Roommates: Do you think this is unreasonable?

I currently live with my brother, who has very, very few friends in the area. He normally relies on me for most socializing. For the last few days we’ve been arguing fairly regularly and in my opinion rather pointlessly.

The situation is this, we have a new large TV in our living room that he bought and I have a new laptop. I also have a computer in my room as well as a small TV. After work for the last three days, which have been unusually stressful I have mentioned I did not feel like talking and I have focused on paying bills, working on getting school things done and trying unsuccessfully to relax mainly because of this situation.

I have while taking care of these things, been in the living room with my laptop. It is the exact same distance as I would be from him if I was in my room, and even in my room he would be out in front of my doorway in a straight line. There seems to be no difference to me. I have stated each day my desire to focus on the things I have in front of me. In the meantime he has been going through boxes from when we moved, asking me every few minutes questions about the house, about items he comes across , and whatever else comes up. I will repeat over and over again my desire to not be interrupted. Eventually, my response or his comes out shorter than intended and an argument ensues.

He maintains that if I want to be left alone the only place that makes sense to him is if I were to go into my room close the door and completely isolate myself. I do not want to do that because I need to work, and not get distracted by my Wii, books, bed, etc.

I have tried repeatedly to explain that my location makes no difference in my opinion. If I make it known what I’m doing, what I’m trying to accomplish and that I need to be left alone and he says that’s fine, I don’t see any reason he can possibly become upset with me for that not being respected.

Are we both being idiots? I’m pretty sure neither of us is helping. But he’s at the point that he’s yelling that he understands my point but refuses to accept it. Then tries to justify it with money I owe him, or that he doesn’t understand my point at all – but that he gets it, or whatever.

I’m fucking sick of it. And I think I may be too close to the situation and too pissed to see it clearly.

Is it unreasonable for me to work on my things in my living room? Is it unreasonable for him to be upset that I want to be left alone? I get distracted easily and I really do not want to try and focus on what I need to in my room with all my fun stuff around. I’m terrible at it and he knows I am.

Grrr!