I am living in my second apartment since moving into the city. The first, I found on Craigslist and made my decision over the course of a week. While it worked out all right, and my roommates were cool, it was never home. Actually, 3 out of the 5 people I lived with were cool. One was okay, but left in the middle of November and the rest of us were scrambling before the holidays to find a replacement or find $200 extra each to cover the rent. Her replacement constantly smoked pot and said it was just incense (who burns incense besides potheads?), left her dyed red hair in the shower drain, and being rude to all of us, including me, and all I did was ignore her because when she first moved in, I thought she was the cleaning lady.
In my second apartment, I am home. As a trio, we searched apartments, sometimes in pairs, in every combination of two possible. We had nachos and a drink over our decision to sign the lease on the place we loved. Then, we rallied the next day when we found out that apartment wasn't available. We even worked as a unit creeping out one of the realty agents on a hot July 3rd morning with mentions of baby chambers, bacon chambers, Buddha statues, and a life history of Bubbles the chimp. No, I don't know what a bacon chambers is, but I think the baby chambers was a room full of babies.
My first apartment mirrors the first room I had in college. No one really ever saw my room freshman year of college. I would prop the door open when people came, and then close it, and reopen it only to join them wherever we were going. Very few people saw my apartment last year. Being a huge dork for metaphors and television, I decided it was as if there was no money in the production budget (if my life was a TV show) to build a set for the dorm room or the apartment.
I always thought that it was because of the stuff. Freshman year, I didn't have my own computer at first. I had a lofted bed. No fridge. Few belongings, besides a Buffy poster. Sophomore year, I had a futon, fridge, posters and personal effects everywhere. But I also had a roommate I could be myself around.
I can remember the moment it felt like home. He farted. So, I farted. From then on, we could fart. That's disgusting, I know, but can you really ever be at home if you don't fart? Since I live with girls now, I don't run around farting, but I can be myself. I can do the weird things that I couldn't have done around my old roommates, without feeling all eyes on me, or feeling weird. Usually, they join in. We are all a little off, which is why we often say to each other "What are we?"
Now I can buy a tacky wreath and put swords from my Halloween costume through it as a decoration, because my roommate suggested it. While I do the dishes, and pick up several butter knives, it's okay if I start singing "I-look-like-Freddy Krueger/ when I was the dish-eeessss!" When I start humming a tune, and my roommate starts doing the Pee Wee Herman "Tequila" dance, I look at her, puzzled, because that's not the tune I was humming. But I like where her head's at, and that she is a weirdo just like me.
Showing posts with label apartment living. Show all posts
Showing posts with label apartment living. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Three words: Nice Little Saturday
Frank: I told my wife I wouldn't drink tonight. Besides, I got a big day tomorrow. You guys have a great time.
College Student: A big day? Doing what?
Frank: Well, um, actually a pretty nice little Saturday, we're going to go to Home Depot. Yeah, buy some wallpaper, maybe get some flooring, stuff like that. Maybe Bed, Bath, & Beyond, I don't know, I don't know if we'll have enough time.
-Old School
I like to think sometimes that I am young, and fairly hip. Actually, no I don't. I don't like to be too serious and I would hate it if I couldn't let loose, so in that way, I'm young at heart. On the other hand, I've been an old man since I was about 4. So at 27, I am ancient. Friday nights I feel more ancient than any other time.
Earlier in the evening, around 6, I went out for dinner and then afterward, for some drinks. That's right, 6, almost early bird time. I was in by 10. I am happy about that.
Tomorrow, I have big plans. The roommates and I are going to The Dollar Tree store and getting Christmas decorations. We will do this after taking a stroll and getting some breakfast together. Later I plan to meet up with a friend. Maybe chat; a light dinner. I am very excited about a relaxing day, without any crazy plans or places to run off to, or parties to attend.
Saturday night could go either way. On Saturday nights, I could be content sitting in, but usually I want to get out and have fun. Part of me is slowing down. I still have the energy in me for one big weekend night. This should work out nicely, so that I still have a night to meet people, but I will already be ready to settle down. Because, well...I'm old as fuck.
I love my nice little Saturdays.
College Student: A big day? Doing what?
Frank: Well, um, actually a pretty nice little Saturday, we're going to go to Home Depot. Yeah, buy some wallpaper, maybe get some flooring, stuff like that. Maybe Bed, Bath, & Beyond, I don't know, I don't know if we'll have enough time.
-Old School
I like to think sometimes that I am young, and fairly hip. Actually, no I don't. I don't like to be too serious and I would hate it if I couldn't let loose, so in that way, I'm young at heart. On the other hand, I've been an old man since I was about 4. So at 27, I am ancient. Friday nights I feel more ancient than any other time.
Earlier in the evening, around 6, I went out for dinner and then afterward, for some drinks. That's right, 6, almost early bird time. I was in by 10. I am happy about that.
Tomorrow, I have big plans. The roommates and I are going to The Dollar Tree store and getting Christmas decorations. We will do this after taking a stroll and getting some breakfast together. Later I plan to meet up with a friend. Maybe chat; a light dinner. I am very excited about a relaxing day, without any crazy plans or places to run off to, or parties to attend.
Saturday night could go either way. On Saturday nights, I could be content sitting in, but usually I want to get out and have fun. Part of me is slowing down. I still have the energy in me for one big weekend night. This should work out nicely, so that I still have a night to meet people, but I will already be ready to settle down. Because, well...I'm old as fuck.
I love my nice little Saturdays.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Costco
"I'm sort of like Costco. I'm big, I'm not fancy and I dare you to not like me."- Cam, Modern Family. If you don't watch Modern Family, you should.
I have signed up for a Cosco membership today. It's closer than BJ's, although I still sort of feel like I'm cheating. I feel like I'm drinking Pepsi and not Coke. It's not quite as bad as going to Starbucks when there's a Dunkin' Donuts within 5 miles.
This is a new adventure for me. I had a BJ's membership before, but that was because I was buying things for the school store in Walpole. It was $40. I bought enough things during the course of the year to save $40, so it was worth it, on top of it being necessary. Now begins my challenge of saving at least $50 at Costco this year to make it worth it.
The thing about Costco is, it's overwhelming. I don't have room in my freezer for the amount of frozen pizzas I can buy together; I would spill the huge bags of Dunkin' Donuts coffee everywhere, and I like mayonnaise but I don't need to swim in a vat of it. Oatmeal was a good deal, but I really only want the Maple Brown Sugar. Once I plow through those, I'll have 36 bags of oatmeal I don't want to eat.
Tonight I decided it was enough to get the membership and a couple of items. Earlier tonight, I had a hankering for Sushi. Sushi, I got. $5.49 for 16 pieces. If I went to Mr. Sushi down the street, I would have paid $13.33 for the same amount. I also got string cheese- 48 of them for $7.99. I think that is about what you pay for 24 at Stop&Shop. Finally, the thing I buy most often- peanut butter. I got two 48 oz. jars for $8.39. Usually it's $3.29 for 16.3 oz.
Mr. Sushi 16 pieces of California roll- $13.33
Stop and Shop 48 pieces of string cheese $15.98
Stop and Shop peanut butter- 96 oz.- $19.38
Total: $48.69
Costco total: $21.87
Savings: $26.82
I've saved the price of half a year's membership on 3 items. I think I'm gonna like Costco. I can't wait till my coupons are valid starting on the 12th. Time to start clipping.
I have signed up for a Cosco membership today. It's closer than BJ's, although I still sort of feel like I'm cheating. I feel like I'm drinking Pepsi and not Coke. It's not quite as bad as going to Starbucks when there's a Dunkin' Donuts within 5 miles.
This is a new adventure for me. I had a BJ's membership before, but that was because I was buying things for the school store in Walpole. It was $40. I bought enough things during the course of the year to save $40, so it was worth it, on top of it being necessary. Now begins my challenge of saving at least $50 at Costco this year to make it worth it.
The thing about Costco is, it's overwhelming. I don't have room in my freezer for the amount of frozen pizzas I can buy together; I would spill the huge bags of Dunkin' Donuts coffee everywhere, and I like mayonnaise but I don't need to swim in a vat of it. Oatmeal was a good deal, but I really only want the Maple Brown Sugar. Once I plow through those, I'll have 36 bags of oatmeal I don't want to eat.
Tonight I decided it was enough to get the membership and a couple of items. Earlier tonight, I had a hankering for Sushi. Sushi, I got. $5.49 for 16 pieces. If I went to Mr. Sushi down the street, I would have paid $13.33 for the same amount. I also got string cheese- 48 of them for $7.99. I think that is about what you pay for 24 at Stop&Shop. Finally, the thing I buy most often- peanut butter. I got two 48 oz. jars for $8.39. Usually it's $3.29 for 16.3 oz.
Mr. Sushi 16 pieces of California roll- $13.33
Stop and Shop 48 pieces of string cheese $15.98
Stop and Shop peanut butter- 96 oz.- $19.38
Total: $48.69
Costco total: $21.87
Savings: $26.82
I've saved the price of half a year's membership on 3 items. I think I'm gonna like Costco. I can't wait till my coupons are valid starting on the 12th. Time to start clipping.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Since I have no money right now, because I am at that point that happens every few months where all of my bills are due before I get my paycheck, and I may finally find out how my overdraft protection works, but I still need to eat, I did some inventing in the kitchen tonight.
I knew that I had the following: turkey cutlets, various soups, frozen vegetables, taco seasoning. More specifically, I reasoned out that I have cheddar cheese soup (which I bought on sale for a dollar. Holler), frozen peppers (also a dollar. Holler back). What would I make of this? Dinner, of course. It did require buying a bag of chips, though, because I could only think of fashioning this into some sort of dip. I took a trip to CVS and hoped that Halloween candy would be on sale. It was, but more the Mike and Ike's and not so much the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups I wanted. Peanut butter was on sale for 3 for $5 which was a steal! I am officially old or poor, because I get excited about sales and love telling everyone about them. At that price, I can eat one jar tonight which is what I always have to fight the urge to do.
While cooking I took the time to take a picture only because it made me think "We are eating peppers and chips!"
This led to my roommates and I saying "We are eating peppers and chips!" over and over for the next five minutes.
Along the way I decided that I was going to throw in some refried beans, for why nots. Actually what I think I said was "Hey, refried beans, you're gonna join the party."
Recipe:
1 turkey cutlet, cut into small pieces
1 can of Cheddar Cheese soup
1 can refried beans
1 cup (I am lying I don't measure things that aren't premeasured) of frozen pepper strips
I think that was it.
Directions:
Thaw the peppers in the microwave. Cook the turkey cutlet in a bit of olive oil in a saucepan on medium high heat. Once the turkey is cooked on both sides, add the vegetables to cook them a bit. Next, add the cheddar cheese. Add the refried beans and mix them all together. Done and done.
Serve:
I threw the mess that looked like dog food in a bowl, topped it with some plain yogurt (I stole it from my roommate--if you don't have one of these, you will have to buy more food). I drizzled on some enchilada sauce and edged the bowl with baked scoops.
I will get at least one more meal out of this. I am kind of a pig, you could get two. If you are one of those people who has no roommates, you can eat it all right out of the saucepan in one night. No one has to know.
I knew that I had the following: turkey cutlets, various soups, frozen vegetables, taco seasoning. More specifically, I reasoned out that I have cheddar cheese soup (which I bought on sale for a dollar. Holler), frozen peppers (also a dollar. Holler back). What would I make of this? Dinner, of course. It did require buying a bag of chips, though, because I could only think of fashioning this into some sort of dip. I took a trip to CVS and hoped that Halloween candy would be on sale. It was, but more the Mike and Ike's and not so much the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups I wanted. Peanut butter was on sale for 3 for $5 which was a steal! I am officially old or poor, because I get excited about sales and love telling everyone about them. At that price, I can eat one jar tonight which is what I always have to fight the urge to do.
While cooking I took the time to take a picture only because it made me think "We are eating peppers and chips!"
This led to my roommates and I saying "We are eating peppers and chips!" over and over for the next five minutes.
Along the way I decided that I was going to throw in some refried beans, for why nots. Actually what I think I said was "Hey, refried beans, you're gonna join the party."
Recipe:
1 turkey cutlet, cut into small pieces
1 can of Cheddar Cheese soup
1 can refried beans
1 cup (I am lying I don't measure things that aren't premeasured) of frozen pepper strips
I think that was it.
Directions:
Thaw the peppers in the microwave. Cook the turkey cutlet in a bit of olive oil in a saucepan on medium high heat. Once the turkey is cooked on both sides, add the vegetables to cook them a bit. Next, add the cheddar cheese. Add the refried beans and mix them all together. Done and done.
Serve:
I threw the mess that looked like dog food in a bowl, topped it with some plain yogurt (I stole it from my roommate--if you don't have one of these, you will have to buy more food). I drizzled on some enchilada sauce and edged the bowl with baked scoops.
I will get at least one more meal out of this. I am kind of a pig, you could get two. If you are one of those people who has no roommates, you can eat it all right out of the saucepan in one night. No one has to know.
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