The Devil is in the Details
Yeah, I know this sounds ridiculous, alas, I am a ridiculous man. Been doing a “life hack” type thought experiment about time – how I use it, how I value it, and particularly how I waste it.
Basically, I’m assigning a monetary value to my time (I came up with $1.06 per minute) then see how I would change my life (if at all) based on this new context. (NOTE: I’m very aware that I’m a mature male with no progeny, no illnesses, nor alimony, no debts – and that this level of freedom is not common.)
The bottom line is I need to free up as much time as I can to apply to writing novels, keeping this blog up to day and an as yet undefined visual art project. This is all stacked on top of a standard 50-ish hours devoted to the polite prostitution of consulting.
One of the first things I noticed when put a dollar value to time, is how little I value shopping in all it’s forms. I’m not ready to do the grocery delivery thing, but I did decide to give “amazonPrime” a shot, and see if I can rid myself of runs to Target, GNC, Best Buy and the like. I figure I’ll give it a two-month beta test and see if I can shake the habit of hopping in the truck for every nickel-and-dime household need.
Of course I couldn’t just sign up, I had to buy something, and not being able to think of something I needed I had no problem thinking of things I don’t need! I just started clicking and next thing I knew I had two photo reference books of life models, a Neko Case album. My mad consumption spiral didn’t stop there – a boatload of movies followed – Fincher’s “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”, “The Social Network”, “Zodiac”. Capra’s “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” and “It Happened One Night”. And a grab bag consisting of “The Grand Budapest Hotel”, “To Kill a Mockingbird” and for kicks “John Wick”.
I’ll need to keep an eye on myself to make sure I’m saving time, and not just blowing money!
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