mostly complaints!
what better way to reinstate a journal than when i have lots to complain about?
roommate drama:
i've been looking to move back into south philly for sometime now (this area is depressing). kristen and i found a beautiful brand new home on 7th and wharton that i should describe, but won't because i'm tired of typing out its description. we took on the full first/last months and security deposit (the rent is $1700), plus $200 for water or some shit like that, so once we move in we'll have to find another roommate willing to pay for the master bedroom (or two who want to share it).
i informed my current roommates on thursday (december 6th) that i'd be moving out on january 1st, which gives them a bit over three weeks notice (i'm not on the lease). they became angry, called a "house meeting" in which they yelled at me and i said that i was sorry i couldn't give them more notice, but that i don't think the amount of time i'm giving them is totally unreasonable, and that i'm willing to work on looking for a replacement. they also told me that because i'm not giving enough notice that there would be penalties, and that my name somehow transferred onto the year-long lease when my sublet ended and i stayed. they said that they don't think i genuinely give a shit, and it ended badly. i then called the landlord who told me that i'm not on the lease, and because i gave my last month and security deposit to the person whose room i took, that i was to get those deposits back from the occupant after me. i'm worried that because my roommates now all hate me and are being vindictive, that they might try to withhold my last month (i paid december's rent) and security.
later that day, i completely arbitrarily received a reposted myspace bulletin from sam, who unknowingly forwarded a message from alicia (one of my roommates) looking for someone to fill the room. in the message she referred to me as a "psycho bitch." i think that is completely out of line, below the belt, and unnecessary. i stewed in anger and thought about whether or not i would confront her.
the next day (today), i gave a house tour to a film student who had responded to my craigslist ad and was interested in taking the room. none of my roommates were home except jim. when i passed by jim's room, i knocked on his door so i could introduce them. a few minutes later, when the film student left, jim basically tells me that the roommates have people coming to look at the room and that since it's their decision regarding who moves in, to let them have control of the process. what baffles me about this is that if they're so burdened by my moving out to the extent that they hate my guts and post internet messages calling me names, one would think that they'd welcome help finding a replacement. a second concern is that if they decide to be super picky and drag their feet without finding someone, i might somehow be screwed out of my deposits. i'm trying to find out if there's anything i can do legally, but i'm overwhelmed. while the best thing to do would probably be to talk to them directly, i rarely see all three of them together and it's easier said than done to talk to three people who are ganged up against you.
a few minutes after the conversation about the roommate search, i approach jim, tell him i was forwarded the myspace ad that calls me a psycho bitch, and say that while i realize they are upset with me that i think it's below the line, etc. he tells me that after the meeting they thought i wasn't genuinely sorry and that i handled it badly, and that it's hypocritical for me to refer to the ad as "childish," i guess because somehow giving three weeks notice is childish. i replied that while i was sorry that i couldn't give more notice and that i realize finding a replacement is a significant inconvenience, that i didn't think i was being totally unreasonable. jim retorted that he didn't think the ad was totally unreasonable either, and that we should leave it at that, "you're half sorry and i'm half sorry." at that point i was pretty pissed off and i stormed out.
in addition to worrying about all this new house/old house stuff and avoiding the people i live with, i have a 25 page paper due on wednesday that i haven't yet begun, as well as an arabic final and a philosophy of art final.
on another note, i haven't been seeing brian anymore. i started to feel like too much of a booty call when i realized that we've never really done anything together aside from hang out in his apartment late at night, so i haven't been answering his phone calls (which come, for the most part, late at night). not to mention we really don't have anything in common besides a physical attraction to each other. i can't say it doesn't bother me that he works for lockheed martin. i'm starting to crave something more substantive.
finally, my birthday's this month. it might seem silly since i'm still young, but i'm a little depressed to be turning 20 with little to show for it. lately i've been so burdened with school and work and activism and now this roommate stuff that i've been kind of hermitic.
i can't wait for this month to be over!
p.s. a somewhat happier note - i interviewed for a position as a corp member in the jumpstart program, in which i'd be assigned a preschool student in the headstart program to take to skills trainings and communicate with the family and stuff. the pay is shit and i'm not really interested in early education studies or anything (plus i'd have to take a tuberculosis test and a child abuse check), but it seems like it'd be rewarding and i'd earn a $1000 americorp education award at the end for tuition or student loans. plus, i'd rather have less money and be doing something relatively significant as a part-time job than be selling my soul four days a week to whole foods.
roommate drama:
i've been looking to move back into south philly for sometime now (this area is depressing). kristen and i found a beautiful brand new home on 7th and wharton that i should describe, but won't because i'm tired of typing out its description. we took on the full first/last months and security deposit (the rent is $1700), plus $200 for water or some shit like that, so once we move in we'll have to find another roommate willing to pay for the master bedroom (or two who want to share it).
i informed my current roommates on thursday (december 6th) that i'd be moving out on january 1st, which gives them a bit over three weeks notice (i'm not on the lease). they became angry, called a "house meeting" in which they yelled at me and i said that i was sorry i couldn't give them more notice, but that i don't think the amount of time i'm giving them is totally unreasonable, and that i'm willing to work on looking for a replacement. they also told me that because i'm not giving enough notice that there would be penalties, and that my name somehow transferred onto the year-long lease when my sublet ended and i stayed. they said that they don't think i genuinely give a shit, and it ended badly. i then called the landlord who told me that i'm not on the lease, and because i gave my last month and security deposit to the person whose room i took, that i was to get those deposits back from the occupant after me. i'm worried that because my roommates now all hate me and are being vindictive, that they might try to withhold my last month (i paid december's rent) and security.
later that day, i completely arbitrarily received a reposted myspace bulletin from sam, who unknowingly forwarded a message from alicia (one of my roommates) looking for someone to fill the room. in the message she referred to me as a "psycho bitch." i think that is completely out of line, below the belt, and unnecessary. i stewed in anger and thought about whether or not i would confront her.
the next day (today), i gave a house tour to a film student who had responded to my craigslist ad and was interested in taking the room. none of my roommates were home except jim. when i passed by jim's room, i knocked on his door so i could introduce them. a few minutes later, when the film student left, jim basically tells me that the roommates have people coming to look at the room and that since it's their decision regarding who moves in, to let them have control of the process. what baffles me about this is that if they're so burdened by my moving out to the extent that they hate my guts and post internet messages calling me names, one would think that they'd welcome help finding a replacement. a second concern is that if they decide to be super picky and drag their feet without finding someone, i might somehow be screwed out of my deposits. i'm trying to find out if there's anything i can do legally, but i'm overwhelmed. while the best thing to do would probably be to talk to them directly, i rarely see all three of them together and it's easier said than done to talk to three people who are ganged up against you.
a few minutes after the conversation about the roommate search, i approach jim, tell him i was forwarded the myspace ad that calls me a psycho bitch, and say that while i realize they are upset with me that i think it's below the line, etc. he tells me that after the meeting they thought i wasn't genuinely sorry and that i handled it badly, and that it's hypocritical for me to refer to the ad as "childish," i guess because somehow giving three weeks notice is childish. i replied that while i was sorry that i couldn't give more notice and that i realize finding a replacement is a significant inconvenience, that i didn't think i was being totally unreasonable. jim retorted that he didn't think the ad was totally unreasonable either, and that we should leave it at that, "you're half sorry and i'm half sorry." at that point i was pretty pissed off and i stormed out.
in addition to worrying about all this new house/old house stuff and avoiding the people i live with, i have a 25 page paper due on wednesday that i haven't yet begun, as well as an arabic final and a philosophy of art final.
on another note, i haven't been seeing brian anymore. i started to feel like too much of a booty call when i realized that we've never really done anything together aside from hang out in his apartment late at night, so i haven't been answering his phone calls (which come, for the most part, late at night). not to mention we really don't have anything in common besides a physical attraction to each other. i can't say it doesn't bother me that he works for lockheed martin. i'm starting to crave something more substantive.
finally, my birthday's this month. it might seem silly since i'm still young, but i'm a little depressed to be turning 20 with little to show for it. lately i've been so burdened with school and work and activism and now this roommate stuff that i've been kind of hermitic.
i can't wait for this month to be over!
p.s. a somewhat happier note - i interviewed for a position as a corp member in the jumpstart program, in which i'd be assigned a preschool student in the headstart program to take to skills trainings and communicate with the family and stuff. the pay is shit and i'm not really interested in early education studies or anything (plus i'd have to take a tuberculosis test and a child abuse check), but it seems like it'd be rewarding and i'd earn a $1000 americorp education award at the end for tuition or student loans. plus, i'd rather have less money and be doing something relatively significant as a part-time job than be selling my soul four days a week to whole foods.