I Got Possessed

I got possessed

so judging by how astonished people are by it every time we explain it to anybody, it seems like my wife and I might really be onto something here

during the pandemic, we invented something we call "astronaut time."

when it's astronaut time, it's like we are two astronauts wearing the big helmets, moving around the station on totally separate tasks. one of us is outside the space station and one of us is inside the space station. our radios do not work and we have no way of communicating with each other. we might see each other through the lil porthole windows, but we ignore each other because we both have different things to do.

"astronaut time" is how we get total privacy when we live in the same apartment. I will pretend you don't exist. You will pretend I don't exist. we have a nonverbal, zero-contact signal for when astronaut time is over (usually "I'll draw a smiley-face on the whiteboard in the kitchen when I'm done"). No talking, stay out of each other's line of sight, we are actively avoiding each other, unless you are currently experiencing a medical emergency goodbye.

it has been. a godsend. imagine living with your partner and being able to close every single tab in your brain related to social interaction. no fear of being interrupted by a "hey, quick question--" or "sorry to bother you, but do you know where the scissors are?" or "did you want something to eat, too?" Once or twice a month, we look at each other lovingly, hold hands, and say "baby I think I need some astronaut time tonight," and the other person goes "okay cool. bye! have a nice night!" and nobody's feelings are hurt and we both go and have a lovely evening completely by ourselves.

like idk it's a small thing but it's made our lives so much nicer, so if you and your partner/roommate are both people who sometimes need total privacy in order to recharge, maybe try it

You know if I was a full time weaver I would stand ominously over people

Alright, OP, as someone who has heard you say that, that one's a little too real

I'm not entirely sure it needs a lot of discussion, I think you've made yourself pretty clear, but I'll discuss if I must.

Being technically correct is a lot of fun for someone like me, who has an intense need to be correct at all times. When I'm arguing with someone and I'm able to find evidence that I'm technically correct, and I get to see their reaction to that in one way or another, it's one of the most gratifying things in the world.

But goddamn, as someone who can technically say he's okay, I am in hell at all times. If you define "okay" as surviving and breathing and being able to work without too much trouble, then by all technicalities listed, I am completely fine. I am "technically okay". But that leaves out all the ways I am not okay. It leaves out my cornucopia of mental health issues. It leaves out my struggles with being organized. It leaves out my intense state of being lost. It leaves out all these little things that are all banding together to have a significant effect on my life right now. But by the technicalities listed, I am okay.

So, yeah, OP, you're right and you should say it.

Technically correct is the best kind of correct, but technically okay is the worst kind of okay. Discuss.

sleepyheads