During the last big rain last week, the leak in my ceiling got worse (it leaked to a manageable extent in early March), and I started freaking out. By freaking out, that means my emails to the landlady were on the verge of becoming not-so-cordial.
It just so happened that an apartment on the 6th floor just became available. She said I could sleep up there until the leak was fixed since the leak was right over the sleeping area. When she came by to give me the keys, she said I could move into the apartment if I wanted to, too. Playing it cool, I told her I would think about it and let her know as soon as possible. In my mind, I jumped at the opportunity and decided to wait until the next morning to tell her, yes, I wanted to move.
The selling point was that it has windows with views:
April 11, 2007 - It's smaller and more worn than the downstairs apartment. It's also bound to be hotter in the Summer months and it's much more noisier (read: previous apartment was newer, cooler, and quieter). However, I don't need a lot of room, I don't have a lot of stuff and would be happy to get rid of some of what I have; I love the heat and practically thrive in it; and the noise doesn't bother me, it makes me feel like I'm living in a city.
It's also much more private. Downstairs I could clearly hear my neighbor sneeze and cough because of some hole in the wall above the false ceiling. Also sounds from other apartments with windows in the alley my window faced made me feel like I was living in slums. I don't mean that in a derogatory way, it was actually quite homey in a community-feel sort of way.
In my new apartment, I'm comfortable making any amount of noise, I only have one hall neighbor and it seems he's not around much anyway. When I open my windows, the traffic noise is so loud I feel perfectly comfortable whipping out my guitar and wailing away a few bars of "Hey Joe". Or not.
The view out my new window:
I feel much more part of the city. Actually a parade of emergency vehicles just went wailing by, and whereas before I could just hear them, I could see them now. I've never seen so many emergency vehicles negotiating typical Taiwan traffic that has no concept of pulling to the side when emergency vehicles are riding up their asses. You know, people, someday it's going to be one of your grandparents or your house on fire, and you'll want people getting out of the way of fire trucks and ambulances.
iTunes soundtrack:
1. Artificial Man (The Kinks)
2. Let 'Em In (Wings)
3. Heart Full of Soul (The Yardbirds)
4. Sent For You Yesterday and Here You Come Today (Count Basie)
5. Everybody Hurts (R.E.M.)
6. Love Song (Nokko)
7. The Blue Bus Blues (Bakufu Slump)
8. Napoleon (live) (Ani DiFranco)
9. Silverfuck (Smashing Pumpkins)
10. Father Ruler King Computer (Echobelly)
2 comments:
Congratulations - a room with a view.
Yes, indeed--- one of the things that never fails get to my goat in the Sunset is that if you are trying to squeeze past the knot of old ladies on the bus, trying to negotiate your way past the knot of folks on the sidewalk, just trying to walk in a straight line without getting mowed down by those weaving all over the place, then you can guarantee they will simply look at you with those empty eyes that seem to say "huh?"
wow...that is quite a view!!!
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