This manual documents version 0.1 of the Mirrorland Communal Living Facilities, Inc.
== Living Together == {{pictures/home/mirrorland/IMG_3874.JPG | Home Sweet Home | maxwidth=240 | class=thumbright }} * Our front, back and side doors need to be pulled until you hear a soft *click*, otherwise **they won't lock properly**! We live in a safe neighborhood, but why increase the risk? * Try not to leave the windows of the ground floor unlocked: anyone can easily enter through them. * Neighbors are allowed to cross our yard to get to the park. Say hello if you see them! * The wall between us and our neighbor's unit is very thin; they can hear us clearly when we talk or even when someone climbs the stairs. Our neighbors are very nice, but they told us a few times that they have trouble sleeping because of us. After 10 PM, remember to keep your voice low and tell your guests to do the same.' * Some of us sleep late, so avoid yelling or running up the stairs while someone's still sleeping. * The most important rule for living together in harmony: **If something's annoying you, just let the others know!** Don't let frustration build up. == Cleaning ==
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* Don't leave a mess in common areas. It's also your responsibility to clean after the people you invite. * Don't walk around with dirty shoes! Take them off near the entrance and remind your guests to do the same. * Professional cleaners come every two weeks, usually on Thursday late morning (see the house calendar). They will clean the whole house including our bedrooms. Please be respectful of their work and don't leave a mess on the floor. * There's already enough crap in the basement, so let's not add more! Feel free to take anything to your room, especially those ugly mirrors. == Trash == * Trash collection comes every Monday early in the morning. On Sunday nights, one of us should remember to take the trash bins out on the edge of the sidewalk for pickup, and on Monday morning we must put them. * Cambridge has strict recycling regulations: we'll be fined if they find greasy or dirty items in the recycle bin. Also, not all plastics are recyclable: when in doubt, put them in the landfill bin. == House Supplies == * We re-order consumables such as salt and paper every two weeks. * If you use the last box of something, drop the QR-code into the jar and it will be re-ordered. * Be environmentally responsible! **Don't waste water, gas, electricity, paper, soap or food.** Reuse plastic bags and boxes and remember to switch all lights off. == Internet == * There are two separate APs: one open as a courtesy to our neighbors and users of the public yard ("GHCQ Shelter 23") and one encrypted for residents ("NSA Surveillance Van 23"). The shared secret for the latter is passed orally. You can also get it from the NFC tag on the wall in the atrium. * Comcast is notorious for [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_Alert_System | reporting their own users]] to copyright associations. You are personally responsible for what you do online. == Kitchen ==
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* Label your food if you don't want others to assume it's for sharing. * **Don't be evil!** Try to maintain a neutral balance between the foods and drinks you take and those you contribute. * Please don't leave leftovers or stinky foods in the fridge for several days. We trash anything that looks spoiled. * After cooking, remember to wipe the kitchen table, clean the stove and the microwave, wash the dishes and put them back when they're dry. **Don't let your housemates clean after your mess!** * Smoke **will** trigger the smoke detectors! They're very loud and annoying, so if you burn something quickly open all windows and doors before it's too late. * The hot water tap is leaky, remember to close it tightly (as the tag clearly says in Italian :-). == Bathrooms ==
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* **IMPORTANT**: Flushing non-biodegradable solids down the toilet **will** clog the pipes and flood the basement. It **did** already happen and it wasn't pleasant! Next time the rooters find tampons stuck into the pipes, we'll mail them to 23andme.com :-) * Feel free to use either bathroom; leave the door open after use. * If you run out of toilet paper, you can find more rolls under the microwave or in the basement. * After taking a shower, don't leave wet rugs or moist. Use the fan or open the window if needed. * Using the hairdryers at high power frequently triggers the circuit protection in the fuse box located over the dryer in the basement. Either use it at "low" or learn how to restore the breaker. == Guests ==
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* You MUST reserve couches and rooms in advance on the [[https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=d9ldj4obvhs85p23v4ds9pn66k%40group.calendar.google.com | house calendar]]. First-come, first-served. * Guests staying multiple days should contribute to the house rent (usually $50 per day or $200 per week). * If you give your guests a copy of the front door key, remind them to return it (we keep loosing them!) * This is really important: after your guests are gone, **there must be no trace of their passage** (well, other than gifts, of course :-). Wash any sheets and towels you gave them, tidy up the room/couch they used. Seriously! * You can throw parties in the house or in the backyard! Just let the others know and make sure you restore the house to its original splendor afterwards. It would be a good idea to notify the neighbors in advance. == Laundry ==
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* Use it any time, but please wait until you have a reasonable amount of clothes to wash to avoid wasting energy and detergent. * Try not to forget your clothes in the laundry for days. * In the likely event that you find someone else's forgotten clothes, you can pile them up on top of the drier. == Heating == * 70°F (21°C) is a reasonable default for the winter. Remember to turn the heat down to 60°F (or less) when leaving in the morning. * Don't turn the heat all the way to make the house warm up faster! It's stupid and useless, because the furnace burns at constant speed. * The thermostat is located in the master bedroom downstairs, which tends to remain colder than the rest of the house if the door is closed, so setting 70°F there causes the other rooms to go up to 75-80. * Keep the door to the basement stairs **open** in the winter to let the heat from the furnace flow by convection. Also leave the doors downstairs closed to avoid dissipating heat in the rest of the basement. * The rusty water in the pipes of the heating system needs to be purged every 1-2 months. Ask Bernie. {{http://codewiz.org/wiki/pictures/home/mirrorland/living_room_panorama.jpg | maxwidth=800}} Hey, it's a wiki! Feel free to edit this page.