Step 26 - I can see the future...

Here's a recent exchange I had with a future housemate via SMS.

Housemate: hihi ill have a kitty! :D

Me: I'm allergic to cats :/

Housemate: what??? ur kiddin me right? fuck... isnt there anything u can do? like meds? :(

Me: not going to live on antihistamines so you can get a cat. Don't you think its a pretty big issue anyway? Something u should ask about? Regardless of allergies.

Housemate: it would live with me in my room so not really. plus it would make comin home nicer. whatever

Me: Be realistic *name*. Keeping a cat trapped in your room would be cruel to say the least, and its not like the cat hairs wouldn't come out on you and your clothes.

Housemate: i said whatever! no cat! jesus...

I can see the future, and it's not pretty.

I'm really hoping we can pull it together and have a working livable relationship, but I'm getting quite concerned about it. She's had a go at me twice about leaving the toilet seat up, when most times I've even been into that bathroom, the seat has been up anyway.

In particular, I'm really not cool with her attitude to bringing up issues that are annoying her. Her style is ...confrontational... (pretty accusatory, threatening and in general, aggressive). Regarding the toilet seat, my response was pretty immature (flipping the bird) so that raised the tempo of the argument, but I guess that was just my instant response when she decided to shout over me at a toilet seat.

'Dude, are you sure?'

There are other incidents that have occurred in the past that don't need to be raised here, but they're all pushing towards a tumultuous future. And this is before I've even signed a lease. I've had friends approach me and be like, 'Dude, are you sure?' and as it gets closer, I'm less and less sure. As I write this, I know I'm ready to confront any issue that there may be, and I won't be walked over, but the very fact I feel like I'm already entering into a living situation prepared (expecting to need?) to defend myself... it's crazy.

My last housemate was a dream, though it was different in that we had been friends from highschool - we already had a long established friendly relationship. But still, I'm not sure that we had even a single argument. If there were any issues, it was brought up in a friendly/relaxed way and no-one felt like they were getting getting a rough deal. I can only speak for myself, of course, but I think he felt the same way.

Is there any particular reason it should be down?

Maybe any women readers would like to explain this... issue... of the position of the toilet seat. Is there any particular reason it should be down other than for the ease of use by women? Now that the future housemate has made it clear that it's important to her that it be down, I'll endeavour to remember to put it down on that basis alone. I'm hoping that should an issue arise that I feel is really important to me, she'll show the same courtesy and take it on the chin.

For example, I'm concerned she'll take issue with my playing music in my room. Now, I warned her from the very very beginnings of the discussion of the possibility of me staying with her that I would want to have music, played through speakers, in my room. And that I'd probably have it playing all the time I'm home, at a respectable listening volume. She's said that's fine, as long as it's a reasonable volume.

Why am I concerned? When I walk into the house right now, it's almost completely silent. She's given me the impression that it's because her other housemates don't like noise, but I do wonder...

I can see the future...
I'm getting a cup of tea :D