Cures for boredom

If I invented a cure for boredom, I’d probably be the richest man in the world. Think about it. The pharmaceutical companies that have patented drugs for depression are making billions, and I’m willing to bet my eternal salvation that there are tons of people who get bored more than they get depressed. Boredom is a multi-billion-dollar industry. It’s just that by the nature of boredom, none of the solutions bears any permanence, and therefore the modern cure for boredom is always fleeting.

Boredom, nevertheless, is a problem that everyone wants fixed. I know there are people who thrive on depression or pain. I’m pretty sure nobody thrives on boredom.

So you’ll find in this space some solutions, albeit none of them permanent, on how to cure those nagging occurrences of having nothing better to do.

What To Watch

1. How I Met Your Mother. I was actually surprised at how good this TV show is. It’s a combination of smart comedy (like what made Seinfeld great), an energetic young cast of relative unknowns (what made Friends great) and the type of slice-of-life situations that make a TV show seem infinitely more real.

The story is narrated from the point of view of a father telling his kids the story of – like the title says – how he met their mother. After a season-and-a-half, we still have no idea who the Mother is, and we probably never will until the show gets cancelled. The journey the lead character takes in meeting her, however, is what the show is built on, which oftentimes doesn’t even involve the Mother. It’s basically the story of life as a goofy, hopelessly romantic 28-year-old architect in New York City and his eclectic group of buddies. To be honest, the show could’ve have any other title and it would still make sense and be just as funny (like Friends or Cheers).

2. 24. The action-packed TV juggernaut is on its sixth season and it’s still going on full speed. The last time we saw Jack Bauer, he was bound and gagged aboard a freight ship on his way to China, where he would consequently be tortured and interrogated for his role in the death of a Chinese consul. Now he returns as a bargaining chip to stop a terrorist attack that doesn’t exactly unfold as expected.

Day six features the most vulnerable, most haunted and most desperate Jack Bauer of the last six years. It’s a refreshing change from the balls-of-steel, never-flinching torture machine that we’ve gotten used to. This season, it seems Jack Bauer is really in over his head and that his lifestyle will finally prove too much to handle. But then again, that’s been the story of the past six days. Nevertheless, it’s going to be 24 hours I wouldn’t dare miss.

3. Also watch Lost, Heroes and Prison Break.

What To Listen To

1. The Hold Steady, "Boys and Girls in America." I haven’t encountered any other band like The Hold Steady. They’re probably one of the most unique and most original bands around today. Lead by the witty and inspired banter of lead vocalist Craig Finn, The Hold Steady creates a musical experience that boasts of creativity, wit, good musicianship and humor.

What separate The Hold Steady from almost everyone else are the straightforward, half-narrating, half-singing vocals of Finn. Plug in the guitar work of Tad Kubler and Galen Povlika, the keyboards of Franz Nicolay and the frenetic drums of Bobby Drake (Yes, like Iceman) and you get, in their own words, "a spectacular mess of sprawling guitar, ferocious vocals, and well-channeled, raucous irritation." What To Play

1. Company of Heroes. This is, hands down, the best-looking World War II strategy game I have ever seen. The graphics are so realistic that it feels like you’re watching a movie from a bird’s eye view. Sand diffuses when soldiers run on it, buildings burn and crumble like they do in real life and units move and behave like real people. It’s like a playable version of Saving Private Ryan.

The downside? The game’s graphic requirements are insanely high. I can’t even play it on my own desktop PC. I have to settle for playing it in high-end computer shops.

If you have better ideas, let me know.

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For questions, comments or corrections, please e-mail me at emailcarlramirez@yahoo.com.