2011-12-19 12:41:27 ET

I can't believe it's almost Christmas. I'm not sure if that's a good thing.

I'm still paying 100% of the bills -- Greg has been out of work since April. His disbursement from Spring semester will clear before mine so I asked him to pay February's rent... yes, by himself (like I've been doing every month since April, except the one month he paid half). And he threw a hissy fit about how I said he had to have enough money to pay half of moving expenses (yes, duh - I paid for the moving expenses the last 2 places by myself) -- he bitched about this place as much as I did until I said you had to pay half. It's not livable in the summer unless you're cool with the fact that even with a/c (window units) on it won't get under 85 degrees which exacerbates my skin condition and the electric is over $200 a month for our less than 500 square feet. Landlord won't improve insulation or replace the old panel windows which would help so moving needs to be done. Now he's accepted a job on oDesk that pays $60 per batch (which is probably going to take him 4 days+) so he thinks he's entitled to not having to do dishes and just generally bitching at me. Once he finishes this oDesk shit I'm harassing him to go be a telemarketer. They're always hiring and frankly, you've been out of work since April - it's about time you did a job you'd rather not do.. like every job I've had to do.


2011-12-19 12:47:15 ET

in the mean time with the place, have you tried hanging blankets for insulation from the walls and over windows, using foil, and using that plastic on windows like we do for cold but for your heat? it would be worth it to try the reflective stuff too.
http://www.amazon.com/Gila-LES361-Control-Residential-Platinum/dp/B000KKM8EG

but you can buy it at home depot etc. too

2011-12-19 12:51:14 ET

Did the blankets, multiple curtains, etc last Summer... that was how we got it down to about 85. lol.

You can't use the tape stuff on the old rolling out windows... it won't stick with the uneven surface.

2011-12-19 13:41:24 ET

Are you allowed to plant banana trees?

2011-12-19 13:50:58 ET

Probably, but I doubt they'd grow in our crappy soil... but I don't know anything about plants.

2011-12-19 23:55:04 ET

They were awesome at helping to cool the house near Galveston. They grow fast and have big leaves. They stop the sun from hitting and heating the walls

2011-12-20 06:24:21 ET

I may have to talk to the landlord about that.

2011-12-20 08:51:22 ET

I had them on the west and south walls. My ac was a single wall unit in the kitchen... But my house (tiny duplex) stayed pretty tolerable because I kept it dark, unplugged, and had plants etc to help.

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