karen2205 | Tiredness

Ahha, I've just realised why I feel so lethargic - I went to bed at 2.50am and got up at 7am - for no particularly good reason - I spent late yesterday evening trying to catch up on my pile of admin, which is huge after moving house, 'cos of all the people I need to inform of my new address, as well as all the other bits I need to sort out.

I'm almost scared about this evening - I've got two different couples interested in the flat, neither of whom speak particularly good English, and one of whom sounds more dodgy the more I think about them - they don't want to put down a month's deposit, and while they say they're students they haven't yet organised what they're studying where. They also wanted to move in immediately. Hmm. guess I'll just have to wait and see what they're like in person.

The second couple sound much nicer. Guess this means I'm going to have to go home and tidy properly - my late night admin doing has resulted in there being lots of paper left lying round the living area, together with a huge suitcase - it won't take long to clear, but it needs doing to make the place look tidier/bigger.

Still, I'm not yet in the position of needing to grab the first person who comes along - I can afford this first month if I have to, and it's definitely worthwhile making sure I get someone I can live with happily. I'm thinking of sidestepping the issue this evening - I'm going to need to think on it overnight anyway, so I'll phone them back in the morning. Not sure how easy it'll be to say 'No, I don't think we'll get on'; but I'll find a way.

Odd, that it was last night that I really realised that I've been *living alone* since Sunday. Grr. mustn't get too used to it though, 'cos it won't last.

Now to the problem of lack of storage space for my bits and pieces - I'm strongly tempted to get them to give me a single bed, cos then I'd at least have room for a bookcase in my room.

I want a hug *and* I want some of my books from home - some comfort reading, but I've no idea where I can put them. Maybe it's time to play round with the cupboard that's being a side board - if I could take its doors off and insert the random bits of shelving that are sitting about, I might have created lots more storage space.....

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

they don't want to put down a month's deposit, and while they say they're students they haven't yet organised what they're studying where. They also wanted to move in immediately. Hmm. guess I'll just have to wait and see what they're like in person.

Well if they're called M'Batia, I'd advise against having any dealings with them...

It's funny, not to be racist (oh go on then), but whenever I've lived with people who don't speak much English, they've been very eloquent when telling me about stuff that needs fixing, but evidently skipped the lesson where they learnt to understand about paying bills.

I've been trying *so* hard to resist deciding that I don't want to live with someone on the basis of their English language ability/race - but let's face it, maybe I am just irredemably prejudiced. OK, I'll say it - I want to live with people who to some extent, share *my* culture and *my* way of life. And yes saying that probably makes me a Bad Person who should be shot for hyprocrasy if nothing else.

And please don't make this sound any worse than it already does -I'm scared enough of inviting strange men round to my home as it is. I'm relying on the fact that the agent will require references and stuff to put off those who won't/can't pay their bills.

Still, having been there since Sunday, I *know* what needs fixing (crack in a window pane, broken drawer slider, broken bed slat).

I wouldn't consider that prejudice (according to the definitions I can find), since it's not any of:

(a) unreasonable
(b) based on a lack of knowledge
(c) based on issues that are irrelevant to the matter being considered

But then I don't believe in multiculturalism either, so what do I know.

And yes saying that probably makes me a Bad Person who should be shot for hyprocrasy if nothing else.

No, you should be shot for speling.

Prejudice isn't really the right term - it's more that given the chance, I'd preach tolerance and multiculturalism, but I draw the line at extending that to potential housemates - anyway might try to respond to your a, b and c later but I need to leave work to get home and tidy for them.

At least we're agreed on my needing to be shot!;-)

Right - I've said that I don't want to live with someone who doesn't share my culture and way of life - including speaking English.

Arguably, this is completely unreasonable - what's wrong with people from other cultures? Nothing. Why therefore should I base a decision on who I live with on something people can't control/isn't going to do me any harm? I shouldn't.

I suppose the only justification I could attempt to provide is that tolerance/acceptance of others is all well and good, but one is entitled to draw the line 'somewhere', and that deciding who to live with is such a personal decision that it's ok to pick housemates on irrational grounds.

Is it based on a lack of knowledge? I'm not sure - it's certainly not that I think people from other cultures are Bad. I wouldn't pretend to have a very detailed understanding of any other cultures myself though.

c, Issues irrelevant to the matter being considered? Depends I suppose - it's entirely relevant that whoever I live with can pay their bills, and it's entirely relevant that whoever it is is honest with me about what they do for a living/what and where they study. But if I'm just saying that I want to live with someone who understands my way of life - then that isn't really relevant. I ought not to care, providing they fit the characteristics I expect to find in housemates.

What's wrong with multiculturalism?

But surely it makes sense to choose to live with people you are more likely to get on with? Nobody expects you to choose your friends on purely objective grounds, why shouldn't the same apply to people you live with? I wouldn't call it irrational that you get on with people "like you" better than others.

One of the characteristics I would expect to find in a housemate is that I get on with them. So from that point of view their cultural background is/could be entirely relevant.

I think multiculturalism has the effect of dividing up society, creating an "us and them" environment. The bad effects of this seem to be most apparent amongst Muslims in this country, many of whom appear to see themselves as Muslim first and British second.

I'm currently looking for a flatmate too... I hate it! All these people keep e-mailing me and some of them are really pushy which kind of turns me off. I want a nice flatmate, dammit!

Don't suppose anyone knows anyone who wants a room in Bristol next year?!

Tell me about it! I've had so many friends who've had bad experiences that I want to get it right/at least not make the same mistakes.

Have you tried advertising around uni? - fellow students shouldn't be too bad - providing they're housetrained. The friend I stayed with between May and August suffered since last September with unhousetrained housemates. Oh well - let's go see what they're like....

The lunatics we had round our house every time one of the rooms was vacated - oh, my goodness! And yes, some people really are pushy! More than one person came in, looked at the house perfunctorily and was like, "I'll take it," on the spot. But hang on, mate - we don't know if we'll take you! And people ringing up a couple of hours after viewing, demanding to sign on the line. I *know* it's hard to find a house you like (and that you'd be certifiable not to want to live with lovely little me), but you're not doing your application any favours with that kind of desperate behaviour!
One person emailed from Belgium tos say she was moving to the UK in September, could she move in with us? Er, wouldn't you like to see the house? And meet us? We'd like to know who you are! And one guy wanted to move in straight away (he was a tosser and a half) but was facing the problem that he was going on holiday with "the lads" when he was really meant to be house-hunting. Well, that's not my problem....
We had a couple of people come round who wouldn't stop staring - really odd. Wonder if they ever found normal housemates....

Oh, nightmares, nightmares!

Tiredness

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