Rules for living

[resonant]

Soon I'll be getting ten days of solitude as the spouse takes the kidlet out to visit his parents and I remain tied down by my lack of vacation time.

Samuel Johnson said, "If you are idle, be not solitary; if you are solitary, be not idle." I'm afraid I'm both. After my last experience of Life Without Family (in which I took five-hour naps, then woke up and ate ice cream right out of the carton), I'm making myself some rules to allow me to revel in my quiet house without going off the rails.

So far I only have two, which I literally plan to write and put on the wall somewhere:

1. Eat sitting down, at the table, with utensils.

2. If you want to take a nap, take a walk first.

Comments

[jelazakazone]

LOL. I will have almost a week at liberty at home (a first for me). I have been joking that I will be lying in bed eating bon bons all day. Someone suggested I should have some variety and I said "you're right, I'll eat ice cream too:)". Honestly, I don't think I could stand to be truly idle for long. But I am looking forward to not being harried.

[resonant]

I really didn't take proper advantage of it last time. And the time before that, I spent the whole time cleaning out the former computer room to be the kidlet's new room -- no vacation!

[amanuensis1]

My definition of a person who is rich, life-wise, is a person who can decide to lie down and sleep whenever s/he pleases.

[resonant]

Of all occupations, the beggin' is the best
for when a beggar's weary, he can lay him down and rest!

[out_there]

1. Eat sitting down, at the table, with utensils.

That is the first thing that goes out the window when I'm at home on my own. It's not that we sit at the table when we eat now -- we're adults and lazy, so eating off our laps is done more often than not -- but we always use plates and utensils. Being alone means eating out of the packet, sitting in front of the computer (which I never do when there's two of us).

[resonant]

Since having the kidlet, we set a good example, you know, with regular meals and all. I *am* looking forward to not cooking every night, but I also don't want to be doing that thing where you look down at the empty bag or box in your hand and go, "Huh. I only really remember eating about two bites of that."

[carolyn_claire]

Oh, you are no fun. I suppose you're going to wash your dishes, too. Madness!

[resonant]

I suppose you're going to wash your dishes, too

... eventually.

[carolyn_claire]

If you must, I recommend doing them half an hour before the family gets home. Or you could just bury the dishes in the yard and say you were burgled. Also doable half an hour before they get home.

[resonant]

Once we spent Spring Break in a sublet apartment rented by four frat guys, and they had taken a dishpan full of dishes and soapy water and just stuck the whole thing out on the back porch!

[carolyn_claire]

Well, hello. :)

[garryowen]

SJ was wise. I like seeing his words on my reading list.

[ecaterin]

That kind of totally unstructured time, in which you are answerable to the responsibilities of no social structure, is so rare! Indulge at least a bit in some barbaric behaviour :D

[isis]

I like the idea of making rules for solitary time. I tend to eat random things at random times in random quantities, and then regret it. I also tend to drink too much. Hmm. Good idea.