What a golden opportunity it is when your partner goes away for the day or the weekend or even the week (and takes the children if you have any). Suddenly you have a nice big chunk of me time and you can do absolutely anything you want, free of the usual chores and obligations. Unmitigated pleasure and self-indulgence awaits.
Except of course that it seldom works out that way. Instead of all the unmitigated pleasure - long country walks, starting the new box set, trying those exciting new recipes, tackling that online course on everyday life in the Middle Ages - you find yourself spending the time quite differently. Hours have unaccountably sped by as you:
- Plucked your nasal hairs
- Looked again for the missing screwdriver
- Placed online orders for stuff you don't need
- Watched yet another endearing cat video
- Cleaned behind the taps
- Pondered why letter boxes are red
- Adjusted all the crooked pictures
- Purged all the socks with holes in
To rub it in, your best friend gleefully recounts all the brilliant things she did during her own recent me time while her girlfriend was at a conference in Budapest. It seems she barely had time to sleep.
After that it's back to business as usual, and you find the missing screwdriver down the side of the fridge. And all the pictures are crooked again. And there's a nasal hair you somehow overlooked.
I have more me time than anybody else that I know. I know exactly what I want to do with that and have no regrets whatsoever when the me time is over.
ReplyDeleteRamana: Indeed, you have as much me time as you could possibly want!
DeleteI have plenty of Me Time, as even when my spouse is home, we tend to do our own thing,
ReplyDeleteBijoux: Jenny and I also tend to do our own thing, but even more so when one of us is absent!
DeleteNothing wrong with being a ten year old again! I'm appalling when left on my own - even less gets done than usual.
ReplyDeleteSx
Ms Scarlet: Certainly when it comes to our shared jokes, they're usually at the level of a ten-year-old! Excruciating puns, we gottem.
DeleteFor years the only 'me' time I had wss on a 'plane crossing the Atlantic. Cattle class, of course, but at least no one wanted me to do anything for ten hours at a stretch.
ReplyDeleteStill, as you point out, I would probably waste it if I had it!
Fly: If that was the only me time you got, you must have truly appreciated it while it lasted! Except that all you can do on a long flight is waste time!
DeleteLOL! odd but enjoyable post Nick!
ReplyDeleteexcept for 'nose hairs' thankfully haven't ever had to remove those. sounds extremely painful. ewww!!! xo
Tammy: Removing body hair can be painful. Yet we expect women to be free of the stuff.
DeleteI miss not having me time xx
ReplyDeleteJohn: But you seem to enjoy all the attention from your blogmates, workmates and friends. Not to mention the furry faction....
DeleteAndy and I both have plenty of me time. He goes up to the land to putter on his projects, I do a lot of various exercises (flexibility, balance, some weights and resistance bands, walking on my treadmill, etc.) in front of videos I stream. We both gave up the idea of being productive long ago.
ReplyDeleteJean: Yes, you two have infinite me time to do whatever you want! I admire your daily exercise regime, my only exercise is a ¾ hour daily walk.
DeleteNasal hair hmm. I have loads of me time nowadays, but I know what you mean about stuff getting in the way of carefully planned nothing time!
ReplyDeletePolly: You seem to fill your me time with all sorts of interesting activities - like making dolls' houses and touring historic homes.
DeleteLoads of me time all the time which is great.
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW
Indeed, and you've made full use of it on your lengthy trip up north!
DeleteMy husband and I have been retired for over 20 years and manage to do quite well with "me" time even living in a single floor apt now, but it was the same when we lived in a house. We've learned that each has his/her own interests and can spend an entire day engaged in whatever that may be at the moment with limited interaction or conversation. Then there are days when we spend "together" time day tripping or doing day-to-day things like shopping, mostly to a grocery store now.
ReplyDeleteBeatrice: That's a bit like me and Jenny. We can seal ourselves off from each other for hours on end to pursue our own interests, and then come together at other times. Especially easy in this very large house of ours.
DeleteLiving alone, I don't lack for "me" time. I do recall in year's past when that wasn't true. We never have enough "me" time when we need it and then we get too much of it when we don't need it.
ReplyDeleteJoared: Very true. I never had enough me time when I was working, but now I'm retired I have a surfeit of it!
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