To faff or not to faff...

Isn't faffing a good word, Legion of Fans (LOF)? Not heard of it? To faff means, well, to appear to be doing something, but not actually achieving anything at all.

Faffing is a way of life for me when I'm in between books, and I quite enjoy it. I could faff for days, weeks, perhaps months on end. In fact, when I worked as a government media adviser circa 1988-1992 I faffed for virtually the entire time (well, that's not entirely true, but I may as well have been faffing for all that I achieved).

With the catchily titled Book 7 having been accepted by my charming, witty, intelligent, Grace- Kelly-lookalike (when Grace was alive) publisher, and while I await some edits for my second (mysterious) non fiction book to come back to me, I technically have nothing to do.

Of course, I have a list of chores to do (organise junk in garage, write another newsletter, vacuum flat, clean bathroom floor, trim hairs in ears) but when I'm in Faff-mode I find it hard to do anything at all. The less busy I am, the lazier I get.

As an example of Faffing, I'm writing this blog, about nothing, instead of dilligently going through a stack of emails I've received about dates when I'll be speaking at various events and engagements following the release of IVORY. If I'd done that, I'd be able to post dates and places here, which might have been of some use to y'all.

Yet here I am, taking the time to write about nothing. I appear to be busy, tapping away on the laptop, but I am achieving zip.

That's Faffing for you.

Comments

redcap said…
I think trimming ear hairs qualifies as faffing.
Anonymous said…
Faffing about (I thought I was the only one to say that). I'd do housework like that- by going into one room to do something, see something that belongs in another room, to take it to that room and see something that belongs in another room and so on...
Don't get much done but at least I have my 30 minutes exercise! Love WittleAud (I can't get my Google to work either!).
Heidihi said…
There is nothing wrong with faffing - I am becoming quite good at it myself.

In fact I faff around so much in the morning there just isn't any time left to go to the gym - still it's the thought that counts, isn't it?
FFAN-IE said…
Naff all to say about faffing other than it is very prevalent in my workplace - and I am sure a lot of others.
Ah, faffing and procrastinating, the writer's chief areas of expertise :) but ssh, don't tell Grace Kelly I said so!
ali g said…
is sitting in front of the computer at 3am in the morning trying to think of something witty to say faffing?
dont know what the faffination is with this faffing but it's faffinating anyway...
now pulling out ear & nose hairs while staring dully [dullily?] at the screen.
seem to have more up my nose than on my head these days
why am I not in bed?....been thrown out for snoring [again] by yr mother & the cats