when in doubt - give up....

it's been a weird january thus far. i'm trying, but it's all kinda going in the shitter (thank god for shauna...) - but i have faith it'll get better, just the signs so far are pointing to 'no'. some bad hockey, a potential 15,000 dollar screw-up at work, stuff made for topanga that didn't fit, and other stuff....i think more listening instead of talking for a while is in order...
last night after shauna took the elephant to go see some friends with ang, i had the following discussion with my idiot neighbour. (i should say he and i have had our times over the last ten years but in the last year he's become more of an old lady...)

(knock on door)

john: hey did you knock on my door earlier
me: yes, i was wondering if i need a special key to get into the laundry room downstairs
j: yes, you have to buy a key
me: buy? that's weird...hhhmmm
j: garn the bass is really bad, you've gotta turn it down
(history - he hates my sub-woofer on my stereo and has complained before. i, the other night was adjusting it trying to make it less dynamic.)
me: i have been adjusting it
j: i work hard garnet
g: so do i
j: i have to be up every day at 5:30 a.m.
g: me too
j: then you have to do something
g: i understand. i'm trying...
j: you can't do that, you've got to get rid of it.
me: well, i'm trying to make it so we can both be happy with it
j: no, you can't have everything running through your stereo. i come home and sit on the couch and try and relax and it boom boom boom.
me: john i'm just watching tv.
j: you've got that huge tv and the sub-woofer...
me: i'm trying to make it less and was doing that the other night
j: you've got to get rid of it, you can't have it. what if i came home and cranked up emerson, lake and palmer every night?
me: go ahead.
j: i hear 800 cycles and up and that sub is 800 cycles and down and you can't have that.
me: i understand.
j: no you don't get it. you have to get rid of it.
me: fuck this. (i start to close the door..)
j: garn, no...hey!
me: fuck this john. i close the door and lock it.

i then walked over to my sub-woofer and turned it right down. i give. as much as i'd like to punch his lights out, i don't need the hassle. better to just give in and shut-up. keeping my head down seems the best option. and for the record, this neighbour has a great record.
he burned his parents house down when he was younger.
he has said racist statements on cbc when he was working there and was a guest on nightlines.
he tried to get a former girlfriend of mine to come and have a glass of wine with him in one of the vacant apartments he had the key to because he was on council.
he has his friends over who act like 16 year olds - they're all close to or over 50 years old as is he, and they smoke pot on the balconey and it drifts into my place, they yell over top of the speakers saying how wicked they sound.
he used to steal my sun newspaper and then put it back after he had read it.
one time when someone had made some dirt trails in the hallway he said, at a council meeting with everyone there, it was like someone had dragged something in from the pickton farm. nice.

anyhow. he's awesome. that john.

good times.

g. xo