This may hit home for a lot of you, and I'm here to say that ... ah, but wait.

In 2019, I lived in an apartment which was pretty nice for what I paid - and I had a fairly decent landlady too.

Now, one of the things that irked me when I got the apartment (and this was a cardinal mistake I made) was the neighbor's overflowing shoe rack ... placed? Right outside MY door.

For reference, the floor had four apartments, and there was a common area, and an unspoken rule that "space in front one person's door belongs to that person". The obvious, you would think ...

Except it wasn't obvious.

Now, I've made no secret of the fact that when I move in anywhere, I tell the owners to fix EVERYTHING before I move in.

I dont care if it's getting the whole damned place sprayed for roaches or fix a tiny leak in the pipe or what not - it all has to be done before I fork over a red cent, and if they dont do it, I dont sign the contract. That simple. In the past I used to "trust" - and of course, as soon as I handed over the dough, most of what I wanted never got done (or it was a pain getting it done).

I did all this before moving into my current apartment (another benefit is the landlords etc know you're not a pushover). But for some reason, I didn't bring the neighbors up - I thought "they'd do the right thing themselves".

They never did, of course.

Three months into my contract, I got the red ass, brought it up.

My landlady replied with "we'll try and help you. I'll go to management. I hope they remove it!"

Hope? Try?

I mean lady, it;s YOUR apartment.

YOUR tenant's space.

And youre saying "hope and try"?

I wonder what would have been her reaction if SHE lived there - she probably wouldn't wait a day!

The entire thinking behind the scenes was typical Asian thinking which went "oh, he's a single male! We're a family! He doesnt "need" the space!"

(despite that being my space).

I mean really, where does this stop, I asked my landlady. Tomorrow shoudl they all move into the second room of my apartment because I "dont need it"?

Really!

I brought this up with Summer, a lady I did some work for on Sunday mornings and I got compensated very well for.

The answer?

"Youre complaining again!"

And this admirable lady went on to tell me "how life is unfair sometimes".

So, Summer, why can't we FIX the unfair I asked.

I never got a response.

Anyway, my hell raising solved the issue. My landlady was complaining about a so called overdue power bill or something (which is insane - it was due at the end of the month - and they had a rolling system there wherein they'd waive late charges etc for three months, so I dont know what she was wanking on about) - but I put my foot down and I said bills ain't got nothing to do with it, and that I paid rent etc on time, and that it was MY space - the bleeding obvious.

Problem got solved the next day.

"You can handle your own electricity bill with the management" was her response on the other issue. I promised her I'd pay it, and I did, and that was the end of that.

Like I give a rats ass about a piddly power bill!

Brings to mind a case when I was in college where a certain "Chloe" was complaining that "my girlfriend was stomping her feet in the bath" or some such idiotic crap.

Apparently that disturbed her beauty sleep.

The landlord in that case, a master salesman if any called me up and said the following.

(after he ranted about women a bit, hehe)

"Rahul, it's like dogs living in kennels there! All biting and chomping at each other!"

I just had to laugh. Dude was so right!

And a great negotiatior though admittedly I knew ZERO about negotiation - real negotiation at that point.

I wonder if in my case the landlady would have been initally more responsive if I Was a woman or Rum Dum in Brum that kissed her ass. (literally and figuratively).

I wasn't, though.

Landlady before that?

Dame next door opened up a goddamned beauty salon at home, had a massive shoe rack overflowing with shoes - in my space - and when I dared to put my own sports shoes - ONE pair - there?

Some old snot complained about "them smelling" (they weren't).

I brought up the lady next door.

"She's got a salon"

So what, I said to management. She's in my space. Get your head out your asses and get HER to fix her problem, and then mayube I'll start to acknowlege my NON existent problem.

To be fair though, my landlady there instantly agreed with me, and took my side.

So management shut up even quicker ..

But really, Nazi feminism. Anyway, I wrote a book on it ... Hehe.

(and before moving on, I gotta say this. The Bozo - poor chap - he must be salivating reading this. I'm attracting what he wants and booting it away too without trying, and he keeps trying, yet ... LOL)

But anyway, I fail to see one thing.

If I complain about China while bringing up it's GOOD points too, I get called a complainer.

Yet, the Nazi feminists, lefto's, Bozos, wackos and people that do nothing but bring up negative all day get "tolerated"?

I dont get it.

If I coach someone I'd rather be honest and point out their flaws and tell 'em to IMPROVE.

And if they're trying - and these things can be felt, I'll support them in every way I can.

Conversely, if they're lazy phockers, and phat phocks that do nothing but drink up a "storm" every night, then I'll tell them that too and drop them like a hot potato regardless of how much dough they might tooss at me.

I mean, isnt the point to IMPROVE?

How can we improve if we dont point out our shortcomings and flaws???

A great customer and me were having a discussion about India for one, and I've been very candid about their flaws too - way more than CHina when it comes to daily life.

The idiots and Bozos and so called "patriots" (they're not REAL patriots - they're jingoists that claim "all is well when it isn't") get ticked off all the time when I do this.

"How dare you say it!"

Well, dare and "goose and gander" aside, here's the thing bro.

If you truly love your country, why not do ALL you can to FIX things?

It all starts with conversation, and BRINGING things up!

If they're not brought up they'll never be fixed ...

Anyway thats my take on it.

I'd love to hear yours!

In short - I'm all for constructive criticism and calling Bozos and lazy asses out for what they are.

Anyway, enough on that. I'm out, but before I go - and I forgot to mention this this morning - we're down to the last three copies or so of the Fast and Furious Fitness Collector's Edition, so if you want in, get on the "stick" now my friend.

This will NOT be reprinted.

Best,

Rahul Mookerjee

Ps - Feel free to pick up a few other products too. Remember, we've got DISCOUNTS going on!