Compass direction of main door

[myfs_76299]

I have no idea as to the compass direction of my apartment, rooms or objects. Will a regular compass take care of that?
I live in an old "railroad" apartment where each room is followed by another in a long line. Old gas pipes are still situated above/inside the ceiling.
The "front/first" room's two windows face the street entrance to the building - this room is a square shape. The room next was considered a "half" of a room with a small closet. The room that connects to the first room (bedroom) doesn't have a door, but the shape of the room is more like a rectangle.
The closet was extended into a walk-in closet and which now has a sort of "aisle" or "foyer" that leads into the doorway of the third (living/dining) room.
The living/dining room is where the entrance to the apartment is located. The entrance door opens towards the half room/bedroom door entrance. This room is a narrow rectangle shape as well with one window with a crack in it on the side of the room next to that - which is the kitchen.
The kitchen doesn't have a doorway, but it does have an entranceway and wall to separate itself from the living/dining room. The kitchen is also a narrow/rectangular shape with a window facing the left of the building (left side when facing the building's entrance). The oven is to the left of the window sill with the refrigerator next to the wall that separates the living/dining room. The sink is located next to the bathroom, which is the room that follows the kitchen.
The bathroom is very tiny - enough to step into it and be surrounded by the tub/shower, toilet and vanity/sink. Nothing more. There is a window by the tub that also faces the same direction as the kitchen window.
The sun shines in the kitchen/bathroom windows at around 1 or 2:00 PM EST. Would this help in finding out the compass direction of the apt?
The last room that follows the bathroom is now our big walk-in closet, which will soon be split into a computer/office space. This "back" room is also a rectangular shape. It has a window that faces the back yard and is directly opposite from the two windows in the bedroom (first room) where my computer desk is actually situated. This back room is the coldest of all the rooms despite efforts to insulate.
All windows with the exception of the kitchen and bathroom have a heavy draft. The air cirulation in the apartment/itself is horrible but we are extremely limited in electrical power/outlets - it took us a long time of blowing fuses to figure that out! =)
In the bedroom, our bed is situated the long way - alongside the two windows that face the street/entrance of the building. The air conditioner is located in the window that is above the head. We use heavy curtains in the winter, but in good weather, we use sheer ones. My computer is located in front of an old, but sealed door that leads to the same hall as our main doorway in the apartment. The computer monitor faces the window that has the air conditioner. The edges of the desk are rounded off (is this OK?), but I do have a small chest that holds office supplies where the corner faces the head of the bed. There is also another corner of a long desk that is located on the opposite side of the wall that separates the walk-in closet (half room) and the bedroom. The corner faces the mid area of our bodies. A clock hangs on the wall above the long desk - facing high above the lower part of our bodies.
The living/room: there isn't a formal dining area because of the odd shape of the room. We do have a fold up table that we are using temporarily in the area opposite the half room. The couch faces the entrance and the television, stereo system, etc. The window is to the left of the couch (when sitting on the couch). A clock hangs high above the wall to the right of the window and behind the kitchen.
On the opposite side of this clock, is the refrigerator. Beside it, a wooden board we placed to separate it from the oven/stove. Beside it, is the window. Across from this is a counter top/shelving area that my husband built because the apt didn't come with anything. Cooking/eating utensils are stored in a box or left out in the utensil caddy of the dishrack.
Ever since we moved here, I have been ill much more frequently. I've had continuous bouts of groups of cankersores, sinisitis for the first time, insomnia, a bout with anxiety attacks, frequent/recurring colds/flus. I just had the flu last month and again, this month for a week.
I really apologize for this lengthy email/question, but I was hoping the description might help a little in assessing the problems in the apartment. Whatever you might think should come to my attention would be greatly appreciated! =)
Thank you for your patience with me... ;)
Best regards,
Judy

[Cecil Lee]

Dear Judy,
Thanks for your email.
If you can draw a sketch and upload it to this forum, it would be great, as it would help understand what you had written below so that it can be related properly.
If possible, if a second sketch could be given - with a sketch or brief descrption (first) of what is the back, next to or infront of your home - and any other details such as the elevation of your plot vis-a-vis the neighours.
Ideally, we look at the landscape, site and home. And these three should be related. For landscape, it is harder because one has to be physically present.
The next best alternative for looking at questions such as yours is at the minimum level the site and the home.
Warmest Regards,
Cecil
Warmest Regards,
Cecil

Quote

On 1/11/2002 8:10:00 AM, Anonymous wrote:
I have no idea as to the
compass direction of my
apartment, rooms or objects.
Will a regular compass take
care of that?
I live in an old "railroad"
apartment where each room is
followed by another in a long
line. Old gas pipes are still
situated above/inside the
ceiling.
The "front/first" room's two
windows face the street
entrance to the building -
this room is a square shape.
The room next was considered a
"half" of a room with a small
closet. The room that
connects to the first room
(bedroom) doesn't have a door,
but the shape of the room is
more like a rectangle.
The closet was extended into a
walk-in closet and which now
has a sort of "aisle" or
"foyer" that leads into the
doorway of the third
(living/dining) room.
The living/dining room is
where the entrance to the
apartment is located. The
entrance door opens towards
the half room/bedroom door
entrance. This room is a
narrow rectangle shape as well
with one window with a crack
in it on the side of the room
next to that - which is the
kitchen.
The kitchen doesn't have a
doorway, but it does have an
entranceway and wall to
separate itself from the
living/dining room. The
kitchen is also a
narrow/rectangular shape with
a window facing the left of
the building (left side when
facing the building's
entrance). The oven is to the
left of the window sill with
the refrigerator next to the
wall that separates the
living/dining room. The sink
is located next to the
bathroom, which is the room
that follows the kitchen.
The bathroom is very tiny -
enough to step into it and be
surrounded by the tub/shower,
toilet and vanity/sink.
Nothing more. There is a
window by the tub that also
faces the same direction as
the kitchen window.
The sun shines in the
kitchen/bathroom windows at
around 1 or 2:00 PM EST.
Would this help in finding out
the compass direction of the
apt?
The last room that follows the
bathroom is now our big
walk-in closet, which will
soon be split into a
computer/office space. This
"back" room is also a
rectangular shape. It has a
window that faces the back
yard and is directly opposite
from the two windows in the
bedroom (first room) where my
computer desk is actually
situated. This back room is
the coldest of all the rooms
despite efforts to insulate.
All windows with the exception
of the kitchen and bathroom
have a heavy draft. The air
cirulation in the
apartment/itself is horrible
but we are extremely limited
in electrical power/outlets -
it took us a long time of
blowing fuses to figure that
out! =)
In the bedroom, our bed is
situated the long way -
alongside the two windows that
face the street/entrance of
the building. The air
conditioner is located in the
window that is above the head.
We use heavy curtains in the
winter, but in good weather,
we use sheer ones. My
computer is located in front
of an old, but sealed door
that leads to the same hall as
our main doorway in the
apartment. The computer
monitor faces the window that
has the air conditioner. The
edges of the desk are rounded
off (is this OK?), but I do
have a small chest that holds
office supplies where the
corner faces the head of the
bed. There is also another
corner of a long desk that is
located on the opposite side
of the wall that separates the
walk-in closet (half room) and
the bedroom. The corner faces
the mid area of our bodies. A
clock hangs on the wall above
the long desk - facing high
above the lower part of our
bodies.
The living/room: there isn't
a formal dining area because
of the odd shape of the room.
We do have a fold up table
that we are using temporarily
in the area opposite the half
room. The couch faces the
entrance and the television,
stereo system, etc. The
window is to the left of the
couch (when sitting on the
couch). A clock hangs high
above the wall to the right of
the window and behind the
kitchen.
On the opposite side of this
clock, is the refrigerator.
Beside it, a wooden board we
placed to separate it from the
oven/stove. Beside it, is the
window. Across from this is a
counter top/shelving area that
my husband built because the
apt didn't come with anything.
Cooking/eating utensils are
stored in a box or left out in
the utensil caddy of the
dishrack.
Ever since we moved here, I
have been ill much more
frequently. I've had
continuous bouts of groups of
cankersores, sinisitis for the
first time, insomnia, a bout
with anxiety attacks,
frequent/recurring colds/flus.
I just had the flu last month
and again, this month for a
week.
I really apologize for this
lengthy email/question, but I
was hoping the description
might help a little in
assessing the problems in the
apartment. Whatever you might
think should come to my
attention would be greatly
appreciated! =)
Thank you for your patience
with me... ;)
Best regards,
Judy

[myfs_76299]

if the above image doesn't appear, please cut and paste the address below:
www.geocities.com/jujee5/aptlayout.jpg
Thank you so much for your patience! I look forward to hearing your analysis. =)

[Cecil Lee]

Dear Judy,
Thanks for the picture of the layout plan.
1. Yes, you can use an ordinary compass.
2. In the past, I had investigated many years back the `long houses' especially in parts of East Malaysia.
These long houses, even when they were made of wood had unusual compass readings where the readings internally vary in different compartments.
3. I hope you don't mind if you can:
3.1 Go to a barren land or an open space near to your home. And take a compass reading perhaps from different areas.
(Becareful of some open space as it may be littered with (hidden) such as thrown away metal etc...
3.2 Goto the different "compartment" and take the compass reading to check if they are the same or have changed. If possible, take down the reading and let me know.
4. This is because, for such `long houses' taking the centrepoint - may differ from ordinary houses.
Apologies, do take your time to find it out and let me know. Also, if you can briefly describe the `scene' at the front, back and side of your property/house.
Warmest Regards,
Cecil Lee