Real Life

[brainofck]

Last night, I was not quite ready to sleep, but the baby was. Thus far, I haven't managed to get her to settle down at night in her crib. We have been cosleeping in the bed in her room. She was exhausted and ready to go down and I was tormenting her by trying to stay awake like an adult, so finally I decided she needed me to be with her more than I needed to be awake.

But then I had a flash of inspiration. If I grabbed a notebook and a pen, I could write in bed!

So then I'm rummaging through my drawers upstairs for a pen. I found 3. None of them worked. So I trooped back downstairs, baby on my shoulder. Husband was immediately concerned that I had reappeared after saying we were going to bed. I said, "I'm looking for a pen that writes." He grabbed one out of the message pad holder on the fridge door. Then said, "Do you have any paper?" I did. Then he said, "What do you need it for?" Then, in a moment of sweetness, said, "Do I want to know? Nevermind, you don't have to tell me."

*pets the good Husband*

He's so funny about the writing. He really, really doesn't want to know. But I also believe that he doesn't want to interfere, either.

Because he complained about there being files he couldn't open on the computer, I have started leaving my stories un-password-protected on the hard drive, though I cringe a little every time. He often reads snippets of my stuff when it is up on the browser, not knowing it's mine, and has said some quite insulting and dismissive things. It's funny how the criticism of a person in real life can far outweigh the praise of the virtual commuinity.

Comments

[green-grrl.livejournal.com]

Ooo, writing while baby is sleeping is a great idea.

Oh, Husband. He does make such slashy off-the-cuff remarks, but I suppose he doesn't want to see it spelled out in glorious detail. :-( Because it can't be the quality of the writing that bothers him -- that you have in spades, regardless of subject matter.

[brainofck.livejournal.com]

:) He reads such tiny portions - just enough to know he needs to avert his eyes - probably Shakespeare would sound like a hack. Still, you know how it is.

[alpha-strike.livejournal.com]

... though I cringe a little every time.

There's a reason my writing files aren't shared on our home network. I cringe when I hand a clean copy to my wife for a line edit, and cringe even more when I fork it over to someone else for a final edit. They're ruthless (better my friends than some magazine editor) but never insulting or dismissive. It must be really tough for you to hear that from someone you love. I've read chunks of your work -- not all of it by any means -- and what I've seen is good. Keep in mind that it really isn't your husband's thing -- and that he would be mortified if he found he was hurting your feelings.

[brainofck.livejournal.com]

No, it really isn't his thing. And the other side of it is that he only reads the tiniest snippets, because he knows what it is and really only reads enough to know he should avert his eyes. :)

Man. You're right. It's better to hear it from your ruthless friends. But still.

[mresundance.livejournal.com]

Well, you don't sleep with us, generally.

:P

[brainofck.livejournal.com]

:p