The Fun Struggle - Freeze-Frame Radio

JD The Jazz Doctor · Grand Poobah

The Fun Struggle

Date: Sat Aug 13 07:55 2005

I moved out the day I turned 18. Xmas eve. My dad and I could not get along because I did not go to college.

I lived with an assortment of roommates. I first moved in with my boss at work and another guy that I worked with. I slept on the couch and realized that guys are slobs! I also learned that I needed to be self sufficient, but being a girl always helped me get by!

Shortly after that I met a guy who was 13 years older than me. I was in love, but he was just trying to help me out. He let me stay there until I was able to afford my own place. He taught me to be strong and trust myself. I also learned not all guys want only one thing.

I got a duplex and everything in my name and then went through a ton of crappy roommates. I worked in a bar for three years and most of my roommates were people from the bar. Girls and guys it never seemed to work out. I was always the responsible one though.

I then got an apartment and had a girl roommate. That went ok until we both got boyfriends. Four people that just did not get along. However, my boyfriend turned into Zach's dad. He was my last roommate until my husband. Zach's dad and I moved into a trailer where I stayed even after he went to jail. I stayed there while I was in school. When I met my husband, he immediately helped me get into a better trailer in a better neighborhood. Eventually we saved enough to buy a house.

I think the most important thing for me was to be self sufficient, even if it meant living somewhere that was below par. If it was mine, then I felt safe and better about myself. Lots of ramen noodles and pb and js!!

CP · Lord of the Lair

I tried roommates when I was 18--I hated it. By20 I was living on my own. Those were the best of times. I was making good money in Milwaukee--I worked at a hotel, tended bar at nights and weekends. My favorite was Park Ave. I would make 300 in a shift there, so I had cash to burn. On days off I would take off for chicago and go bar hopping.

Then I got serious and went back to school, in Hawaii. Again, good ole days.

JD The Jazz Doctor · Grand Poobah

Park Avenue was "IT!!" That was THE place to be! I bet you probably poured me a drink or 20 back in the day CP!

CP · Lord of the Lair

That place was nuts--I was at the main bar on the ground level most of the time--the big thing then was to pour jellybeans, the drink--right down the throat--no glasses just strait pour into the open mouth. Let me tell you the Tom cheated in Cocktail--you can do those tricks but not without having booze go everywhere--it drove me nuts to see the movie and knowing he was using capped bottles.

jstdve · CEO - The KOTO Co.

my first out- of- the- house was the navy , free room and board but way to many room mates lol , ive had a slew of em since , only had 2 that i would / will talk to , 1 in Texas named Greg Castro , we were such good friends that I used his name for my son's . the other is my best friend Cyndi , we got along great ! and still do ! , (no not like that , hint- her favorite show is Ellen) . I'll have to leave my little ole low rent trailer in a month or 2 as the property is being sold , with the rent around here as high as it is I really don't know what I'm going to do , the thought of a room mate that sleeps in a seperate bedroom has ZERO appeal , time to hit the lottery !

MzHartz · Permanent Vacation

As soon as I turned 18 and curfew was no longer a problem, I only technically lived at home. Most of my stuff was there, and my mail came there, but I got a cell phone and basically lived out of my car. I was going to school full time, working full time, and dating my then boyfriend now husband. He was sleeping on a friend's couch, and I slept there with him for about 3 hours every day. I checked in at home for about an hour once a day, just to make sure everything was there and get my mail. Then we saved up enough money to get a crappy little apartment. This place really should've been demolished, it probably wasn't safe to live in. But we stayed there for a year and a half until we moved about 200 miles away, I got a better job, and we could live in a nicer place. Since I lived with my mom when she was single, living on my own wasn't hard, but living with a boyfriend took some getting used to. The first year living together was hard, but I think it made us learn how to live with each other and made our marriage that much better.

JD The Jazz Doctor · Grand Poobah

I think the struggles are really about learning a lesson in compassion. You see someone struggling, perhaps will never get past struggling, and for me what was once contempt and scorn turned into compassion. Life's not easy, not everyone makes it to where they should be. The whole early struggle taught me to ask "who am I to judge?" and be thankful for that I do have.

Star · Super Star of Spice!!

I think I'm still in the struggle. But for me its about the journey not the destination.

I remember one of the most fun time of my life was when I was living in an apt. w/ my ex's bestfriends and preparing for the wedding. I had more fun in that year than when we were actually married. We went out w/ our friends, to baseball games, karaokee, and had Monday night dinners. I had the worst boss I ever had but I struggled through it and had some fun in the process. It was at a print shop and the guys in the back (where the printers and stuff were) were really cool and funny and laid back.

I'm sure I will struggle more before I can look back and say yeah that was fun!!