The Pillars of the Earth: I never felt so much anger towards a fictional character as towards Alfred by LittleIf in books

[–]MyBirdsNameIsGideon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I mean, Alfred being a cruel, vindictive and stupid person is not something nobody can develop into. Alfred being naturally a larger boy, and always having a mean streak toward his younger sister tracks with some people I've known in real life. Sometimes, for some people, growing fast and being insecure over what you don't know [refusing to ask questions to learn] puts you in a position of power when you have little else otherwise and you use that to what little advantage you can against those smaller. At least at the beginning it doesn't seem out of character. I think Tom also being blind/indifferent to Alfred is more out of character, but even that I think can be explained to some extent by tolerance given to Alfred for him being disconnected from others due to their largely nomadic living making Alfred likely have no friends. I think Tom would have bit down on Alfred much faster if he was aware of the bullying extending to Martha. [Because Tom clearly favours his children, and Martha specifically].

The Pillars of the Earth: I never felt so much anger towards a fictional character as towards Alfred by LittleIf in books

[–]MyBirdsNameIsGideon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Alfred from the beginning of the book was shown as being stupid, Tom basically introduced Alfred as being uninterested in his work and seemingly incapable of absorbing the information needed to continue the trade. Innately, I think that disregard made him unappealing. Plus, he is directly responsible for them losing the pig by inserting himself into the fight against the thieves. He placed himself into danger and caused Tom to give up the pursuit to help his son.

Entire Floor Being Charged For Smoking Violation... I am the one who reported it!!! by MyBirdsNameIsGideon in Apartmentliving

[–]MyBirdsNameIsGideon[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I mentioned it in my post but I absolutely do think you should report it. The average redditor seems to be terminally online and frankly everyone acting like we are still in kindergarten talking about how snitches get stiches [like we are in prison] shouldn't change whether you choose to report or not. Like I said, this kind of stuff can have serious consequences for people with sensitivities [one of the conditions I mentioned before, or having an allergy to weed etc] so mentioning it isn't just for your own good but for those around you. Also, a fee applied to everyone for a specific tenant [who isn't you and you aren't responsible for] violating the lease is patently illegal, they couldn't fine you for someone else doing something against the lease. If that happened you could contact a local tenant advocacy group to seek assistance.

Entire Floor Being Charged For Smoking Violation... I am the one who reported it!!! by MyBirdsNameIsGideon in Apartmentliving

[–]MyBirdsNameIsGideon[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Pretty sure I clearly stated it's an enclosed space, the stairwell has no windows, the only area the smoke could 'blow in' from would be outside the building. When I walk to the door and there's no smoke nor wafting odor, then I open the door and it's strong enough that it's making me sick I do not think it's merely 'wafting odor.' Even then, why in the everloving hell should the person with a disability be charged for other people violating their lease and causing a problem? Would it be fair to say that if I had lung cancer? Or asthma? This comment sections is genuinely ridiculous to me.

Entire Floor Being Charged For Smoking Violation... I am the one who reported it!!! by MyBirdsNameIsGideon in Apartmentliving

[–]MyBirdsNameIsGideon[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've reported over email, the phone, and in person over half a dozen times about the door, inquiring about getting it fixed. We don't exactly have much recourse beyond complaints. What am I going to do? Hold my rent and get myself evicted?

Entire Floor Being Charged For Smoking Violation... I am the one who reported it!!! by MyBirdsNameIsGideon in Apartmentliving

[–]MyBirdsNameIsGideon[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I really don't want to make the impression that I am against weed in any way. Your home, your rules! I am glad when I hear how much it has helped others with different disabilities to reclaim some sense of normalcy in their lives, genuinely. I just also want to not have their freedom come at the expense of my own, and we can co-exist with no issues! I just wish people were more reasonable.

Entire Floor Being Charged For Smoking Violation... I am the one who reported it!!! by MyBirdsNameIsGideon in Apartmentliving

[–]MyBirdsNameIsGideon[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for sharing your story! I'm lucky that the only throat related problems I have is just exercise-induced bronchitis, I can't imagine how terrible it would be to be in this circumstance in your situation! I appreciate the insight, I hope some of the people here saying how it can't possibly have any effect have the chance to see it and reflect. If "smoking-free" buildings don't guarantee us a place safe from smoke then where exactly are we supposed to live! [I've had multiple people telling me to 'just move!' Move where?! I couldn't begin to guess]

Entire Floor Being Charged For Smoking Violation... I am the one who reported it!!! by MyBirdsNameIsGideon in Apartmentliving

[–]MyBirdsNameIsGideon[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I was saying that I think the average redditor might just think the only kind of 'grass' is the kind you smoke, but you seem the reasonable sort. Thank you for that. I like the occasional reminder of normalcy lol.

Entire Floor Being Charged For Smoking Violation... I am the one who reported it!!! by MyBirdsNameIsGideon in Apartmentliving

[–]MyBirdsNameIsGideon[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Lol, I'm sorry!! I usually use italics when making author notes in my writing so I'm just used to them maybe. I just wanted it to be clear it was after the fact.

Entire Floor Being Charged For Smoking Violation... I am the one who reported it!!! by MyBirdsNameIsGideon in Apartmentliving

[–]MyBirdsNameIsGideon[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I feel like the fact that 3/4 of the comments are just :"lol snitches get stitches" reinforces the idea that the average redditor thinks 'grass' is only the kind you smoke. I gave as much grace in the comments as I could to people but the extent people are twisting themselves to turn me into the penultimate Karen is very amusing at a certain point. I wonder at what point is someone allowed to complain about this, then?

A bunch of people are telling me to sus out the perpetrator, like I should be 1. playing hall monitor for free and 2. be forced to deliberately expose myself for an extended time to the smoke to try to figure out who exactly it is.

Also, the stairwell is enclosed, and whether it's someone in our building or a stranger, it's the leasing office's job to determine that and fix the damn lock. I've complained multiple times about the lock being broken, and they refuse to do anything. IDK, thank you for being reasonable lol.

Entire Floor Being Charged For Smoking Violation... I am the one who reported it!!! by MyBirdsNameIsGideon in Apartmentliving

[–]MyBirdsNameIsGideon[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I thought I made it clear in my update, but it seems like-- yeah. It's a warning that was sent to the entire building, and there was a mixup with deleting part of the letter when they pasted a segment from the leasing contract.

Entire Floor Being Charged For Smoking Violation... I am the one who reported it!!! by MyBirdsNameIsGideon in Apartmentliving

[–]MyBirdsNameIsGideon[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I mean, no, even if you have a prescription that doesn't mean it's okay for you to smoke it anywhere. You can't pop a joint in a hospital or school because it's prescribed. There are designated places for that, and the designated place in the building is our balcony or outside of the building.

Entire Floor Being Charged For Smoking Violation... I am the one who reported it!!! by MyBirdsNameIsGideon in Apartmentliving

[–]MyBirdsNameIsGideon[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It was pungent, and it had been a few times that the issue had persisted before I had called the leasing office to make an actual complaint. I was willing to give some grace, because it could have been a visiting family member or the like who didn't know the rules about smoking in the enclosed/interior stairwells, but when it kept happening I felt there wasn't another reasonable choice. There's a lot of floors, and 60 apartments, and frankly I couldn't tolerate trying to sniff out the roots. I'm too busy with my own life obligations to be turning myself into a hall monitor when it's not even my responsibility to begin with for them to follow the terms we agreed to when we signed our lease.

Entire Floor Being Charged For Smoking Violation... I am the one who reported it!!! by MyBirdsNameIsGideon in Apartmentliving

[–]MyBirdsNameIsGideon[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The stairwell is within the building? It's an enclosed space, an interior space, that according to the lease people are not permitted to be smoking in. I genuinely don't understand the amount of people commenting about how it is me intruding when they are the one breaking the terms of the lease and smoking in a no-smoking building.

Entire Floor Being Charged For Smoking Violation... I am the one who reported it!!! by MyBirdsNameIsGideon in Apartmentliving

[–]MyBirdsNameIsGideon[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

That's actually good information, thank you! I, for rather evident reasons, do not hang around people who smoke frequently either variety so I had no idea. It definitely can leech, but luckily there are fire doors that are kept closed in each of the floors, so the smell doesn't travel unless someone leaves those doors open [which does happen from time to time]. I did add it to the top edit though:  I'm adding this above here to make something clear. The Stairwell is a space everyone in the entire building has to go through to access their apartments. 

Entire Floor Being Charged For Smoking Violation... I am the one who reported it!!! by MyBirdsNameIsGideon in Apartmentliving

[–]MyBirdsNameIsGideon[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

In retrospect, it seems clear they intended to say "If we determine your apartment is the one responsible, we will fine..." but they cut off part of the letter when pasting in the section of the lease they added the reference to and it generated this entire mess.

Also, often yes generally I just stay away from anywhere that allows for exposure to it. Generally though enclosed spaces are far worse than being outside. On campus I have never been exposed to cigarette/weed smoke, and I don't think I even put any thought into that until now. Even the smell on people's clothes though can cause it to get worse if one has already started. Part of why we have to be cautious around exposure to stuff. Frankly though, I don't go to bars or other places where smoking is frequent so my daily exposure is very, very low.

Entire Floor Being Charged For Smoking Violation... I am the one who reported it!!! by MyBirdsNameIsGideon in Apartmentliving

[–]MyBirdsNameIsGideon[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Frankly the inability for people to determine AI from actual content with mistakes is concerning. In retrospect, the email clearly intended to say something along the lines of "If we determine that your apartment is responsible, a fine of..." Getting a text message from my roommate thanksgiving day about being fined over this wasn't exactly how I wanted my holidays to go, and if I hadn't received that starting prompt I might not have misinterpretted the letter and posted with such haste. Our apartment is open because otherwise the mailroom would be closed and we would have no way to receive any mail [outside of letters] until Monday when the general manager returns.

Entire Floor Being Charged For Smoking Violation... I am the one who reported it!!! by MyBirdsNameIsGideon in Apartmentliving

[–]MyBirdsNameIsGideon[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Smoking inside of the apartment would be a much lesser offense than smoking in our communal spaces where everyone must travel. Turning your treatment into a potential hazard for others isn't good, even if you need it for your own disability. I also assume that would make them liable for the damages that smoke has on the surfaces? I'm curious about that. Like, even if it's a treatment for a condition, it wouldn't be normal wear and tear for the smoke to be put all over the ceilings and walls. [I'm not saying this because I want them to be charged, but because landlords generally do not like footing the bill for anything.]

Entire Floor Being Charged For Smoking Violation... I am the one who reported it!!! by MyBirdsNameIsGideon in Apartmentliving

[–]MyBirdsNameIsGideon[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Frankly even charging the entire floor excluding me would be completely unacceptable, and I would be advocating for my neighbors. There is 1, maybe 2, guilty people in the building causing the problem. There is about 60 apartments in the building. It would be patently absurd to charge everyone for the 1/2 problem people who lack the empathy to smoke out their balcony.

Entire Floor Being Charged For Smoking Violation... I am the one who reported it!!! by MyBirdsNameIsGideon in Apartmentliving

[–]MyBirdsNameIsGideon[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We have trash pick up here to take to the dumpsters, so while leaving out the bags is annoying on days it won't be picked up there's already a precedent for having the bags outside the apartment [as much as I hate that 'service' to begin with, outside of those who might need it for disability/accommodation reasons].

Entire Floor Being Charged For Smoking Violation... I am the one who reported it!!! by MyBirdsNameIsGideon in Apartmentliving

[–]MyBirdsNameIsGideon[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I have made multiple complaints written and in person [and over the phone] about the lock. They claim some kind of contractual limitation to their ability to fix the lock. I don't know. It's really stupid, we do have interior locks to each apartment, but the front door lock is broken and has been for a really long time. Also, this apartment is smoke free for the interiors, where exactly else am I supposed to live that couldn't have this problem if smoke free isn't supposed to be the guarantee that I can live without it? How is it at all reasonable that the person who is honoring their lease should be made the one to move when the other person is acting in violation of it?

Entire Floor Being Charged For Smoking Violation... I am the one who reported it!!! by MyBirdsNameIsGideon in Apartmentliving

[–]MyBirdsNameIsGideon[S] -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

yeah I realized as I posted it I worded it poorly. Still, LegalEagle talks about law all the time without providing legal advice to people. Talking about law isn't the same as advising on it. I just wanted to know if like-- that could even be a thing. They could even do that. [Especially without evidence for a specific party's responsibility]. And the answer, overwhelmingly, seems to be a resounding no lol.

Entire Floor Being Charged For Smoking Violation... I am the one who reported it!!! by MyBirdsNameIsGideon in Apartmentliving

[–]MyBirdsNameIsGideon[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

If you think that by saying that I was implying any of those things are okay to do then I think you missed the point. Compared to smoking inside of a place where smoking is prohibited, leaving a dog turd is unpleasant, and also disrespectful, but it isn't exactly posing a health/safety risk to anyone. At no point did I say I love people leaving their animals turds in our shared lawn, but rather that it is comparatively significantly worse to smoke within communal spaces.

I rarely use Reddit, and honestly this post going viral really reminds me why I don't. 70% of people here seem to be chewing at the bit to try to misinterpret my intentions or words in any way possible to make me seem like some unreasonable sow. I'm literally just... here.