What I Do

I was sitting in my electromagnetism class today, listening to my classmates talk about video games. One classmate said, "Why are you guys always talking about video games in this class?" Another person asked him, "Don't you play video games?" "No." "Well, then what do you do?"

I don't remember what the first person replied, but that got me thinking, what do I do? I know right away that most of the things I do are very different from what many people my age do (if my fellow physics students are any example). I do not play video games, watch movies, go to the bar, go to parties, get drunk (these seem to be the main activities of many students). I do not currently have a job (university is enough work for me already, thank you very much). I do not listen to my iPod or send text messages on my cell phone (I don't even own either of those devices). I don't usually do much shopping except for food and books.

Of course, the main things I do are related to university - going to class, doing homework, studying. I also read a lot, and write in my journal(s), and write for this blog, and read other people's blogs. I usually take some time each morning for the practice of yoga and meditation. I go for walks around campus, and sit in the horticulture department's garden, and look for birds and deer and wildflowers and other things. I might take some photos along the way. I do research on topics that interest me. Currently I am researching various local plants, and finding out about their folk lore, and uses in healing over the centuries.

So that's what I do. However, I suspect that these sorts of things would mystify many of my fellow students. Somehow I doubt that people whose main activities include video games and getting drunk at parties would be interested in journal-writing, meditation, and nature observation. But that's okay. Video games and parties mystify me.