Better Living Through Introspection

If you missed last week’s Kojo Nnamdi Show in which guest host Frank Stasio interviewed Gary Shteyngart, author of The Russian Debutante’s Handbook, it’s worth taking a listen [link courtesy of the genius WAMU.org web team].

I admit, I ran out and bought the book — not because the interview was particularly enthralling, but rather because it made me laugh. And that’s a good thing. So far, I’m only on page 72 and it’s good reading.

Let’s see, today I’m going to…blast a hole in the earth with a nuclear device then drop in a probe. Sure, that sounds like a sound plan. I fail to see why that might be a bad idea at all.

(Secretly I’m glad I could make a reference to what looks like easily the worst possibly movie ever made. I mean, who greenlighted that project?)

So I’m looking out the window, deep in thought, mulling over the craziness of life, wondering about this and that (translation: women)…then I look back at my computer and see that I’ve launched a browser and gone to Google. I realize before getting lost in thought that I was going to look up something…possibly something important, possibly something trivial; regardless, here I am staring at the text entry field above the “Google Search” and “I’m Feeling Lucky” buttons with absolutely no idea where my mind was ten minutes ago. And no, I’m not feeling lucky at all.

I’ve decided to call this phenomenon Googler’s Block. Since I’m at work, clearly it would be unwise to apply the same treatment recommended for Writer’s Block…any suggestions on curing this ailment legally? Suffered from it yourself? Found a cure? Let me know.