Dealing with the weight of a Virtual Life

[shazrasha]

Anyone who's been online will have noticed that I spend a lot of time sitting on various chat programs. This is in part because I spend time on my computer when writing and plotting things but also because, to be honest, I don't have anything better to do. I intend to do something about this.

I get out of my house for three things generally, roleplaying on a Tuesday when I run a game, roleplaying on a Friday when I play in a game and last but not least Work...

Now I don't want to sound pitiful as this isn't about that. I know that I get myself a little down this time every year¹ and I'm determined to not do it as badly this year. In fact I'm putting my foot down now and telling my brain off for not being more proactive.

midnightoak got me thinking yesterday after setting up what is essentially a "how to organise the family better" calendar online². I very, very rarely plan things leaving most get togethers to either be a spur of the moment mad dash or something choccoweeble has organised³.

¹This mostly due to the fact that the students I usually spend time with go home for the summer and have only just come back.
²Still working on getting mum fully on this calendar as my computer was being a bit slow to offer assistance yesterday
³I know it bugs her to always be making the decisions, another reason I am determined to get in gear.

Right so having explained the cause I shall now go on to the possible effects. Such as they may be...If any of you have ideas I can add to this list please feel free to chip in. Having a calendar online will also mean I know when I'm free instead of having to ask choccoweeble all the time.

1. Have car will travel¹. Something I keep having to remind myself.
2. Have National Trust Membership I can damn well use it². I shall make a list of places and times for visiting these things and post them on my LJ. Anyone who fancies joining me on these excursions would be most welcome. It's always more fun in a group. This will also include Non-NT places.
3. Our house has an open invite. I'm putting this one here as when I have random get togethers³ people don't realise that if I've mentioned that we're having people over that it includes anyone I know in ear shot unless I specifically state otherwise. If you fancy popping over when in the area, you're quite welcome if I'm free. (I can clean the living room in 15 minutes flat...)

¹I hate driving. I'll be the first to admitt this. However I like visiting both people and places.
²Ok, Having been a member a LOOONG time I've been to most places in North Wales and near my current home. However you learn new things each time and showing them to others is fun. Plus have camera now :D
³I hesitate to call them parties as, well, I don't drink so tea is more likely than alcohol, the music selection is not really current, the house isn't big enough to dance in (though choccoweeble will attempt to demonstrate modern jive anyway). On the other hand I do cook dinner and cakes for people.

Comments

[choccoweeble]

Firstly I must say that I love you very, very much.
And secondly I have a shiny, shiny new car of leetness + 5 and will take any excuse to go drive it. Therefore you don't need to worry about the driving. Just deduct some diesel money off my share of the bill paying from time to time.

[areteus.livejournal.com]

'I know it bugs her to always be making the decisions, another reason I am determined to get in gear'

You too? Sarah often complains to me that she has to do all the organising for everything...

You could also stump up for English Heritage membership which will double the number of places you can visit. They also have special events at many places which you may be interested in (falconry, jousting, etc) as well as many members only events. First year of membership you can only get half price in wales, though, rather than free. Our membership was only about £50 a year for a couple - so that was both of us paying £25 each instead of about £30 each.

We intend to announce our New Year plans soon and you will be on the invite list. There will be drinking (sorry) but there will also be an eclectic selection of music and dancing is optional. I can neither confirm nor deny the existence of zombie porn at our parties and would like to point out that this was shown at only one party of ours, once and it wasn't porn but an arthouse horror film that happened to have zombies in it having sex... :)

More importantly, based on last years effort, there is likely to be a collection of people from all over the country (we are nicely central to everywhere), many of whom you should already know, with whom to discourse on matters diverse.

[shazrasha.livejournal.com]

I'm getting better on the making my own organisational decisions, it's a ten step program

I have considered English Heritage but most of the places around us are free anyway so I think I might get the Cadw one (being so close to Wales) and do it the other way around :)

New Years sounds cool. Need to see how I'm working around then (would not surprise me if they put me down for new years day...) but should be fine and I don't mind other people drinking as long as I'm entertained ;) Discourse on matters diverse is always appreciated.

As for all the shiny new people I've started to meet I've actually no idea where most of them are based. Except for a few who are inordinately far away (read Australia).

[kardrath.livejournal.com]

Plus the North West is officially the worst part of the country for English Heritage properties as Abi and I discovered _after_ we'd bought our membership.

[shazrasha.livejournal.com]

That's always a pain. We ended up with NT when we went to a property with our cousins and my dearest mum decided to get membership and the guy selling the membership thought that all our cousins were hers too. She got it a whooole lot cheaper ;)

[midnightoak.livejournal.com]

Well as your twin (who of course echoes everything you say and do...) I of course say welcome to any of my stuff (I have now placed you and Choccoweeble in the penthouse suite, so that there is room for more peeps in the rest of the house) and can I beg a lift to some of the stuff you get invited too ;) (I am looking at Driving schools honest...then I can stop being the one who doesn't drink or drive..tut)

[elektrobard.livejournal.com]

Come visit! That's something for the 'to do' list ;)

[shazrasha.livejournal.com]

You may have to send me a communication to explain where it is that I must make my presense known. As I said to areteus I'm a little short of knowing where people are. :)

[trevor-davies.livejournal.com]

If I understand rightly you're roughly Chester based. And as I'm in Liverpool that's not particularly far.

I understand what you mean about not getting out much - during the week I barely leave the house except for work, and anout every other week-end we go and do something during the day, but not normally a huge amount (although Lesley & I did go to York last week-end to celebrate our Wedding Anniversary. But we were back in our room watching TV by 8 o'clock each night - sad I know)

[shazrasha.livejournal.com]

Ah no indeed, Chester - Liverpool isn't actually that far though I must admitt the last time I tried it I got myself into a horrible muddle and did a lovely 45min detour into urbanised confusion. Navigating whilst driving not my strong point. ;)

[choccoweeble]

You can take out the "whilst driving" there babe ;P

[shazrasha.livejournal.com]

Ok so technically that should be whilst in a car. I'm good on foot with a map...

[tusenord.livejournal.com]

I want to come... a bit too long travel to just drop by though so you'll have more than 15 min to clean up! :D

hugs