My go-to content for relaxation after work tends to be of a mindless kind.
Kris Harbour building his barn or fabricating a hydro-power installation. Darren Louis fixing a cowboy build or putting up an extension. Marius Hornberger engineering a fabulous contraption. Matt Perks fashioning another of his crazy inventions.
As I say, mindless. But possibly also for the best.
Recently I’ve been catching up on the sequel episodes to a television series I watched a few years ago. It could be described as a dark comedy, part thriller, part mockumentary.
I seem to recall binge-watching the first series, so engaging was it. But this time around? I find my psyche responding differently, physically and emotionally.
This is the heavy anxiety which has characterised the last few years of my life. The churning feeling inside. The restlessness and aches. The irregular heartbeat and hot flushes.
It turns out I can barely watch a comedic drama I used to find so entertaining. I skip through each episode impatiently, jumping over any moment of tension or suspense, abbreviating each hour-long episode by half or more.
No, I can’t watch normal television anymore. I have become beholden to the amateur content-creator instead.
Wood turning projects. Bricklaying videos. Some bloke power washing a driveway. A carpenter making a table. A volunteer mowing the lawn. Occasionally, a mechanic fixing a classic car.
Stress-free entertainment. Soothing viewing. Undemanding content. Relaxation-inducing output. Engaging and intentional from a producer perspective, demanding no mindful effort from the consumer.
In my downtime, this is certainly for the best. Let me do those things which make me feel better. Leave all that causes me anxiety and stress. Give me odd tinkering any time.
Last modified: 22 September 2024
