What I Did on my (Two Day/ADD Induced) Summer Vacation

Most people can completely relax beside a large body of water with just a bottle of sunscreen, a towel, and a book. Some of us master the art of Doing Nothing. Others relax by racking their bodies with muscle pain by trying to water ski, wake board, and getting flung around at 50 mph on a flame colored tube thingy with a driver madly trying to throw you like snarling bull at the rodeo.

I managed all of the above. I’m not so sure I wasn’t a bit ADD while taking it all in. But let me explain ...

I found myself with some friends at a big lake near MudHole. Boats and Personal Water Crafties (Jet Skies). Floatation devices with beer holders. Coolers chocked full with plenty of ice. Delicious picnics at the end of the dock. New and old favorites on the boat stereo. Fabulous BBQ’d dinners. Crazy, hilarious card games. Needed naps in the sun. Needed naps in the shade (because of the naps in the sun). Diving, swimming, and other water sports. Moon light cruising with wine and cheese... Thus, my summer vacation in a whole two days.

But I only mention ADD because I think I had a touch. As a master of the art of Doing Nothing, I was a bit confused with this syndrome. I say this because it took me a little bit to get into the groove which is not like me at all. I left a few loose ends undone before heading out to the lake. So, I started out in a bit of a funk. But it didn’t last long once my feet dipped in the cool water and my hand held a fresh beverage with a lime.

I guess the other ADD part was in how I had a standing and pacing issue on the dock/boat landing. And that is just not like me. I felt relaxed, I really did, but still acted a tad restless. Part of it, ok ... most of it, was due to muscle pain from the skiing and tubing. I had a fear of lying down. Because if I was going to get prone and sprawled out (aka relaxed) at the end of the dock, I wasn’t so sure I was going to be able to get up again without help and that was going to be embarrassing. As it was I audibled enough grunts and groans to prove to everyone I didn’t do this ski/tube thing much.

The weekend (My Summer Vacation) was much needed. I longed for my own lake in Northern Michigan as the sights and sounds were reminiscent of my childhood summers. It was memorable and I do hope to go back again soon.

You’ll Do Nothing, And Like It

I used to master the Zen-like art of doing nothing. I was usually one of the first among my college friends to achieve nothingness on a Saturday when I should have gone to the library or architecture studio. But I wasn’t wasting time. I was doing nothing. It is an important aspect of life.

Sure, we all have in inkling on how to Do Nothing. We all know how to just lay around and waste time. But I’m not talking about wasting time. I’m talking about Zen here.

I know, I know. You are too busy to do nothing. You don’t have time. And when you do Do Nothing, your mind just can’t get around work and family responsibilities and mortgages and groceries and all the daily affairs that go on in life. You can’t relax when your head is racing. I so get that. But you must achieve nothingness soon. It is imperative to your well being. Trust me on this (but not these people ... DoNothingDotOrg ... they just want your money).

Doing Nothing (or DN from here on out) is an art form. Here are some tips:

Start Slowly
You can’t master DN all at once. Sometime it helps to start out slowly. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Find a park at your lunch hour and just go sit in a shady spot or sunny spot of your choice and relax. Don’t bring a book. Don’t listen to music. Just sit comfortably for five to 10 minutes. Or, after you get home from work, sit on the back porch and stare out to the horizon. Let your mind shut out any and all distractions. Turn off your cell phones and the tv. Leave the computer off. DN demands no communication.

You can close your eyes. But don’t fall asleep. That is doing something. It is called a nap. DN is not Napping.

Practice DN as often as possible. Every day is good. Nobody becomes a DN Master over night without weeks, months, and maybe years of practice.

Relax
If you are tense in any way, DN can not be achieved. So, get comfortable. Breathe deeply and regularly. Stretch out. Put your feet up. Hammocks were made for those who DN. Once you feel relaxed, see if you can relax even more.

Enjoy a Beverage (and maybe a snack)
DN is sometimes best when enjoyed by beverage. Wine and beer are probably best. Concentrate on the liquid and the Art of the Sip (to be blogged at another time). Savor the drink. If drinking wine, however, try to ignore any and all attempts to find ways of describing the wine. Then you are wine tasting, WT. WT is not DN. If having a beer, well, you can’t really over think a beer, so just enjoy beer. A cold bottle with a lime always helps.

Advanced DNers might try some light snacks. Cheese and crackers are good with wine. Chips and salsa are good with beer. Eat slowly and leisurely. Don’t concentrate on eating. Just casually play with your food as needed. And, don’t make too much out of the food because then you are Snacking, not DN. Nobody can achieve perfect DN with a grumbly tummy. So, food is OK.

Seek Out Nature
Once you can regularly achieve a Zen-like state in your daily dose of DN, you might start venturing out into a more natural setting. The beach is perfect. The bank of a river is always an excellent choice. Nature and water together are usually solid choices for DN. Any place where you can be completely away from the sounds of those racing between life’s chores are the best places in nature. So, get outta Dodge.

DN with Others
This is a highly tricky level of DN. Inevitably, getting others involved starts things like Talking, Cuddling, Tickling, among other things. You must practice DN with only another practiced DNer. The rules must be worked out ahead of time. To achieve DNness with another, however, is the most rewarding level of DN there is.

Good luck. Let me know how you do and if I can be of assistance in any way.

DN Master Mud