Exemptions

I haven't seen RoomieJulie in two days. But this morning I got a nasty note. First she tells me that I shouldn't park in the garage when I come home late because it might be waking up the neighbors upstairs and that it IS waking her up. Okay, I'm cool with that. Garage doors make mucho noise, especially in houses with crappy walls. Fine. Last night I came home much earlier than normal... 1:37 a.m. I parked in the driveway and entered the house with my key instead. So, this morning's note says:

"Erik, you can NOT park there. Carolyn cannot get out of her garage."

I don't know where else the fuck she expects me to park. Can't park in the circle... way too much freakin' snow. Can't park a block away, road's too narrow. Can't park two blocks away, it's Northern Lights! I guess I could park in the Earthquake Park parking lot... wait, no worse idea. #1 it's a quarter mile away. #2 That's where I already had a car get broken into.

Eddie, as far as me altering my schedule, I've considered that. If I was home by the time Hillary and RoomieJulie go to bed I'd have to be here before 11 p.m. ...unless it's a night they decide to get stoned and drunk and watch-movies-at-the-top-of-their-lungs. My friend Mary doesn't get off work at the Bear's Tooth until the last movie's over with, and that's usually around 11:30 or 12:00 at night. Our only over-lapping day off is Tuesday... and we used that this week to go to DQ. Liz works the nightshift at Leroy's, I work in the day. My job isn't exactly the kind of job where friends can come in and b/s with me all day. Besides, she doesn't have a car and has to take the bus to work. Her days off are on weekends when I work. Double O's days off are Thursday and Friday. Mine are Tuesday and Wednesday. So that sucks. He works early in the morning until mid afternoon and I work from mid morning until late afternoon to early night. What I'm trying to say is: If I alter my schedule and be home and quiet as a mouse by the time Julie is ready for bed, I'd be forcing my friends to either not see me or limit our time to a two hour time frame everyday. People don't work like that. Why should I put myself through that because Julie has decided when her bed time is.

And here's another thing. Is her college work more important than my social outlet? No. Is my social outlet more important to her college work? No. Nothing we do in this world is more important than anything another person does.... at all. I've been thinking about this a lot lately, actually. The reason I'm so willing to take that stand, is that I'm beginning to think more and more that nothing we do IS important. That the term "Important" was invented by us to make ourselves feel better. ST, don't take this the wrong way, but I think you of all people should understand what I'm saying (not necessarily AGREE as much as UNDERSTAND). Haven't you said before that there are certain things we humans have invented to make ourselves feel better about our lives. [Mungo's note: After reading this section I almost deleted it because I'm not sure I mean it. I'm keeping it in now to remind myself later that not all my ideas are good ones. All I ask is that you not hold this against me in future debates.]

Okay, that theory notwithstanding, I refuse to change my life and my habits for anyone because they TELL me to. I will, however, make mutual concessions for the greater good of a household I live in. For instance, I'll do my e-mail and my blogging at an hour the roomies find reasonable. I will not cook in the kitchen or do dishes when anyone else is asleep. I will not turn the TV on when anyone else is asleep. If I'm watching a movie and someone decides to go to sleep I'll ask if I should turn it down or turn it off. Either will be fine with me if they ask me to (for whatever reasons). What I'm not going to do is let someone in RJ's position run me over with fits of self-importance.

Lastly. I was late all those times due to depression. I can't sleep well when I'm depressed and something inside me self-destructs at any sign of cropping responsibility. I wasn't late because I stayed up late and went to Leroy's. I was at Leroy's late at night because I couldn't sleep and meeting people was making me feel better and it was out of those late nights that I found an outlet for the things bothering me and ultimately allowed me to free myself from the depression causing all the problems I had in that span. Which was more than a few weeks.

Thank you all for your advice. When I see RJ next, we're going to have a civil talk outside of the house. I'll kidnap her and take her somewhere for diner, or coffee. Or both. HEY! I know just the place! She won't want to go though. Not even when my friends wouldn't be there. Why, you ask? They don't serve alcohol at Leroy's. Oooo.... burn!

Peace and Love,
Mungo