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Yes, I am serious. I am not being snarky, sarcastic, silly, screwy, or any other adjective that begins with "s" that is in any way funny or less than truthful.
Some of you may remember my previous rants and railings against my complex's idiotic and incompetent management, such as this from 2010 and this from 2011. To say I was unimpressed with some of the morons they've found to run this place would be like saying Lindsay Lohan likes to party a little.
So a while back (don't know how long), we got yet another new management team in. Still the same management company and the same ownership, but new people. And by "team" I am referring to the HBIC, or "Head Bitch in Charge." Because she is just about the only one I've dealt with since she's arrived, and I think it's her goal to BE the face of the complex. Which is good. Because when I use "bitch" above to refer to her, I use in the context of "badass bitch." But for the rest of this post, I shall simply refer to her as "Glinda."
This woman is sweet, efficient, competent, professional, will work with us on any issue, and wants us her tenants to be happy. You know, pretty much the exact opposite of her many idiotic predecessors. She has somehow managed to improve the morale of many of the tenants here already, and she hasn't been here that long. (A year or so, I think.) I know for myself, I no longer feel like slamming my head into a large blunt object after dealing with the front office. And it seems to be a happier place. Hell, on an apartment complex rating website (are you surprised that such a thing exists), you can actually SEE where the change occurs, as this complex used to get mediocre to scathing reviews, and now gets positive reviews, and when she is mentioned, they become absolutely glowing. I told her today that she is a "breath of fresh air," and she said (quite humbly, and without speaking ill of those who came before her) that she's heard that from a few people.
Today was a fantastic example, as it was awesome. (And no, today is not the only reason I am so fond of Glinda, but it illustrates just how much she is turning the place around.)
Today I called her for an unrelated reason (some minor stuff we have to take care of), and I mentioned that we needed a new smoke detector, as SOMEONE may have removed it a while back, and now we can't find it.
She said no problem, and we won't be charged for it. Cool.
"And is there anything else your apartment needs?" Wait, what? I know we've been here seven years, so that when they went around refurbishing apartments as people vacated them, they haven't gotten to ours (it being occupied and all), but was this woman actually offering some real improvements?
She was.
"Well...."
And I told her about our non-locking balcony door. Technically it locks, but only if you get it JUST RIGHT, and even then, it's not much to pop it open merely by sliding the door. Locks should not be puzzles to be pored over, they should just work. No problem, she'd get that fixed.
Then she asked me what size washer/dryer we have. I told her we have the standard mini-stack. "Would you like full-size ones?"
Um, yeah, we would love a new full-sized washer and dryer, but I don't think they're gonna fit in that space. "Oh, they will. When the guy comes by tomorrow to replace the smoke detector [did she really just say "tomorrow"?!?], I'll have him check it out, but I'm certain we can get you new machines."
Full-sized washer and dryer? NEW full-size washer and dryer? As in, she just said she'll ORDER it tomorrow? A dryer that doesn't take three full go-rounds just to dry a single load? YES, PLEASE!
And then I remembered about the AC. Which is....tempermental. Key part of that being the "mental" part. In the winter, it's fine, but in the warmer summer months, it is much like that idiot brother-in-law many people have--it works occasionally, but not always when you really need it to.
I told her about it, and how in the past they've merely replaced a minor part, always assuring us it was fine, and one time even telling Mr. Anti-Social that it was "only a couple years old." At which Mr. Anti-Social laughed, and informed the maintenance man that we had been here seven years, and it's never been replaced; it certainly was not in any way new.
That too shall be fixed, and she expects our electric bill to go down.
Ho. Ly. Crap!
Mr. Anti-Social is impressed. Mr. Fixit is impressed. I'M impressed. We've never had this before. (And Mr. Anti-Social has been here as long as I have.) Even when she gives us bad news, as with the now required renter's insurance we have to get (it's in the lease we signed in August; I checked), she's still so NICE about it. Even when we resist. No histrionics, no "this is the way it is, so do it" attitude like in the past. Just, "Sorry, Jester, but I'm afraid it's part of the lease, and everyone has to do it." She really may be a good witch, because she makes unpleasantness like that seem pleasant. (Even recommended a company that has pretty damn good rates.)
So I was already pretty stoked, and now Mr. Anti-Social has suggested a couple of other things that could do with some work. The stove: it's old and beaten up, and the temperature dials are suggestions more than anything. And the burners are many things, but level is not one of them. To be fair, despite its mileage, the good thing about the stove is that its HOTTER than the temps we dial up. Better than the alternative of not being hot enough. Still, level burners and accurate temps would be a nice change. And then there's the balcony screen. Which has a whole in it the size of Joan Rivers's plastic surgery bill. Which it has had since we moved in. In 2005. In the past, when we asked about this, we were told that screens were the responsibility of the tenants.
I will ask her about both of these, and hope for the best, but I really think she may come through. I don't feel like I'm dealing with a bullshit artists. "Oh yeah, buddy, we'll get right on that." And then....crickets. No, she is sincere and when she says something will happen, it pretty much happens.
Hell, if she replaces the washer/dryer and not the screen, I'm fine with that. If she replaces the washer/dryer and fixes the AC, but not the screen, I'll be thrilled. If she adds the stove to the list, but still can't do the screen, I'll go fucking buy one myself.
If she hits the whole list, I may just nominate her for sainthood.
So....how was YOUR Wednesday?
Some of you may remember my previous rants and railings against my complex's idiotic and incompetent management, such as this from 2010 and this from 2011. To say I was unimpressed with some of the morons they've found to run this place would be like saying Lindsay Lohan likes to party a little.
So a while back (don't know how long), we got yet another new management team in. Still the same management company and the same ownership, but new people. And by "team" I am referring to the HBIC, or "Head Bitch in Charge." Because she is just about the only one I've dealt with since she's arrived, and I think it's her goal to BE the face of the complex. Which is good. Because when I use "bitch" above to refer to her, I use in the context of "badass bitch." But for the rest of this post, I shall simply refer to her as "Glinda."
This woman is sweet, efficient, competent, professional, will work with us on any issue, and wants us her tenants to be happy. You know, pretty much the exact opposite of her many idiotic predecessors. She has somehow managed to improve the morale of many of the tenants here already, and she hasn't been here that long. (A year or so, I think.) I know for myself, I no longer feel like slamming my head into a large blunt object after dealing with the front office. And it seems to be a happier place. Hell, on an apartment complex rating website (are you surprised that such a thing exists), you can actually SEE where the change occurs, as this complex used to get mediocre to scathing reviews, and now gets positive reviews, and when she is mentioned, they become absolutely glowing. I told her today that she is a "breath of fresh air," and she said (quite humbly, and without speaking ill of those who came before her) that she's heard that from a few people.
Today was a fantastic example, as it was awesome. (And no, today is not the only reason I am so fond of Glinda, but it illustrates just how much she is turning the place around.)
Today I called her for an unrelated reason (some minor stuff we have to take care of), and I mentioned that we needed a new smoke detector, as SOMEONE may have removed it a while back, and now we can't find it.
She said no problem, and we won't be charged for it. Cool."And is there anything else your apartment needs?" Wait, what? I know we've been here seven years, so that when they went around refurbishing apartments as people vacated them, they haven't gotten to ours (it being occupied and all), but was this woman actually offering some real improvements?
She was.
"Well...."
And I told her about our non-locking balcony door. Technically it locks, but only if you get it JUST RIGHT, and even then, it's not much to pop it open merely by sliding the door. Locks should not be puzzles to be pored over, they should just work. No problem, she'd get that fixed.
Then she asked me what size washer/dryer we have. I told her we have the standard mini-stack. "Would you like full-size ones?"
Um, yeah, we would love a new full-sized washer and dryer, but I don't think they're gonna fit in that space. "Oh, they will. When the guy comes by tomorrow to replace the smoke detector [did she really just say "tomorrow"?!?], I'll have him check it out, but I'm certain we can get you new machines."
Full-sized washer and dryer? NEW full-size washer and dryer? As in, she just said she'll ORDER it tomorrow? A dryer that doesn't take three full go-rounds just to dry a single load? YES, PLEASE!
And then I remembered about the AC. Which is....tempermental. Key part of that being the "mental" part. In the winter, it's fine, but in the warmer summer months, it is much like that idiot brother-in-law many people have--it works occasionally, but not always when you really need it to.
I told her about it, and how in the past they've merely replaced a minor part, always assuring us it was fine, and one time even telling Mr. Anti-Social that it was "only a couple years old." At which Mr. Anti-Social laughed, and informed the maintenance man that we had been here seven years, and it's never been replaced; it certainly was not in any way new.
That too shall be fixed, and she expects our electric bill to go down.
Ho. Ly. Crap!
Mr. Anti-Social is impressed. Mr. Fixit is impressed. I'M impressed. We've never had this before. (And Mr. Anti-Social has been here as long as I have.) Even when she gives us bad news, as with the now required renter's insurance we have to get (it's in the lease we signed in August; I checked), she's still so NICE about it. Even when we resist. No histrionics, no "this is the way it is, so do it" attitude like in the past. Just, "Sorry, Jester, but I'm afraid it's part of the lease, and everyone has to do it." She really may be a good witch, because she makes unpleasantness like that seem pleasant. (Even recommended a company that has pretty damn good rates.)
So I was already pretty stoked, and now Mr. Anti-Social has suggested a couple of other things that could do with some work. The stove: it's old and beaten up, and the temperature dials are suggestions more than anything. And the burners are many things, but level is not one of them. To be fair, despite its mileage, the good thing about the stove is that its HOTTER than the temps we dial up. Better than the alternative of not being hot enough. Still, level burners and accurate temps would be a nice change. And then there's the balcony screen. Which has a whole in it the size of Joan Rivers's plastic surgery bill. Which it has had since we moved in. In 2005. In the past, when we asked about this, we were told that screens were the responsibility of the tenants.
I will ask her about both of these, and hope for the best, but I really think she may come through. I don't feel like I'm dealing with a bullshit artists. "Oh yeah, buddy, we'll get right on that." And then....crickets. No, she is sincere and when she says something will happen, it pretty much happens.
Hell, if she replaces the washer/dryer and not the screen, I'm fine with that. If she replaces the washer/dryer and fixes the AC, but not the screen, I'll be thrilled. If she adds the stove to the list, but still can't do the screen, I'll go fucking buy one myself.
If she hits the whole list, I may just nominate her for sainthood.
So....how was YOUR Wednesday?
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