March 16th, 2006
"To every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." Newton's first law. Or third. I never remember which is which. In any case, the clever Englishman was onto something. Most recently illustrated by the following example.
When I met my new landlord a couple weeks back, he was helping this Japanese couple move into one of his apartments. I met him there as well, he said he would show me some places after he was done with them. The guy was also showing some places to this Malaysian girl, who remarked to me how effin cold that morning was. As we're waiting for the Japanese to get sorted out (and indeed they are efficient people), the last formality is signing the contract. He gives them the paper to read, and explains things that aren't quite clear. It was fairly routine, except one thing which made both me and the Japanese exchange puzzled looks. "Tenant will not use pot in the house."
Erik has a new roommate. Well technically, housemate, apartmentmate, flatmate, whatever. Just that any of those words sound so corny to me and so I prefer 'roommate' even though it's a bit misleading (or at least ambiguous). Erik complains of a smell of marijuana in his room. It's the roommate smoking pot in the other room, and the smoke (as gas generally does expertly well) spreads in every direction where there's less air pressure. In fact, when my roommate smokes in his room (only it's cigarettes, not pot), I can sometimes smell smoke in my room. Worse yet, when the asswipe neighbor downstairs goes outside to smoke and I have my window open, I get smoke in my room.
No wonder then, that my contract says "If you smoke pot in the house, you will get booted out and your shit will be tossed in the nearest canal." Well, it doesn't actually say that, I have the same one the Japanese got. But it sounds reasonable, doesn't it?
Well, yes... smoking pot in a house or on the balcony next to you is pure vandalism I say. The smell is horrible and tormenting.
[1] Let me clarify your statement. "smoking in a house or on the balcony next to you is pure vandalism I say. The smell is horrible and tormenting."
I should send you more text messages; apparently they make good blog entries :D
[2] well, yes, when one smokes 'drugs' (like weed). Once my neighbour smoked one of those at his balcony next to ours in the summer. We were outside on the balcony enjoying the nice weather when suddenly we had to leave because the smell was horrible. Fortunately he never did that again (probably because I started complaining very loud).:D
When it comes to 'normal' cigarettes, then I'm not that severe.
[3] I was gonna reply "want me to rough him up", then I thought about blogging it instead.. :D
[4] Smoking is smoking, a vile, revolting habit inflicted upon people who never asked to be poisoned. It's like parking your car in someone's house and leaving the engine running.
[5] I completely agree with you :D