Flatmates

One of the things that I've meant to blog about for ages is flat mates. Actually that reminds me of something else. What do you call people you share an apartment with? Apartment mates? House mates? Flat mates? Room mates? I mean, they're not room mates, as I dont share a room with them. I dont live in a house or a flat. I live in an apartment. But still, apartment mates doesnt sound right. I think flat mates does. So from now on, I'll use that.

Anyway, I reckon I've been pretty lucky with who I've lived with in the past. The first time I lived away from home was in Boston in 2002, which was probably one of my best summers ever. I was living with 11 other people is a really cool house. I got along with everyone and it was just basically brilliant. When I came back from Boston, I moved into Brookfield with random people. I was living with Gordon, Brian and Eimear. They were all really nice and we got on really well. But they annoyed me a little bit when they didnt clean up after themselves straight away and I sometimes just cleaned up their mess. Maybe I'm just really clean, or they were a little messy. Either way, it was good fun. Then I moved to New York for my internship in April 2003 and lived with 2 lads in my class. I didnt really know them before, but we got on really well and we got an amazing apartment in Hoboken, NJ with a massive rooftop that had views of Lower and Mid-Manhattan. That was an amazing summer, but again I found myself the only one that really cleaned the house. They were pretty content living in a mess and seeing their bathroom that they shared and their room pretty much confirmed this. But all in all, they were really cool and we had some great nights there. Man I'd love to be back there.

When I came back from NY I lived with other random people in Brookfield. However, this was definitely the best place I've ever lived. I was living with the one and only Mr Giuseppe Previti, one Ms Kellie Morgan and the now infamous Bitch from Midelton a.k.a. Edel something-or-other, I cant remember and dont really care either. As you may have guessed, Peppe was from Italy and Kellie was from California (or Kelliefornia as she liked to say!) In a word, amazing. I had so much fun living there. It really helped that both of them played volleyball, so it really was like living in a family. I think we actually decided when we were talking to Edel that she was the mother, I was the father and Peppe and Kellie were the children. Anyway, others in the volleyball club always mentioned how completely crazy and mental our place must have been to live in. I could go on about this for ages, but I think I'll do it justice and actually blog about it separately. In summary, it was they were the coolest flat mates ever.

Which leads me on to the place I'm currently living in. I'm sharing a "Penthouse" apartment with 3 others, Paul, Neil and Anne Marie. Neil and Anne Marie are a couple, but its not really an issue at all. All very nice people. I think I get on the best with Paul because he's the most similar to me. If I was to say who annoys me the most, its probably Anne Marie. She can be annoying at times! But we all get on great. I have a massive room with a King sized bed no less! But a common theme that runs through my life living away from home is that I see myself as the only one who really cleans the place. I mean, they all clean up after themselves and wash up, but they never really wipe down the counter top, table or cooker after they're finished. And as for brushing up the floor, I dont think they ever do it. When I moved in, I spent an hour or two just cleaning up the kitchen and bathroom so I wouldnt get sick. It was pretty dirty. The bathroom that I share with Paul was manky, so I spent a while cleaning it. I dont think Paul has ever cleaned it. Why should he, he's happy not doing it, and besides, I do it, so even if he wanted to clean up, I just do it for him.

But having said all the bad things about living with other people, I still couldnt live on my own. It would just be so lonely. I mean, I've stayed at home all weekend, and I find it pretty boring and lonely. A friend did call over last night and watched Kill Bill I, but other than that I stayed at home. I dunno, maybe I'm always going to be the person who cleans up. I'm not sure if someone cleaner than me exists. I reckon so, but I havent lived with them yet.

I'm also curious as to what I'm like to live with. Do I do annoying things? Well, Kellie?