The pursuit of boredom

Some days I wonder what my life would be like if I was more easily bored. Apparently some people get bored being at home with not very much to do, not something that's ever been a problem for me. I am rarely bored at home, where just about everything that I find entertaining is within easy reach. No matter where I am or what I'm doing, I am pretty much always looking forward to when I can get home and back to my mundane, everyday activities. I am much more easily bored when I'm out. I'm bored at work, where it can be a kind of repetitive and mindless at times. I'm bored when forced to socialise with people that I wouldn't normally choose to spend time with. I'm bored when faced with a barrage of stuff I have to do, but don't really want to do. But when I'm at home, not having to think about work or what needs doing, when I know I have an entire day to just sit around and watch TV or surf the net or read a book, that's when I'm happiest. Not to make it sound like that's all I do. I have responsibilities and obligations to take care of like everyone else. And I do actually enjoy going out and spending time with friends, especially those who I don't get to see anywhere near as often as I'd like. I get on well with my family, too, and genuinely like spending time with them, which I realise is actually quite a rare and wonderful thing in itself. I enjoy socialising as much as most other people do, it's just that I'm usually kind of relieved when it's over. In the past I have allowed myself to feel like there's something wrong with me for not having the same boredom threshold as others. It seemed to be considered odd that I didn't accept every social invitation, even when it's to something I wouldn't dream of doing otherwise, and know I won't enjoy anyway. Or not wanting to go along to something just "for something to do", like that should be reason enough. I never understood the desire to socialise with random people that I don't know, either. Sure, they could turn out to be interesting, like minded people, but they could also be painfully dull. Why risk it? These days I am of the very firm belief that you should get your joy wherever you find it, regardless of whether or not it's considered important or worthwhile by others. Expecting the "big" or "important" things to make me happy doesn't work, there are too many possibilities for things to go wrong, and expectations are generally way too high. But if spending my weekend watching an entire television series on DVD. Or hours surfing the net while playing games and chatting with friends. Or turning down an invitation to a party in favour of staying home with a good book makes me happy, then I don't feel like that time is wasted. I just feel incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to spend my time doing the things I really enjoy. How could that ever be considered boring?