Of bed-rest and killing time!

Having spent the past 6 months in relative worklessness, bed-rest, insanity and immobility, I think I am now qualified to give tips on killing time while recovering from an injury or disease which not only takes eons to shoo away, but also renders one immobile for the better part of it.

1. Read all or a lot of what you have always wanted to read: Those books, dearly bought but never read (coz u never had the time) will make interesting companions. Avoid sad and heavy stuff though. Also experiment with new magazines. I even read a men's magazine!
2. See TV to your heart's content: Catch up on all the movies, cartoons, sitcoms that one normally misses coz one is 'busy'. I took a shine to Seinfeld (not sure if it's the right spelling) which I earlier hated. Also study the Indian telly scene (a nauseating job) and prepare a critique of saas bahu sagas. Then ban them for life!
3. Eat right: You are never going to get this kind of time to have nourishing things like fruits and salads, milk etc. In our daily messed up n rushed lives we hardly get time to bite into an apple or chop a salad or patiently enjoy an orange. Go bananas!
4. Re-connect with your family: Not that I was detached or anything, but this experience saw me spending much more time with the family and realise this one true thing - at the end of the day no one loves you more than your family. Relatives, friends and aqcuaintances can play a role only upto a certain point.
5. Abandon fair weather friends: Who needs em? I guess we all do, but the truth is, if a person is not concerned abt you in your worst times, they stoop from the category of fair weather friend to downright heartless monster! And nobody needs those.
6. Learn a musical instrument: Err, I did not. But it's something dat can be done.
7. Sharpen your job skills: If you are a teacher, brush up on alternative learning techniques, if you are an aspiring publisher, make yourself more well-read.
8. Use the phone like you have never used before.
9. Log on to the internet and shop, socialise, surf, read, blog. The works!
10. Pursue an old abandoned hobby: Sketch, paint, write, make paper hats, cook new things, listen to new bands, make new favourites, make new friends, learn a new language etc

to be continued. . .