Jun 18, 2026

What do I do while I wait?

This is obviously a very easy answer. I will be on my phone. If I happen to have my ear buds with me, I would use them to listen to an audiobook or a podcast. If I didn't have my earbuds or I needed to hear what is going on around me, I would prefer to read some book in my phone's kindle app. Else I would be scrolling twitter. Unlike many others, I don't like to scroll instagram in public. I'm a member of a few very active groups in WhatsApp and Telegram that I can always depend on to keep me occupied with some gossip. It is very rare that I would do something work related in such a situation.
The question to actually ask me is what would I do while I was waiting somewhere, but I didn't have my phone with me. This is such a rare occurence nowadays that I seriously don't have an answer. There used to be a time when I would always have some book or reading material on me. But this was in that bygone era when the smart phone hadn't become my constant companion. A couple of decades ago, when I used to travel frequently by train, I would always buy a book or a magazine at the platform bookshop for reading while waiting, and on the journey. Even though it was a sure thing that there would be at least one book in my bag that I had brought just for this purpose. I would do the same for any mode of travel, be it by bus or if I was a passenger in a car. All of the above is based on the assumption that I'm alone, or I don't want to converse with whoever is with me.

greying mantis

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Should academic standards relax over time

Is there a right way of journaling?

can an old dog relearn old tricks?