I used to have FOMO but these days you’re more likely to find me in a calm state of ROMO. For the uninitiated, that’s shorthand for Fear of Missing Out and Relief of Missing Out.

I’m increasingly relieved when I miss out on things. Especially things that require queuing (particularly for coffee, baked items, poke bowls and such), long waits to buy tickets online, expensive meals and cocktails, crowded places and hours on my feet in dark venues late at night when I’d prefer to be in my jammies sipping a tea, crochet in hand.

Oscar-winning actor Cillian Murphy has said he too has feelings of ROMO these days. Credit: Marco Grob

Take the recent Oasis concert. I could not think of anything I would have less liked to do. Traipsing over to Marvel Stadium, forking out at least $180 a ticket when I could listen to them in the comfort of my home at my desired volume. I don’t mind their music and I know some friends loved it. But you’re more likely to see me at a theatre production with specific start, break and finish times and comfy seats and reasonable views of the stage.

According to 2021 research, the term FOMO emerged in 2004 from observations on social networking sites. It made it into the Oxford Dictionary in 2013. I do still get........

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