I am very glad that Pete has weekly D&D games. Because sometimes, I need to BE ALONE.

I wish H played games. Or cards. Or fished. Or, you know, anything. Because it sort of sucks to have to leave home to hibernate for a few hours. One wants one's jammie pants and late shower and tea and solitude. Or even occasionally, comfort tv without mockage, or feeling that one is ousting the Other Human from his usual space and routine.

One thing Lewis has never been able to understand is my intense desire for solitude within my own home. There was a point, back when the kids were much younger, when I absolutely begged him to take the kids and go visit his parents in Florida (this was when we lived in Ohio) simply because I so desperately needed time alone.

He was devastated, seeing it as some sort of rejection of him and the kids, especially, when as he put it, I would get time alone when I went to conferences and the like. Except that wasn't really "alone" in the same way, even if I was in a room by myself. I wasn't in my space, with my things and if I wasn't at home, that meant that Lewis was, dealing with the kids and the minutiae of daily life, which meant if a question needed answering, then I was just a phone call away.

Not exactly my idea of alone time. Irony is, he actually often got what I most desired, since I was the one who often had to take the kids to go visiting the grandparents while he got to stay home. But it's not important to him. I never got to be alone in my own home until the kids started going to school.

But then, this is where the fine art of compromise happens-- I have my own office, with a door I can close. I can also go in the bedroom and again, shut the door.

(I've also never lived alone in my entire adult life- I'm still a little bitter about that.)

Apparently I am very good at faking how uncomfortable I am in large groups, at least with my family. Several people have told me that they didn't think I was uncomfortable at all at my wedding shower. Luckily my friends, including vw, knew better, and saved me from the crowds when I needed it.

I'm trying to craft the perfect two word response.

Fuck you sounds appropriate.

One thing Lewis has never been able to understand is my intense desire for solitude within my own home

Yes yes yes!!!!

Hubby has finally realized this, praise be. Sometimes I want to be alone to play with *my* toys!

But then, this is where the fine art of compromise happens

My parents came up with their own compromise. My mother is fairly social. My father, on the other hand, is so introveted that he makes me look extroverted.

When I was a teenager, my mother's side of the family started organizing "cousins' picnics" a few times a year -- the Parent Generation would get together for a picnic and talk. My father would chat briefly with everyone else while he ate, then go for a walk. When he got back, it was time to go.

whoo hoo guess who has two thumbs and is a horrible, horrible daughter.

"Every class is a performance."

Motherfuckin' WROD.

redacted

DH's always here, and I love him, but I just need a few days by myself per year.

"Every class is a performance."

Yep. That's how I look at my classes. A friend of mine even talks about how he used to "script" every class when he first stared teaching. He still does just not with the same amount of detail.

Me too! it's why I often room alone at the F2F. I love you all, but when I need to be alone, I NEED to be alone.

Vortex is me. I can be as social as all get out, if I know that I get to recharge later that night in my own space.

Barb, I can relate to my own toys thing. I live alone now, and cherish it. But I've had a few couples stay with me recently and have discovered that by giving them my bedroom, I get to putter around in my office (where I set up my pretty comfortable cot!) and it's FUN! I like being surrounded by my office clutter for a couple of days.