cycleology

Are you capable of doing nothing? Are we capable of relaxation in this life of instant everything? As the clock ticks faster on our climate, I continue pondering what life is for—living in all life’s moments; I’ve discovered much joy. Remember, it’s only work if you deem it so. Doing nothing is called sleeping.

What I mean by doing nothing is doing exactly what you want daily. I’ve learned there is joy in everything we do if we accept that everything is an opportunity.

I wash and dry dishes peacefully by hand rather than loading a dishwasher only to rush to another potentially mindless task. I think about who made my glass and plate as I dry each with this fine cotton towel. I do an impeccable job while pondering the origins of my plate and glass; I think about this day’s next adventure.

I find a similar joy in almost any task-related adventure throughout each day thus far, be it braising short ribs, baking pies, or mopping floors. There is beauty to be found in every action or non-action.

I watched a pie bake while mopping; it was stunning, especially after making the mess that made this pie’s beauty possible and this occasion to be mopping around it. Like I said, Doing Nothing.

I look at everything as an adventure and never a task—a learning opportunity, even a task I’ve done over a thousand times in a kitchen. I’ve made tens of thousands of pieces of Candied Bacon over the years, and each one was better than the previous. I don’t even like bacon. I find much joy in working with food. When I truly have nothing to do, I love cooking for others or riding my bicycle. Or riding my bicycle and then cooking for others.

If you live to play outside, don’t miss a day. Walk, run, ride, hike, ski, skate, swim, climb, lay in the grass, and look at the clouds, stars, and the universe enveloping you. The more time spent outdoors, the better.

Take control over what you can in your life. We are conditioned never to comfortably to relax and to feel guilty when just thinking about relaxing. Cycling, running, hiking, and walking are all relaxation in motion. Exercise is life.

I’m grateful to have lived through so much change. To have experienced the Analog World. To appreciate the original versions of everything, you need to touch and smell the paper, film, and photograph, put your fingers in the developer, and drop a needle on an LP as that full-fidelity sound fills you and the room. Was life better when we could actually touch everything real? It was easier to do nothing forty years ago.

Humanities’ finest achievement is the bicycle. The best place to clear your mind, clear the day, and clear your horizon is on your bicycle. You are invigorating all the senses with an infusion of nature when cycling. Riding a bicycle is the best place to do nothing I’ve ever been to do nothing; now get out there and do nothing!