Leave me alone

[kitty]

:rant: I am still at home yet to fly the nest, and am having major problems trying to read without being spoken to. Ive tried telling them im going for a read tried hiding away and im still found.:irked:
Must admit I find it harder to concentrate than I used to, I need utter silence now so the t.v drives me mad! :hissyfit: I dont think it helps that im the odd one out when it comes to reading, they all think im weird. Imagine that!
Does anybody else have the same problem and what do you do?
I may sound really anti-social, but reading its how I rewind after a long day at work.
Am thinking maybe a huge pair of ear defenders?

[Polka Dot Rock]

Hi Kitty!

I know exactly what you're going through! I lived in Manchester for three years and I'm back at home until September, so I'm in a similar situation.

Luckily, my mum is a big reader too but my dad has to have the telly on when he comes in from work (which is when I'm home from work too). And I cannot read novels with the TV on!! Me and my mum hate the TV being on all the time, and me especially as I got used to not watching it most days when I lived away.

In summer, it's not much of a problem as I can sit in different rooms. But winter is SUCH a pain for my reading - it's too cold elsewhere in the house.

At the moment, if I really fancy reading, I have to go to my bedroom, get in bed and read in there. Not ideal, but comfy :) And no blasted telly.

If I were you, go and hide (or, just go sit where you fancy) and put some headphones in/on and pretend you're listening to music as well as reading!

I think being a bit 'antisocial' would help too: we used to call it that in our house as a polite way of saying "DO NOT DISTURB", as we all had a lot of reading to do. We'd say "I'm just going to be antisocial for a couple of hours" or likewise. So perhaps you could do the same? Make a joke out of being left alone so that people get the message but know that you're not being stroppy.

Failing that, whenever anyone tries to interrupt you, only respond with a "hmm..." and don't move your eyes. Just keep doing that until they leave you alone or you have to use your book to smack them over the head with :lol:

Hope that helps...

[Icecream]

I know exactly what you mean. I am the tyoe of person who needs time out with a coffee or book to relax and gather my thoughts now and again, especially when the kids are here, but of course, as 'Mum' I'm always found. With a house, partner and children us women are always needed. Even if I say I want some time something always comes up when I'm in the middle of my time out.

[fireball]

kitty, we can't have THAT. So, I tell you what, when there's no one about find youself a screw driver, then unplug the demon TV and then unscrew the plug a bit and take out the thing that gives the ****** life.! it's a small thing, and when your anoying friends switch on...N A W T.! They'll think the tellys on the fritz. HEHE *shhh* say nothing,! you wont believe the grieve.! But the peace will more than make up for it. :lol: :lol:

[Nici76]

Yep I have to have complete silence as well, no TV or anything. Which is probably why i read so much more in the summer as i sit in the garden and all i hear are birds!

[Icecream]

I like to sit in the garden too, in fact, one of these days I might just not do the housework and take Katie and my book to the park for the afternoon.. (did I just see a pink elephant outside?:lol: )

[Angel]

I agree with PDR - minimum response is needed her and sound abit exasperated (without upsetting anyone.)

When I was at home I used to put my headphones on - and that used to annoy my mother as well!! ("How much longer are you going to be anti- social"?? :roll: ). I still use that tactic now.

Now my most common defence is a frown, (kids call it the Mummy look ;) ) and short answers.

[Michelle]

For me it's bathtime.. all I ask is 10-15 minutes soaking and reading, and yet I usually get interrupted by one of the girls! :irked:

[Polka Dot Rock]

I agree with PDR - minimum response is needed her and sound abit exasperated (without upsetting anyone.)

Thank you Angel! :D

Now my most common defence is a frown, (kids call it the Mummy look ;) ) and short answers.

Aaaaah, I know it well... And it never did me any harm! Plus I also now use it on my mum

[JudyB]

In the mornings I try to grab half an hour before I leave for work. Using the time when everyone else is getting ready I too get ready and then as soon as they all leave grab my book and read for half an hour or so before it's my turn to leave. I've been known to disappear onto my bed for a quiet read in the afternoon. It is hard to find time - I do try to turn the telly off if nothing's on and use that time to read - it works quite well on the whole.

[Kell]

This is why I read in the bath - Dale understands that this is my "me" time and leaves me in peace, so I get about an hour of soaking and reading most nights. At work, I choose the smallest possible table and face the wall, so that other people are less likely to approach me and I can read without being disturbed. It's only recently that I've employed the "face the wall" technique, because people had started bothering my while I was reading, as I seem to be known throughout the Council as "The Book Girl" and everyone thinks it's fair game to talk to me and ask about whatever I'm reading. I'm always tempted to reply, "Nothing at the moment because you've stopped me!" :lol:

[Purple Poppy]

Kell said,

I'm always tempted to reply, "Nothing at the moment because you've stopped me!" :lol:


You might be tempted, but you wouldn't ever say it, as you are much too nice!:friends0:

I am now going to make you all jealous, because I no longer have to worry about kids and family and so on. The only time I have competition is when OH is in in the evenings. I can read where I like, when I like most of the time. Unfortunately, I still find it difficult, because of other things I want to do, other things I need to do like house work (the guilt factor) and also because I fall asleep very quickly when I read, because of my narcolepsy. But I do at least get peace now.
So chin up everyone...it does come eventually. I love it, but other people may miss what they have now, when the time comes!;)

[kitty]

Thank you all, for you ideas. Its nice to know im not the only one. This lunch time there were that many people about, I went and sat and read in my car! Was lovley though as I work by the Mersey, so its nice and peaceful as there just tends to be alot of fishermen about. I like the idea of pretending to listen to music, at least if they try to talk to you, you dont feel so bad ignoring them.

[Icecream]

I can't do anything in the bath any more. I bath very quickly before my bubbly starts crying for another feed.

[Echo]

For some reason, if I'm on the computer or watching TV, my boyfriend leaves me alone. But, when he sees me reading in a quiet room, he finds that he has all kinds of things to say to me! I always tell him that he never lets me read, that reading is my favorite thing, but I think he's afraid that when I really get into a book, I'll end up ignoring him for hours on end. :lol:

Other than that, sometimes I like to have the TV on when I read, because for me, silence is deafening, but as long as it's raining outside, or I have a fan on or something, I'm good to go.

[Hazeltree]

If I had to wait for silence to read I'd never get anything read at all!!! :lol:

I can shut out kids, TV, husband (sometimes) when I'm really into a book, although I did have to go to bed to finish HP last night because my husband kept making comments about what he was doing on the computer - like I cared!

I tend to read when I'm feeding the baby, or when the boys are watching something on TV and not talking to me. It's a matter of snatching 5 minutes these days! Reading HP was frustrating the other day - I wanted them all to go away so that I could just sit and read in peace! No such luck :lol:

I do read in the bath but I only have a bath when I can stay in for ages - doesn't seem worth it otherwise. Managed to have a bath for the first time since I had my baby the other day (9 months) so had a lovely soak and a read - heaven!! :D

[kitty]

Hopefully I wont have as much of a problem soon, as me and my boyfriend are about to buy our first house. He likes his TV and computer, hopfully leaving me to my books. :D
The only problem is, the first few weeks will be probably spent decorating!