Do you have a favorite place in your home, a place you "get away from it all" - or otherwise relax - or do your life's work - or spend time with your muse?

Why is that your favorite place?

-- Catherine (catherine@cmjcom.com), September 30, 1999

Answers

My favorite room is my living room - it has cranberry red walls, lots of wood, lovely dark floors and high ceilings. I have my good speakers set up in this room and all the furniture is really comfortable. In the winter I keep a fire going pretty well 24X7. This is the room in which I listen to music (when I'm in serious listening mode as opposed to background listening), where I read, where I visit with my friends.

If it wouldn't totally kill the ambiance (sp?) I'd probably put my computer down there. As it is I often use my laptop in this room and I think I do most of my writing in this room, now that I think about it, too.'

Man, I'd be lost without it.

Catherine

-- Catherine (catherine@cmjcom.com), September 30, 1999.

I think most people who read or write a lot have favorite spots. Places where they read or write best. Music is another one, as Jonny mentioned.

Funny Al that you should find solace in your son's room. Heh. How ironic is that, eh?

Alice - man - do I know what you mean! Heh. I have a good set up now. My computer is in the big open hallway upstairs - which has an open railing so the effect is that I am looking down the stairs. This is directly in front of my bedroom which is the room that holds the television and is, effectively, our upstairs family room. I have a great big Queen bed and a pile of pillows and that's where homework gets done, books get read (Alexander is reading a book on Perl in there as I type), television gets watched, nails get painted, trading cards get sorted ... well, you get the idea. ANd I am right outside the door so we have all this ongoing, drifting, impromptu communication and really live together "real time". We moved the television to the lower level once but no-one liked that - Danielle and I, particularly, felt isolated. So, it's good this way - but I have all day to myself so I don't need a refuge like you do.

Tree - your seat sounds lovely! I have one of those, too - I sit in it all the time in my housecoat, sipping fresh coffee and wondering why people move so fast in the mornings. Heh.

Space (and lighting) is important to me.

Nice chatting with ya :))

Catherine

-- Catherine (catherine@cmjcom.com), October 01, 1999.

Hiya Catherine!

Well, I live in a one bedroom apartment with 2 other people, so privacy is at a premium! My favorite "spot" is the loveseat in front of the living room windows.It's overstuffed and just the right size for me to curl up on. I have a great view of the park and the oak trees across the street. It's where I hang out in the morning, with a cup of coffee and wait for the meds to kick in :)

-- Tree Manzella (pmanzella@hotmail.com), September 30, 1999.

Oddly enough, it's Jamie's room. There is a silent TV in there---with the closed-captioning turned on---and Jamie rarely goes in there except when he goes to sleep. The other kids rarely go in there. Oh, occasionally they'll come in there to get me to pour them a drink or pop some popcorn or Brian might need a little help with his homework...but it's quite peaceful, and unless you're watching MTV, closed-caption TV, without the noise blaring, can be quite restful.-- Al

-- Al Schroeder (al.scgrieder@nashville.com), September 30, 1999.

Not anymore, I use to escape into my bedroom. I had it set up with my computer and desk in it, but the children would complain that I didn't spend enough time with them. So being the dutiful mother I moved everything downstairs. Now I am miserable, and thinking about moving back up just to have a retreat again.

-- Alice (Alice@diarist.net), September 30, 1999.

My favorite place is my home. I love being home with my wife and kids. In my home I feel safe and warm. In my home I have two studys. I have a study in the basement and a study on the main floor of the house. I use my main floor study as a place to write and listen to music. My basement study is a place where I keep most of my library and diaries. I have my books and all my diaries and other writings in the basement study(I have a large collection of books-several thousand volumes). I have been writing since I was 17 years old and now I am 47 years old. I suppose my most favorite spot in my house is in bed with my wife. Second on the list of most favorite places is my upstairs study. In this study I have my stero and collection of CD's. Also I have my writing desk and a chair. In this study I come to dream and write down my life. I close-Jonny

-- Jonny Ray Keen (jonny@freenet.macatawa.org), October 01, 1999.

Well, we only *have* 3, so it's not too hard to choose;). The front room. It has wooden floor, ceiling and walls. Big knotty pine boards with a rich finish. And a comfy recliner. and a computer. and books *everywhere*. and both my and my husbands' music collections. And the combination of myriad bookcases and wood everywhere reminds me of being small, and safe, and at my grandfather's house. We moved around a bit when I was a kid - not really different places, but different houses. But my grandfather's house (enormous, used to be a seaside hotel) was a constant. So I feel safe here. (Well, except when the neighbours next door start in with the death threats to each other - then I just turn my music WAAAAAYYYYY up and I feel all safe again. Heh.)

-- Marianne Aldrich (marseillaise@hotmail.com), October 03, 1999.