'He travels fastest who travels alone,' and that goes doubly for she. -Florence KingBack in Summer of '02 I moved into my current crib. This is the first time I've really been On My Own in my life, and the scary part is... I've grown to like it. My own little cave, with nobody to complain if I stay up 'til 3 AM and then fall asleep with the light on from reading, or that I want to hang Smith & Wesson posters on the living room wall and have every horizontal surface covered in ancient Macintosh computers I never use for anything, or to leave my toilet seat in the wrong configuration, or eat the prosciutto I've been saving for a special midnight snack. Bliss.
I guess I still have a secret little dream, though. A dream that someone with the body of Gerard Butler and the wit of P.J. O'Rourke will get down on one knee, stare soulfully into my eyes, and say "Tamara, will you be my... next-door neighbor?"
That is PERFECT. I have a similar solo trajectory, and it's incredibly good to know that if a light is left on or a dish out, it's because I did it. And I never hear a complaint about the music.
ReplyDeleteYou can't have me. I'm already married.
ReplyDeleteAnd I don't have a six-pack, I've got a KEG!
I did the "by myself" thing for about eight years, and it definitely has its perks, but I've been married now for about twelve years (all of them happily) and it's much, much better.
Still, to each their own - I'm glad you're happy. You're sure as hell bright and interesting.
I really enjoyed living by myself for many years. Now, I'm trying to learn to coexist with another human being in the house. I really enjoyed living by myself...
ReplyDeleteWouldn't trade being married to my wife for anything...
ReplyDeleteBut, I remember talking to a single former co-worker:
Him: "What are you doing after work?"
Me: "Well, I'll check with the wife before I leave to see what we want for supper, then go to the store if necessary, help her with supper and whatever else needs doing, eat, watch some TV, go to bed, you know, the usual... Why, what are you doing?"
Him: (big grin) "Anything I want."
Bingo!
ReplyDeleteFirst and last marraige, the only good thing was my two kids which were well worth the $160,000 it cost me to get JOINT custody. I also lost both vehicles, the house I paid for, and everything in it except my guns, though she tried to take those too. (she did not need to work on my income.)
The cause of my last breakup? Girlfriend wanted to start looking at new houses for co-habitation.
Run Away!!!!
I have stopped dating as the last relationship was to close a call and terrified the hell out of me.
If I ever get married again it will have to be as neighbors and an ironclad pre-nup. You keep your stuff in your house and vica-versa.
I like having my various gun parts laying all over the kitchen table and the smell of Breakfree CLP in the morning.
I don't have to fold up my BowFlex if I don't want to cuz I'm going to use it again anyway.
I like my booze sitting on the kitchen counter at the ready should I get thirsty for a cocktail and just because I haven't had one in a month doesn't mean that I won't have six tomorrow.
And I like to sleep alone after sex unless I'm with a woman that snores, because I snore and I like snoring thankyouverymuch.
You go girl.
db
I think she is secretly advertising for some boy toys.
ReplyDeleteShe needs some pool boys or something.
You're the coolest chick ever.
ReplyDeleteMy dream is being to afford to move back out of my mom's house into a place of my own. Everywhere I've lived, there was someone else there.
ReplyDeleteJust once, it would be nice to be able to strip down, and run around the house singing "I am the Eggman" and not disturb anyone else. Not that I would do anything like that of course.
If you want to see my spartan pics, you're going to have to ask nicely;-)
Sharp as a pin :-)
ReplyDeleteExcept for the old Mac's lying around, I don't think you'd notice if I moved in or not! Seems our decour choices would be close or complimentary that it wouldn't matter. Biggest fight would be about where to put the hardware and ammo in the house!
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I also like the single life and would hate to get rid of some of it. It's nice to do things without having to ask someone else if it's okay. I don't exactly have anybody beating the door down to change this so I'm set for awhile.
I'm not Gerad Butler but I wouldn't mind living in the neighborhood you and he are in - at least I know where the neighbors stand! :)
Joe R.
Ancient macs? Pork products for midnight snacks? And guns?
ReplyDeleteYou're the perfect woman. Honestly.
(We could network your ancient Macs with mine! I still have some localtalk hardware...)
I've never lived alone.
ReplyDeleteRoommates in college, married my senior year, messmates in the navy, divorced and met my 2nd wife in the Navy, cohabitation and then marriage immediately after I got out.
If I've lived alone for a month my whole life, I can't remember it.
Too late for me, save yourself.
We shouldhave contest, "Tamara's Idol" so to speak.
ReplyDeleteIm in, she shoots and likes eclectic books. any woman with an iq and a itchy trigger finger is a keeper.
A good quote - although the whole trip is alone - nothing to share.
ReplyDeleteKeep looking.
After 20 some odd years of cohabitation with 2 wives and a serious girlfriend, I have come to the conclusion that living alone is way underated. Compromising on a daily basis just wears one down eventually. After 3 years of solo flight , I have to say going back is gonna be tough.Thanks Tam, for pointing out the benefits of owning your sovereignty.
ReplyDeleteI'm amused, both because you're not always as much of a solitary misanthrope as you prefer to seem, and because everyone and their brother took the opportunity to say "Holy Crap, a tall, blonde snarky gun-lovin' Libertarian misanthrope! Marryz meee!"
ReplyDeleteColtCCO
"I guess I had the usual dreams of someday winding up in domestic bliss in a house in the 'burbs someplace."
ReplyDeletemore like a nightmare....
I did a lot of things alone for the longest time, since I was eight and sent off to boarding school. Now it's nice to have someone who leaves the porch light on. So, even if it's the neighbors porch, good luck finding your neighbor.
ReplyDeleteGee, I suggested that I would like to live next to Tam in West Texas, and my comment was thrown away.
ReplyDeleteI didn't mean it in a creepy stalking way, as that could get me or anyone else justly perforated. I meant that Tam would certainly be the kind of person I would like to live next to when I retire.
Still, in California I have to drive half an hour to get someplace where I can shoot. I get tired of that. I would like to have a nice canyon, so I could shoot off the back porch, reload in the spare bedroom, and do the small parts machining for my "innovative firearms".