Those of you who may have wondered 'what happened to them?? why haven't they posted a blog update in forever?' Here's the answer: we have been taking the advanced course in How to Loaf. Now you would think that with all the traveling we've done over the last decade, we would not need a course in 'taking it easy'. That's what we thought, but we were sadly mistaken. We were pikers in the loafing department - not even close to professional loafers. Well, that was then. We have graduated, with honors, from Advanced Loafing!
For our final exam and orals we had to demonstrate that we are capable of doing 'nothing' for days on end. Oh we got up, made breakfast, ate it, talked and talked and laughed with Debbie and Paul, planned lunch, made it, ate it, took a nap (or as Tim has taken to calling it 'inspecting the sheets'), had a few pre-prandial libations, talked about dinner, made it, ate it, talked some more . . . and went to bed. Repeat until perfected as evidenced by not caring what time it is, not knowing what day of the week it is or what day of the month (not knowing the month was good for extra credit).
All of this was made infinitely easier thanks to our outstanding tutors - Debbie and Paul - and the sub-tropical weather that resulted in soggy, sticky clothes after the least bit of physical exertion. A firm understanding of a phenomenon called 'Fiji time' is a definite must (indeed, a pre-requisite) before we were allowed to enroll in the course.
Most of you know that we lived in Southwest New Mexico for more than 10 years. The prevailing population is Mexican (49%), along with the cultural ethic, including the concept of 'manana'. Technically it means 'tomorrow'; in reality it means 'any day but today'. It could be tomorrow, it could be two days from now or it could be a week from now - it's just not today.
So Fiji time is . . . whenever I feel like doing it or remembering I said I would do it and then feel like doing it. The result of this is that when people do something, you can pretty much be assured they really want to be doing it. They're not doing it out of obligation, guilt (I think that concept is unknown here), to placate a nagging spouse, silence a whining child or appease an employer.
Sometimes you just can’t get a ride to town, a part for your car, or a desired object when you want it. It’s just not in the stars, the cards or whatever. Deal with it! Live in the moment, cherish the beauty all around you, stop and talk to the person next to you in line wherever . . . in short, slow down. Way down! Don't worry - be happy. I may be exaggerating this a bit, but my sense is that Fijians are a people who live totally in the moment. The idea of 'worry' or anxiety seems foreign to them . . . there is a genuineness (dare I use the currently trendy word 'authentic' to describe them) that is contagious and utterly lovely.
Tim preparing for sheet inspection.
Picking a lime is extreme exertion.
Getting in the Fijian spirit to go hunter-gathering (we do need some fruit for breakfast).
Slicing a papaya - another extreme exertion.
One of the rewards for all of this exertion.
Our graduation field trip for ice cream.
Our ever-so-proud, tutor, Debbie!
Ahhhh . . . loafing is all it's cracked up to be . . . and more! We may apply to be loafing tutors.
For our final exam and orals we had to demonstrate that we are capable of doing 'nothing' for days on end. Oh we got up, made breakfast, ate it, talked and talked and laughed with Debbie and Paul, planned lunch, made it, ate it, took a nap (or as Tim has taken to calling it 'inspecting the sheets'), had a few pre-prandial libations, talked about dinner, made it, ate it, talked some more . . . and went to bed. Repeat until perfected as evidenced by not caring what time it is, not knowing what day of the week it is or what day of the month (not knowing the month was good for extra credit).
All of this was made infinitely easier thanks to our outstanding tutors - Debbie and Paul - and the sub-tropical weather that resulted in soggy, sticky clothes after the least bit of physical exertion. A firm understanding of a phenomenon called 'Fiji time' is a definite must (indeed, a pre-requisite) before we were allowed to enroll in the course.
Most of you know that we lived in Southwest New Mexico for more than 10 years. The prevailing population is Mexican (49%), along with the cultural ethic, including the concept of 'manana'. Technically it means 'tomorrow'; in reality it means 'any day but today'. It could be tomorrow, it could be two days from now or it could be a week from now - it's just not today.
So Fiji time is . . . whenever I feel like doing it or remembering I said I would do it and then feel like doing it. The result of this is that when people do something, you can pretty much be assured they really want to be doing it. They're not doing it out of obligation, guilt (I think that concept is unknown here), to placate a nagging spouse, silence a whining child or appease an employer.
Sometimes you just can’t get a ride to town, a part for your car, or a desired object when you want it. It’s just not in the stars, the cards or whatever. Deal with it! Live in the moment, cherish the beauty all around you, stop and talk to the person next to you in line wherever . . . in short, slow down. Way down! Don't worry - be happy. I may be exaggerating this a bit, but my sense is that Fijians are a people who live totally in the moment. The idea of 'worry' or anxiety seems foreign to them . . . there is a genuineness (dare I use the currently trendy word 'authentic' to describe them) that is contagious and utterly lovely.
I had to root around in iPhoto for a couple of photos to include in this post, so here goes . . .
Tim preparing for sheet inspection.
Picking a lime is extreme exertion.
Getting in the Fijian spirit to go hunter-gathering (we do need some fruit for breakfast).
Slicing a papaya - another extreme exertion.
One of the rewards for all of this exertion.
Our graduation field trip for ice cream.
Our ever-so-proud, tutor, Debbie!
Ahhhh . . . loafing is all it's cracked up to be . . . and more! We may apply to be loafing tutors.
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