The weeks are flying by. Last one was a week without rain, so every night I was out with my watering can to take care of the tulips and wannabe vegetable garden. Today mother Nature watered the plants for me, which is much easier. I also got involved in the fight against the dandelions in the grass. As naturalized Brits we obviously have a beautiful lawn in the backyard, only slightly marred by moss, weeds and the occasional cat poop. Maintaining it is a daily task that is unfortunately assigned to no one, but I’m at least committed to rooting out the dandelions.

“Don’t walk on the grass…”
I read an interesting thought in the book Sane New World from Ruby Wax, a comedian who writes about her depression (not kidding). It is about how we run away from the big questions about the meaning of life:
To compensate for this undercurrent of uselessness, we pretend we’re all terribly important and that we have something to bring to the world.
She then talks about Twitter, which reminded me of this video clip from Stromae. I do not have Facebook or Twitter, but I do have a weblog and a feeling that my life should somehow improve the world. But is that as obvious as I think it is? Would it be wrong if I just live — work a little, water the plants, being happy? I have not decided yet. Wax describes another phenomenon that is familiar to me:
When I have a day off and wake up, I jolt up from the pillow, panicking that I may have nothing of importance to do. Maybe this is why I, and people I know like me, have to keep busy compiling and endless ‘Things to Do’ list.
… we have sped up to such a frenzy of things ’to do’, we make ourselves ill just to avoid having to look inside and see that we might not have any point at all. So who is ultimately the winner? The busy, running people? Or maybe it’s someone who sits on a rock and fishes all day or someone who has the time to feel the breeze on his face?
She also addresses the question of how much information our brains can handle. Can we withstand the constant flow of news, emails and tweets that washes over us 24 hours a day? And what difference does it make that I know of the earthquake in Nepal? It is beautiful that humanity is now so interconnected, and we should help each other where possible — but it is clear that we can not get involved in everything that goes wrong in the world. At the same time we know about it. A literally heartbreaking situation that makes me feel alternately hopeless and jaded.
When I started my current job, I got so exhausted from working on the computer all day that I decided to do nothing on the laptop at home during the week. We still used it to watch series, and my intention has gradually watered down. Of course I am also better used to it now. But maybe I’m going to apply the rule a bit more consistent again. It will give me more time to finish my books. And to pick dandelions in the backyard.