The Evil Roommate

The past week has been busy and I'm very happy to report that I did make it to Yosemite, I'm moving out of the house I've been living in later on this week, and my travel assignment at Kaiser Permanente is tentatively ending.  Foremost on my mind though is my evil roommate.  As a rule, I try not to let other people's negativity infringe on what it is I'm trying to accomplish in my life.  I'm trying to live a healthy life pursuing activities that nurture mind, body, and soul.  I'm trying to immerse myself in culture, to meet people from different walks of life, to have lots of fun.  So in general, I would not devote precious sentences decrying another person.  But I'm going to break my rule.  Roomie--you are officially being put on blast.  First off when I first called the gentleman in question back in April inquiring about renting a room, I was very clear about what I was looking for in a living arrangement.  To backtrack, prior to being in California I shared a house with three guys in Bountiful, Utah.  The guys in Utah were a lively group.  Watching episodes of The Office, sharing meals at the dining room table, Utah Jazz games, snowboarding trips--It was easily the most fun I've had living with others.  We kept the common areas clean and did a more thorough clean when needed (usually the day before the owners came to visit.)  In contrast, the current "land lord", we'll call him OC, expects his tenants to clean the entire house, to be perfectly quite when he "naps"  after he takes his "meds", to pay the rent and utilities in cash only.  He lives in his room and only comes out to pop frozen food in the microwave or to bitch about whatever it is that upsets his anal-retentive ass.  He is the quintessential douche--pierced and tattooed up like lots of other yuppie Intel DB's.  Now that I have unloaded my angst, I'll admit I'm glad I had an opportunity to live here.  My other roomie who moved out last week was loads of fun to hang out with even if she had lots of loud sex with her boyfriend (was very amusing to listen to) . Furthermore, there is a value in living with difficult people.  Difficult people push us in ways that friends, families, and lovers cannot.   They push us because they force us to examine ourselves.  OC does not realize that he is a difficult person, that he lacks respect, politeness, and social grace.  In his mind it is everyone else who is so difficult to live with.  It's like in The Sixth Sense except instead of dead people not knowing they're dead, an insufferable ass does not realize that he is just that.  When I think about OC a strong sense of aversion accompanies.  OC is wrong, and awful, and blah, blah, blah, so that must mean that Joseph is right, and awesome, and easy to live with, and in all respects wonderful.  On the contrary, what I see in OC that reviles me I must somehow see in myself.  For if I were not attached to this situation, I would not see fit to take the time to write a blog, or for that matter to feel angry, reviled, or indignity.  Difficult people are some of life's greatest teachers.  So for that, thank you OC.  I will not miss you when I move out, but hopefully I will take some hard earned wisdom with me.