Living With Flatmates
In the last four years, I have lived with nine people and have moved a total of nine times. Although moving and living with people is exciting and fun in theory, a lot of the time it isn't. I've had a few bad experiences with flatmates, although none that bad. I have encountered:
- The Lazy Bastard
- The Chain Smoker
- The Spoiled Brat
- The Suicidal Druggie
- The Hypocrite
(I have had some really awesome flatmates though. Namely, Natalie - who is the bestest, nicest person in the whole world, and Helen - who I was really good friends with, but with the help of The Spoiled Brat and The Suicidal Druggie our friendship was tarnished.)
It could have been a million times worse. I've heard some amusing/terrifying stories from friends about their ex-flatmates. I am thankful I have never had anyone steal from me, trash my stuff, have annoying loud parties, or poo in the shower. However, the time has come for me to be a grown-up and live alone. I mean, I am a divorcée and that's what all good divorcées do.
I've always wanted to live alone, but back in New Zealand it didn't make sense financially. Finding a reasonably priced one-bedroom is a task indeed, and I wasn't up for that task. Sharing a house is just easier. You split the bills, you share the cleaning, you share the cooking, etc, etc. But after living in a situation where I didn't see my flatmate, only cooked for myself, and no sort of verbal cleaning roster existed, it seemed like a good starter for living sans flatmates. Also, I got a good deal on my DSL and I can afford to pay for it myself. That is really all the matters.
I found a cute (but wonky) one-bedroom place in the same area of town as I was living before, for not much more than what I was paying to share. It is quiet, in a good neighbourhood, handy to work, and would look totally pimp if I had furniture. It is also good that it is a place that is split into four flats, and I have a shared entrance so I get to feel nice and safe. I live across the hallway from Alison and Max, who are both far too hip and good-looking. However, their hipness is countered by the fact that sometimes they play really loud tejano music (although, I could be wrong about it being tejano, but that is my uneducated white foreigner guess), but I can only hear it in the hallway which is good.
There are good things about not having flatmates.
- I can play loud music whenever I please
- I don't feel guilty leaving dirty dishes in the sink
- I can walk around naked
- I can poo with the door open
But there are also the bad. The only two I have noticed so far is that I talk to myself an awful lot, and I dance for my cat. She stares at me with this god-you-are-so-fucking-stupid look, which is okay because I dance like Elaine and that look is perfectly acceptable for my dancing style.
I like my new place. I'm like a bachelor, but not! Now, I just need some strippers, some crappy dorm-style furnishing from Target, some dust bunnies, and a bunch of beer and I'll be set.
Photos!
