Let uS nOw prAIse IdleNess

seriously.

i've long advocated cultivating the arts of the inert, lazy, go-with-the-flow, and now i've been corroborated by poet john olson.

i read this essay about john olson written by steven fama today and nearly fell out of my chair in delight.  here is olson describing influence on his life and writing:

Another strong influence is laziness. Spacing out. Gazing out the window.

i can dig that.  however, i must add that it takes great discipline to be that focused on laziness.  for what might be called being lazy is an art of great proportion.  olson is a prolific writer.  the art of lazy requires a great amount of work in order to be productive.   yet i think daydream time, grazing out the window time, is under-emphasized in our culture.  i have the wonderful privilege of walking to and from work.  over two miles each way.  this is my daydream time.  the exertion of my body for the 45 minutes it takes to walk allows my mind to open.  sometimes the mind and body synchronize in a way that i can only describe as walking meditation.  i am not hooked up to an ipod or mobile device.  i am alive to the sounds of the city as the city provides.  somehow the exertions allow me to leave myself.  without walking i know i'd be one helluva fucked up mess.   it was bracing to find out olson advocates daydream time too.  

oh, and another thing.  olson loves losers in culture and literature [i include movies when i say literature].  here is his piece on his favorite losers.   

can you dig it