Turning out the big light

[Barney16]

I'm interested to know if I'm deluded or if my DP is quite mad. Every single evening at some point, whilst we are sitting in the living room watching TV, he will say mind if I turn the big light out? If he does we are plunged into virtual darkness except for a rather rubbish table lamp. It's like sitting in the dark more or less. He says he likes it because "it's like being in the pictures". It isn't, it's exactly like sitting in the dark. It's obviously a completely mundane problem but I honestly don't think the majority of people sit in the dark watching their TV do they?

I think you need better lamps. We rarely have the big light on. It would be hard to see the screen with the big light on surely?

My mother had a 100w bulb in her light, it was fine, certainly not too bright.

I don't get all this "guilt" about having a light turned on - they incur a minimal cost

Everyone where I live!

Get a decent lamp ffs! Nobody likes the big light on…way too bright!

It’s a very normal expression…as you can see from this thread.

I remember visiting an aunt and uncle with my mum when I was little. The aunt was my mum's much older sister. It was very dark in their house. No lights. It was a new build and I thought it was because the electeicity hadn't been hooked up yet. Years later I told my mum about that memory and she sighed and rolled her eyes as she informed me it was dark because my aunt's husband refused to turn the lights on. Not even for company staying over. 😵‍💫

DH is like this and I'm with you OP. I hate having to sit in virtual darkness!

I loathe lamps. They are prissy and fiddly and annoying. Big light all the way. I only own lamps in the bedroom and that's only so I can turn out the light without getting out of bed.

I had one room in rented flat once where there was a light cord right by my bed so no need for lamps. Loved that.

I cannot think straight with the Big Light on. It’s literally all I can think about while it’s on. I have lots of lamps which I put on according to what we are doing. Never ever the big light.

DH would prefer to sit in an operating theatre ambience under the Big Light, which I find is like being shouted at.
He also has his iPad screen really eye-searingly bright. I can't look at it.

On the other hand, he refers to my warm or coloured lamps as “dims”.

Team DH. I don’t think I’d be able to enjoy watching TV with the big light on.

Another big light hater here too. Lamps all the way.

My husband does this too. It drives me mad, because sometimes I want to knit or read, but can't see well enough.

I’m a big light hater.

We have ours on a sensor. So if you have big light on - then sit still (like watching a movie), it dims itself. Turns it's self off after several hours.
Also, if it's off - it comes on with motion sensor. Which is great if you are entering a dark room. Less great if you are kipping on the sofa and happen to move.

Thank you so much for all your replies. Very illuminating 🙂 I'm really surprised at so much big light dislike. Im definitely going to buy more lamps, maybe a subtle programme of light introduction to test the waters.

I'm going to start using the word dims. That's brilliant.

The big light is like being shouted at… Yes!
Lamps all the way, I do like it to be quite bright though.
DH likes to turn off all the lamps if we’re watching a film. I don’t like it. It’s too gloomy for me.

We don’t even have a big light! Get better lamps.

How's your bedtime routine, @Lindajonesjustcantlivemylife ?🤣

To be fair to you, my eldest son calls me a cave dweller. He's also a big light person. 😂

Hmm, I hadn't thought of that. My parents' house was built in 1950 and the new socket/switch design came in round about 1948, but I suppose older houses might have had the old round-pin plugs into the 1970s. 👍

I only mind it when I’m trying to knit with just a table lamp to see by, but he is watching something I CBA with on the TV. Often something with Michael Portillo on one of his foreign jaunts…😩

I really ought to get one of those Serious Readers lamps, but the price is eye watering.
Luckily, though, dh is more often upstairs in his ‘lair’ aka study/spare room/my ironing room - when I ever do any.

You can get them all wired together so that they can be controlled by one light switch, though.

Far more complicated than just using the light switch that already exists!

I hate the gloomy lamp-lit look anyway. Operating theatre brightness is fine by me.