All of that "you" time - what do you do?

[Vanquisher]

"You" time. You mean "me" time? Could someone please define this for me? I think I am lost on this subject. "Me" time? That's so foreign. Really. I wish I could help you or answer your question, but I'm stuck.







Okay, in time I steal for myself, I watch a lot of t.v. I play on this board and play stupid computer games. I take bubble baths. I bake. I cook.

I don't exercise, even though I should. I really don't get very much time to myself, and even the above things are usually done with a kid or two under foot.

I miss me. Where did I go?

[SuzySunshine]

I walk the dog, watch TV (to much), read, scrapbook (though I'm giving up on that and going back to regular albums), that is about it. I'm sure that will all change when we have kids, then there won't be any me time which is fine with me (right now). 8)

[DCJenn]

Me time- After the small person is in bed (8:00pm) I read or knit. I rarely watch TV these days because our house is so small that the TV and the couch are in the same room as the desk- so studying takes priority. Not that I care because there's not all that much on that interests me anyway.

I've been so sick that working out has fallen by the wayside a bit but I do try to go to two yoga classes a week- 7:30pm-8:30pm. In order to go my husband has to be home by 7pm which isn't usually a problem. I also like to take the jogging stroller and walk the dog for an hour or so in the evenings before dinner- provided that it's not 100+ degrees outside.

On weekends, naptime could be me time but usually ends up being laundry time!

Actually- work is me time.

Jenn

[reciprocity]

The time I'm not working I coach a rowing team, I bake, I work around the house, I do yoga and I used to lift weights and run, but I started having joint problems, so I stick to the yoga now.

Oh, and I watch a not insignificant amount of TV.

[Flynn]

Um yeah, with kids who aren't at full time school age, you don't really get "me" time unless it's before 7 a.m. or after 8 p.m. unless it's scheduled.

Since DH is making real money now, we have a great exercise bike I ride in the morning -- from 5 to 6 approximately. Yes, I'm a morning person.

Other than that, I read at night and chat with friends I have recently moved away from....

Again, refer to my first sentence.

[Sheherezade]

I've taken to hiking with the dog. I figure it knocks off dog walking (necessary to keep the beast calm ) and exercise. It takes a big chunk of my morning--probably about 1.5 hours with the hike/shower. It's very serene though. I'm loving being out in the woods alone.

I also love to read. I'm at this very moment scanning one of those book club by mail offerings - and trying to figure out if I can get 12 free books by signing up DH and me instead of 6 for just one of us. That would probably be unethical, wouldn't it? Anyway....I'm planning on putting a big stack of books by the chair in front of the wood stove for this winter. DH is going back to the books for his final board exam in the Spring.

Oh....and I watch Lost religiously.

[mommax3]

Before we had kids, (first two years of med school) I read a TON, cross-stitched some, and watched tv......actually, I did quite a bit of that after our first was born, too.

Fast forwarding a bit......now when DH is on call and is at the hospital, IF the kids are in bed, the dishes are done, and the laundry is not threatening to take over, I would still pick reading over anything else. I just hardly ever get to the point where I am able to choose!

Since going back to work, what little free time I feel like I have is spent madly reading through the boards and occasionally posting things that are probably either too abrupt or don't make any sense. (Or both!) I am hoping that things are going to calm down again at some point!

Sally

[Malpka]

My kiddies are small, so they are always around. I used to stay up and watch TV and play on the computer when they went to bed, but now that I am pregnant I just fall asleep the first chance I get.

Well, now that I am a lady of leisure and I no longer have a real full time job, my time without DH usually involves the following:

Walking/entertaining/training our 2 dogs ( a LOT of work!)

Organize and shop for our new apartment
Teach group exercise: yoga, cycle and body bar
Turkish lessons
Cook
Read and go to book club ( Running with Scissors and Life of Pi)
Laundry/clean
Manage our finances
I don't watch a lot of tv but current shows I love: Nip Tuck, Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, Battlestar Galactica
Rent movies (DH's fav thing to do at home)
And of course, play on IMSN!

[migirl]

Um yeah, with kids who aren't at full time school age, you don't really get "me" time unless it's before 7 a.m. or after 8 p.m. unless it's scheduled.

Exactly.

When DS isn't attached to my body or when I'm not chasing after him (DO NOT play with the dog's food!), I'm rushing around trying to clean up or do laundry or pay bills or one of the other gajillion things that needs to be done.

Now BEFORE we had Jack, I used to read (still do, usually after he goes to bed now), do various craft-type stuff (cross-stitch, jewelry-making, etc.), garden, exercise (I still do this now, usually during morning nap time).

[Stella]

Watch TV (Grey's, House, DH, PR, and anything on TLC or HGTV)
Read (currently reading Running with Scissors and Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas)
Cook
Clean
Walk/Train Dog
Write/Blog
iMSN

Oh yeah, and if I have time, study for GRE's and languages, etc.

[houseelf]

Running
Reading
Beading (Although I had to give this up because I would spend $50 on a nickel bag of beads.... It was a bad habit).

I've been thinking about this "me time" thing a lot. A couple of weeks ago the kids and I were hiking when I saw a smallish rock face. I did some bouldering and I remembered how much I love the grace and the challenge of climbing. I used to climb every Thursday in law school. I miss it.

I also used to read magazines in Spanish. No more.

There is an interesting comparative religion class being offered at my church but I just don't feel like this is the time in my life to get into something like this.

Finally, there is a non fiction book club which meets once a week that I've contemplated joining. You all know what the issue is before I even speak it: childcare.

I'm really trying to tell myself that this season of my life is short and that I'll get back into those things in just a few short years when my kids are older. Right now, the kids and keeping the circus going needs to be my priority.

Kelly

Boards are now less than a year away and DH needs to get back in the studying game. When he does that, I usually read, take care of my stack of SLJs (shitty little jobs), or try to work around time zones and kids bedtimes to catch up with out of town friends.

Now that I have my youngest in school two mornings a week, I have some nice new-found chunks of time to myself. I'm still catching up on things that didn't happen this summer and will use the time to pick up or go shopping (by myself! ).

I'm planning some fun things before baby comes in December. I love to get out of the house. It's getting harder to do exercise-related things, long walks, etc. I have a gift certificate for a maternity store that I've been holding on to, waiting until I hit that "I'm too big and I'm sick of these clothes" phase. I'm just about there. My next treat is a favorite chocolate shop with decadent hot chocolate. There is a luxury car dealership next door so I'm going to go drool on Porsches afterward. I think it is the most fun a pregnant woman can have at 10am. This pregnant woman anyway.

[Vishenka69]

During med school when we lived in Manhattan I went out a lot (plus at that point I still had single friends who were available for whatever whenever). I also learned to cook, take care of most chores and plan a wedding by myself. These days I don't have as much "me" time but I try to plan drinks/dinner with a friend when DH is on call during the week and see my parents/go shopping during weekend calls. After all these years I still don't like to be home alone.

[ides]

When I have free time I like to watch tv, go for long walks, sew and pet my cats. When I'm working full time the walks seem to fall by the wayside