Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Driven Apart by Primetime?

Keith just bought a new TV for the basement of our house. (No, you didn't miss it; we don't actually move until the end of next week.)

It's a very nice TV: a 37" HD plasma screen with great picture quality. I like the TV. It makes me feel cool to have one.

But I'm starting to get a little concerned that, once we move into our house, Keith and I will be going our separate ways. If the fab new TV is in the basement, he'll be down there all the time. Meanwhile, my craft supplies, books, and comfy armchairs will be in the living room or attic room.

I picture us, separated by a floor or two, talking about our days via instant messenger. Will I always be forced to choose between Keith's company in the basement or enjoying the rest of the house?

I know he'll say I'm being silly. And, often, this is the case. But we spend a serious amount of time in front of the TV. Why would that change because we moved into a house? Will having more room drive us apart? *the sound of tender violins swells in the background...*

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think it will work out okay.

My parents did some remodeling in the past year or two, since my mom retired, and they've transformed our old enclosed back porch into a finished den -- complete with my dad's recliner, a fairly large TV, and a giant couch. So, during the day, if he's not in the bathroom or the kitchen, he's in the den.

Meanwhile, my mom has all of her sewing gear and projects on the third floor, in the finished attic. If she's not in the garden or out at the quilt store, she's up there during the day, sewing or watching her own rather large television. Plus, now that my dad and his TV have been relegated to the new den, she finally has the nice living room she always wanted, with two walls of bookshelves and comfy chairs, etc. So, if it's too hot to be in the attic, she'll read in there and listen to the classical station on the stereo.

However, they usually have something to eat of an evening and watch prime time together. (Apparently they like Desperate Housewives. Ick.)

Oh, and maybe once a day my dad goes up to the sewing room because that's where he has the computer set up. (He's thinking about moving it downstairs to the den, though, or even moving it down to the basement, which is where his home office used to be and which is next on the list of rooms to remodel.)

At any rate, my point in describing the entire layout of the house (which, now that I reread your post, is eerily similar to the setup you and Keith will have...) is that I think they've managed to strike a balance. As long as you have your own tv upstairs, you're in good shape.

Anonymous said...

Think of our big house - it's just Bob and I and we seem to see quite a bit of each other! I thought that maybe we'd lose each other and sometimes we even do. I go around the house yelling for my sweet husband and can't find him and that's when I just give up and call his cell phone (usually that's when I find him consumed in a deep conversation with a neighbor down the street). And during the day while he's working upstairs and I'm in my office downstairs, we IM all day long. But this keeps us sane and keeps us from losing our voices yelling up and down the stairs. Plus, it makes our time together more like Quality Time instead of just time sitting in our recliners watching TV.

Anonymous said...

Guess where I'll be watching the Tribe ... or are you a Reds house?

Whee! Moving fun! (I actually like moving. Call if you need muscles!

M. Lubbers said...

Amy: I'm glad that your parents have a good system that works for them ... but I'm a little alarmed to realize that our set up does, in fact, sound nearly identical. I feel like I've just aged 30 years.

Andrea: I like the idea of "quality" time over quantity. Plus Keith and I do have similar interests outside of the home, so that should help, too.

Cathy: Keith has asked me to inform you that we're a Reds' house, but if the Reds aren't on you're welcome to come over for the Indians:)