Thursday, December 30, 2010
Perfunctory
Definition of PERFUNCTORY
1
: characterized by routine or superficiality : mechanical perfunctory smile>
2
: lacking in interest or enthusiasm
I absolutely love the word "perfunctory". I remember learning what it meant in preparation for my SAT exam and something about it just resonated with me. It has a real pretty ring to it. And it just sounds so sophisticated. So quirky. Because no one who did things perfunctorily would ever use such a word. The word itself is so un-perfunctory.
I absolutely hate all things perfunctory. I hate making small talk with acquaintances in an elevator. I hate going for dinner parties with people you despise only to make perfunctory conversation. I hate eating dinner together with my family EVERY NIGHT out of routine even though we have absolutely nothing to talk about and all we do is argue. I hate being perfunctory.
But in the end, that's exactly what I am. I am a creature of routine. I need to have junk food, a diet coke and a Friends rerun before I can go to bed. Even though I've seen all the episodes and can recite the script in my sleep. I cannot get on a flight without the most recent Glamor and Cosmo magazines safely in my purse. I do everything out of routine. And I hate it. I want my life to be quirky and fun and zesty. I want every day to be a new adventure and I don't want to know exactly what I'm going to do and when I'm going to do it. I want to take pleasure in the things I do rather than do them super efficiently just because I've done them like a gazillion times before. I can make my vodka sauce pasta in 20 minutes flat including cleanup and cutting time. It's because I've got it down to an art. Exactly when to cook what and what activities to do in parallel.
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