Around the Bluhmin’ Town

By

Judy Bluhm

Summer is officially here. And now there are three phrases that parents hear often. “There’s nothing to do.” “I’m bored.” “It’s too hot to do anything.” Yes, the children are home from school. After days crammed with structure, activities, schedules and a vast array of projects, the kids are trying to figure out ways to fill the void before their summer vacation ends. My grandkids like to get into as much mischief as possible. I think they aren’t alone.

On the topic of boredom, a group of John Hopkins researchers claim that boredom is a major problem for people of all ages. It is the guiding force behind any number of “problem” behaviors in children, the cause of midlife crises in adults and depression in the elderly.

Many folks don’t realize that their routines lack challenge, and they end up being “terminally” unfulfilled. Boredom sets in gradually, like a slow-moving storm. Evidently, this leads to all manner of “unhealthy behaviors,” from overeating to doing “crazy things” just for the heck of it. One of my colleagues dyed her brown her hair bright red (looks great) and my neighbor purchased a corvette (he regrets it), both claiming “boredom” was the reason.

A bored housewife in China spent years falsifying Russian history on Wikipedia in one of the largest hoaxes on the open-source platform. She created an entire fictitious world that millions believed till the scam was exposed a few years ago. I guess we could say that boredom could end up costing big bucks, substantially changing our looks or altering historical facts.

Boredom can also lead to creativity. Many famous musicians were lonely as children, with nothing more than an instrument to keep them company. The great B.B. King was left home alone during summer months, so he picked up his uncle’s guitar at age seven and started “strumming to fight off boredom.” The rest is history. Artists, inventors, writers and musicians often mastered their talents when faced with the prospect of having “nothing much to do.” Perhaps our kids need a few musical instruments lying around instead of cell phones and video games.

I have a friend whose husband of thirty-five years left her because he said he felt his life was getting “dull, routine and boring.” Okay, so what’s that got to do with your wife? Isn’t boredom a personal problem? Psychologists claim that adult boredom is a “mental state of mind” that usually stems from lack of purpose, not lack of excitement.

We can find plenty of boredom-busting things to do this summer. There are books to read, museums to go to, movies to watch, guitars to strum, volunteer jobs available, pets to pamper, fish to catch and new things to learn. It just takes a little effort to fight the “blahs.”

With a little creativity and challenge, we can conquer the summer doldrums. We just have to deal with boredom or possibly face serious consequences. So, if you see me driving around town in a corvette with red hair, you’ll know what happened. Too much of nothing.

Judy Bluhm is a writer and a local realtor. Contact Judy at [email protected] or visit www.aroundtheblumintown.com.