Monday, March 17, 2008

Home(s)

I'm the type of person that really enjoys having alone time. I only have one sibling and we both had our own rooms growing up. My parents allowed us a lot of privacy because they both worked and for the most part respected our private space.
When I first moved to New York six and 1/2 years ago I lived in student housing (aka: a dirty little closet with a bunk bed) with a nice enough girl from the UK. It was a big change. When I finally moved into an apartment it was a rodent infested two bedroom converted to a three. We had very little space and it was hard not to fight because we couldn't get away from each other. It didn't help that one of the roommates was a close-talker and we would have to physically hold her back with our arms. When we realized we had mice I stopped sleeping and made myself sick. We had to move.

Luckily I went on tour for three months (living in a van and hotel rooms) and when I got back I moved with one roommate to queens. This wasn't so bad. Our dumb ass super never turned on the heat in the winter so we were always freezing but at least we didn't have infestations. We were in a two story house. At one point the apt below us had a fire in their closet. I had just walked out of the apartment to the deli and by the time I got back the place was surrounded by fire trucks. They had axed down our door and all of the windows. My roommates bed was covered in glass, our windows were all boarded up, and our new front door/piece of wood was locked shut with padlocks. Meaning, we had to come and go together. The "fire" was just smoke. We were done with Queens.
At the end of that year we decided we needed to be back in Manhattan and somehow a two bedroom for less rent than our Queens apartment was located via Craigslist on the Upper East Side. This was new territory for both of us but it was the perfect amount of space and the six floor walk up made our legs stay in great shape. Here is the proof.

Living on the UES forces you to get used to taking buses which is a big step in Manhattan living. Until you learn the bus system you don't ever bother going across town. You would consider the other side of Central Park non existent. We lived in that apartment together for two years until June last year when I finally had the opportunity I have longed for my entire life. Living alone!

It was finally financially possible for me to get an apartment by myself in a safe neighborhood. It's wonderful. It is the tinniest place ever and I should never have more than three people in in at once but it's mine. It's my stuff and it's always empty when I get there. I love coming home to my empty apartment where if there is a mess it is never unexpected. It's my food and my space and I'm all alone to do whatever odd things I please. All this sounds wonderful but I have developed a new problem. I find that I never want to leave. What if I become some sort of Anti-Social freak and my old friends would have to come drag me out physically? Creepy.
I wonder what will happen next? I don't forsee upgrading any time in the next several years. Will I stay where I am? Who knows. Life is a crapshoot.

12 comments:

Doc said...

Sounds like you guys had to live in some messed up places... Good grief!

But the 6 story walk up did do nice things to your legs AY CARRAUMBA !! ;-)

Anonymous said...

Your legs are hot!!! I am a loner also, I like to come and see my parents, but I like that alone time!

As you can see I am still here, Everyone is running late well the one chick that just got off from work had not packed anything, and that is what she is doing now!!

See ya later!!

Jay said...

Have I ever mentioned how much I love legs? Well, uh ... THOSE are two great sets of legs!

I'm a loner also. I love just being left alone sometimes. Ok, a lot of times. If I'm watching a movie or a game or just having a nice little all alone time I won't answer the phone or anything either. I'll even make sure I'm not signed into Yahoo or MSN or Skype chat so nobody will suddenly send me a message.

Mike said...

I hear you on the alone time. I enjoy having my own house. Houses are great because on the other side of any wall is space, not a neighbor.

By the way, those are some DAMNED sexy legs! Good job!

Tall Lanky Jew said...

What about living with 'Al'? He would be so disapointed if he knew you forgot about him.

GMEyster said...

Here is to living alone in Manhattan! And as a fellow bus-user, I know exactly what you mean.

BBC said...

I spend a lot of time alone, not by choice, but because I don't have a mate. Most available women and I just drive each other nuts, they are empire builders and I'm not.

Yeah, life is a crap shoot, sometimes a damn interesting one.

R.E.H. said...

Oh, yeah. I don't know if I could live with a room-mate. A soul-mate, maybe - but even that is trying at times. I think we all need our alone time every now and then.

And... smokin' hot legs there!

Schmoop said...

Congrats on your own place. Just don't ever lose those sweet legs. I hate close talkers. Cheers Knight!!

Darla said...

I heart alone time, but a husband is actually pretty great to have around too. Who knew?

p.s. YOUR LEGS ARE SO HOT.

gary rith said...

there is that zz top song 'she's got legs blah blablah....'
anyway, if you have stacks of newspapers 6 feet high and 40 cats, then you know you're one of THOSE loners, but until then you're OK....

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