I
think I have started to become agoraphobic. I can’t seem to leave the house without worrying. Did I leave the iron on? Did I turn off the dryer? Did I lock the door and turn the alarm
on? Were the dogs all inside? Did I…? Inevitably I have to turn around and check to see if my
curling iron has burned down the bathroom. I just can’t seem to leave the house without thinking of
something I left undone. Most of
the time I just don’t want to leave.
I want to stay home in the comfort of my cave where I can control
everything.
My
hubby, in an effort to keep me sane and not have to turn around, has taken to
going behind me and checking all the things I have made him turn around for
before. I always have a new one
though, one step ahead of him. It
might say something about me: I am
a worrier. I am not happy unless I
am worrying about something. I
also think that I had begun to use that worry as a reason for not going out of
the house.
Writing
and staying at home has made the effort of getting dressed and doing something
away from home hard for me. I
don’t want to leave the house.
It’s just easier to stay here, not worry and not think of a million
things I should be doing AT THE HOUSE.
This may sound strange to you people who get up every day and go to
work. I think being comfortable at
home and not having to leave becomes a habit, not a good one. So, in an effort to reinvent myself, I
have begun a forced trip once a week to do something.
I
recently read that travel is good for you and your soul. Meeting new people, learning new
things, experiencing new cultures, trying new foods – all broaden our
horizons. I pick something each
week that I wish to learn about or see and I go. It’s not easy because sometimes I have to go by myself. But I go. The moral of all this is that as writers we must learn new
things, see new people and not become hermits chained to our computers. I found myself sitting here alone,
writing and never venturing out into the world. It’s an easy trap to fall into and not one I recommend.
Do
you ever find it hard to get out of the house? Do you find excuses to stay home? Or, bless my Hubby’s heart, do you have to turn around and
see if the iron is on?
If travel is good for the soul, by the time August rolls around, mine will be glowing! :-) I do stay at home a lot. Like you, I get comfortable here. Years ago my brother and I joked that if we could get our groceries delivered we could be very happy hermits.
ReplyDeleteLj, we're all proud of you here under the Tulip Tree - our president. It must be hard, though, to do all that traveling! I get tired of not being at home. Yeah, if they delivered groceries out here in the sticks I guess I would never leave. Sometimes it's just easier to stay than leave. But I am working on it!
DeleteOh, yeah. Not so much that iron business--though I send The Guy downstairs to check the stove after we have gone to bed pretty regularly.
ReplyDeleteI am a homebody anyway. And why not? I like my house. I write at home. My stuff is at my house. My cats are at my house. Why shouldn't I want to be at home?
It used to be a treat to not have to leave the house on some days. It could become a way of life if I didn't fight it.
But I do. I heard LJ say once that you have refill the vessel. That struck a cord. So I go refill it whether I am empty or not.
Except two days. Two days a week I allow myself to stay home. But I do dress and put on real shoes. Illness notwithstanding, the all day pj path is not one I have ever felt inclined to take/
Guess I am not alone in liking my house, my pets and my stuff. It has a level of comfort. LJ is certainly right - the vessel does have to be refilled and these darn animals just don't carry on a good conversation about plotting. LOL
DeleteI always dress, even if I am not leaving the house. Long ago i decided that no one was going to catch me at home, in my PJs and, gasp, without makeup. Too horrible to think about.
Weird. I quoted LJ and our posts went up at the very same time.
ReplyDeleteI do TRY to take my own advice, now and then. :-)
ReplyDeleteWe all try to follow your advice LJ. You can come up with some pretty sage wisdom that deserves to be heeded.
DeleteI like my house, too. I even turn around on occasion to check things left undone. I'm more apt to leave something behind that I just HAD to have with me. But I have to leave it regularly to get refueled. I'm a people person and if I go too long without them I get curmudgeon-y! Besides, I love exploring. I'm not sure there's a thing such as too much travel. :D
ReplyDeleteI just can't see you as a curmudgeon, not our Lesia! And I agree: there is NO such thing as too much traveling. I learn so much when I get out of the house and venture forth. Maybe we should have a Tulip Tree outing!
DeleteWe definitely need a southern outing! Always! And count yourself fortunate that you haven't seen the uglier side of me....yet. The day is coming, I'm sure! Ack!
DeleteOh yes, I am becoming agoraphobic. The more I write, the more I want to stay home. I almost don't want to be around people anymore! Well, I do love getting together with my friends for lunch, which I do pretty often. But most of the time I have to make myself leave the house, and when I do, I am very single-minded. I get my errands done and that's it. I go straight home. I really do think I'm becoming agoraphobic, just a little bit. What can I say? I like being with my story characters, and other people think that's just a little bit weird! LOL
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by Melanie. I understand the single-mindedness of getting things done so you can get back home. I seem to be in a hurry also to return to my home and my characters. I hate to say it but we all profit from you staying home to write - we get such lovely stories! We all like your characters! Keep them coming!!
DeleteAw, that's so sweet, Cheryl! :-) Thank you!
DeleteLike many of you have already mentioned, I like my home and I like to be there. I am a bit more of a social gadfly than some of you are but like Lesia if I don't get out around people I get cranky.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I am really look forward to having some down time at home this summer to get some writerly things done!
I can see that with you Stephanie - you do so well in the company of others! I am looking forward to this summer too. We all want to see what Alicia has in store for us! Can't wait!
ReplyDelete