This past month, we've spent our time looking for someone new to join and complete our household.  I'd done this before, and I knew that we wanted more than just another rent check, another set of mismatched kitchenware.  We wanted someone who fit, and our landlord Michelle was generous enough to give me the time, and the freedom, to find that person.  Craigslist was my forum, and I think anyone who's ever had to find someone to rely on--workout partner, business partner, romance, or teammate--will appreciate the hoops I'd written to find that needle, haystack be damned.   ---- Okay, so I'll admit it, we've met some pretty awesome people in the last week. But the prospect of sharing this house with our new roomie for the next year prompts me to toss out one last bone, one last olive branch, one last Slim Jim of hope to the craigslist community in case there is really someone out there who is the perfect match for this house. Now let's be honest. The chances of the perfect fit are about as good as the chance of the Perfect Cheer, and unfortunately, Will Ferrell does not live here. We're reaching for the stars and all that, and we've had the chance to meet some awesome folks--roommates that anyone would be stoked to have, and quite possibly, one roommate we WILL be STOKED to have. But in case you just happened upon here, and you didn't realize that your fate was sitting here in this posting, and you can't believe that you haven't jumped up and said hello, I'm posting our place one more time. And I ain't pulling no punches. If you email me back telling me that you're clean when it comes to public areas but perhaps messy in your room--if you email me telling me that you always pay the rent on time and if you ever smoked anything, it would definitely be outside--if you are emailing me to say that you are responsible and respectful, easygoing and fun--if you are emailing me to say any of these things, well then thank you. That's a great start!! Because we sure as hell wouldn't want a roommate who steals our stuff, disrespects our boundaries, doesn't pay the rent, smells like butt, and somehow still remains a high-strung mess. Glad we got that out of the way. Now that I know all about your basic qualifications, what else have you got? What is wrong with you? There's something wrong with all of us. Why don't I start. I have grand ambitions for my cheese. I always get too much cheese, and it always gets moldy before I can eat it. Then there's the onerous task of cutting the mold off to get to the good part, otherwise it's all wasted! Will you help eat my cheese before it spoils?  Please do NOT take this as a literal request to eat my next-to-moldy cheese, but more of a metaphorical inquest probing into your boundaries and expectations.   Cameron is currently a high school teacher.  She used to do Teach for America, making her able to participate in the interscholastic version of Mortal Combat, and she also hails from Walla Walla with a background in rock climbing, road bike racing, and stories about boys.  In the past months, she's come upon major transitions that have only strengthened our roomie relations, but like many of us (me included!) finds herself at that post-college transitional crossroads of both career and life direction.  That being said, she loves living here, and the green-ness of her awesome attic room, so right now, this is the surest thing in her life. And both of us together are an in and out dynamic duo of frank communication and honest and interesting perspective.  Just don't expect either of us to respond to any passive aggressive signs of discontent or deliverance, as neither of us gets it.  We talk to each other to solve problems, and when there's a mess and it needs to be cleaned up, we say (boringly enough) "Hey, clean that up."  Usually there's a please, and a thank you, and hugs all around as well.  What I guess I'm saying is that while we're pretty awesome people, you'll need to be able to live with ACTUALLY TALKING to us to resolve the inevitable hiccups and issues that come with living in a new place.   One last thing.  The house gets messy.  Not dirty, mind you, but messy, as the two of us do lots of gear-intensive things and so bikes and packs and gear and perhaps even yesterday's dishes may be left out.  We'd love for you to want to be neat, but realize the humanity of sometimes being a mess. Okay, now you. The house is wonderful. Full of character, curved molding, OG original gangsta style hardwood flooring, super awesome water pressure, never a cold shower, gas burning stove and oven, places for dogs and cats alike to run free.  Plans again for a tomato jungle out back in the summertime, with some strawberries and swiss chard for good measure.  Your rooms are the Bat Cave of the house, warmest in the winter, coolest in the summer, and with access out the back door and to the laundry, you've also got the most privacy.  This listing is indeed for one bedroom, but you also get your own living room, and if you happen to come with a super comfy couch and a huge TV for downstairs lounging, we wouldn't complain.  Location-wise, we are RIGHT NEXT TO THE LAKE.  It's--pretty cool.  Especially in the summer.  Parking is streetwise, but there's ample amounts of that, too.   This house is looking for you to add to it. We want community, we want the force of your personality to mesh with ours and pervade its common areas and our living space. We want to all come home and be excited to see our roomies, and then hopefully get to cook dinner with them when the time allows. Maybe just sit on the superlongandcomfy avocado green couch and browse the net, and if your awesome friends and our awesome friends are over, cool beans. There's ample wallspace for your artwork, tons of bookshelf for your addition to the library, and if you happen to have pots and baking supplies, Bob's your uncle. As an addendum, if you say things like "I bake ALL the frickin' time so I take up a lot of kitchen space." we will consider it a plus, rather than a minus. Oh, and Cameron prefers a female roommate. Easy as that. She feels safer about it, and that's all I need to know. And to tell you the truth, I prefer the implied cleanliness and added estrogen content of a female as well. It's good for the balance of the house. Hopefully you like a balanced and mixed environment as well, because androgynous cyborgs we are not. BUT:  We will clearly consider and absolutely provide a nearly equal opportunity to a potential male roomie, just keep in mind that your awesomeness has to trump the fact that you are hairier and prone to grunting.  You will also be immediately assessed for your innate creepiness quotient, you CANNOT be creepy.  Not even a bit.  In fact, you should be the opposite of creepy, you should have some sort of human magnetism that none of us can put a finger on but we all naturally gravitate toward.  I know, I ask a lot.  Details, details: all utilities includes EVERYTHING, including Wi-Fi, water, gas, electricity, trash, blah blah, just not your drycleaning, no stipend for your Brita filter, you must provide your own laundry detergent, and if you want to plant something, the plant is not provided :)  Oh, and security deposit only, just $500 obviously refundable.   Let me reiterate that if this does not seem awesome to you, if you don't see the humor in this post, then please refrain and save us both the effort of writing and responding to banal form-letter overtures.   And upon arrival, the Aki the cat will be able to sniff out your awesomeness quotient immediately, so don't try and cover it up with perfume and potpourri.   Alright, this ad sounds just psycho enough to keep away the lookieloos, and just interesting enough to pique the interest of the folks we are looking for. It's a bonus if you rock climb, just like it's a bonus if you bake, and it's also a good sign if you are an extrovert without the need to be co-dependent. Have no illusions, we all have our own lives, and but as an extrovert, you make your energy with the energy of others, and I think it's that excitement about exploring this place and this life that we are looking for. Mention to me if you are couchsurfing/couchsurfing.com friendly, and if you ride bikes and/or breakdance, theses attributes also impress me. As will bribes. Copious, ridiculously large bribes. I will test you to see if you actually read this whole email, the test is now, and I'm asking that you mention to me whether or not you have a facebook/myspace page, what the associated email address is, and if you don't have one, why you don't. We also like pictures, but only embarrassing ones. Okay, just kidding. But you know, not really kidding. Embarrassing pictures are a plus :) Pets are NOT a detriment! In fact, a great dog is a HUGE benefit, and something we would love VERY much to add to the household. Just so you know. If you got it this far, then you've already passed the first test. Oh, move in is the end of the month, but can be sooner if you're in a superduper hurry and we all fall madly in (roommate)love with one another. Minor but essential detail, hmm? And cheers, my name is Byron. Pleased ta meetcha, I'm sure :) ----------- P.S. - I'd like to welcome Shelby and Bedford (her great dog) to our humble abode, and may we have many decktop barbecues and Rock Band party nights in our future.  Mazel tov :)