A hobby works well. Mental Discipline is what finally abolished boredom for me. Stare at a digital clock for 20 minutes while clearing your mind, think about the mechanisms that make it up, now what those are made of (Don't make generalizations know what it is, make it up if you have to just go into detail about something mundane) then do so with whatever the clock is on. do this for 3 things and you'll either be mad at me for wasting your "precious" time or you'll be in a slightly different mindset, with this read some poetry, study some tao scrolls or keep working on w.e language brought you to this site.

It's covered pretty well by the other answers but he's mine: "still Breathing" the latter would be more commonly be "can still breathe" Uses: I am still breathing; I (can) breathe - changes sentiment makes the statement abstract/uncommon; S/he is (still) breathing. - Is can be taken away but changes the statement to a question; He/she can breathe; They are still breathing. ; They (can) breathe (Uncommon) For the second was covered by Eliot except instead of after I'd use about but that's just a regional thing I assume.

It's a bit long but you'll enjoy it: Lyrical Lingo When the English tongue we speak. Why is break not rhymed with freak? Will you tell me why it's true We say sew but likewise few? And the maker of the verse, Cannot rhyme his horse with worse? Beard is not the same as heard Cord is different from word. Cow is cow but low is low Shoe is never rhymed with foe. Think of hose, dose,and lose And think of goose and yet with choose Think of comb, tomb and bomb, Doll and roll or home and some. Since pay is rhymed with say Why not paid with said I pray? Think of blood, food and good. Mould is not pronounced like could. Wherefore done, but gone and lone - Is there any reason known? To sum up all, it seems to me Sound and letters don't agree. - by Lord Cromer

They are both prepositions, "owing to" is just a different way of saying "due to" I'd use "due to" or "because of" they are more commonly used, have better flow and can be used more often. Just remember not to use because (on it's own) as a sentence starter. While I'm on the subject: Both owing and Due can mean the same thing in a sentence they are highly context sensitive though. Ex: You can owe someone but you can't due someone.

It could also mean that he no more patience for the dog or he's serious about something probably an action.