Two Minutes Is Too Long...

Just thought i would share this with the ATS community. Just some personal meandering rant/thought.

I was in some intense deep thought today standing in front of the microwave heating up a can of Campbell’s Chicken & Stars (Yes I am Grown, I promise).

Maybe it was the radiation spewing out of the microwave acting like super balls bouncing away in my brain. Maybe it was the remnants of DDT on the green pepper I ate earlier. Who knows… Itmight have even been just a lucid moment in my own kitchen for no reason at all because I am semi-intelligent. Yeah. That last one sounds a lot better and er, healthier. We’ll just call it that.

So the two minutes felt like twenty. I was getting impatient waiting so long for my food. After my lucid moment I had plenty of time to ponder on it (about one minute and fifty seconds to be exact. I did start at two to be fair).

When the hell did two minutes become an eon? I mean really. Think about it for a second….

If you grew up in the era that I did (or before) you did not have a microwave until you were almost a teenager. So I still remember 8 tracks, betas, lps, and cassettes.

But most importantly I remember waiting all day long for a bowl of homemade soup. ALL DAY! And at that time you did get hungry but there was a lot less impatience accompanying it. And that soup was damn good by the time you got it.

Somehow between then and now we have become an impatient society that wants what they want RIGHT NOW! I blame the advent of the microwave since I had almost 2 full minutes to tie it all together.

If we have to wait for anything we almost start hyperventilating. We have forgotten what to do with free time. You call someone now and if they don’t answer back immediately we assume they are lying in a ditch bleeding to death, doing something nefarious, or just plain ignoring us. We proceed to email, text, and call back 55 times in 60 seconds. Then we start getting annoyed and angry.

30 years ago we didn’t think anything about someone taking a few days to return a call.

We are unhappy in certain ways due to the advances in technology that have in other ways benefitted us immensely. It’s not always a win/win if you think about it.

Our kids talk to us by texting from their bedroom 5 feet away. They are pissed if they don’t have instant gratification. We taught them that because we have grown so used to it ourselves.

Two minutes is too damn long to wait for food. You have been there too. Bootleg movies keep us from having to wait for the dvd. Online shopping has kept us from having to wait in line for 12 hours and beat down teenagers to get the new gaming system for your kids at Christmas. Credit cards have kept us from having to work and save to get something we really want. There is a long list stored on my jump drive somewhere I’m sure. But it would take me too long to find it.

Worst of all…

We have forgotten how to press slow mo on certain parts of our lives.

We don’t appreciate that perfect spring day when the breeze is just so, the clouds are as fluffy as they were when we were kids, and you have the overwhelming feeling of just being lucky enough to appreciate being alive to see it.

We prepare our kids for college starting in preschool and only notice when we’ ve missed something more often than we notice just how awesome it is to have bought that beautiful mini person into this world.

We need more of that. So what do we do?

My prescription would say…

We need to wait all day for a piping hot bowl of homemade vegetable soup more often. It tastes a whole lot better than that condensed crap anyway. Most things are a world better when more time is spent on it. A good thing to remember for sure.

peace and love dude,another awakening from inside

reply to post by Kangaruex4Ewe


Now...this is a thread worthy rant. Your observations have given me pause to think, about the quality of patience.

Something I notice less and less of of these days.

Des

reply to post by stuthealien


Thanks for reading it. It's funny sometimes the way things hit you at certain moments doing every day mundane things!

reply to post by Destinyone


Thanks to you for reading as well! I was actually laughing to myself as I posted it thinking about how many people would not read it because it's pretty long. I figured most wouldn't have the patience to make it to the end.

reply to post by Kangaruex4Ewe


Ever heard the saying "Water takes longer to boil when you stare at it"?

Yeah.

reply to post by Kangaruex4Ewe


I completely agree with you. The convenience of our technology has brought us to bouts of impatience! Sometimes after I fret over a missed call or get angry over my food taking too long, I feel silly. Like how did I just work myself up like that? But point is it does happen, because it has become habit to have like you said, anything you want when you want! I enjoyed reading your rant!

Many thanks for sharing this. It's all too often that we take what we have for granted. If we would just every now and then stop and reflect, maybe the world could be a better place.

Thanks again for sharing.

Originally posted by Starchild23
reply to post by Kangaruex4Ewe

 

Ever heard the saying "Water takes longer to boil when you stare at it"?

Yeah.

I think the version I heard is a little more interesting. My Grandma always said, "A watched-pot never boils."

OP,

AWESOME THREAD!

We all need to slow down and appreciate what is right in front of us. The past and the future are only imaginary. Literally, they are not real, they only exist in our heads. Only this very moment is real, and we need to remember to actually experience it!

OP,

Beautifully written. If you don't mind, I'd like to email it (instantly, sad to say) to some friends. Just let me know if this is okay or not.

I'd applaud you if I could. Mods....a suggestion!

reply to post by smyleegrl


You may do whatever you wish with it! I am flattered to say the least. Thank you!

reply to post by Kangaruex4Ewe


I have noticed this phenomenon in other aspects of my life. I don’t use the microwave much anymore other than as a sterilization device. Hopefully it's not me being sterilized...

And I have cured that by using two timers so I can multi-task as I cook meals.

With the exception of eggs as you have to watch them if you like a sunny-side up.

To Katharos6219, edaced4, getreadyalready, and Starchild23..

Thanks so much for reading guys and another thank you for your kind words. I enjoy writing and am always pleased when people enjoy reading it. Thank you so much!

I had to laugh as I read this. I dont know how many times I have gotten angry at myself for the very same thing with the microwave. When did my life get so busy that 2 minutes was to long for a hot bowl of soup. And the days when you had to pull over and find a pay phone. Now the thing in your pocket can make a phone call are pull up you ATS page from anywhere. And you get upset cause it takes the page to long to load. LOL.

"Progress" Some times I wonder. Thank you for this wonderful post.

reply to post by Kangaruex4Ewe


You know another discovery the microwave helped me make? I used to think running to the bathroom to pee took a long time. Then, one day, standing in front of the microwave doing the peepee dance, I had 1 minute and I decided to run to the bathroom. I went and went, and it seemed to take forever, and then I ran back and the microwave still had 20 seconds to go! I never realized a trip to the bathroom takes less than 1 minute.

You're microwave is faster than mine. I'm jealous.

PS. I though I was the only one who had to pee when standing in front of the microwave.
Maybe we should ask Congress to form a committe and study this phenomenon.

reply to post by Kangaruex4Ewe


Good rant. However, the world today is completely different than it was say 25 years ago. Since the "information age" took over and everyone is basically accessible 24/7, it unfortunately has become the norm. You were born 25 years too soon and understand the word "patience". I'm in your corner and although I may seem calm on the outside to many, I'm impatient as h-e-double hockeys sticks on the inside.

I'm afraid the current generation will never understand patience.

A watched pot never boils now translates to a watched microwave never beeps in 2012.

Here in germany, theres a saying: "the gras will not grow faster if you pull it" or "by time, gras will become milk".

Originally posted by nixie_nox
A watched pot never boils now translates to a watched microwave never beeps in 2012.

Priceless


reply to post by getreadyalready

it depends on how much you need to get rid of and if you wash your hands after it.

Originally posted by getreadyalready
reply to post by Kangaruex4Ewe

 

You know another discovery the microwave helped me make? I used to think running to the bathroom to pee took a long time. Then, one day, standing in front of the microwave doing the peepee dance, I had 1 minute and I decided to run to the bathroom. I went and went, and it seemed to take forever, and then I ran back and the microwave still had 20 seconds to go! I never realized a trip to the bathroom takes less than 1 minute.

Well, at least we now know you didn't wash your hands afterwards...
ETA Couldn't resist.