Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site tektronix.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!tektronix!richl
From: richl@tektronix.UUCP (Rick Lindsley)
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: Re: living with a person on a non-schedule
Message-ID: <1313@tektronix.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 6-Sep-83 01:53:33 EDT
Article-I.D.: tektroni.1313
Posted: Tue Sep  6 01:53:33 1983
Date-Received: Thu, 1-Sep-83 02:19:10 EDT
References: <254@pucc-h>
Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR
Lines: 53

Having gone through college and 2 roommates as a self-confessed
hacker, I may be able to offer some advice.

On sleeping:
    Be considerate of each other. This seems obvious, but tension
    grows to amazing proportions when the hacker noisily stumbles in
    at 2 in the morning and the steady worker sings Oh What a Beautiful
    Morning at 6:30 in the shower. Don't be afraid to communicate with
    each other; but not at the precise moment that it happens. Rather
    than "Hey you jerk, knock off the singing", try (later that day)
    "Say, John, you've got a great voice, but it sounds a lot better
    at, say, noon. Ok?" The important thing is not to start blowing up
    about fairly trivial matters.

On meeting each other:
    Depending on how you have decided to obtain food and such, you may
    need to communicate with your roommate on things like groceries.
    If you are on different schedules, this is notoriously difficult.
    The hacker, who is the one with the flexible schedule, should
    accomodate the regular person on this. "Say, hows about this
    Saturday we set aside 1:00 for a hike to the store?" The regular
    person cannot alter his hours; the hacker usually can.
	If it turns out that your only need to communicate is for
    rent and things of similar importance, all that may be necessary
    is to buy a pad of pressure sensitive note pads and leave lots
    of notes to each other. This can be extremely effective, but I
    still think it helps to actually see your roommate once in a
    while.

On parties (or social events)
    It is likely, due to your difference in schedules, that each of
    you will want to schedule fun things to do at times that seem
    vastly inappropriate to the other party. Use common sense and
    courtesy. My basic rule was "If it costs me sleep, can I make
    it up?" Example: a group of the guys coming over to watch the
    kickoff at noon might be considered offensive to a hacker who
    rolled in at 3. If it is a Saturday, though, I would say to
    myself, "Self, it will undoubtedly be noisy, but it *is*
    Saturday, you can catch up on sleep later".


Golden Rule:
    "Does It Affect My Roommate, Knowing The Odd Hours He Keeps?"


The important thing is to discuss these issues before they become
problems; i.e, before the lease is signed. Habits are hard to break,
especially when they are not yours.

Hope this long winded article helps someone,
Rick Lindsley
richl@tektronix
...!tektronix!richl