You know how I blogged about straightening out my office so that I could house my laptop? Well, it's been marvelous for my work ethic -- amazing how much more business-like you feel in an upright position as opposed to a semi-horizontal one with your covers up to your chin.
But it has had one unexpected development that I didn't plan on. I now have company. Scads of it. Loads of it.
Yes, my lovely, loving family wanders in and peers over my shoulder. They share. They talk. They converse about their day. They ask me, "While you're on the computer, could you look up ..." They remind me that the water is boiled out of my beans. They remind me that the beans haven't even made it out of the freezer yet and INTO the water. They make dire predictions about the fate of the universe if I don't get up and liberate the beans from the deep freeze and plunge them into said boiling water.
In the spirit of Linda Grimes, I have done little to make things hospitable for them. The one extra chair in the room is the way station for The Kiddo's puppy blanket that we never finished, and I haven't made any effort to provide additional seating.
But that's okay. My fam, they're understanding. They bring their OWN chairs. Or they simply pull up a square of carpet.
Maybe it's the proximity of the room near the heart of the house -- kitchen as the right ventricle, living room with flat screen, left ventricle. Or maybe I just look more alert and bright-eyed and bushy-tailed sitting up at a computer.
All I DO know for certain? It's flat driving me crazy. And now that the cat has gotten into the act, well, I may be shopping for a strait-jacket sooner than I thought.
Yep, the cat. The other day, when I was blissfully alone, hard at work searching for gainful employment, in walked Max. He was not taking no for an answer. He sat by my chair. He stretched one paw and tapped on my thigh. He cleared his cat throat and gave me a polite, "me-row?" which I ignored the first dozen times. Then when I tried to take his picture, he abandoned "kitteh haz huge appetite" wide-eyed appeal, and instead went for the brass tacks -- the fierce feline stare.
With Max, that makes a full count of the household census laying siege to my sanctuary. What IS a writer to do?
8 comments:
I know the feeling! My husband went back to work today after 5 days of vacation, and while it was fun, I helped him out the door this morning. I'm very much routine-oriented, he was all up in my space!
At least your cat was polite about it. Mine just roll onto the keyboard and demand attention.
LOL! I had a cat (who has since gone on to her great kitty reward) who used to become glued to my lap whenever I was at the computer. It was the only time she showed any inclination to be around me. When I took to using a laptop computer instead, it did not stop her from trying--she just jumped up on the keyboard.
Rotten little cat. I miss her so much. :)
That cat does look pissed!
I know that one day I dream of being a successful enough writer to afford an office of my own - outside the house. I'm not saying this should apply to everyone, but I can't really properly motivate myself to buckle down and WORK when I'm at home.
I was lucky enough in recent years to have a job where I had enough free time to squeeze in a few hours of writing every day. That's how I wrote a novel. Then I got promoted. No more time for such silly things.
Good luck with finding a way to make it all work Cynthia!
I wish I had a writing space of my very own. I write all over the house. Dining room, kitchen, living room, family room, bedroom.
Where ever the family is, I am ELSEWHERE. Sometimes, I may take the laptop and write while sitting beside them, one eye on the TV.
Summer, now why can't The Husband understand that while I need space, it doesn't mean I don't love him?! And the cat abandoned politeness right after pix was snapped -- jumped smack down in lap and extended ALL claws downward. Yeow!
Linda, Max usually does that. That's why I was able to ignore him this time. Sorry about your rotten kitty -- felines are fab writing companions, no?
Matt, I know what you mean ... it's hard to focus on writing when the laundry and the dishes and the floor are all calling to be cleaned. Funny how they shut up when you switch off the laptop.
Look out when the kittehs start attacking the USB cables. They seem to think they resemble mouse tails.
:)
Not to belabor the obvious, but when you first draw boundaries, everyone affected by them feels compelled to test the boundaries. Stand firm. Reiterate where the line is. It will feel mean, but it isn't. They will adjust if you stand firm. Believe me, we've ALL gone through this!
(P.S. like toddlers, they will test the boundary periodically and repeatedly. don't give in)
I just told hubby last night that after the craziness that is Halloween is over, I want to go buy a new desk/chair for the office so I could write back there occasionally. I used the excuse that I need better posture (and I do, this couch does nothing for my knees, hips or back), but really, I just need somewhere to go when my late-night writing streak kicks in and he decides to stay up and watch South Park.
Hopefully he won't wander back to "keep me company" when that happens...there's no TV, so that will help.
Good luck staying strong with the boundaries (although I dare say you're stuck with the cat...)!
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