In the Mood for a List?

A few reasons this week will contend for the shittiest ever when all the
points are tallied:

1. I’ve been pummeled mercilessly from the inside by something diagnosed as
just-shy-of-bronchitis. Had a fever of 102 for nearly three days, severe
congestion, body aches, sweats, headaches, sore throat, and so on. My
comeback has been made possible only by gallons of hot tea and a twice-daily
palmful of pills, antigens, chemicals, and artificial defenders of dmueller.

2. As a result of no. 1, I’ve accomplished very little. Very very very
little. You could fit all of my positive accomplishments this week on the head
of a small pin.

3. We learned Monday that the house we so enjoy living in will be sold. A
minion of the real estate megalopoly pounded the "for sale" sign into our front
yard this very evening, in fact (no
saintly tricks
up his sleeve, far as I could tell). What’s worse? We’re being asked to
move before the end of Ph.’s school year. What’s worse than that?
The suitable rents in the area are slim pickings. Most of the four bedroom
joints get divided into per-student rates, where each student pays, say $375 or
more. There are a few three bedroom flats we’re looking at, but only a few
of them allow pets. And Yoki, it turns out, despite expert training, remains a
pet. What’s still worse? We’re invited to enable the sale by
keeping a tidy house, putting away all valuables, and vacating the premises any
time a realtor decides to call us up for a showing. What summons in me evils and
furor deeper than I’ve known in some time? Yes…realtors calling to see
whether they can show the house I’m being asked to vacate. You’ll want to hide
away the laptop in case any of the "speculators" are thieves.

4. In the spirit of list-making, a new item. But it’s a carry-over.
See, I’m still PO’ed about No. 3. Bent out of shape, I tell you. I
get the side of the scenario that’s grounded in business, profit,
detachment, transactions, and so on. But then I see the other side, the
side that spells big changes for us in the weeks ahead. It boils over to the
neutral-transactive (mere business, my friend) rationale, makes a mess of it.
And I think about the agent who called me last night when I was at Ph.’s indoor
soccer game to comfort me with "I know how hard this must be for you" before
asking if we would welcome her and her clients for a showing. Without
going into the rest of the details about the conversation following the smarmy
preamble, just know that this morning we switched the contact number to D.’s
cell phone. Tks to goodness D.’s willing to take such calls.

5. As a result of no. 3 and no. 4, I’ve been studying
orangehousing.com line by line more than
pouring fresh filling into EWM’s neglected shell.

6. After checking out an apartment this evening, the four of us grabbed up
some Chinese takeout. Hot-n-sour soup is just what I need when my sinuses
are recovering, when my throat is raw, phlegm-chaffed. Even if I don’t eat
the tofu and cabbage and [I have no idea what that was], the broth is perfect.
Just the thing to top off this challenger for worst week. The soup was
terrific, but I remain, for today at least, too jaded to accept the promise from
my fortune cookie: "Happy life is just in front of you." Mr. Clumsy must’ve
dropped that cookie in the wrong bag, handed it to the wrong person. But
what if he didn’t?

10 Comments

  1. Wow…

    My week pales in comparison to yours, but you do have my sympathy. The guy who owns my building does really good work, and I’ll be happy to ask him if he has any 3+ bedroom properties opening up soon, if you like? Or, do you prefer to stay in your current school district?

    Let me know.

  2. You certainly do get the award for “shittiest week possible.” I’m aghast that they asked you to move out before the end of the school year. If I could send you our empty and unsold house in Baltimore, I would.

  3. If you can make it in a 3-bedroom, the unit where Tyra currently lives will be available soon (or so was the last know plan). Don’t know if it would work, but the guy she rents from seems really decent so it might be worth checking on.

  4. Wow. What an amazingly sucky week. To say I’m sending good thoughts seems a little weak in the face of all that, but it’s what I got. So: Good Thoughts!

  5. What everyone else said. This is awful.

    I remember when I was in the process of moving away from Carbondale. My cat was dying of kidney disease. Had to keep extra litter boxes around.
    And my landlord is parading people through the house. No one rented the house. Wouldn’t it have just been easier to wait?

    My sympathies for the havok and emotional toll this must be taking.

  6. Not sure about NY law, but I suspect they can’t actually make you move out till the school year is over. Regardless, though, how awful.

  7. My sympathies. Best of luck with the new-place-finding. And I hope you feel better all-the-way soon.

  8. Yes,soup heals many wounds. Make yourself some more!

    The last fortune cookie I got was empty.

  9. It’s time to come home to Michigan….or hide diapers behind the doors, under the beds, in the back of closets until the snoops leave… or don’t clean up after the dog outside… use brown water color paint to paint “water leaks” on most of the ceilings… turn the water way down on the sinks and toilet for the appearance of low water pressure…..put tea in the toilet and the tank to resemble rusty pipes….loosen the top hinges on all the doors to assimilate a bad foundation…black water paint on the foundation looks like mold…. the phone calls and visits will stop…. or lick the door handle just before the agent arrives – give’em your current crud and you won’t be bothered with that one for awhile… of course you have to clean some of this up as soon as they leave – or pay your neighbors to play loud acid rock while the house is being shown and you’re away…and of course find some drama students to show up as drunken bikers and undesirables… put your thinkin’ cap on and go to town!!!

    Love
    Sybs

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