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Brigitte Kratz's avatar

What a great quote by Annie Ernaux:

"It's the strangers we encounter - in the subway, in waiting rooms - who truly awaken our memories and reveal us to ourselves, through the interest, anger, or shame they stir within us as they briefly intersect our lives.”

I had to order this book after reading your synopsis—thank you.

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Silver's avatar

Omg! I struggle with the same problem. These bits of time when you're waiting for something, or someone, you really don't know how to fill that time. The answer that presents itself in my head is, maybe that time doesn't need to be filled. I should probably allow myself to be bored, but it's hard. Or I should carry a book, but they're big/ cumbersome and then I have books on my phone, but then if I open my phone, I end up looking at something else, and 10 seconds later, I'm scrolling and watching some NYC girl's ASMR GRWM routine. Ugh.

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Florian Maganza's avatar

Haha yes! Carrying a book around sounds like the ultimate time optimizer move but as you say, how realistic is it? You'd also have to factor in the attention switch cost. Personally, there is no way I can dip in a book for a few minutes and remember any of what I just read. My vote goes to a quick dose of ASMR.

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Christin Chong, PhD's avatar

hey florian, am i gonna see you at the last wop?? :)

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Silver's avatar

Haha thats true too. But then how do you keep track of how long you scroll? Maybe some apps can help.

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