# Ask the Easily Bored Person! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 14, 2005, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-easily-bored-person/330939 "2005-11-14T03:26:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Diamonds02](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Diamonds02](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diamonds02)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-easily-bored-person/330939/1 "2005-11-14T03:26:37Z")
I’ve been chronically bored my whole life, and mind-set tends to disturb some people. So, if you have any questions about how my mind works, feel free to ask. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![deevee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@deevee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deevee)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-easily-bored-person/330939/2 "2005-11-14T03:49:14Z")
You spelled boring wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-easily-bored-person/330939/3 "2005-11-14T03:52:55Z")
What is your opinion of the validity of this approach to the cloning and hybridization analysis of ermP, a macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B resistance determinant from Clostridium perfringens? > [@](#): > > The erythromycin resistance determinant from Clostridium perfringens CP592 was cloned and shown to be expressed in Escherichia coli. The resultant plasmid, pJIR122 (7.9 kilobase pairs [kb]), was unstable since in both recA+ and recA E. coli hosts spontaneous deletion of 2.7 kb, including the erythromycin resistance determinant, was observed. Subcloning, as well as deletion analysis with BAL 31, localized the erythromycin resistance gene (ermP) to within a 1.0-kb region of pJIR122. A 0.5-kb fragment internal to ermP was 32P labeled and used as an ermP-specific probe in DNA hybridization experiments which used target DNA prepared from representatives of each of the known erm classes and also from erythromycin-resistant isolates of a variety of clostridial species. Hybridizing sequences were detected in DNA from several Clostridium difficile isolates and a Clostridium paraputrificum strain; however, ermP was not widespread in erythromycin-resistant C. perfringens isolates. The ermP determinant hybridized to, and shared significant restriction identity with, the ermB class gene from the streptococcal plasmid pAM beta 1. No hybridization was detected with the other six hybridization classes of erm determinants. Specifically, do you think the ligand / base-pair combination results in too much variation with regard to the polymerase chain reaction to make such an analysis feasible? Or does the presence of Ras-T factors in the relevant genes negate that criticism? What about the Mercer-Galloway interdependence class that has been shown to exist between ermP and ermB (Simon, A. (2003). Bijection/injection analysis via complementation of paraputrificum. McGovern Journal of Genetic Research, 23, 635-647). ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-easily-bored-person/330939/4 "2005-11-14T03:53:16Z")
I started to reply, buy I had a sense of ennui and moved on. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-easily-bored-person/330939/5 "2005-11-14T08:49:19Z")
Have you ever heard the expression “If you’re bored then you’re boring?” Do you think this applies to you? ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-easily-bored-person/330939/6 "2005-11-14T14:53:24Z")
Do you mean bored in the sense that nothing ever impresses upon you? Or you lose interest really fast in things? Or you’re goth? Or you mispelt “board” and your uncle also thinks he’s a chicken? ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-easily-bored-person/330939/7 "2005-11-14T14:59:35Z")
Do you read? Have hobbies? Make things? ---
**Author:** ![Diamonds02](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Diamonds02](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diamonds02)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-easily-bored-person/330939/8 "2005-11-14T15:03:33Z")
> [@Silentgoldfish](#): > > Have you ever heard the expression “If you’re bored then you’re boring?” > > Do you think this applies to you? Yes, all of the time! I think the saying is just a myth. I don’t really think that this applies to me, or other people who are easily bored in general. Because I get bored so easily, I do almost anything in my power to avoid boredom. Right now, I am viewing three message boards at the same time. I’ve been known to have the radio, the computer (with several windows open), and the TV on at the same time. Sometimes I even have a book cracked open. Outside of my house, it’s a little hard to relieve boredom, since I usually have less control over my environment. I don’t like to stay at any place for more than an hour at a time, unless I’m having a lot of fun. I like anything new, scary movies, sports (the more violent the better), conflict, some parties, testing my limits (socially and legally), rock/wall climbing, every type of music (except country), learning new things, meeting new people, shopping, and just about anything that doesn’t involve a lot of reflection and sitting down. In other words, I think I am a pretty well rounded person who is up for just about anything. To others, I might seem flighty, erratic, and maybe annoying. However, I don’t really see how it is possible for others to find me boring. Of course, what (or who) is boring is quite subjective. I actually know a few people who is bored by a lot of action and variety. For example, I know people who find hockey and loud parties boring. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-easily-bored-person/330939/9 "2005-11-14T15:05:26Z")
Are you gainfully employed? Is your job innately interesting or … otherwise? If you are not employed, do you have any strong, overpowering interests? Are you getting any sex? These are the basics, IME, to whether or not life is boring. You can’t make a dull job interesting, and life tends to lose its zing without sex. If you have a strong personal interest (bordering on obsession) then you don’t need a job, maybe even you don’t need sex. But most people don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Diamonds02](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Diamonds02](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diamonds02)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-easily-bored-person/330939/10 "2005-11-14T15:11:42Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > Do you mean bored in the sense that nothing ever impresses upon you? Or you lose interest really fast in things? Or you’re goth? Or you mispelt “board” and your uncle also thinks he’s a chicken? You know something weird? I’m almost as easily amused as I am bored, when it comes to most things. I’m not that hard to impress. Yes, I usually lose interest in things quite fast, there are exceptions though. The things that I don’t easily lose interest in, I can’t take my mind off it! I’m not a goth at all. ---
**Author:** ![Diamonds02](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Diamonds02](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diamonds02)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-easily-bored-person/330939/11 "2005-11-14T15:13:53Z")
> [@kittenblue](#): > > Do you read? Have hobbies? Make things? Yes I read a lot. Mostly non-fiction. My hobbies are people watching, playing video games, surfing the net, socializing, eating out, poker, soccer, and climbing. ---
**Author:** ![Diamonds02](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Diamonds02](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diamonds02)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-easily-bored-person/330939/12 "2005-11-14T15:17:38Z")
> [@Evil Captor](#): > > Are you gainfully employed? Is your job innately interesting or … otherwise? If you are not employed, do you have any strong, overpowering interests? Are you getting any sex? These are the basics, IME, to whether or not life is boring. You can’t make a dull job interesting, and life tends to lose its zing without sex. If you have a strong personal interest (bordering on obsession) then you don’t need a job, maybe even you don’t need sex. But most people don’t. No. And, I was bored at all of my previous jobs, except one. The boredom was almost intolerable. I am currently a student. I am seeking employment, but this time around I am aggressively looking for something that fits both my needs and abilities. Sex? 😕 I have not got around to that one yet. 😛 I tried the self-love thing, but that shit gets boring too. Nothing happens. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-easily-bored-person/330939/13 "2005-11-14T15:19:28Z")
It seems like many of the things you enjoy require other people…poker, soccer, socializing, eating out, sports. So maybe it’s just being alone that you have trouble with. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-easily-bored-person/330939/14 "2005-11-14T15:23:26Z")
In my opinion, being easily bored is not something I would brag about; it’s something I would work on fixing. Here’s my diagnosis; you need to learn to focus on the present moment, and lower your expectations, and get comfortable in your own head. Life and everything in it is not going to entertain you every moment of your life. Life is what is happening _right now_, every minute of every day, and if you spend your life chasing after the next thing, you’ll miss it all. ---
**Author:** ![Diamonds02](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Diamonds02](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diamonds02)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-easily-bored-person/330939/15 "2005-11-14T15:36:26Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > In my opinion, being easily bored is not something I would brag about; it’s something I would work on fixing. Here’s my diagnosis; you need to learn to focus on the present moment, and lower your expectations, and get comfortable in your own head. Life and everything in it is not going to entertain you every moment of your life. Life is what is happening _right now_, every minute of every day, and if you spend your life chasing after the next thing, you’ll miss it all. Oh yeah, I agree that this is nothing to brag about. This is the first time I actually admitted to being easily bored. I’ve told my parents this, but no one else in real life. People know it, and always accuse me of being bored, but I always deny it. I somewhat agree and disagree that this is something that should be fixed. Most people view being easily bored as some sort of character defect. I think most inventors/discoverers and other successful people were probably easily bored. I guess it can be a character defect if you relieve your boredom in inappropiate and anti-social ways. I admit that I need to find better ways to quench my appitite for excitement, because it really KILLS my productivity. I neglect a lot of not-so-fun, but very important things, for exciting things. However, this is not something I want to get rid of completely. Excitement is like the number one thing that makes me happy. ---
**Author:** ![Diamonds02](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Diamonds02](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diamonds02)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-easily-bored-person/330939/16 "2005-11-14T15:39:13Z")
> [@kittenblue](#): > > It seems like many of the things you enjoy require other people…poker, soccer, socializing, eating out, sports. So maybe it’s just being alone that you have trouble with. Yep, though I’m kind of shy at times, I’m a strong extrAvert (not to be confused with extrOvert). However, even get bored when I’m around a lot of people, if there’s not a lot of “action” going on. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-easily-bored-person/330939/17 "2005-11-14T21:32:33Z")
> [@Diamonds02](#): > > \ > I somewhat agree and disagree that this is something that should be fixed. \ Well, I guess all it really comes down to is, are you happy? If you’re happy with your life and it’s working for you, then no, there is no reason to fix anything. If you’re not happy with your life, or parts of it aren’t working for you, then you might want to consider doing a little work on them.