What do you do with the time you have?  I’m a bit dissapointed with my own answers and I’m wondering if my own expectations don’t line up with my reality.  It’s noble to think that I’ll always choose to be productive or at least pointed with my free time but that’s not the case.  I’m innately lazy and if left to my own devices I’m easily entertained by even the most innocuous and simple things.

Does that mean that I’m more consumer than producer?  And if so, what does that say about me?

Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of times where I would rather produce than consume…but is that actual production or is it consumption guised in different clothing?  For example…my piano playing.  I’ve not played live in over a year and yet I get great pleasure in writing and playing music, almost daily.  I’m producing but if that production is only for me isn’t it actually production for my own consumption?  It’s interesting for me to ponder because I used to write music for the consumption of others and I really got off on it but now…I hide my works and I don’t want it to be consumed by anyone else.  It’s only for me. 

So…here at work, where I am as I write this.  I pepper my daily work with consumption.  I’ll have browsers open for consumption right next to browsers open for production.  I’ll always have music playing, regardless of the work load and often I’ll have videos playing, mostly of music, in the background.  Am I working (producing) so I can consume more with less guilt?  Does the production matter to me as much as the consumption?

I work some really interesting people and it’s clear some of them are producers, or at least while they are here.  There are several people in particular that produce some really fantastic stuff and I’m drawn to their odd and different points of view…but I’m amazed how they clearly separate their personal production from their professional production.

I don’t know if I can…or want to.

 

MiH

 

• Pink Floyd – Shine on you crazy diamond
• The Bangles – Hazy Shade of Winter
• The Cult – Love Removal Machine
• Foo Fighters – Skin and Bones
• Billy Joel – Scenes from an Italian restaurant
• Billy Joel – Vienna
• Pearl Jam – Down
• Pearl Jam – Smile