Alone again, naturally

In the song “Should I stay or should I go” by the Clash, I think the choice is clear. He should go since there is a line saying “If I go there will be trouble/And if I stay it will be double.” If you look at it in the form of a math statement it would look like this: T<2t.>

… For the past two weeks I’ve had the apartment to myself as my roommate went out of town. I looked at the time as an experiment. With me looking for an apartment, I wondered what life would be like without a roommate.

I’ve never really had a place on my own. So I wanted to see what I would do with free range. For example, would I watch television more?

Well the first night I was fell asleep in front of the television. However, it was the last time I did that. My television viewing did not go up which means, I really don’t need to buy one when I move. I think I’ve defeated the constant need for television viewing I had developed when I was younger. Of course, I spend that time now on my computer.

I can say after two weeks, nothing changed in how I would act on my own compared to how I act in a shared place. So when the time comes, I can try and look for the best place; with or without a roommate.

Of course, the one difference between now and later is hopefully I’ll have a new job with 9-5 hours, Monday through Friday.

… Well the last two weeks living alone hasn’t been without problems. About a week ago, I was told contractors and painters will be over and they would probably show up at 8 in the morning starting this past Tuesday.

No one showed up at that time.

Now 8 a.m. is not a good time for someone that works nights and stays up late, as evidenced by the time stamp on this blog. Again, I set my alarm for 8 a.m. that night.

So on Wednesday I learned the snooze button on my alarm works about three times before giving up. As you can guess, no one showed up until I was about to leave for lunch after 11. They removed the entire tile in the kitchen and the counter top. They even took the kitchen sink.

As I left for work later that day I asked one of the guys if they would be back the next day. He said, sure about 8 a.m.

Three snooze buttons later, nothing.

On Friday I did not set my alarm and they returned, at 10:30 a.m. There is now a marble looking counter top in the kitchen and a new sink.

On Saturday I didn’t set my alarm and my doorbell rang at 8:30 a.m. I let them in and returned to bed.

They still need to paint the kitchen and living room and put in a new stove. Then they turn their attention to the bathrooms. I have a feeling it’s going to be a while at this pace.

… More than a week ago I received word some of my former co-workers in Riverside were laid off. A couple of reporters and photographers I used to work with were among the many that were cut.

In talking to one of my good friends he said many just feel guilt for surviving, which I understand. It was nearly a year after I was transferred to Torrance when these cuts were made. You don’t feel glad you still have your job but you do your work in a Pavlovian manner; you’re there, but your heart is not in it.

With that newspaper, my advice to them is to use anyone that left there – especially if they let go – as an example. This is not the end but just a difficult beginning to something better.

After all, they are reporters. They know how most of their stories end.