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View Full Version : Is this fair?


blas
12-20-2006, 05:57 PM
Ok, I know this is my...billionth post this week (funny how I came back from the dead, right?), and compared to some other posts on here, my problems are really petty, but I really do need some advice here.

I need to know the adult way to go about doing this. The reason I don't know how to approach this is, well, because I haven't ever had a roomate or lived away from home before.

As I've said before, my roomate is mostly non-existent. At first it bummed me out that he had a girlfriend and was never home, but I quickly made some new friends and it wasn't so lonely anymore.

Also, as most of you know, I work 3rd shift. I am completely worthless Sunday thru Thursday mornings/afternoons (in fact, bedtime is approaching soon). I only get Friday and Saturday nights off (unless it's a holiday or I decide to use paid personal time and take a day or two off). The weekends are just about the only time I have to really hang out with my friends, go on dates, have guests over, or do..whatever.

It's been several months and I've quickly adapted to this. Other than my horrible neighbors and the bad neighborhood, it's been wonderful being able to live here and have friends over whenever I want. I never have to tell someone "I can't because my roomate is sleeping" or "I can't tonight because the roomate will be home".

Well, my roomate and his girlfriend have a rather odd relationship. Let's just say that he moved nearly all of his stuff over to her house and he only comes home for a few minutes after work every day to check his email and maybe grab a clean towel or something. When they fight, his bedroom and the refridgerator and the bathroom closet magically get fuller. When they make up, he takes everything back over there again. Many times have I came home and seen the fridge bare (except for my stuff) and the shower only containing my products. Many times the next day, it's all back (lol). He's spent a few nights at home when it's been really bad, and one weekend it was horrible.

Well, that particular weekend, I was absolutely furious that he was home. I was on my cell phone inviting a friend over, and he gave me this completely disapproving look. So I decided not to and just put up with him being home and moping in his bedroom and guzzling down his cheap booze to heal his wounded heart. Thankfully, they made up soon after and I had my freedom back.

Now, fast forward to the past 4 Saturdays. One Saturday, a friend of mine was back on leave from the Army. It was about 4:30 am and my friend and I were watching Die Hard (lol) and my roomate walked in and, again, gave me that disapproving look that I had a guest over. He went into his room and instantly shut the door and talked very quietly on his phone until he fell asleep.

The next Saturday, I was alone, watching a movie quite loud (but not loud enough to bother anyone but him of course). Again, like clockwork, 4something AM and there he was. Again, straight to the bedroom and moped.

The next Saturday, I had another friend over. Again, like clockwork, 5:00 am and there he was, same look, shut the door, mope mope mope.

This last Saturday I left at about 2:30 to pick up an ex boyfriend to hang out with. I left my place knowing there was a good chance he'd be there when I returned. Like clockwork, there was his vehicle. My guest wasn't disappointed; I told him on the way. We got inside, and, of course, bedroom door shut, quiet voice on cell phone, mope mope mope.

I know this is very childish and petty.....we both live here and we both pay rent. But it's been so easy for me the past several months, and it has become ROUTINE to have friends over and have parties on the weekend (if I'm not at someone else's place). I drink every weekend. I drink with people every weekend. I cannot be the only one in this world who adapts to something and it grows on them. I can only imagine what would happen if he and his gf broke up...there's something he's grown to doing as a routine, what would he do if it just stopped?

He doesn't say anything, but just the look on his face says he doesn't want me having friends over. Just the look when he's caught me alone says he'd rather me be asleep or not even there. It really irritates me because I've grown to expect him to be gone and be able to do whatever the hell I want.

I'm not a math major, but the odds of him and his girlfriend getting into a fight at exactly the same time frame every Saturday night/Sunday morning is...well...lottery winning odds. I don't know WHY he's all of a sudden coming home. He KNOWS it's not going to be quiet if he comes home. He KNOWS I may have friends over. He KNOWS I may have a date over. To me, I think it'd be more trouble to wake up his girlfriend (from him getting up from her bed), then walking around in the dark (and maybe tripping over something) and then unlocking then relocking the door just to come home to find me awake with friends over.

And if that really is the case....he doesn't bring problems up to me anymore. He doesn't want my opinion anymore on relationship problems because the last time he got in a fight with her and asked my opinion....he didn't like it. He's one of those people where if he doesn't liek your advice he'll never ask it again.

Guys I know this is really petty but I really don't know how to handle this, and it's really irritating me and getting in the way of things. I can have whoever the hell over whenever the hell I want to! He's already established nearly full residency at her place, and I've adapted to it by having people over whenever I want. Isn't it fair that I'm upset?

AFpheonix
12-21-2006, 07:14 AM
Have you guys bothered to discuss this other than giving each other disapproving looks? That would be the best place to start.
Is he miffed that you keep opposite hours and he can't sleep when he's there? Do you invite him to hang with you and your friends when they're over?

blas
12-21-2006, 01:30 PM
Well that's the thing......I never give him any Looks back. And he won't have anything to do with hanging out with people my age.

If we could just talk about it and figure out a solution, if I could talk to him and truly find out WHY he keeps doing this, I wouldn't have had to ask anyone else's help. If only it were so easy. He never talks to me. It's nothing against me, I don't think anything about this situation is against me, I think it's just his unpredictable relationship with his girlfriend, and he won't ever talk to me anymore other than a "Hi" if he catches me awake on a weekday.

I don't want to ask him why he comes home to his own apartment Saturday nights, but at the same time, I wish he wouldn't be so damn cranky that I have company over.

Cia
12-21-2006, 05:53 PM
Maybe he's giving you the look because you aren't supposed to be having a good time while he's grumpy.

RecoveringKinkoid
12-21-2006, 06:00 PM
If he's got a problem with you, then he can grow a pair and talk to you about it. Otherwise, he can quit with the childish "looks." I don't have a lot of patience for that.

If all he does is glare like a pissy little kid, to heck with him. Ignore him. If it's important, he'll say something.

You both pay rent. He has a right to not have partying in his house every night. You have a right to hang with your friends in your home. Talk, and reach a compromise.

Otherwise, nobody has anything to be pissed off about.

blas
12-21-2006, 06:36 PM
It IS childish....

I've never known him to be a person who does things out of spite, but I'm starting to think that's the only reason he does it.....if he's unhappy with something and he knows I'll be content (even by myself) he's gotta come home and ruin everything.

Kiwi
12-21-2006, 08:32 PM
how about next time he gives you one of these looks, ask him about it?

either that or just ignore him....if he wants to mope unless its affecting you, let him mope

sounds like hes look for sympathy (or an invitation to hang out) either way I read it as an attention seeking "woeistome" thing

Broomjockey
12-21-2006, 08:57 PM
Sounds to me like he doesn't want a roommate, he wants someone to help pay rent. I think more than you having fun or anything, it's probably just the fact of you being there. Ignore him. He sounds like an ass. If he's moving his stuff in and out of his gf's place every time they have an arguement, he's obviously got issues, and you don't need to borrow trouble.

Seriously, ignore him. You'll be happier for it, and if it actually happens that he has a complaint, some hard-core ignoring might force him to grow up a bit, rather than you needing to be psychic.

Rapscallion
12-21-2006, 10:08 PM
Next time he's like this, hand him a maxi pad, some midol, and tell him he has to get his own ice cream.

...

What? What?

Rapscallion

Argabarga
12-21-2006, 11:41 PM
If he never says anything, then there's nobody to blame about his mopiness other than himself.

blas
12-22-2006, 03:21 AM
I don't think it's the roomate situation, it's just his weird relationship with his girlfriend.

And it might seem like "well he has a right to peace and quiet too,"....well yeah, except he's already taken up full residence at his girlfriend's house (which is illegal because she is low income and subsidized housing but I'm not really that worried about it as long as he doesn't come home lol). But FYI...I can't bring up that argument because, to him, he DOESN'T live with her, he "visits" her. My argument is that he's been gone for SOO long that it's been so easy to have friends over......I don't like his new routine. And he knows my schedule, he knows I only get 2 nights a week off.

I doubt there'll be any talking about it.

The Gatekeeper
12-22-2006, 03:44 AM
Blas as someone who hates confrontation and who has been through been many many many roommates from hell I think I should toss in my two cents.

It sounds like you have already decided on what your roommate is thinking without ever actually discussing it. His "disapproving" looks may have absolutely nothing to do with you. His wanting to be alone may also not be a personal slight. If he is having trouble with his girlfriend then maybe that is how he deals with it. Also, from your last post it sounds like you're not even interested in compromising. As with any relationship, things change. Schedules change. The mature thing to do, is talk to him.

Then again if he is anything like my last roommate before I bought my house, he may just be an sucky little a%#hole.:p

blas
12-22-2006, 01:52 PM
We'll just have to see how it goes this weekend. I'm not due at my parents house until Sunday night, and I'm hoping he's going back to his hometown this weekend. Who knows.....and even if he does this weekend, there's no saying that come next Saturday/Sunday he won't just show up at 4 am and start it all over again.

If I ask him why he keeps doing it, all I'll get is a smartassed "I live here too" remark, although that is true, that's not the truth. So going about it that way is not gonna work...
This may not be a good idea either, but I think it'll be the only way to make my argument valid so he can't fight back with anything smartassed. If come next Saturday night (or this Saturday if he doesn't go back home) he comes over and I've got friends over and I get that Look and he goes in his room and pouts and I get that vibe of him being angry I've got friends over, I'll just go in his room and say, "You know, I don't care what you consider it, but you've been LIVING with your girlfriend for the past few months. I never know when you're coming home, and I've never stopped inviting friends over, and even with this new little routine of yours, I'm not EVEN about to stop inviting people over or staying up all night *like I ALWAYS do* just on the slight chance that you might come home!" and see what he says to that.

Maevis
12-22-2006, 06:10 PM
OR the next time he comes home like that, you can say, "To me, you look upset, if it's about me or our roomate situation, can we set up a time to talk it over?"

If the two of you are not able/not willing to sit down and make adjustments and compromises about your living arrangements. Then it's time to look for another place to live.

I would suggest either finding a place of your own, or rooming with someone who operates on the same schedule with you (at least in terms of days off) who doesn't mind having a party every weekend...or at least a guest or two over to watch a movie whenever.

chryso
12-22-2006, 06:18 PM
This is the best sounding roommate situation of which I have ever heard. You have someone who pays half the rent and is hardly ever there. I would be praying that this continues as long as possible.

Maevis
12-22-2006, 06:23 PM
LOL! so true. . .

blas
12-22-2006, 08:54 PM
EXACTLY and now everyone is starting to see why I'm getting so damn angry about it! Everything was going so perfect until he decided to start coming home all the time lol.

Selfish, yes, perhaps it is. But as long as he spends every night at his girlfriend's house, it's empty and mine for the taking! And you bet I'll take full advantage of it!

But see, if we even started talking about it, it'd start a whole back and forth back and forth argument. Here's how it'd go:

H- Him
M- Me

H- I live here too
M- I'm here more often
H- I'm the main person on the lease
M- I'm the one who maintains this place
H- Well I've got commitments
M- And I've got an empty apartment and lots of friends and boys I'm interested in!
H- Well if you think you don't get enough time off, why don't you switch schedules?
M- Well if my schedule bothers you, why don't YOU get a night job?
H- Well I just wanna chill for a while
M- Well you look all pissed off and grumpy I have friends over
H- I want some quiet
M- You shoulda stayed at your girlfriends house!
H- You should be asleep or over at someone else's house
M- Just go back to your girlfriend's house and promise me you two will never break up!

Back and forth for hours it'd go.

It all boils down to this: He has every right to be in his own apartment, but he has NO right to be cranky when this is clearly NOT his main dwelling and he's so random about being home that I take any opportunity that I can.

BusBus
12-24-2006, 08:04 AM
As long as you and your friends aren't keeping him awake at night and are respectful with his space and belongings, then he should not be treating you like that (one sacrifice you are expected to make when living with a roomie is to be mindful of them, including quiet time when they are sleeping).

Next time he gives you The Look, call him on it right then and there..."Hey man, what's with the evil eye?"

blas
01-05-2007, 07:58 PM
That's it guys, it's officially come to a head...

Our cable company is raising its service charges, and my roomate called me last night absolutely refusing to pay the bill because "I don't use the TV!".....ignoring his childish ranting and raving, I kindly agreed to have it put in my name because I use both the cable and internet religiously and feel that I need it. I didn't raise my voice or even argue that fact. Then he brings up the electric bill........oh, ya know, being January now, and being last month was December, oh I don't know, being WINTER IN FUCKING WISCONSIN, using heat is going to make the electric bill go up (if you have electric heat). I was prepared for that and ready to pay for it. He accuses me of wasting electricity by USING THE HEATER (well, gee, I don't want to have to pay for the pipes bursting because of non sufficient heat!) and leaving the TV on all day while I sleep. Yes, that may raise it a few bucks, but I've been doing it for months and the electric bill has been the same. It's only higher because of the HEAT. I asked several people at work and my parents, who always have TV on, and their heat bill only goes up in the winter.

All in all, he ended up going on and on and on and on about things I need to quit doing and blah blah blah blah......I was in a hurry to get to work so I left the phone sitting on the bathroom sink and getting ready in my room, letting him throw his little temper tantrum. (I learned this from dating boys, they do that when they don't want to hear their girlfriends bitching).

I'll update you all as to what happens later on tonight when he gets home, if the shit hits the fan or not.

Something is extremely wrong with this guy and I don't know what it is. If he's having money problems or is trying to save up for something, I'd gladly pay his way, but acting like a fucking child and not to mention an ass by saying "I'm not paying for this shit, it's ALL your doings!".....yeah....I know that.

Wooo...it only took 6 months for that brick to hit him in the head that he's been wasting his money paying for stuff he doesn't use.