Jigsaws. AIBU that it is all a big pretence.

[schrodcat]

My AIBU query is this: is it more, or less unreasonable, to wish/hope/expect people (anyone?) to perceive that it is all an act? I have a whole roster of things I tell people I am doing at the weekends: seeing friends; going to National Trust properties; baking; going for a run! I have cultivated this personality at work whereby I revel in my weirdness. I am doing a 1,000 piece jigsaw this weekend. My son is going to his Dad's this weekend. I am going to a Royal Wedding party. I will bake an elaborate cake. It is not even 7 o'clock so I cannot contemplate going to bed; all the good bits of the jigsaw are done and it is just the background that it is left; I can't take a sleeping pill as I have had two glasses of prosecco. How does anybody else keep going? Tell my what a dreadful person you think I am. That would be excellent.

still, tomorrow is another day, eh...

Huh? How is your day different from anyone else’s? Ironing. Cooking. Basic housekeeping. DH and I spend at least some part of our weekend on that. And the rest with the kids in the park or whatever. Who are these people leading exciting glamorous lives? And why do you need to compete? And what have jigsaws got to do with them?
Also who said you don’t need to make sense on MN. If you want people to engage with you then surely you need to make sense.

I love a jigsaw

Doing one of London right now

If you enjoy doing them stuff the pretence

It sounds to me at least from your posts that you are lonely, and you don't want your SIL to know and to pity you.

Lots of people are quietly, secretly, lonely. Reach out to others. There is a difference between enjoying alone time and loneliness. Nobody need know that you have reached out because you are lonely. Other people don't know you are, they could be too. You have nothing to be ashamed of.

Do mean you prefer to stay in and do jigsaws than all that other stuff?

Nothing wrong with that at all. DH and I are anti social fuckers who would rather stay in and do a jigsaw than go out and party etc. I don't think we're that odd, we just don't pretend we are doing something else.

Why do you feel you need to lie about it?

I know what you mean. It's the realisation that nothing I do is ever going to make a difference to the world and everything I am doing is just filling time. At the moment, this isn't really an issue as I have a full on job that I enjoy and I have young DC so am busy with them. However, occasionally the thought does float through my mind of what on earth I will do once the DC are more independent. We moved to this area just before DC1 was born and DH and I weren't together for that long before I got pregnant so I don't feel that I have a way of life to return to so will have to build up a whole load of ultimately futile hobbies.

So are you telling lies to make yourself seem more interesting.

Love a good jigsaw too. Iv got some Christmas ones showing vintage Christmas cards

It sounds like doing jigsaws has triggered an existential crisis.

It is all a terrible sham. Jigsaws, housework, a dazzling career or colonising mars. It will all end and will ultimately mean nothing.

Life evolved from chemical reactions and eventually we evolved consciousness and language and started worrying about what it all means.

Stick some comedy on the radio and enjoy your jigsaw. Also maybe slow down on the prosecco.

Tomorrow go outside and do some gardening or just look at trees and birds and shit. There are a bajillionty species out there. We seem to be the only species that frets like this.

schrodcat you don't have to make sense

I love a jigsaw. Our local games shop has a jigsaw with 17000 pieces. Way to expensive though.

Yup. I feel you. It can be all a bit dull and never-ending. Kill time (sometimes making up excuses). Day ends. It starts again. No passion involved. Daily grind, grinding us down.