Roommate Update:
The "new guy" slid Ben a hundred bucks (Ben apparently talked to him about just giving $80), leaving him owing just $25 more. I'm not sure if he's just giving a little bit of money at a time as he gets it or if he's trying to just give money to Ben and hope neither of us counts it or keeps track. If the former is the case, he's going to be in trouble when rent's due early next week...and not terribly trustworthy due to the fact that he doesn't necessarily keep me updated on how much he's giving me and when. If the latter is true, he's dumber than any of us thought, not to mention dishonest.
It's probably silly and obsessive-compulsive of me to be so adamant and insistent on all this, but I don't make a whole lot of money and so this isn't any small deal.
In addition (and this is where I probably sound crazy), it's the principle of the thing.  I get terribly annoyed when people jerk me around, are just generally dishonest or sneaky, or take liberties without any exchange of respect or, I suppose, "earning the right." For example, this guy dirties my dishes and goes a long time (days if not weeks) without washing them. Last night I went to use my remote control for the television and the batteries were missing (admittedly, there's a new girl just moved in who may have done it, as well). I'm a generally reasonable person...if someone wants to borrow dishes, then great...but I'm in the midst of packing things up and am not going to pack up a set of plates if some of them are dirty or even missing (which one was for a couple weeks). If someone needs a couple batteries for something and wants to borrow them from something of mine, just ask...I'm a pretty nice guy and would probably do it. However, to just take stuff without even leaving a note or acknowledging, especially while STILL owing money on rent that was due 4 weeks ago now...it's all starting to boil. Stacey was really good about telling me to just keep it cool and calm regarding the situation...I was just about to go post a nasty note on the mirror upstairs or something. I guess what's worst about the whole thing is that I'm not in the house much, yet my stuff is, and I'm having to trust a complete stranger who's already proven himself not worthy of much trust.
 
On a totally different note...
Last night as soon as I got off work, Stacey and I drove to a few discount/used furniture places to find things to sit on at our new place. We couldn't avoid driving through the "Stockyards" (euphemism for "Slaughterhouse" and "Meat Packing") section of town. As the smell of decayed flesh nauseated us and halted any further discussion of dinner plans, Stacey pointed out that the music playing in my cd player was oddly fitting. Now I'll never be able to listen to (I forget which tracks, but somewhere mid-album) M83's Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts record without thinking of rotting carcass. It really is a beautiful record, however.