Too late

Years ago, when I had Attractive Neighbour as a, well, neighbour, we were on the hunt for a new housemate. We'd had issues before, selecting the first person who came through the door and it wasn't really a good fit. So, this time around, we'd made a point of seeing potential housemates over, I think, five days then we would decide on the best. It was still no guarantee that it would work out, but at least we'd be selecting the best from a bunch of people rather than the first person to reply to our advert.

On the third day, we interviewed two people. An English pilot and a Scottish doctor. The pilot was, quite frankly, an idiot. He reminded me of a roommate I had when I'd lived abroad and I was not in a hurry to repeat that mistake. However, the doctor was a breath of fresh air. She was outgoing, friendly, intelligent and funny. This was in stark contrast to most of the people we'd seen so far. My gut was to ask her immediately to move in, but MfW was adamant that we'd see out the other two days.

Suffice it to say, when we were chatting a few days later, the doctor was still my number one choice. It was MfW2's as well. Sadly, though, when I called her to let her know that the place was hers if she wanted it, she'd made alternative arrangements. If memory serves, I think she suggested that she couldn't hang around despite the fact that we were very clear about when the decision would be made.

And so, we settled for our second choice, who wasn't that bad, but he moved out about nine months later for a new job and we ended up getting NSU in, which is another matter entirely.

A random memory that popped into my head when I was doing some gardening earlier.

FFS! (Blah blah blah)

I play some online games with other people from across the UK. Mostly, it's fun, but there are times where my anger gets the better of me. Perhaps surprisingly, this doesn't happen when I get beaten/shot or do something stupid. That's is all part of the game.

The stuff that gets me really angry is the same stuff that gets me angry in real life - communication. There are a few things that happen that really grind my gears:

• Unnecessary chat about non-game stuff
• Incessant talking without listening
• Not being clear with your communication
• Talking over the top of others

Communication in the game is important, so when people have general chats that go on too long, that makes me angry. I'm as guilty about this as myself, but usually I'm the only one who gets annoyed by it, so if I am joining in, no-one else is annoyed. I shouldn't do it though and mostly I am good at only speaking when I need to share game-related information.

There are a few guys who, like the first point above, feel the need to fill any silences with absolute nonsense. None of us are in our teens, so there's no need to try and act Jack the Lad. I've never been a big talker and people do chat more than me aren't necessarily scowled at, but some people do deserve it. Remember NSU? She was one of those types. There are a few guys who play the games who do play that I try to avoid for this exact reason.

Dickhead: "Blah blah blah"

Ruuude: "FFS keep quiet, there's someone here."

Dickhead: "Blah blah blah"

And perhaps the core point of this post is that the people who fall into the categories above are the ones who are the poorest communicators.

Dickhead: "I'm taking fire!"

Ruuude: "From where?"

Dickhead: "Over there!"

Ruuude: "Where the fuck is 'over there'"?

Dickhead: "Just there, where I'm facing"

Ruuude: "I'm in another building, for fuck sake, I can't see where you're facing. Either ping it or mark it on the map"

Dickhead: "Look, they're just over there."

Ruuude: "I've no idea where you mean. Distance?"

Dickhead: "Don't know"

Ruuude: "You fucking useless knob"

And that is not dissimilar to a conversation I had with a so-called team-mate earlier. And this wasn't the first. I've grown to actually hate his drawled at sharing information. He's also one of those people who is never wrong. Even when they're 100% in the wrong, there's always something that, in their head, make them right. (As an aside, KfW2 is like this.) So when I went into a neighbouring building and got shot by the people he was so poorly trying to point out to his team-mates, and I swore loudly at him...

Dickhead: "But I told you they were in there"

Ruuude: "No, you said there were people. And they were shooting at you. At no point did you explain in any kind of detail where they might be."

And the last point, while not as anger-inducing as the previous one, is also something that bothers me in real life. Is there something really so important that you have to say that you can't even let me finish my sentence? In gaming terms, there sometimes might be, and that's fine. But to pipe up when I'm sharing tactical information with my team to ask if someone needs a spare gun or health packs is anger-inducing. I've walked out of meetings in real life because this happened and I was so angry I had to get out before I did something unprofessional.

Spanner -> Works (Part 3)

Both ladies on the list have passed on the offered room. One girl said it was quite small. I don't know what she's basing that on, while it's the smallest bedroom in the house, it is comparable to a lot of master rooms that I've seen when viewing houses. I'm slightly disappointed... I was hoping to get a girl in to add some balance to the place. Living with MfW, UF and FNG has made me want to see what it's like living with a female. I know we had NSU, but she was always away on business or back in her family home, so doesn't really count.

I'm down to one person, and I've just sent the text. I don't like getting in touch with people this late, but I can't listen to more of MfW's whining. Six day's notice indeed. I'll probably know early tomorrow morning if this guy is willing to take us up on our offer, but I can't see it... it's been too long since he first viewed the place and probably has a place lined up.

I've done my bit... I'll be interested to see what lengths MfW goes to over the next three days to ensure he can leave the place at the weekend.

Oh dear.

For the past week or so, I've been asking MfW or FNG to get in touch with our letting agent. Our contract is due for renewal at the end of this month and I want it sorted ASAP. Part of the problem is that FNG has work commitments that he needs to sort before we can do anything ourselves. Another part of the problem is that MfW is adopting a "fuck 'em" attitude because the letting agent is poor at her job and refuses to answer emails or return phone calls, so MfW is doing the same.

But now FNG is leaving. His work commitments now mean that he is being transferred now-ish rather than next year and we're going to have to find a replacement. I have my doubts about how long he's known this or at least how long he's been trying to get that question answered... we really needed to know this time last week.

Theoretically, we have about three weeks to find a replacement, but MfW is hoping we can wangle an extra month out of the landlord. This is where his "fuck 'em" attitude is dangerous as we're asking favours when he's been immature. Now, we've been good tenants - the only work we've required is because of wear and tear, bills are paid on time, it's only when we deal with the letting agent that MfW is difficult.

The timing is poor though. I have plans for next year that kinda needed sorted by around this time. Extending our lease means that I will be tied into the next lease until the start of October 2015. I might be able to escape a few months early if I am lucky, but it is a risk.

Plus there will be the undoubted headache of having to come to an agreement with MFW about a new flatmate and he will want to revisit the rent allocations. He thinks I'm not paying enough, but doesn't realise that it's because he got the ratios wrong when we last advertised for a new flatmate i.e. NSU. She ended up paying over the odds while both MfW and myself gained a little... but only by about £5 per month.

Good riddance and welcome.

NSU has moved out of the house. She first announced it about five weeks ago and then promptly disappeared. This week has been stressful as we were told that there was a replacement that MfW and I only met for less than five minutes. The decision had been taken out of our hands - NSU had made the decision by herself without consulting us. The landlord knew, but didn't seem to care. The letting agent was just typical of estate agents in general - useless, lacking in courtesy and uncommunicative.

Through no fault of our own, MfW and I could have been really screwed, but we managed to get a proper chance to talk to the new guy before he moved in (though we still couldn't have stopped anything) and he seems to be a decent sort.

So, good riddance NSU and welcome to FNG.

Only time will tell though.

WTF?

NSU recently mentioned to MfW and myself that she was looking to leave the apartment.

"It's just not working out", she said.

The timing was bad - MfW and I were watching a football match on the telly, so we weren't paying that much attention to her.

She said more things, but I wasn't paying that much attention.

The next day, we tried to piece it all together. MfW sent her a message. She's never asked for my mobile number and doesn't really talk to me. I don't think she actually likes me that much seeing as I have not bowed to her will since she moved in and tried to rearrange the entire house to her way of thinking.

The answer came back. The communal bathroom was stinking. Now, I have my own issues with the cleanliness of the place in general, but that's got to do with how little other people do. That includes NSU. A woman whose supposed cleanliness obsession was only surpassed with how little she does to ensure it.

Since she initially moved in and re-arranged everything in the place on the first weekend, NSU has distanced herself from us personally. In fact, that started before she moved in with her first obsession of providing her own broadband despite us owning very speedy fibre-optic. She's refused to pay her full share of the bills because she's always away on business (she never admitted to this upfront) and is generally just giving off the vibe of a spoiled brat - someone very used to getting their way.

Imagine my surprise when I came out of my room this evening to make something to eat when I bumped into a stranger. Well, three of them. A man and two women. And NSU. She had arranged a viewing and not told either of us. I don't even think MfW was in the house at the time.

While I have bitched and moaned about her, NSU seems like a nice enough girl, but something hasn't been right about the whole thing since she moved in and we had our first conversations. Her stories from one day to the next simply don't add up. The stories themselves don't contradict each other, just their main topic. A story told a month ago about most of her friends being male gets contradicted when she tells us she'd rather live with women. I've already explained above about her cleanliness obsession but lack of willingness to lift a finger. There's nothing major, just little things. A lot of little things.

Shouldn't throw stones.

I was meant to be going out with MfW for his birthday a few nights ago, but it never happened. That was for two main reasons... the first was that he wanted to go to a club. I don't particularly like clubs and especially those that play RnB/dance music. The second was that he went AWOL for hours before finally turning up at the apartment at half ten with a few mates in tow.

By this time, I was already settled for the evening, watching a couple of movies and getting comfortable after a week of trying (and mainly succeeding) fighting off the cold. It had taken its toll though, and I was really not in any mood to go anywhere.

So, that wasn't bad. I had a great night's sleep that night and chilled out the next day.

I thought that MfW might have gone home to see the family, but that was not the case. Imagine my surprise when I went to make dinner last night to see UF in the apartment. Apparently he and MfW had made plans. Since I've introduced the two of them, they seem to have hit it off, which is no bad thing, but I appear to be excluded from a lot of these trips to the pub that became more and more frequent as time went on.

I don't know if this is MfW's doing or UF's. Seeing as MfW got an invite to UF's wedding and I didn't, I am inclined to think it's UF, but it could be either of them really.

MfW was complaining last night about NSU's lack of housekeeping and this is typical of the man. He's very interested in what other people DON'T do, but rarely sees what other people actually do. All the complaints he makes/made about UF and NSU's effort around the house (cleaning, tidying up, buying little things for the apartment) can all be levelled against him. I don't think he sees that, though.

Urgh.

I got about an hour's sleep last night due to being racked with acid reflux. I suffer a bit from mild doses of it and have done all my adult life, but last night's was excruciating and unstoppable, even with most of a full packet of antacids in me. I felt myself get sick yesterday and I went to sleep last night, only to be woken just after 11PM by NSU coming back into the apartment, shouting at someone down the phone while in the kitchen and then hammering something. It sounded as if she was hitting something with a rolling pin... at 11PM... in an apartment where every sound can be heard.

As a result, I didn't go into work today - not sick, just a last-minute annual leave day - with the intention of catching up on the sleep I lost and chilling out. That went well until NSU arrived back in the apartment as I was dozing, made a huge racket and then a few minutes later, inexplicably started shouting my name.

When I answered my door, she tried to make jokes "there's no need to be so serious" she laughed as she saw my face.

"What do you want?" I asked, clearly pissed off.

She went very quiet. "Were you asleep?"

"Yes, I've had the day off as I didn't sleep well last night. I've been dozing on and off all day."

She looked as if she was going to apologise, but I simply closed my door and tried to get back to sleep. No chance.

Here we go again.

On Friday night, NSU was asking me if I was in a relationship. I said that I wasn't and mentioned something in passing about having been single for a while. NSU got the bit between her teeth and started talking about getting me to do online dating and how she could create a brilliant profile. My statements about being reasonably happy single fell on deaf ears (another warning sign about NSU) and she continued to go on about online dating for probably a full twenty minutes. To shut her up, I might have embellished the truth a little and exaggerated a little on how much dating I've done - I said that I was happy meeting people but felt under no obligation to do so just because society says so.

"What happens if you get to seventy and you still haven't found someone?" she asked.

"Then I'll have had a good life" was my reply.

But it rammed home again the fact that I'm currently unhappy being single. I've admitted as much to KfW2 and USHW, but I'm not getting into personal things with someone I've only spoken to a few times and someone who has already shown that they won't listen.

On top of the realisation that it's not been a great year, this is stronger than ever and it's something I am going to have to address. USHW will no doubt remind me about speed dating (which I haven't ruled out or tried yet, I just need someone to go along with) and now that GM's back on the market after a failed reconciliation with an ex of his, maybe we can do something about it, socially speaking

Cleanliness is next to a pain in the ass.

We have a new housemate. I'm going to call her NSU because she never shuts up - she always has a story to tell or something to say. Bearing in mind, I am completely the opposite and sometimes you have to drag conversation from me, then this isn't going to end well.

Regardless, NSU has been in about a week. She's made many, many references to the fact that she's clean and tidy. I consider myself to be clean and tidy, but it's obvious that the flat is only "boy tidy". Arguably it should be better but seeing as UF and MfW haven't lifted a finger since we originally moved in (MfW claims, rather childishly, that he never did anything because UF never did), I wasn't going to do a complete clean and tidy of the place every two weeks, so certain things were neglected.

Well, NSU decided yesterday that she was going to clean the kitchen. That's not a big thing - it could have done with it. What I didn't realise was that the clean up was going to take nearly six or seven hours and that every single item in the kitchen would get a rub down (and I mean everything).

The kitchen is now spotless, fair play to her, but she's moved about 99% of the stuff we had in the kitchen, seemingly to fit in with whatever logic she has and everything now has a place in a cupboard. Lots of stuff has been thrown out and half the stuff that I have in the kitchen now requires a ten-minute hunt.

Seemingly she has an issue with stuff being visible so if it's not anchored down, it's been tidied away. Literally, the only two things left standing are the microwave and the kettle. The toaster's gone, bottles of cooking oil, juice, stuff on high shelves etc. that we had no space for elsewhere have all been put into cupboards.

I used the toaster and the bread board this morning and they've been put back to where they lived, pre-NSU.

I've no qualms about NSU wanting the place to be cleaner, but arbitrarily reorganising a kitchen that's worked well for the in-situ housemates for well over two years without a question or comment is, quite frankly, taking the piss. Doubly so when you consider that she claims she's only going to be here at most four nights a week.

That seems to be her personality though. This needs to be watched.