Is Queue Time Phone Time?

Recently, I was in a not-that-lengthy queue at a taco joint (worth waiting for, I might add) where I noticed EACH and every person who was waiting to order was looking at his or her phone.  There were 5 or 6 ahead of me and a few behind, and they were all shuffling forward with their heads down.  Checking email, social media, or to see which Kardashian is pregnant today.   Not one was looking at the menu above, or standing patiently, waiting to remind the staff no sour cream, please.  

Agreed, it is boring to wait in line.  But when you've waited for Buzz Lightyear at Disney for two hours with two children under 7, you're pretty sure you can queue up for a taco for 3-4 minutes.  Even 10 if you knew how awesome this place is.  

I am in the generation (X -- the cool one) who remembers a time before the internet and social media drove our brains and self-worth to distraction.  But I am also young enough to use many of the internet's gifts to my advantage and enjoy the memes my teenager finds the time to share with me.  

I can still wait in line.  

I am not so old that just the mere thought of queuing up (and making my knees support me for more time than a TV commercial interrupts Matlock) makes me surrender to the drive-thru.  

But I guess I am old enough that strolling into a restaurant, ladies restroom, or a grocery check out doesn't make me automatically reach for my phone when I see I will not be waited on immediately.  

I guess we can't have blank-brain for long at all anymore.   We can't look around at other patrons, wondering if that mom over there was from our kid's baseball team, or why on earth she would leave the house dressed like that.  We can't take the time to say, hmmm, looks like they switched to organic meats in the tacos now, and wonder if their prices reflect that.   

We have to have our brains fed with stimuli.  

I noticed in the waiting room of my clinic, almost no children are passing the time until their appointment with toys, action figures, or books.  Nearly all over the age of 18 months are being pacified with a tablet or their parent's phone.  And when the mom/dad take the electronics away to gather their things to head back into the exam room, often the child/ren scream and grab for the screen as if the last lifeboat left the Titanic.  

Boredom is boring.  But doesn't it makes our senses do some work?  Doesn't it ask our brain some questions?  I offer this:  next time you find yourself in a line, at the post office or taco place, ponder the smells, the decor, the folks around you.  Leave your phone in your pocket while waiting. Don't check your email when stopped at a red light (I know you NEVER do it while driving).  

Be comfortable with a bit of boredom again.   You may think of a great meme you can publish as soon as you're back to your phone!