Stinky cheese, Spices and Hundreds of Dollars
Posted by erin at January 14, 2003 01:55 PMEvery time a roommate moves out on me, I usually end up acquiring a great deal of crap (not really the case with Maggie), and I also end up losing a bunch of crap. I don't mean roommates take personal items from me, rather, I lose the use of useful roommate items that I do not otherwise own.
My very first set of NYU roommates moved out a week before I did, and took with them all the shower curtains and wastebaskets. Fortunately I knew someone with an extra shower curtain, and I was able to hang plastic bags on doorknobs for wastebaskets, and, as you can imagine I was not happy with my ex-roommates, as the wastebaskets and shower curtains were provided by NYU. I owned almost nothing at the time. They also took all the lamps, and the remaining lighting was woefully inadequate. I strung together the desk lights and listened to my alarm-clock-radio for entertainment.
Maggie leaving has not left me in such a rift. Rather, leaving most of my stuff to Lauren left me in a rift. When I moved into Tedd's place, he was over-stocked with dishes, pans, silverware, and small appliances so I took almost nothing with me, leaving my silverware and such to Lauren, who had none. I currently have a bare minimum of two forks, two spoons, a butter knife, and one sauce pan.
The point here is that every time I move into a new place I end up dropping around a hundred dollars or more on replacement items, or on new things that I never had but now need. I'm not talking about crap like anime or posters, or even anime posters. Last night I got a new bathroom rug, an expanding file folder-thing, a small frying pan, a cutting board, three small plastic cups, and some cheap steak knives.
My current dilemma is much like the one I had at water street - when you know you're going to move in with someone who has stuff, but you need to use stuff now, what do you do?
It is the coffee-bean grinder dilemma: When I lived behind the elevator I planned to move in with Demi the next semester. She had a coffee bean grinder. I had some coffee beans. When I needed to grind them and she wasn't home, so I ended up buying a coffee bean grinder. Then I moved in with Demi. Then Demi moved away. Then I had two coffee bean grinders. At some point I threw one out.
Later I moved in with Lauren. I stopped making coffee. When I moved out, I didn't take the coffee bean grinder, or indeed, the good coffee maker (Demi's old one).
I face a similar problem now: I know that in about 6 months I'll move in with N. His apartment is well-stocked with pans, and a good coffee maker, and a blender and such things. But I need a cutting board NOW.
Thus ends the segment, How I Spent $70 at K-Mart Last Night and How I Felt About That.
Moving on, there is some stinky cheese in my fridge. Who's is it? (Maggie's? A.K.'s?) Also left behind: assorted toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner for color-treated hair, and a lot of Indian spices that I don't really know how to use.
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January 14, 2003 03:28 PM, ET said:
Ikea has plastic cutting boards for about 1 or 2 bucks. They have many kitchen items for low prices. In fact, you should check $0.99 stores, which have a surprisingly amount of random junk. There's a store right by my subway stop which carries an astonishing selection of cheap plastic stuff in general. Chinatown is an option for ya, too.
The point being, you should've consulted your friendly local cheapskate (ahem) and saved some $$. Also, anything you don't immediately need you should just store in a box. Unless you want to burn money every time you move. However, if you don't hire movers, your friends may bitch about the inordinate amount of shit you own.
January 14, 2003 03:47 PM, Sam said:
I have two indian cookbooks that are not excessively complicated-sounding :) Or alternatively, give me the spices, and I'll cook some Indian food. Although I'm not sure when that will happen... this weekend is a busy one, then I'm off to Singapore!! Whee, Singapore! Super excited :)
January 14, 2003 05:47 PM, Agnieszka said:
The shampoo I left behind. It works on non color treated hair too. By the way, did you happen to find a box for a digital camera? It might be under what was Maggie's bed. If you do, could you mail it to me? I think I need the box (and the forms inside it) to do the warranty thing for the camera.
The cardamom pods are good to add to tea. The garam masala, which is the stuff in the plastic jar, is good in lentils, chicken, and all kinds of stew. But dont go crazy with it because it's spicy.
The dark red mush in the plastic container (not the chutney) is tamarind paste. It's sour and good to add to lentils or other stew. But also, don't use too much or else it will be too sour. I think that maybe you should put it in the fridge. I don't think it needs to be refrigirated, but your apartment is really warm.
The smelly cheese is from Maggie's tea party. I reccomend it with crackers. If you like smelly cheese that is.
The vanilla bean can be added in small bits to coffee, either once it's done, or to the grounds, to make vanilla coffee. It can also be sniffed for a refreshing and happy-making dose of vanilla scent.
January 14, 2003 10:41 PM, Kerry said:
Or, in about six months you two could move in with me+wife and Hal(if he doesn't go to Japan). Don`t tell me that wouldn't be great. D+D all the time!(maybe we can make N play) Free listening to me complain about bad anime translation! Being able to watch stuff before it is subbed! Too many exclamation marks!
January 15, 2003 12:17 AM, Erin said:
I thought you were going to Harvard?
Also N is totally against this idea, and his apartment is really cool, so uh... no.
January 15, 2003 12:18 AM, Erin said:
A.K. - thanks for the spice advice. I will mail you the camera box when I get a chance.
I don't think I could stomach another trip to IKEA, but Chinatown is good advice - thanks, E.T.!!
January 15, 2003 07:34 PM, Kerry said:
Harvard is if I get in. N is a weirdo. What`s to object?
January 15, 2003 08:26 PM, Maggie said:
How could you NOT move in with Kerry? He'll even clean the toilet bowl for you every morning... with his pee.
AK, if the case were under my bed, the movers probably took it and it's in storage somewhere now. I'll look for it when my stuff arrives if you don't find it by then.
January 15, 2003 11:13 PM, Halifax said:
Don't listen to AK--that shampoo is mine.
And why did you buy a dang toothbrush? I could have found one free under a dumpster.
January 16, 2003 08:44 AM, N. said:
I'm no weirdo. I just have the most excellent apartment in NY. I have no plans of giving it up any time soon.
January 16, 2003 07:04 PM, Erin said:
Maggie, AK, I found the box immediately. I'll mail it as soon as I can go to the post office.
N is weird, that's why I love him. I am also a weirdo. Obviously!
Anyhow in general I don't think people live with married couples unless their somehow related (like living with one's sibling and his wife, or something, I guess).
In general I wouldn't want to live with a roommate who not only could pick me up over his/her head, but who is also clincally insane.
January 19, 2003 10:16 PM, Kerry said:
La la la. I`m much better now. I know it is weird to get married and then live with someone, but hey, read Brogel. I want Hal to be Borgel. Also, I have heard of this great apartment N has. So, the solution is to remove his current roommates. If they live high enough then my lift-over-head ability might aid that removal.
January 20, 2003 10:51 PM, Halifax said:
Dude, like in Cliffhanger, when that guy totally gets impaled on a stalagtite!
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