Greetings and salutations.

Wow! It’s an unusual Tuesday morning post from yours truly.  And, yes, I’m still unable to unmoderate comments.  I’ve got some things to get off my chest today, so please bear with me.

As a few of you know from conversations outside of the blogosphere, Kelli and I found this perfect guest house for rent over in District 3 back in January. 

It was a really great find.  A quaint one bedroom guest house on the back lot of a huge front house - you couldn’t even see the guest house from the street.  The house was bordered on two sides by businesses and the Smart & Final parking lot was behind the back yard.  Awesome for privacy and throwing parties.

There was also a cute little area of earth on the side of the house where I dreamed of growing tomatoes, something my father likes to do and something I’d like to start doing.  There was a driveway so we could park without worry of the People’s Republic of Pasadena Ministry of Parking. 

The best thing of all was that there were tenants already in the house, moving out in the middle of March, according to the landlord.  Kelli and I had the past 3 months to save up money, including a quick tax return from Mike Rotunda.  This month, we were both ready to begin looking at furniture and other amenities.

They always say “hindsight is 20/20.”  The first tip off that I shouldn’t have been dealing with this most unprofessional of landlords was when he lost my phone number.  The second tip off should have been when he forgot my name.  I guess, at the time, I figured he was a busy man.

The guy calls me last week to let me know his previous tenants had skipped town on him and hadn’t paid their last month of rent.  I informed him that due to our previous conversations, I still wouldn’t be ready to move in until the end of March.  He said that was totally o.k. 

So much for being totally o.k.  When I call the guy on Monday morning to set up a day where I can come over and measure the windows for curtains, he informs me that while showing the vacant front house, tons and tons of people kept asking about the back house.  At first he told me we had to move in by this coming weekend - and then he called me back 10 minutes later to inform me he’s giving the house away to “some other folks need it in 3 days.  Don’t worry, you’ll find something else.”

Now, before I say anything else, it was totally his right to give the house away.  It’s not like I put a deposit down or signed a contract with the dude.  He had every right to give the house to whomever he wanted.

Still, I feel pretty hoodwinked, bamboozled, and hornswoggled.  I feel as though I was lead on by someone who, let’s face it, shouldn’t really even be in the renting business.  How the fuck are you going to forget someone’s name who is about to be paying you nearly a grand a month?  How the heck are you going to lose your tenant’s phone number?  At least we still have money saved up and all that jazz - but still - this guy was a complete ham and egger. 

It’s back to the drawing board, trying to find another place here in Pasadena - which is hard as all hell. 

Somewhere, the Steve Madisons of the world are laughing at me.

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If you don’t have one of these and are cool with it, chances are you’re a white person 

A friend of mine found a hilarious blog called “Stuff White People Like“.  Being half white, I find the website hilarious. 

Some things on the list include both the TV show and the rap group Arrested Development, lawyers, marathons, and assists.

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Family man and fashion plate 

Breaking News.   We actually have a winner for the Fantasy City Council League season!  As Councilman Steve Haderlein sexily pointed out: rule #18, paragraph #c, amendment #12 states the first Councilmember to 100 points wins the Proctor Cup.  Congratulations to Steve H.  A formal presentation will be made during public comment at an upcoming City Council meeting.

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As you probably don’t know or don’t care about, The Pasadena Star News’ own 2003 winner of Pittsburgh’s Fred Rogers look-a-like contest, Larry Wilson, is the official “celebrity” guest for tomorrow morning’s monthly “Walk Around The Rose Bowl With The Mayor” shenanigans. 

I’ve actually obtained a list of other celebrities who were considered but finally denied their chance to walk with our 171 year old Mayor.

From the home office in Joe Piasecki’s refrigerator….

TOP TEN REJECTED CELEBRITIES FOR WALK WITH THE MAYOR

10.   Joe Piasecki

9.  That guy in the suit with dollar signs who screams and yells on informercials at 3 in the morning (second only to the guy screaming and yelling who sells baseball cards)

8.  Bob Ross

7.  Danny Bakewell

6.  My aunt Pearlene

5.  The sled from “Citizen Kane”

4.  That missing cop

3.  Willie Aames

2.  Ray Stevens

1.  Famed Pasadenan Sirhan Sirhan

Pasadena, where you at?

- AP