The older I get, and the more routines of family and work get layered on, the more I have to deliberately choose to stay playful.
If I’m not playing around and dabbling with new things, I get stagnant and bored and wonder why I feel that way. When I’ve always got a few things on the periphery that have no direct connection to my work or family, but are fun and interesting and make me feel like a novice, I feel connected to life.
I try to curb the old man cynic that wants to come out when some new fad pops up. It’s too easy to just dismiss things that don’t appeal to me like Clubhouse, or NFTs. But if I can ask around and learn from interesting people what it is that attracts others to these, it usually leads me to some kernel that then leads to a new area to play around in. Usually, the most popular instantiation of an idea isn’t the most interesting, but it can lead you there.
I’m always looking for weird corners of the world to explore and play with.