I really don't know how people managed to look busy before the internet.
Put a piece of paper in the typewriter. Put an open book in the desk drawer. Open drawer slightly and read. Whenever someone gets close, close the drawer and assume a look of deep thought as you stare at the piece of paper.
Young whippersnappers. We didn't need any of these modern conveniences to slack off.
t gestures with cane
We didn't need any of these modern conveniences to slack off.
But how did you slack without being bored numb?
I worked retail before the internet was invented. So it was dusting shelves. "You got time to lean, you got time to clean" was my boss' motto.
One summer when I was in college I worked at Parklane Hosiery in the mall. As the only part-timer, I soloed on the Fourth of July. I spent all day reading Kafka. The next time I worked my manager tried to berate me for not keeping busy by saying that her friend in another store had seen me just staring into space at the counter, but I knew she was full of shit because I'd actually been reading, and not trying to hide it at all.
I played volleyball for three hours today, and did sudoku for two. In work. I have the mother of all slack-off jobs. AIFG.
I can't remember how I used to slack. I know I did. It's personal policy to not regularly engage over 65%, so I have lots of room to improve when the crunch is on.
I drew more, I bet. But that can't have been all.
Whatever it was -- not memorable.
I did have a temp job answering phones once where I opened the credenza and it was FULL of romance novels. I can't remember if there was internet there/then, though. I'm thinking no.
I'm sure it felt like real time, too.
Heh. Not at all. That's not only one of my favorite books, it was one of my favorite reading experiences.
I'm currently on a conference call that has an internet component -- I feel very fancy! And yet still slacking. I am a multi-tasker for sure.
Writing fic is a great way to slack when there's no computer. Notebooks in the purse are very useful.