Roommate Woes

Greetings all,

My roommate has been aggravating me for the past few weeks - largely due to the fact that we now have 3 couches in our apartment. She told me she was going to be bringing a couch and I figured we'd move things around to make it fit. I didn't know that she actually meant 2 couches and I am pretty sure I did not hear the word couches come out of her mouth.

I threw out the idea earlier that I could put my couch in storage (this was when I thought one was coming in). Of course upon reflecting upon it, I realized it's not fair that I do that and it costs money - money which I don't really have to waste since I've been laid off.

My roommate seems bitter that I made this suggestion and not follow through on it because I guess she probably thought I was serious when I was just trying to be polite and helpful about the situation.

She had a party a few weeks ago and wanted the couches there for it. I ended up being sick and so stayed in my room. There is more drama that happened - largely due to the fact that she is a bit childish about certain things. And I will not discuss that.

Okay maybe I will. She still had music going on in 2.40 am and I politely asked her to lower it and she rudely answered that she's having a party. A few days later she tells me that I embarrassed her. Excuse me but you embarrassed me by being rude. We live in an apartment and the party was pretty much done. Sure there was a few people left but it was done and we do have neighbors to think about.

The dining area was cramped because of the way she moved the couches. I couldn't put my 4 chairs around it. And the couches were arranged in a U shape and so they blocked entrance to the balcony, which means the only way out was to go through the kitchen. This was my other problem. I need to feel like I can move around and that I am free and mobile and I didn't feel this way because of the way the entrance was blocked. It was just too constrictive for me.

Last weekend she was away and I decided to clean things up and I started to feel motivated to move furniture around as well since nothing changed and I was starting to feel like a prisoner.

I made minor changes and it freed up the space in the dining room and there was a path to get to the balcony. I still maintained the U shape that my roommate had. I sent her an email just notifying her about this and that we could change it if she didn't like it. I didn't want her to think I moved it just because she was away.

She didn't like it and was being childish about the situation. I wanted us both to work out something that we liked but she said that she doesn't care and that I'm going to do what I want anyways.

So I left things the way they were.

I went out last night and so did she. I probably came home half an hour earlier and 10 minutes after she arrived, some people were over. I had a feeling that she was going to move the furniture to how it was - and she did.

It is absolutely atrocious the way things are.

She 'suggested' earlier that I put my couch in my room. I am not comfortable with that. Prior to the couches being brought, she even had the balls to want to switch rooms so that she could have the bigger room and put the couches there.

I will be having a talk with her because it's not about just her being happy or just me being happy. We both have to be happy with things and there is no point in being childish.

Another thing she did the other day was notifying me that my peaches were rotting. I threw them out and didn't think to throw out the garbage since the bag was half full (or half empty). She asked me about why I didn't throw it out and I told her because the bag was not full. I was having lunch so I figure I'd take it out after my lunch but she ended up doing it and giving me attitude.

So I am occasionally absent minded. Big deal! I don't throw out my rotting fruits once! I find she needs to relax about things and not get uptight about petty things. If I were consistently letting my fruits rot then yes say something. I am not petty towards her the way she is to me.

I have another friend whom I was thinking of moving out to Toronto so I don't care so much because we may not live together for much longer but I will still say something because I don't want us to leave on a bad note.

I'm tired of being abused and being lashed out at for silly things. I have been fair to her and ever since the couch incident, she has been getting out of line. I plan on having a talk with her because I do not need this drama and I do not want to feel uncomfortable in my own home.