My wife and I were mulling cultural and social things last night, and we came to realize that neither of us have a chair – you know, the way our dads and moms have always had designated living room chairs. Nor do we have designated sides of the bed. It mostly depends on who has to get up first.
We have heard that this is peculiar. Is it? Or is this furniture use anarchy a common aspect of the modern marriage and a reflection of generational change? Please help. We may write a paper.
Bio: Billy Townsend was a longtime government, political and general assignment reporter in Polk County and the wider I-4 corridor. He wrote extensively about Polk's unique regional identity and the issues shaping it, including USF Polytechnic, the Heartland Parkway and the CSX rail deal. Billy recently left professional reporting to take a corporate writing job, but he keeps close tabs on news of all stripes (especially political news) and the changes in modern journalism. Billy's wife is Julie Townsend, executive director of the Downtown Lakeland Partnership.They live with their three children in the Lake Morton area. His work at Lakeland Local is his first as an amateur hyperlocal writer.
thomas
8 months ago
neither my wife nor i have designated chairs. Neither did my parents. Not sure about hers. But we do have or own sides of the bed that we sleep on, even if we’re in motel beds, visiting friends, etc.
MelissaB
8 months ago
No particular chair, most of our living room furniture are sofas, but definately bed sides. I’m always on the right. Even in hotels, always the right side of the bed. My parents have chairs, always have. It’s like in Goldilocks and the Three Bears. When visiting, guests always get the third chair, but it doesn’t break into pieces.
Lorrie Delk Walker
8 months ago
Mike and I don’t have designated chairs either. We used to have designated sides of the bed, until we got a new bed this year. Now, for reasons unknown to me, we “trade sides” occasionally. But not for an entire night, typically. We each go to sleep on one side of the bed, but if we get up in the night to let the dogs out or go to the bathroom, we switch sides when we come back to bed. Weird.
Bob
8 months ago
No chair, unless you count chairs at the dining table. All 5 of us have default seats for family meals.
Terry
8 months ago
No special chairs. But my wife has her own complete room along with a pirate sign on the door warning all to enter with caution or they may get their booty shot off. She needs her space. We do sleep on the same side of the bed while at home. If we are away, it usually ends up as a discussion like “Now which side of the bed do I usually sleep on?”
Ellen
8 months ago
Definitely have our designated chairs and sides of the bed. We sometimes have to relinquish our chairs to one of the dogs. I like to be closer to the bathroom and tend to go to bed later than does Michael. The pillow division is more of an issue than the side of the bed issue. We each have our favorites and will scrap when they’re clutched by the other one.
Ashley
8 months ago
I do have a chair! It is on the front porch though. And we do have sides of the bed, mainly because I always wake up earliest, having to drive from Tampa to Lakeland for work.
Jennifer
8 months ago
Ever since our wedding night 11 years ago, we have each had our own side of the bed. And when my husband completed his doctorate a few years ago, my gift to him was an all-leather LazyBoy. So yes, we have our own seats too.