Thursday, March 11, 2010

TP as an olive branch. or How to Live with Roommates

What is that saying? Something about an olive branch? Or maybe it's not so much a saying as it is a well known symbolism. The olive branch as a peace offering, or maybe a white flag.

I read somewhere that you can learn something from everyone. I have also heard that moving in with your friends can be a very bad idea. I have been living with my current roommates for about 6 months now. They teach me things all the time. Things like how to change a door lock and how to move your living room into your bedroom. I've also learned how to rewire my tv and how to remove gum from my kitchen table.

Really? Gum on the kitchen table? That one really got me. We ended up having a very polite "conversation" and since then the lessons seem to have ceased. . . for the time being. Keep in mind that I use the term 'polite' very loosley.

About the toilet paper. I had 'learned' that in order to not be the constant supplier of TP for the whole house, I needed to keep my supply in my bedroom, with my new door lock. Well, this resulted in everybody keeping their own individual rolls & only taking them to the bathroom when nature called.

[the silliness of this makes me giggle a little even now]

Well, I found my olive branch the other day. A shiny new roll of TP nicely presented on the roller. It brings a tear to my eye!

Okay but seriously... What do you do when you're in a desperate situation and you are forced to live with people that prove to be the opposite of supportive friends. I'm in a lease for goodness sakes. I joke about my "learning experiences", but really I have learned. I am better at standing up for myself. I am not a confrontational person; I'm pretty much an introvert. I prefer to ignore negative comments, turn the other cheek, kill with kindness... Before moving in with these people I probably would not say anything about the dirty sink and the overwhelming trash...the unvacuumed living room, But I know what I deserve and I have found my voice.

Some people cannot be killed with kindness. Some people just really have to be slapped around a little and shown that you won't roll over. I'm a little sad that it had to get ugly. I think my mother would prefer to hear that I triumphed with my soft voice and that they eventually got bored of giving me hell. But the truth is that sometimes you have to fight fire with fire. I feel better about myself knowing that if need be I can get scrappy!

Have you ever been in a situation like that? Did you ever have to get down and fight a little dirty?

4 comments:

  1. Soap Operas take so much energy to maintain. They must have run out of steam. The TP olive branch is so symbolic. This situation is in the toilet. Heehee.

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  2. Hi Ciara! Found the link to your blog on facebook. I am sorry you are in this situation. It sounds (carbon-copy) exactly like a living situation Josh and I experienced in college. Moved living area + microwave and hotplate into a bedroom so we could have clean liveable space. It's sad but truly you are right--you know what you deserve in life and living uncomfortably is not it!

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  3. I'm glad you found me Rachel :)
    it's so frustrating but I keep reminding myself that it's only temporary. Why do I keep forgetting my golden rule, DON'T HAVE ROOMMATES!

    Kathy... you're so right, soap operas take a lot of energy.

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Please feel free to comment. I do review my comments to deter slander. Thank you for your consideration and again, thanks for reading. Have a lovely day! - Ciara