As I sit staring into space at my high powered workplace. I sometimes forget that I am at work. Cuts and re-organisations have disposed of many of my colleagues and I often find myself alone with plenty of time to think.

Is this what those sci-fi writers in the fifties and sixties meant when they wrote those utopian novels about the Brave New world of science that would arise in the twenty first century. I earn far more than my father or grandfather did but I am rarely taxed physically or mentally. The occasional deadline may induce some stress but that is usually brought on by my concious incompetence.

Was life easier in the old days? Probably not. Our forebears bodies wore out due to too much work or unsafe working conditions. My body is likely to break down due to lack of exercise and a bad diet. Despite the high levels of inactivity most office workers experience these days Britain still has the longest working hours in Europe, I wonder why? Maybe doing nothing at work is more enjoyable than going home to do nothing in front of the TV or a PC.

I think it is time I took the advice of the seventies TV show 'Why Don't You' and stopped sitting around watching TV. Today is my new beginning, hobbies here I come. Anyone got any worthwhile suggestions on how a middle aged layabout can fill his time more usefully?