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Add page to: Add page to: So I haven't lived with anyone since 1991 (well other than a few friends and family who needed accommodation here and there for spurts of time). Through changes in work situations, to save some cash and because I am willing to give sharing a go again, a friend and I are giving the sharing thing a shot (just a few days trial at this time to see if we drive each other insane in mere hours or days).
I went on a manic mission to clear out the spare room, even though he is not bringing furniture and despite the fact nothing has been decided one way or another yet. Probably not necessary, I need to know if I am going to be able to find somewhere else to fit everything or if having extra furniture in my room is going to drive me bonkers.
So he rocks up last night. It felt a little weird. I am not sure why, I think it was just the knowlege that the dynamics of things have changed yet again and he is now not only friend but [potential] flatmate. This guy spends a lot of time at my place. I am used to him crashing and subsequently seeing him first thing in the morning so it kinda freaked me out that I felt a little like I was standing on one foot and was not sure how to behave. I think it is just because it is now a house mate type situation. I am sure I will get over it pretty fast and set in to routine.
My other flat sharing experiences have been pretty good. After 10 years of living on my own, I have developed quirks such as talking to myself and having full scale conversations with the pets (they always look interested). These highly developed traits could perhaps drive anyone sharing with me a little insane. At least I haven't developed weird relationships with the furniture.
I am not sure how normal a short test period really is, I mean it could be considered a short holiday, but have not killed each other yet. Actually it is kind of pleasant having someone else around. Did not feel weird about the fact that he is there as my [potential] flat mate this morning either. Then again, most of the employees at my work place were given 2 weeks notice yesterday (including me) and so perhaps bigger issues have drowned out the little voice that was saying in quirky tones, "wow, this is really bizarre".
(BTW... despite ugly news that I have to consider how to market my skill set and also look for work to pay the bills, it was pleasant to find out I work in a company where even in the worse case scnario people pool together as a team, continue to care about the company and carry on work as normal. Morale is reasonably good in spite of big and not-so-good news - many other companies would go into each person for themselves mode. It made me proud to be part of such a team. In terms of alternative work, there are some options available but not a lot of them. Most mean a huge pay drop, but I am not stressed (yet anyway...). Initially I'd be happy with something to pay the bills.)
But back to the whole flatting update thing... verdict as at day 2 is that the concept of sharing seems kind of nice.
Wake up. Time with pets. Time with flat mate. Work. Coffee with friends. home. Mess kitchen while I tidy up bunny's make-shift hutch. Clean up. Early night. Nothing to report, neither of us are dead. Sharing seems to be working.
I'm up early. Try to be quiet (but probably didn't achieve this as well as I'd like as flat mate wakes up - he kindly tells me he was awake anyway). Do our own morning things. Loud banging on door just before 8:30am indicates the beginning of my days activities. Quality time with friend. Leg Wax (no screaming here); Markets and trash novesl. Coffee. Shopping. Late lunch with friends. Home. Talk to pets. Mow lawns. Think of sleep but clean instead. Movies. Bourne Identity - all I am going to say is the sentence 'based on the Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum' had me hitting my head and incredulously repeating this sentence in mock outrage. Based on! Phffffffffft. It was a good movie, but the fact I have read the book and the fact I sat next to an old woman who insisted on explaining/commentating and sharing her views with the old dude next to her (who she probably picked up at the RSL earlier) coloured by interpretation of the movie. Both house partners still alive and well. We even went so far as to discuss when he could move in for real.
We both get up and after breakfast get into building a rabbit hutch. Day progresses and work on hutch progresses too - but not as fast as we'd like. Friends rock up and join work crew. Still it takes us until 6:30 or so to complete. A serious job - beer, champagne, discussion and drilling... lots of drilling. Oh... and hammering. At the end, we have a hutch that is useable but we are all stuffed. We head to pub 1 which is hideously busy. Too busy for us to be bothered waiting in line, so we head to pub 2, where we get service right away and where our meals come out reasonably fast. We get stuck near a bunch of women who hadn't seen each other for ages. The screams of joy could have been curbed. A lot. They were earpiercing and bloody annoying. We head home and do our own stuff. Still alive. No insanity (well nothing new or out of the ordinary) prevailing). It is nice having a flat mate.
We join mutual friends for the regular weekend brekky at the bakehouse... It's a public holiday but sadly we both head into work - there's deadlines to be met. End of trial period... i think. Official move tentatively for next weekend. I'll have a flat mate. Yipee. Looking forward to it.