Me time, shme time

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Seamus
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Me time, shme time

Post by Seamus » January 19th, 2010, 1:11 pm

In each of our life-partner relationships, we broker for resources that are yours, mine and ours. My wife and I both work in demanding jobs and we still have adolescents living at home (how long, Lord?). And then there is writing. We have an occasional-and-usually-good-natured discussion about when I'm getting my @#$% face out of the @#$% computer and joining the family. Not asking for marital advice here -- I've been messing that up on my own for 25 years now -- just want to know what your deal is. When is it okay to disappear in your house?
J. Seamus Welsh
welsh.john.seamus@gmail.com
Blog (a playful place to experiment with character voices): http://oh-thereyouare.blogspot.com/
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Anavaz
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Re: Me time, shme time

Post by Anavaz » January 19th, 2010, 2:13 pm

Well... I think it used to be okay for me to disappear whenever I got a new book, because my husband knows I have to read it immediately. When I started writing he understood and never ever complained about it. That said, I have a 6 month old baby now so disappearing is pretty much impossible unless he's sleeping. But I guess I think it hasn't been an issue for us (the disappearing) because we both have our own interests and projects. My husband is a self-thought amateur photographer, so he has his own thing to do. Right now he's working on a 365 project all self-portraits, I think he has a lot on his plate too, lol. Plus law school is a lot of work and I think he's learned to cope with me having to deal with so much from school. That said we do work together so we see each other all day long, that probably makes it easier for when I'm occupied with other things.

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Jaime
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Re: Me time, shme time

Post by Jaime » January 20th, 2010, 4:49 am

With a 16-month-old son, I disappear when both he and hubby are asleep. But then I get told off for not coming to bed until 3am every morning. Hubby was the one who encouraged me to write this novel, and this week it has been one year since I started, which means one year of him regretting that he encouraged me, because now I'm always writing! You can't win, no matter what you do!!! I just wish he had a hobby that would stop him from complaining about mine!

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Crystal
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Re: Me time, shme time

Post by Crystal » January 20th, 2010, 8:28 am

My hubby complains about me being on the computer so much too. However I try to sit on the couch next to him while he watches whatever on tv. If he complains to much I just tell him, when you give up football to spend time with me I'll put the book down and spend time with you. As of yet, that hasn't happened...now what to say after the superbowl? Any suggestions? :)
Working my very first attempt at a mystery novel. 1st draft

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shadow
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Re: Me time, shme time

Post by shadow » January 20th, 2010, 8:51 am

I just write whenever I want to. I know I am lucky eh? But really I have so much stuff to do, not including hw and sports that I just indulge in my writing in the evening.
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poptart
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Re: Me time, shme time

Post by poptart » January 20th, 2010, 10:13 am

Luckily for me I have a repellent personality so nobody minds if I disappear for weeks at a time. In fact they welcome it!
Annoying people since nineteen fifty-seven.

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AAlicia88
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Re: Me time, shme time

Post by AAlicia88 » January 20th, 2010, 10:40 am

I can relate to this on so many levels. My husband doesn't complain when I'm on the computer but he and my daughter still need to eat and we just like to spend the short hours of the evening together. So, I take the few hours I find throughout the day, for example I get home from work two hours before everyone else or when my husband wants to watch fours hours of ultimate fighting during the weekend, and I write my little tail off. I'll also take my laptop in the living room and do some simple editing while he watches TV. I don't get a lot done doing this but I do manage to fit some writing in each day. Just think, she may annoyed with you now but you can make that up when you get published and dedicate your novel to her.

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Re: Me time, shme time

Post by Fallen » January 20th, 2010, 3:59 pm

Seamus wrote:Idiscussion about when I'm getting my @#$% face out of the @#$% computer and joining the family.
Lol, loved that: I like your misses.

We just got his and hers computers: his in the kitchen by the kettle, hers in the lounge over by the big comfy armchair, central heating and 'Mine's a tea' mug. I just promise to warm him up later. Kids are usually in bed by eight (teenager's usually off with his mates) and it's nice just to reach that point where you can say 'get lost, I need time on my own', without the other bit kicking off.

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Re: Me time, shme time

Post by LydiaSharp » January 21st, 2010, 1:54 pm

Think it's hard when you're the only writer in the family? Try being married to a writer with one laptop between you. Haha. I get the "you're still on the computer?" comments in addition to "get off, it's my turn!" We also both have blogs to run, and a son to take care of, and jobs to go to, and we both try to read a new novel every week, somewhere in between all that. Fun, fun. Wish I had advice for you, but I'm basically in the same boat.
Lydia Sharp
Science Fiction * Fantasy * Women's Fiction
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Shirls2010
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Re: Me time, shme time

Post by Shirls2010 » January 21st, 2010, 3:09 pm

Oh gosh Lydia that reminds me of when our company first acquired a PC. The normal processing was at that time done by a mainframe computer that had its own building. So this new toy that was a PC and ran on DOS had its own little room known as The PC Room and we all walked around with huge floppy discs (or were they called stiffies then?) and had to book time on this amazing new machine.
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The scariest moment is always just before you start."
— Stephen King (On Writing)

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