So there’s like 6 inches of snow on the ground here in the Rotten Apple, and last night the heat in my building goes out. And never comes back on. And this morning the hot water goes as well. I am sick of being nice and understanding about it, I am sick of the fucking excuses, I am sick of being told how this is “nothing”, how 20 years ago when the long-time tenants were already there, it was really really bad. I am sick of not being able to take a shower in the morning. I am sick of this ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS happening like clockwork on the coldest day of the year.
But to add insult to injury, back in July and August when the heat index was like 110, the motherfucking heat kicked on religiously every single fucking day (yeah, “what the fuck?”, that was my reaction, too). And it’s always some stupid fucking bullshit excuse: The oil delivery didn’t show up. The man is supposed to look at the boiler and they already called him 5 times but he hasn’t shown up - you know they’re all busy it’s that time of year blah blah blah. I have fucking had it!!! FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK! (I tend to lose my vocabulary when I’m really pissed off. This morning I already screamed “Fuck” on the top of my lungs about 500 times and it still doesn’t make me feel better.) And with the weekend coming up you can bet your fucking bottom dollar that no one is going to show until Monday to fix whatever the fuck is wrong this time.
BTW, please spare me any unsolicited advise. Yes, I am aware of what things should be according to the laws and what numbers to call and all that shit. I’m not asking for guidance, I just really really need to blow off steam (the radiators in my house sure don’t blow off any steam these days - ha!). This takes me to another rant. I hate nothing more than when you just want to blow off to someone about something that pisses you off and they always feel obligated to offer some kind of unsolicited advice. I hate that. It implies that you are some naive fucking idiot who doesn’t know what her rights are or something. And when you reject it (the advice), they act all injured and insulted, and then to add to whatever you stress you are already experiencing, suddenly you have to console them on top of everything else, smoothing over their hurt feelings and reassuring them because you rejected their fucking well-meaning advice. How did it suddenly become all about you, fuckwad??? I just want to vent. Don’t give me advise and then put the fucking guilt-trip on me when I don’t want it. Most unsolicited advice is already obvious to the person venting. They just want to be listened to. I wish people would understand that already. FUCK!
Yeah, or building an igloo in my living room. Those things keep the eskimos warm, so it must work. And currently there is no chance that it would melt and make a soaky mess on my carpet. <gallows-humor snicker>
Our landlord is actually a very decent person who sticks her neck out mightily to battle certain powers-that-be, and fights to get things done. She also doesn’t hesitate to give rent-credits whenever something is not the way it should be. It’s a complicated situation, as this type of shit is not really her fault. That makes it hard to get mad at her. See how complicated all of this is? Makes you want to pull your hair out.
Hey, Suspenderzzzz, I’d take her advice. If anyone knows cold, it’s the Chique o’ the North. Damn central Minnesota is an icebox for seven months of the year…
Thanks for all the commentary, folks. I am happy to report that the problem was corrected by Friday afternoon. Obviously somebody did something, and speedily to boot. I just feel sorry for the super. Every time this happens, he can’t leave his apartment without everyone jumping on him and demanding to know what the fuck is going on. On Friday night I encountered him in the hallway, and he looked absolutely battle- worn. He was on his way to a basement retreat with a bottle of Heineken.
Suspenderzzz…don’t take this the wrong way, but…You live in New York. You’ll never have living conditions precisely the way you want them, not even if you live on Park Avenue.
Now, I’m not ragging on NYC or any of its citizens. I’m just saying that New York is a city in which it’s impossible for your living conditions to be exactly as you like them for every day of every month of every year of your tenure there.
It’s hot and muggy in summer, and the winters are brutal. Other places get hot and muggy, but not all places have a forest of buildings to keep the heat trapped. Other places get horrendous winters as well. But snow is one thing in Wisconsin, where people drive on wide roads with heavy-duty vehicles, and another in NYC where people (mostly) drive regular cars on narrow streets, dodging buses and cabs.
For mostly everyone: Housing is at a premium, and you have to have an apartment. You want one close to where you work, in the safest community possible (lotsa luck). You want one you can afford. You want it in good condition, with as many amenities as possible; you want a reasonable landlord and a superintendent you can count on. You want to be able to park your car easily and safely. But so does everyone else, so you usually have to settle for some combination of the above, and you might satisfy very few of the requirements.
C’mon out here to LA! Laugh at us as we frantically bundle up when it goes below 72. We’ll laugh, too…all the way to the beach.
Rilchiam – of course you’re right. I wouldn’t trade New York for anything. I have put myself through a lot of bullshit in order to be able to live here. You have to understand, however, that it is not unusual for us New Yorkers to kvetch and compain loudly about something or other. Kvetching and complaining are respected local pastimes. That doesn’t mean we would trade our beloved Rotten Apple for the heartland – or even for LA.
