good dinners

[nightscope]

29

Well, I'm exactly twice your age and I have found that, contrary to popular opinion, life just gets better and better. Rather my personal experience of it does. Life itself is probably quite neutral. The spontaneous playfulness of youth can get covered with the dust of obligation and commitment. My 30's and 40's weren't so hot. My 50's are really very cool. I am often being repremanded for not taking things seriously enough.

ns

[Zer]

[Neil B]

I agree with Nightscope, although I'm a few years behind him.
There'll always be commitments but you need to find your own space from time to time.
I'm fairly fit & bike most days but, and I'm sure Nightscope will agree, there are days when you're in your 50's when you just can't get motivated. These are good times to just switch off and say "OK, I'll do nothing today".

ME TIME is important Ken, but don't put a timescale or even a dedicated hour or two to it. Otherwise, ME time becomes another job on the daily "to do" list and you can get stressed if you don't achieve it.
Listen to your body, your mind and your heart. You'll always find a bit of time to relax and have a bit of a think about life, the universe and everything.

A warning for you though Ken for the future:
It is a very true saying that when you retire, you don't know how you had the time to go to work.
Don't expect to have more and more empty time when you get older - it doesn't happen. It always gets filled with something. But that something includes free time where you have a choice what to do.
I retired 5 years ago when I was 49 and my feet still haven't touched the floor.
But is IS easier to find that "ME time" when you're not commited to 40-50 hours a week at work.

Don't be too introspective about it - or else you'll look back on life thinking that you spent or wasted too much time thinking about it instead of living it.

[skwawks]

Generally agree with everything and all that except sometimes the best things happen when I start out very unmotivated so I kinda think it's good to structure life a bit and push yourself into the challenge . Plus this is a performance art we do so if you dont get the finger time well you just slip of the edge a bit dont you ...whether you can still do it or not I still notice that little loss of thereness . BTW Ken whos that blokes shoulder you're standing on ?
Paul

[Neil B]

BTW Ken whos that blokes shoulder you're standing on ?
Paul

[kensuguro]

lol