One of the least arduous but most productive of gardening jobs, the magic of deadheading never fails to delight me. It was a revelation when the principle was explained to me: that flowers are the attempt by the plant to… — Tom Hodgkinson Copy Share Image
I could happily lean on a gate all the livelong day, chatting to passers-by about the wind and the rain. I do a lot of gate-leaning while I am supposed to be gardening; instead of hoeing, I lean on the… — Tom Hodgkinson Copy Share Image
By taking out a loan, I am committing myself to years of interest repayments, and therefore to years of wage slavery. And the UK… — Tom Hodgkinson Copy Share Image
Writing a book is a brilliant thing because once you've finished it, you've done it, and there's the potential for it to go on… — Tom Hodgkinson Copy Share Image
Truly, the bench is a boon to idlers. Whoever first came up with the idea is a genius: free public resting places where you… — Tom Hodgkinson Copy Share Image
Beauty, pleasure, freedom and plenty of sleep: these are the hallmarks of a successful idler's break. Travel should not be hard work. — Tom Hodgkinson Copy Share Image
These days we seem more bound to our bosses than ever before. We even identify our own selves with the jobs we do: 'What… — Tom Hodgkinson Copy Share Image
The way to stop feeling guilty is to read stuff - I'm not saying my book, but works by Bertrand Russell or Oscar Wilde,… — Tom Hodgkinson Copy Share Image
The idea of a government is to create an ordered, willing work force where there's no trouble. I think idlers are generally seen as… — Tom Hodgkinson Copy Share Image
When stuck years ago in a job I hated, my only friend was the public bench. As the tedious mornings dragged on, how I… — Tom Hodgkinson Copy Share Image
Pain will never leave us. Instead of putting energy into destroying pain, we need to put energy into creating pleasure. — Tom Hodgkinson Copy Share Image
Sensible people advise against drinking on an empty stomach, but to my mind it is the best sort of drinking. — Tom Hodgkinson Copy Share Image
