Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Boredom, Redefined

One of you wrote in this morning that you're trapped in a boring teleconference, and so to kill time you decided to add up my monthly posts over time, and graph them.

And then you sent it to me.

(click to enlarge)



While I appreciate this kind of devotion, I have to say a few things:

1. I hope you're not a pilot flying a plane that's just overshot your destination because you're playing on a laptop doing this.

2. If you aren't really in a meeting, and do things like this for fun, you need a life.
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26 comments:

  1. Science Marches On DepartmentOctober 27, 2009 at 10:34 AM

    The Science Marches On Department demands citation credit for its original research !!!!

    Actually, as you said, the department is not marching at the moment, but sitting still, trying to resist the temptation to take a nap.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The MotherOctober 27, 2009 at 10:42 AM

    I have two kids who do things like this for fun.

    I have one who paints HIS toenails, so, on the whole...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mr. CondescendingOctober 27, 2009 at 10:47 AM

    "A doctor today was mysteriously found chopped up and half eaten in an abandoned warehouse today..."

    ReplyDelete
  4. mommanatorOctober 27, 2009 at 10:55 AM

    He/she has way too much time on their hands

    ReplyDelete
  5. MeOctober 27, 2009 at 11:10 AM

    I once had an annoying coworker that used the word "so" way too much. I started keeping track of the number of times that he said the word "so" in meetings. I had a max of 50 and an average of around 30. I kept this spreadsheet for over a year before I got laid off.

    ReplyDelete
  6. The Good CookOctober 27, 2009 at 11:20 AM

    um... does the commenter who kept a spreadsheet of the number of times a coworker said "so" wonder WHY they were laid off?

    ReplyDelete
  7. HelenOctober 27, 2009 at 11:49 AM

    I was really hoping the official explanation of those two pilots overshooting their destination would be more interesting than "they were distracted by their laptops."

    ReplyDelete
  8. Grumpy, M.D.October 27, 2009 at 11:51 AM

    Helen:

    1. It doesn't say what they were looking at on their laptops.

    2. Maybe "laptops" wasn't referring to their computers at all.

    ReplyDelete
  9. HeatherOctober 27, 2009 at 12:01 PM

    And I thought I was bored! That is crazy!

    ReplyDelete
  10. J-Quell'nOctober 27, 2009 at 12:06 PM

    I read the atlas for fun...but then again, I already know I need to get a life.

    When on the news, they said the pilots were not sleeping or arguing, my mind totally went THERE. When they said they were on their laptops, I think I said something like, "Thank God!" And, my dad was so confused.

    ReplyDelete
  11. KimOctober 27, 2009 at 12:34 PM

    This gave me the chuckles. Thank you because I really needed them!

    ReplyDelete
  12. AnonymousOctober 27, 2009 at 12:59 PM

    did the same thing in my pharmacy. was so bored we decided to graph incidence of customers picking up their viagra scripts on a day of the week basis. we naturally thought that the highest frequency would occur on a friday or saturday...turns out tuesdays.

    ReplyDelete
  13. HeatherLynnOctober 27, 2009 at 1:07 PM

    so let me get this straight, a reader charted your blogtastic course of action over the last almost year...hmmmm...wow, I don't even do that for MYSELF....

    Quite the following you have here Mr. G.

    did you sign up for an account with www.loyalblogreadersforever.com or what?

    ;)

    ~hl~
    www.hoscorners.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  14. UnknownOctober 27, 2009 at 1:10 PM

    I went through a phase where I liked to chart everything. Now I'm in a phase were I like to identify the types of clouds I see on my daily walk. It keeps me out of trouble, as when my mind wanders I attempt entertaining but impractical projects. Or needlework.

    ReplyDelete
  15. moppieOctober 27, 2009 at 1:22 PM

    I do love this graph though. It is showing a steady decline of your posts from August to October after peaking in July. Let's pick up our numbers shall we?

    ReplyDelete
  16. AnonymousOctober 27, 2009 at 1:26 PM

    And if you think looking at their laptops is the truth.. puhhhleaasse

    ReplyDelete
  17. AnonymousOctober 27, 2009 at 1:49 PM

    I believe the pilots were busy fiddling with their joysticks.

    ReplyDelete
  18. the Ambulance DriverOctober 27, 2009 at 2:11 PM

    Sitting in my ambulance, laughing my butt off! Keep up the blogging, please! You make me a better patient!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Ladyk73October 27, 2009 at 2:57 PM

    you have had a 15% decrease in posts since July!!!

    However, since you had a 65% increase from June to July. I have a hypothesis that you, Dr Grumpy, live in the southern part of the US. My idea being that in the hottest part of summer, you would be have "inside" hobbies to enjoy air conditioning.


    (I need a life)

    ReplyDelete
  20. AnonymousOctober 27, 2009 at 10:05 PM

    Any bets that it was actually Grumpy who created this chart and is projecting it onto a strange patient after realizing that it was a completely ridiculous thing to do but not wanting it to go to waste.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Grumpy, M.D.October 27, 2009 at 10:12 PM

    No, it wasn't me.

    The author was identified above.

    ReplyDelete
  22. AnonymousOctober 27, 2009 at 10:25 PM

    "Our relationship entered its decline at this point"... http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/decline.png

    ReplyDelete
  23. disgruntled RPhOctober 28, 2009 at 9:41 AM

    I'm thinking stalker...just saying...WOW

    ReplyDelete
  24. AnonymousOctober 28, 2009 at 6:43 PM

    You always make a bad day better!! Haha..altough I don't have enough time in my day to make you any charts I still think you are fabulous :)

    ReplyDelete
  25. student dr. blazeOctober 29, 2009 at 9:07 PM

    what scares me is that since i relatively recently discovered your blog, the first thing i noticed when seeing this graph (which was then confirmed by the comments) is that i'm pretty sure you blogged more on vacation than while in the office. & that's a little messed up. i'm just sayin'.... ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  26. Square Peg GuyOctober 29, 2009 at 9:38 PM

    I do a chart like this for my weight and fat content. But I'd be willing to outsource that task to the Lifeless One.

    ReplyDelete

So wadda you think?