Friday, May 25, 2007

Grow up

You would think as people grow older that they would outgrow some childish habits, such as throwing a tantrum.

I've been rather busy over the last couple of weeks, with looking for a new place, moving in, moving out 5 days later, etc. Hell, I even spent one weekend in a motel because my apartment complex had been out of water for 5 days. All in all, I've been pretty stressed out.

My so-called best friend called me a couple of times during that period, and I didn't return his calls for about a week. We were used to talking quite regularly, with varying frequency; sometimes we'd talk every day, sometimes once or twice a week. Occasionally we would go for more than a week without talking.

Anyway, during my ultra-stressed-out-ready-to-have-nervous-breakdown period, I didn't take any calls. I didn't want to deal with anyone else at that time. I had enough on my plate trying to cancel my rent check to that bitch of a roommate and do a sneak moveout without her knowledge.

Apparently, J decided that not picking up the phone was to be the end of our 6 year friendship. He left a voicemail which said, "If you don't call me by the end of Tuesday, we're through." The funny thing was, I didn't get the message, but I ended up calling him on Tuesday anyway, after things had settled down a bit. He answered the phone like a bitch.

J: Oh, did I finally get your attention?
Me: What do you mean?
J: I left you a message.
Me: What did it say?
J: If you didn't call me by the end of today, then we were through.
Me: What?!

Am I just weird? Because I thought that friends were supposed to understand that you go through some crazy shit sometimes, and you may not always be there to talk. I also thought that maybe he'd grown up a bit since our college days; once he got mad at me for not wanting to hug him, as if he was entitled to receive hugs from me! Apparently, he hadn't grown beyond his childish ways if he's still capable of issuing stupid ultimatums without regard to what circumstances the other person is in.

I was so mad that I hung up on him. I didn't even see the point of explaining things. If he'd asked reasonably why I hadn't been answering his calls, then sure, I would have explained myself. But what did I do to deserve a stupid ultimatum? We haven't spoken since, and I don't think we ever will again. I'm not being melodramatic, I'm just tired of how he's been over the last couple of years. Here are some examples.

Two years ago,we briefly considered the idea of dating. We'd both just broken up with our significant others; I think that we were just on the rebound. However, I soon realized that I wasn't really attracted to him, so I told him bluntly that I couldn't see us together. He couldn't accept that, and kept pursuing the subject until I got really angry with him. We didn't talk for a couple of weeks, and then he called to apologize, and said that he wouldn't bring it up again.

A year after that, he called one day, and said he wanted to talk about "us." He proceeded to tell me that he and his friend decided that I was jerking him around, and basically keeping him around as a backup. I asked how this was so, when he lived in California and I lived in Washington. I got really angry that he was bringing up the subject of "us" again, when he'd told me repeatedly that it was a closed subject. However, I valued him as a friend, and figured that eventually he would see the truth. I did not make any threats of ending our friendship, because I loved and treasured him as a best friend.

Every now and then, he would hint or threaten that perhaps we weren't meant to be friends. He always implied that he might be better off not knowing me. All I can say is, if he really thought that, then he should have grown some fucking balls and cut me off, once and for all. After a while, the constant drama got to be irritating.

And now I get this--threats of ending our friendship over the silly fact that I was unavailable to talk for a little while? I stuck by him when he was being unreasonable, and even when he was accusing me of certain behavior that I wasn't guilty of. How is that fair? I think I've had enough of his ridiculous PMS and irrational behavior.

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Phone clinger

Today's quote: You mean to say that you are a daughter of Eve?

I've seen a variety of things while working at the new job. The one thing that I'm amazed at is how much people talk on their cell phones here. They talk anywhere and everywhere throughout the building, without regard to privacy or propriety.

Today, I went into the restroom. Another woman entered soon after, and proceeded to start peeing while talking on the phone. Am I the only person who thinks that's a little weird? Talking while in the restroom is one thing, but talking while you're actually doing your business... I dunno. It doesn't seem like the best place to me. Plus, I wonder what the person on the other end is thinking when he hears the toilet flush. Eh.

The other thing that gets me is the sheer number of people here who spew their private matters in public. Do they think that just because they are on the phone that you can't hear them? Uh, it's rather hard not to hear them when they're talking rather loudly in heated tones, if not downright yelling. Seriously, no stranger wants to hear all the sordid details of your intimate life.

Friday, May 04, 2007

Stealth move out

Ok. After I emailed my roommate saying that the installation of the blinds had woken me up, she replied saying that she and her bf and finished the whole process well before 10. The fact that she just denied everything made me snap. I'd had enough.

I rushed out from work and went to the bank. She hadn't cashed my rent check yet, so I put a stop payment on it. I called a couple friends for an emergency favor--to help me move out. After I got home from work yesterday I proceeded to move out. I wanted to do this without a nasty confrontation from her or her bf, so my friend and I rushed back and forth taking all my stuff down to our cars.

It took us about 2 hours, but we managed to finish and leave before she even got home. I left her keys inside her condo. I also emailed her a long letter listing all the broken promises as grounds for voiding the lease. All in all, I've been pretty stressed out because of her.

Now all my stuff is jumbled up everywhere. Plus, I left a pair of shoes there. At least I won't have to see the witch or her H3 bf anymore.

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

Roommates suck

Today's quote: We sell our skills, not our bodies. We create another secret world, a place only of beauty.

Well, I've moved into the condo on the Eastside. I originally found the listing from Craigslist, among 8 others. This Indian girl SG was the only one who got back to me. After meeting with her and surveying the condo, we sat down and chatted for about an hour. I asked her questions about what kind of person she was, etc. I also made a point to ask her about whether I could have a wired internet connection in my room, to which she replied that it would be no problem.

After going home and thinking about it, I decided to try out the roommate situation with her. I figured, the lease is only for three months, so if it turned out badly I could move again. Well, it almost appears that my worst scenario is coming true. Let me list the things so far that have been irritating.
  1. The day I came to sign the lease, SG didn't have it ready. What was funny was that she was the one who asked me to come earlier than the time I'd suggested, except that when I arrived she was still sleeping (at 11am!). Then, she didn't have any copies of the lease printed out, so she had to drive to work and come back. All in all, I was kept waiting for about 40 minutes.
  2. She didn't allow my cat to come, so I had to leave Tabitha with someone else and buy the Litter Robot so that they wouldn't have to scoop the litter box. Ok, I know that it's her right to say no pets, but I still feel like it wouldn't be that much of a problem if I kept the cat in my room only.
  3. The day she knew I was moving in (she even knew what time I was coming) her boyfriend was parked in my spot.
  4. Her boyfriend is over all the freaking time. I contracted to live with her, not her boyfriend too. I don't feel comfortable going outside of my room because I know that some guy is out there. If I'd wanted to live with a guy, I would have looked for a male roommate.
  5. During our first meeting, I also made a point of telling her that I have trouble sleeping and that a quiet night when it gets late is very important to me. She said she wasn't that loud and that it would not be a problem. So far, one night she has watched tv till past 11pm, and the sound level of the tv makes me think that she's either 1) going deaf, or 2) extremely inconsiderate and unaware of what time it is. Maybe both.
  6. Remember when I told her that I had to have a wired connection because I hate how wireless drops frequently? Well, she hasn't taken care of that at all. She hadn't called the cable company to have the port in my room activated for the modem. I tried out her wireless, and it was exactly as I had feared: last night the connection dropped 7 times in one hour. I got so mad that I finally stomped out there and demanded to talk to her. I made sure that she understood how important the internet is to me, so she finally called the cable company. She should have done this BEFORE I moved in!
  7. She hasn't made any space for me in the kitchen or the hall closet. When I asked her if I could put a shoe rack out by the closet because it was full of her stuff, she said no. Meanwhile, not only is the closet full, but her shoes are strewn about the hallway despite having the whole closet! It's as if she thinks that I'm only living in my room and using the bathroom, without any rights to the rest of the place.
  8. She's dirty. Her kitchen is disgusting. There have been dishes in the sink for 3 days. I opened the microwave and the turntable had a huge brown stain across most of it. It looked as if she had spilled something at one point and then never cleaned it, so that it hardened into this massive stain.

Now it seems like three months can't come fast enough. Of course, if I do move out it will be my 12th move in 8 years. I am so sick of moving. After this, I think that I might have to just suck it up and live alone, despite paying almost $400 more a month.