Nine Years of Complex Living

Today is nine years - to the date - when I moved into this 44 unit townhouse complex.  When I moved in, it was full of people who I either liked or hated (there was no middle of the road) and they weren't too sure of me.  However, as the months turned into years, I found I made some good acquaintances and some very good life-long friends; the latter were harder to make as my trust in people wasn't very good.  

I have seen a lot happen here and much of it either very interesting or scary; but it taught me a lot about the human race.  We can be terrible lot.  We can be competitive, abusive, addictive and drunks.  However, on the other hand, there are the people who can be sensitive, nice and turn out to be good friends.  It's just hard to find them.  And I've been here long enough to see all sides of the human race - from violent and jealous housemates who hate their best mate's girlfriend to the point they nearly push them down the stairs, to the love people show each other when a long-term resident has passed away and we all pull together to support their widow.

We've had spates of break-ins (where my place didn't get hit thankfully), a bomb blast (some stupid kids got the recipe off the net and the ingredient from their own back shed; idiots didn't realise how volatile and unstable it would be when they dropped it!), a fire in a unit down the front (where the tenant had left something on the stove and went out; easily done in the middle of Winter; she returned home after she had a nagging feeling something was wrong) and domestic fights and unrest around the place which the police were called in for; but none of us wanted to get involve in (and really do you blame us?  All we want at the end of a day - or on a weekend - is to kick back and have a bit of fun and enjoy a bit of quiet).  

You can't say that living in a place like this is anything but boring.  Actually, I compare it to 'Neighbours' where there's never a dull moment; there's always something going on and if it's not one thing that's a problem; it's another.  

But the one thing that has changed the most over these last nine years is my townhouse.  It's gone from a mostly-empty place where I had a folding chair and a little black portable television with a VCR to a bigger TV, nice lounge, coffee table, dvd player and HD box in an entertainment unit with a nice stereo system and turntable.  I also had a gorgeous piano and credenza where I keep my vinyls and some cabinets where my dvds are (and I'm never short of anything to watch when there's nothing on the Idiot Box).

And if it's not the living room I hang out in, I'm working in my garden looking after the poor excuse for a lawn (it's mainly weeds now) and my potted plants which are always in great need of a repot at some point or another.  I'm always busy with some painting project or knitting or writing something on the computer.  Then, there's my book collection.  It went from one bookcase - which lived in my living room downstairs - to a four bookcase, 1,000+ book collection which is currently surrounding me in this office.  I now have no excuse not to read anything I truly want; there's so many books!  I haven't borrowed anything from a library in over two years and have friends and family who borrow books off me; instead of me borrowing books off them.  

When I return home from anywhere, and I open the front door, I love to see my house.  It's got everything I need in it; and when I've been offered to stay somewhere at a friends' house for more than one night, I feel homesick for this place as it is my home.  it is my castle and I have built it up over nine years of living in the one spot.  I may move once I get a job, however, where I move to has to be a better place than this.  I have to happy with my new place and I have to know it's the right thing to do.  

Living in a unit complex isn't for everyone (believe me, I've seen neighbours come and go for one reason or another; and some have left due to not being suitable, and they know it).  However, when you've lived in units and townhouses for your whole life, you rarely look into living in a house as it's not really what you'd want.  However, I've been living in unit complexes since I was 24 - when I first moved out of home - and they seem to suit me as they're not too big for me to clean and I remember where everything is (especially seeing at my first place, I was living with two guys; and I spent my first fortnight doing laundry and cleaning the house non-stop).  However, as time went on, I found out how houses ran, how the bills were paid and when the shopping was done (and what not to buy when it was on sale... like don't ever buy the single ply dirt cheap toilet paper, just to save a few cents; it's bloody sandpaper!).  After six months of living away from home, I returned to Mum and Dad's house and found it was different.  I was different.  Life was different.

So, once I started living out on my own, I found it was something I had to get used to.  Life was new for me and - as my brother told me on our first phone call to my house - it was my place and I could do what I wanted, when I wanted and the best thing was that I could have my own house rules... now that's something I hadn't thought of until then!  Now, I have a very strict house; and I love it.  Personally, I could live with somebody, but only if they thought the same way as I did; but who's going to be like me; except me?  Nobody, right?  Right!  Well, it's been nine years and I've got mixed feelings about how I feel on living here.  There's times I love it; times I hate it and times I know it's my castle and home.  But I will move when the time is right and when I have a job and enough money together.  Until my next post, take care, keep warm and safe and remember, I'm always here.