Adulting is hard

[RedPandaOne]

Long time no talk my friends. I fell off the face of the earth again. I got a new job that had me commuting 2 hours in one direction. Love my new job, but the driving was getting to me. So I moved. Knew I was going to need a roommate from the start, Boston is not very rent friendly. I honestly thought finding one was going to be easier. But, low and behold, I cannot find one. Craigslist has been a bust. My listing on HotPads has gotten a lot of hits, but mostly because people can't read (they skip over the part that it's only 1 room for rent and I'm looking for a roommate). 

 

Adulting is hard! Did anyone else have this issue when they first moved? 

Anyone looking to move to the suburbs of Boston? 

[Guzzi]

Hey!!!!! I have no advice, I just wanted to say "hello" and wish you a merry Christmas. Long time no see xx

[RedPandaOne]

Hi!!!!! Merry Christmas! And Happy New Years! I hope you had a good one. Yea, I once again fell off the radar. My days got super long. Was up at 5:30am so I could be on the road no later than 7. Then was getting home between 6:30-7pm, having dinner, taking a shower and then going to bed to repeat. Sucked having a two hour commute. 

 

It's okay that you don't have any advice. I may have been a little drunk when I posted that. sshhh! That's what I get for having mulled cider mixed with sangria on a stomach that only had cheese and crackers. Still stressing that I can't find a roommate and might have to break my lease. And just moved the cats on Monday and they are not taking it well. They were always skittish, and now hearing my neighbors is scaring them. They've been hiding under the bed. Also doesn't help that is seems my neighbors directly upstairs appear to be doing work on the place. There was a lot of banging yesterday (worked from home to help them transition). They really only came out until 8pm when things got quiet, and then really explored at 5am this morning. Salem was very vocal when walking around! Just a bit tired this morning. So, I have no idea what to do with them to help them. 

 

Good news in all of this, is that if I remember to pack my workout clothes when I'm home next weekend, I can work out in my living room without bothering anyone! Can finally pull out the hula hoops and watch TV and hoop. Also bought an under desk elliptical (the cubii). Just need to haul that in and set it up. I also rejoined Weight Watchers. Though that won't last. I got into an argument with the leader last week about being able to lose inches but gain weight. She said it wasn't scientifically possible for females, and the ones that I knew must be spending hours in the gym and taking testosterone. Felt like saying "just because I'm fat and in weight watchers doesn't mean I don't know what I'm talking about." She even said that she hates exercise and avoids the gym. So, how can she qualify to give exercise advise if she doesn't exercise herself? Ugh,

[RedPandaOne]

37 minutes ago, RandMart said:

 

Being from Philly, I'm predisposed to despise all things Boston [but we both hate NYC, right?]

 

Sorry

 

It's okay! I'm used to people hating on Boston. But yes, we can ally and hate against NYC together!

 

38 minutes ago, RandMart said:

 

Wow. Can you still do WW but with a different leader? I have no idea how it works

 

Because I signed up via work, I don't think I can. If I did it the "regular" way, yea, I could pick my meeting place and go to that one instead. This was just a 12 week program. And if I wanted to continue, pay the money again and do another 12 weeks. It would be way cheaper to do it monthly outside of work. But, I get reimbursed, so, I signed up and decided to give it a shot.

 

The program sucks now. A bowl of raisin bran with 1% milk is 10 points. A can of coke is 9 points. I don't think the two should be almost the same. There was one day I had my raisin bran, a ham and cheese sandwich, pulled pork (sans bun) and a glass of milk and I was over my daily points. But when I tracked it using regular calorie counting I was at 1,064 calories. Their points aren't weighted properly, I think. And things are so inconsistent. When I tried to track the pulled pork one listing had it at 15 points, but another had it at 6. Which one am I suppose to use?

 

So, I am tracking outside of weight watchers, but using them as moral support (except for the leader since I'm sure she hates me now, lol)

[Guzzi]

3 hours ago, hurley8604 said:

Hi!!!!! Merry Christmas! And Happy New Years! I hope you had a good one. Yea, I once again fell off the radar. My days got super long. Was up at 5:30am so I could be on the road no later than 7. Then was getting home between 6:30-7pm, having dinner, taking a shower and then going to bed to repeat. Sucked having a two hour commute. 

 

Ugh! That sounds ghastly! I can *just about* handle 7:30am but anything earlier is like the middle of the night! Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope.  

 

I've been pretty lame about getting online (or outta the house even) for a while myself, @RandMart has had to drag me back a couple of times, lol! Thank God for good friends/random strangers from across the globe, huh?  

 

3 hours ago, hurley8604 said:

 

It's okay that you don't have any advice. I may have been a little drunk when I posted that. sshhh! That's what I get for having mulled cider mixed with sangria on a stomach that only had cheese and crackers.

 

Stop, you're making me jealous! The closest I've had to alcohol was a small glass of 5% rosé with Christmas dinner. 

 

3 hours ago, hurley8604 said:

Can finally pull out the hula hoops and watch TV and hoop. Also bought an under desk elliptical (the cubii). Just need to haul that in and set it up. I also rejoined Weight Watchers. Though that won't last. I got into an argument with the leader last week about being able to lose inches but gain weight. She said it wasn't scientifically possible for females, and the ones that I knew must be spending hours in the gym and taking testosterone. Felt like saying "just because I'm fat and in weight watchers doesn't mean I don't know what I'm talking about." She even said that she hates exercise and avoids the gym. So, how can she qualify to give exercise advise if she doesn't exercise herself? Ugh,

 

Oh yeah....! I forgot that you hula. I've still been toying with getting one of those weighted ones but I will have to wait until we have a bigger house. There's no room left in this one and it's about to get worse when I move the rest of my stuff in next month. 

 

Oh yeah, and your instructor lady sounds like an idiot! Not scientifically possible? In what universe???? Idiot!

[RedPandaOne]

2 hours ago, RandMart said:

 

Does it explain anywhere what that variance might be? I make an Italian pulled pork, which is just the pork roast and spices slow-cooked in a crock pot, with nothing else except a splash of white wine; but if you had a BBQ PP, you'd have the extra sugar and salt from the BBQ sauce which could raise the points?

 

 

Not that I can see. And there's no calculator for me to see what mine is. It was made using BBQ sauce flavoring. So frustrated with it. 

 

5 minutes ago, Guzzi said:

 

Stop, you're making me jealous! The closest I've had to alcohol was a small glass of 5% rosé with Christmas dinner. 

 

 

I'll stop! This is pretty much the only time I drink...okay sometimes when I go to a Mexican restaurant, but that's only a handful of times a year. I am such a light weight when it comes to drinking. Treated myself to a mai tai on Friday when we went out to Chinese and I was pretty much drunk after the one drink. I also only had sushi. I think I just need to eat heavier foods when I drink, lol!!

 

I felt like giving the instructor this website! Like, look at all these people! They work out, but aren't (all) body builders and they are seeing the same results...losing inches and sometimes gaining weight in the process! 

 

I'm also tempted to see if I lose weight now that I've moved out of the house. Not having a fully stocked kitchen, or a differently stocked kitchen. I should go start posting in my journal thread again.

[RedPandaOne]

I know many people who would have the same response as you! I never developed a taste for beer. Still haven't decided if that's a good thing or not, lol!

 

Back to adutling for a second: posted my spare room on reddit today. Under both Room for Rent and Looking For in Boston Housing. Lets see if that turns up any leads! Tried to use Padmapper but couldn't even get past the first step of registering. Since I'm not a landlord or an owner, just a tenant, it kept on pushing me to looking for rooms or applying for them. Neither! I want to list my other room!! So, unless one of my friends knows how to get past that stage, it's a bust for that website.  

[Guzzi]

 

Quote

I think I won the argument, as I got this for Xmas

 

 

Sorry, carry on

 

... and Cheers!!!

 

Ha! That reminds me of the time I bought Peter a keg of real ale for Christmas. Yup! A whole keg of ale. We worked it out that we had to drink 7 pints a day, for 10 days. Because of course you can't WASTE any! Ahhh... happy days  

 

27 minutes ago, RandMart said:

@hurley8604, could you go the AirBnB route for that one room? Short-term rentals at a price such that a guest for couple days would cover a week or so of rent? Or would that violate your lease?

 

Just a thought

 

Wow, another good idea! You're on a roll tonight @RandMart!  

[RedPandaOne]

2 hours ago, RandMart said:

@hurley8604, could you go the AirBnB route for that one room? Short-term rentals at a price such that a guest for couple days would cover a week or so of rent? Or would that violate your lease?

 

Just a thought

 

Someone at work suggested that today, too. I need to check my lease, but I think it violates it. I honestly cannot remember, though!

[RedPandaOne]

Air BnB does go against my lease  but I've been talking to two different people the last two days. One guy from Reddit. What I didn't find out until last night is that he's living in Detroit until the end of the year (which I know is only like 2 days away, but still). The fact that it's reddit and he's not local makes me nervous. Plus, he's a guy. I know, I know, shouldn't judge based on sex, but I don't want to bed a news headline "Reddit killer strikes again" (all I can think of is the Craigslist killer). 

 

And speaking of craigslist, started talking to a girl today from that ad. She answered my list of questions, and I liked the answers. And she had even read the ad and contacted me correctly (putting her favorite show in her request to see the place). So, yay, she can read, comprehend, and follow directions. She is coming by Sunday after the patriots game. Fingers crossed!!!!

[Guzzi]

Haha! That reminds me of Van Halen having a "no brown m&ms" clause in their contract.

 

They had it buried in the list of requirements for the gig. The idea being that if a venue didn't read and pay attention to the list then they could be omitting other, more important, requirements and potentially putting the show or even people's lives at risk. 

 

[RedPandaOne]

When I found out that was the reason they did that I thought it was a great idea! And so true. What other stuff could they be overlooking?

 

i was complaining on facebook earlier today, because someone contacted me and said they were allergic to cats. Wtf? Why would you apply when I said I had two and you shouldn't be allergic? I said people don't read anymore. (He also never put his favorite tv show in the email). An author friend of mine said I should add 4 more paragraphs, so that way I know anyone who applies likes to read! Lol! 

[RedPandaOne]

Couldn't get a read on the girl who stopped by yesterday. She was really nice, and I think we would get along, and she was here for about half an hour. But, you know how sometimes when people leave you know what they are thinking and you can go "well, better keep on looking for someone"? I got a neutral feeling. She made one odd comment. She said, in almost a bad way "Oh, I see you've already starting putting up pictures." Well, yea. It's my place. I'm going to decorate it. I'm not going to wait months to put up my artwork while waiting for a roommate. I'm going to make this my home in the meantime. She also said she had just started her search for a new place, which makes me think she won't take the place.

 

Have someone else coming back tonight.

 

Hopefully one of these girls works out. Can't wait until my monthly expenses are back in the black and I can afford to go to Boston Comic Con. And afford to have fun at Dragon Con when I go.

[Guzzi]

Fingers crossed for you xx

[RedPandaOne]

So picture comment lady turned it down. Said she didn't want to live in the basement. Screw you lady, it's not the basement, it's the ground floor. If it were the basement, we'd be below ground level and have half windows. It's probably a good thing she didn't move in.

 

liked the girl I saw yesterday. Think we would get along. But it's all up to her. I hope I hear back with good news.

[RedPandaOne]

Hell, I've never seen it. Did they live in a basement apartment? 

 

I mean, even if this is considered a basement apartment, it's one of the better ones. I think back to all the ones my friends had in either college or after. Those were caves, this one isn't.

[RedPandaOne]

The girl that I liked hasn't gotten back to me. Think I'm going to text her tonight and see what's going on. I know her first day of work was today, so do the whole "I hope your first day went well....how's the apartment search going" thing. 

 

I'm meeting 3 more people this week. One tonight, which I almost forgot about. I really want to get back to IKEA, and was going to go tonight, but then it dawned on me I'm meeting someone. Guess I don't have high hopes for them if I'm already forgetting about meeting them. Have one tomorrow, and am lining someone else up for Saturday. Guess December was a bad month to start looking. People seem to be coming out of the wood works now.

 

Have gotten a few scams, both from the same website. Also getting more people who think it's both bedrooms and not a roommate situation. I just don't get it. I've also had one couple call me 7 times over the weekend. I wasn't picking up because 1) I never pick up for a number I don't know. Leave a message and I'll call back. 2) It was from Puerto Rico. Not going to incur the long distance charges. And their message was always "my boyfriend and I are interested in the apartment". Nope. Again, two reasons. 1) Don't want a couple in the second room. Not going to be outnumbered in my own place, and don't want to hear what I know I'm going to hear. 2) The fact that they are saying "apartment" and not "room" makes me believe that they aren't reading and think it's the entire place, not a roommate situation. I think they gave up, haven't heard from them since Saturday. I'm probably being too hard and judgy on that one.

[RedPandaOne]

And this is either a really good scam, or just a huge coincidence. Person contacted me via hotpads, understood it was a room for rent, wants to see it. I send her my list of questions and in the meantime can't find her online. She writes back about what she does for work as "I work at WGBH". WTF. I actually did a double check to make sure it wasn't my answer to the question. So, I go to look her up in the work directory and still can't find her. Weird. She could be new and not in there yet. But yea, either it's a huge coincidence, or this is a good scammer who found me on the internet (not easy) and said they work at the same place as I do. 

[Guzzi]

Hmmm..... You could ask her, just being friendly and all that... "What, no way! I work there too. What dept are you?" And then try some good ol' fashioned snooping, or say that you'll drop by her desk for a chat.  

[RedPandaOne]

Great minds! I did that already. She said she works in the "door - to - door" department. My one co-worker doesn't know what she's talking about. I think I do. I think she is one of the people who actually go knock on people's door and ask them for money. My friend's husband did that for WGBH/NHPTV not too long ago. I see them tonight so I'll ask what the department called themselves. If anything I could go walk around and see if I can find her desk, lol. 

[RedPandaOne]

Hmm. That is possible. I do know she is single, but I never asked if it was a never married or divorced single. 

[RedPandaOne]

The kid who saw the room on Monday will take it if I want him as a roommate. I'll give it to him if none of the others who are seeing it this week want it. I liked the guy who saw it on Tuesday. I'm hoping that he takes it. He seemed to like it, he wouldn't have to get a special Boston resident parking permit, and it's only 3 minutes down the road from where he is now (staying at a hotel). And it's not that far from his work, only a town or two over. He needs to make a decision by Friday, so I'll know soon! The WGBH girl I have lined up for Saturday. I haven't searched her out yet.

 

The fact that there is an end in sight is exciting. And I'm really excited to be back in the black when it comes to my expenses. And I can justify buying that TARDIS cat tower! 

[Guzzi]

Aw man, that thing is sweet! Way better than a regular tower

[RedPandaOne]

Right?! I've had my eye on it for so long, but I knew my parents wouldn't allow it in their house so I never bought it. And to further justify buying it, I'm having issues fitting the other cat tower in my car. The base is too big. I'll try to get it in again on Saturday, but if it doesn't, then I'm soooo buying! 

 

I liked the the guy who say it tonight. Nice, wasn't drowning in cologne, quiet, but not too quiet. Right now he's my top choice. 

[Guzzi]

Excellent! Is he definitely interested?