Monday, April 13, 2009

Goofing Off?

I received an email from my mom this afternoon stating that she had been "goofing off" for a few hours by transcribing a 300-year old sonata (that had been hand copied from microfilm) to computer.

I had to read her email again, because I just couldn't see how painstakingly transferring handwritten music to the computer qualified in any way, shape or form as "goofing off".

My husband was the first to point out this glaring discrepancy, and eventually I decided that my siblings and I must all be adopted because none of us have inherited this hideous compulsion to work all the time, let alone the ability to find it as appealing as sitting with our feet up in front of the television and catching bon bons in our mouths.

My mom says "to each her own". But honestly, I inherited plenty of genetic maladies from my parents (like flat feet, bad eyesight, and the fact that I am destined to die of cancer before I hit old age), so I am a little bitter that this worker-bee trait did not get passed on to me.

Goofing off should include things like playing video games, surfing the net, or watching movies. But transcribing sonatas? You've lost me. I mean, I am the girl who recently stood atop a Wii Fit balance board with a piece of chocolate cake on a plate, eating as I caused marbles to drop into the proper holes. (Admittedly, it is not my usual practice, but I had been challenged by my big-talking brother while we were eating dessert, and had to soundly beat the pants off him. Putting down the cake wasn't even a consideration).

So you better believe that if I can eat cake while exercising, I know how to goof off too.

Sorry, Mom, this just doesn't qualify.

1 comment:

overlyactive said...

I have to disagree with you on this one Bonnie. I think transcribing a 300 year old sonata sounds like fun. But so does watching movies, hiking, and reading. Goofing off doesn't need to be brain dead activity