The wait list

I'm in the midst of a hellish waiting game. Waiting for graduation. Waiting for vacation. Waiting for the cheese and wine pairing class I'm going to on Saturday. But more than anything right now, I'm waiting to hear back about an internship that could be a total life-changer, and going crazy in the process.

I know a useful distraction would be a better choice, and actually tends to move things along in that ironic fashion. Similar to when you go to make that quick phone call for a dental appointment in line at the drive-thru: Then and only then does the seemingly endless line decide to move, and you're the jerk on the phone, making either Ronald or Dr. Weinberg now wait on you.

But waiting for something important is its own brand of paralysis--at least when it comes to doing anything truly productive. And while pondering this unproductively, I came across a blog post that makes some suggestions as to what to do with all that finger-twiddling energy: Several Unproductive Things You Can Do While Waiting.

I couldn't have said it better myself. But I'm gonna try.

1) Make lists. There's a shocker. But if there's ever a time when you can sort out all the stuff you're supposed to be doing, make it look all pretty and color-coded, but not actually do any of it--this would be it.

2) Google anything and everything related to what it is you're waiting for. Baby stuff if you're pregnant. Stuff to do on a trip if you're pining for that vacay this summer. Packing ideas if you're moving. Monologues if you're waiting for Godot. You get the picture.

3) Stare at the clock. This works best if you're waiting on something short-term, like the end of a class or workday, or the beginning of happy hour. If it's a longer timeframe, I recommend looking at the calendar a lot, maybe doing the X's thing, and using a site like this to have a more accurate grasp on the countdown.

4) Clean stuff. This is just about the only productive thing I can manage while waiting on something. It doesn't take a lot of focus or brain power, and in the end, my whites come out whiter. If you're already a cleaner by nature, maybe tackle those once-a-year chores, like dusting the blinds or cleaning the inside of the freezer. (If you do these more than once a year, kudos to you. I really should make a list to do them more often.)

5) Pinterest. What a waste of time. What a ridiculous and lovely waste of time.

6) Sleep. It's one of my favorite pastimes anyhow. Plus, it worked on Christmas Eve when I was 8, why can't it work now?

7) Watch a lot of movies and television. This borders on productive, if you're like me, with a giant list of things you "have to" watch. Clear out the DVR, rate some stuff on Netflix, discuss it with friends, feel better somehow.

8) Talk incessantly to friends and family about this thing you're waiting on. Actually, don't stop there. Facebook, co-workers, strangers on the bus, the checker at the grocery store, the panhandler at the gas station--you tell 'em. Go ahead; it's not annoying at all.