Ennui
I vividly recall the first time I encountered that lovely word, ennui. It was used in a scene in the 1994 Steve Martin movie A Simple Twist of Fate (does anyone remember that movie? I found it quite charming). Ever the vocabulary nut, I automatically stored the word in my lexicon, and to this day it is one of my favorite “mood words”, something to whip out when plain old ‘boredom’ just does not suffice. ‘Ennui’ rolls off the tongue quite nicely, and is able to encompass the many nuances of world-weariness/discontent/melancholy/restlessness that its generic synonym ‘boredom’ barely begins to cover.
I am currently in such a condition. The past few days, I’ve been unsuccessfully battling a case of ennui that has been threatening to consume me. I don’t know if it’s stemming from a lack of social activity or physical exertion (I really need to revive our weekly AP-Annex badminton games soon), or too much stress from work, or the blasted gloomy weather. It takes Herculean effort just to drag my butt out of bed every morning and get my sorry ass to the office. I count the hours until the workday is done, multi-tasking like a maniac in the hopes of getting through the tedium faster. When I’m at home, I don’t have energy to do anything aside from scrounging around the kitchen cabinets for unhealthy snacks and popping disc after disc into our living room DVD player (went on a House/Frasier rampage last weekend). I look at the big stack of books on my bedside table, books that I had been raring to read just a week ago, and feel the urge to yawn. I’m already stretching my mental muscles to the limit just writing this blog entry (when I lose the will to blog, you know there’s something wrong with me). I don’t know what’s going to help me snap out of it, but I hope it happens soon (first wise-guy who says “find a boyfriend” gets a knuckle sandwich).
Ennui… I may love the word, but I sure don’t like the state of it.
posted by Ailee Through the Looking Glass @ 12:58 PM
8 comments
8 Comments:
I think it's just a phase everyone goes through. From one control freak to another, I think you should just feel the moment and let it pass. I miss you, Doc!
the first time i ever encountered that word was in a romance novel, Whitney My Love. i know exactly what you mean. -wyatt
Haha, the power of suggestion triumphs yet again, kaya: FIND A BOYFRIEND! [Sorry, couldn't resist.]
Yes, ennui is such a cool word, wouldn't you say. It's right up there, together with *melancholy*.
Well, try working in a law firm, 8-7, sometimes seven days a week. You'll know, not only what ennui means, but also what hitting rock bottom feels like.
Hope you get out of the rut.
Ingat.
peej b.
Thanks Mini-me. Get a laptop already so we can swap drama queen tales on YM! ;)
Hi Wyatt! How's it going? Thanks for dropping by my blog. :)
And no thanks to you, Mr. I-Couldn't-Help-Myself Bernardo. xp But yeah, thinking about your hellish work hours and workload does make me feel a little better. Misery loves company. Haha.
P.S. I don't need a boyfriend. I need Prozac. :p
Someone recommended a site to me, paperbackswap.com, and it's a free way to get books by exchanging old ones that lie around the house. Too bad though that it works only in the US. Maybe we should make something like that here, lol.
I also have a ton of books that I haven't gotten to reading since school started. Even so, I feel the need to buy more books.. :)
Hope you get better too. Your ennui situation sounds a lot like how I feel on most days. Watching a favorite movie, or going out with friends you haven't seen in a while, also helps. ^^
Hey! How are you na??? Hope you're slowly snapping out of it! Ano kayang fummy joke pwede to help you lighten up. Laughter being the best nmedicine. Hehe. Could be the weather din tlga. Siguro kahit pilit try to get yourself out of the couch and socialize again, to realize what you've been missing and what a therapy it is :) Baka nga hinahanap ng system. Well, my bday's coming up, so most definitely magkikita kita ang AP-ANNEX. But might hold week after pa (Aug.18). See you soon! O siguro kai siaw na kita! (PEACE!)HAHAHA!
Sheesh! Forgive my post that's full of typo....1 am at di ako makatulog! been like this since Monday pa! :(
Christa: That book-swapping thing is such a cool idea. If anyone here in Manila actually organizes something like that, sign me up! :)
Elyse: Yeah, I'm a bit better now. But ironically, I'm in no condition for kaisiao! I look like a Chinese raccoon, the bags under my eyes are so dark. Plus, I have the beginnings of laryngitis. Let's wait until I'm much more... presentable, shall we? ;p But definitely game for our next AP-Annex outing (don't have to look pretty for you guys naman e :p)! Just let me know where and when!
Post a Comment
<< Home