The "Free" Link!

*sigh*. 

I am disappointed, craigslist. 

Trying to get something off of the "free" section of craigslist is like trying to pull away a piece of raw salisbury steak from 14 ravenous dogs: impossible.

I tried to get a desk, a bed frame, a tapestry, an end table, a bookshelf and even some kitchen goodies.

I either received apologies that they had already been taken or no reply at all.

When looking for something for free on the list, you must be glued to your browsers "refresh" button. You should also probably have a pre-written draft that goes something along the lines of:

Hello! I am writing in response to your post for a free _________ . I can pick up _________. You can contact me at _______. Thank you!

If you don't put a phone number, more than likely they won't reply. If you ask questions about the free thing, more than likely they won't reply. And if you can't pick it up yourself, forget about it.

I want to have faith in you, "free" craigslist link. However, consistently trying to find something for three weeks and coming up empty handed is a bit like having a disappointing lover.

I will stay faithful to you, dear craigslist. I just may not find myself looking for freebies anymore.

*sigh*.

The Rooms/Share link!

There are far too many people in San Francisco looking for a home. I discovered this when my cousin and I, suffering from our new found poverty, decided to offer the tiny room in our apartment for rent.

Here's the deal: We share a one bedroom apartment. The bedroom is way spacious, there's a large living room, and a gorgeous kitchen. There's also this tiny little box of a spare room, which we referred to as "the Harry Potter closet." It's 5 1/2' in width, and about 8' in length. I know...it's tiny.

We struggled a little with the price, and after debating for awhile, we decided that $450 a month, no utilities seemed legit. We were unsure if we'd get any replies, but figured we could always re-post at a lower rate if we were left high and dry. I posted my newly designated craigslist e-mail, and waited.

I was bombarded. In the first day, I had more replies than I knew what to do with. The next day, the number of replies had doubled.

By then, we had found about ten people who we thought would be a good fit. Now, the fun would begin.

Bringing people you don't know into your house is weird. Knowing nothing about them besides what they type in an e-mail is weirder. Deciding on a person to live in your home where you sleep in a fifteen minute meeting is the weirdest.

The first person I met (cousin was caught up at school) was nice, quiet and simple. He was a maybe. The next guy stayed at the house for over an hour, hanging out with our friends and vibing well. He was a strong maybe.

The next day, we had three no-shows (without phone calls...come on people). One guy was mellow, a little intrusive and answered his phone in the middle of a question. He proceeded to cheerfully converse with another renter, while me twittled our thumbs, dumbfounded. He was a no. The only girl we met was nice, but she left the light on in the bathroom after she used it. Silly, I know, but maybe I was just looking for a reason not to have another girl move in. The last guy we met was funny, vibed well and reminded me of the great friends I had made at home.

We decide to cancel two others, because we were over the process and knew we had at least two potentials.

We were split on our decision. She wanted one, I wanted the other. I'm not sure how, but we finally decided on the last guy we met, and he accepted the next day.

Now, he's moved in and we're a big happy family. And craigslist get another point.

The Rideshare Link!

When my cousin informed me that she would NOT be joining me on the drive home from Los Angeles to San Francisco after Thanksgiving, I became hot with worry.

Alone?! On Interstate 5?! On a Sunday after a holiday?! I'd rather watch a candle burn from beginning to end.

This is when I decided to take matters into my own hands. A drive without music (thanks to my recently deceased I-pod) would not be saved by talking to myself. No, this time my sanity was on the line. I turned to craigslists' 'rideshare' link for the answer to my troubles.

Reluctantly, I posted an ad offering a ride from L.A. to S.F. on Sunday, 11/30. I waited. Then I waited some more.

Right when I no longer believed in the concept of the silver lining to every cloud, I received an e-mail. Sarah, a twenty something female would love a ride, and she had music.

Not only had the silver lining appeared, but I had begun to slightly squint from the sunlight. The ride was arranged, and I would pick her up in Hollywood around Noon on Sunday.

After eating more food, singing more songs, and drinking more wine than anyone should in one weekend, Sunday suddenly approached. I began to get nervous. What if we'd have nothing to talk about? What if she tried to hijack me and my car? Suddenly, loneliness seemed like the least of my worries.

Alas, I was already knee deep, and I couldn't back down. I contemplated just leaving. Then I decided that I had built far too many Karma points to just lose them now. I dialed the number, got the directions and headed to Hollywood.

Google Maps started my ride miserably. The directions told me to head South on La Brea, and I ended up in Inglewood. Exasperated I called my cousin to ask her for the way to Hollywood Blvd. She tells me to turn around and that I'd get there in about thirty minutes. Thanks, Google.

At this point, Sarah is now thinking I have left her. She calls me to see where I am, and I reassure her that I'm on the way.

I finally arrive, and Sarah is waiting with her huge backpack and a complacent look on her face. She seems normal enough, and my tensions are lessening. Even so, by the time we get on the road, it's 3:33PM, and I already wish I was in San Francisco.

I knew the first hour would be easy, there's plenty to talk about when you know nothing about someone. Surprisingly, the next hour was also easy. That's when we hit completely stopped traffic, and now I begin to worry the trip will be awkward. To my delight, it wasn't. We even joined in a shameless screaming fit (calling it singing would be wrong) of Weezer's 'Say It Ain't So'. I'm not only getting a free tank of gas, I'm having fun and actually making a new friend.

Sarah and I have a lot in common. We begin to talk about travels, and I am invited to visit her and her fiance in Seattle. After we get past traffic, a slew of semi-trucks, a patch of fog, and the smell of garlic through Gilroy we are suddenly in San Francisco.

I drop her off at a hostel at Union Square, and am on my way home.

And again, craigslist has saved the day.