Random Sucky Neighbor Thoughts

[cindybubbles]

I've had neighbours living next door who argued and shouted a lot in their native language while I was doing my business in the bathroom back at my old condo. It's probably because the wall between our units there is thin, probably because of the need to install plumbing.

They also had a baby there, so I was treated to crying and screaming, too.

But the thing is, it didn't bother me in the slightest. It was like listening to my own private soap opera.

[Food Lady]

It's 2:45 am. Yeah, I'm up, too. But at least you can't hear me all the way across the courtyard. I don't even live in your building and I want to call the cops on you. Again, those of you who live on the ends: just because you have 2 bedrooms it doesn't mean you own a house. In case you forgot, this is an apartment complex. Jerks.

[Food Lady]

If you're gonna blast your boom boom music, be prepared to hear me singing with Ella at the top of my lungs. BTW, enjoy my allergy-induced phlegminess. I actually can sing but I'm glad it's terrible today. I can still sing LOUD.

[Android Kaeli]

On the music thing......

The neighbors that used live a half of street down didn't realize that playing blasting their damn music after 7 pm Does Not Happen in my area, or any time during the day even. I don't mean "blasting" as in "just barely hear it when walking in front of their house", I mean I heard it with my house closed up, earplugs in, with my own TV volume to near blasting -- oh did I ever mention I'm deaf in one ear and have limited hearing in the other? So you know it had to be very loud in order for me to hear it, I couldn't imagine what it was like for the neighbors that lived closer.

The one and only time I called in to complain about it, the local PD pretty much told us to deal with it despite the fact that we knew we weren't the only ones that were calling in complaints and that the music volume went UP after 10 pm. I think the final straw was that someone took inspiration from this -- don't know all the details but by the end of the week there was a moving van parked in front of the house.

[protege]

Forgot something about neighbors. That is, one of the kids behind me plays the drums. Now, I think it's great she's taken an interest in music. She's not bad at all. But, if I have to listen to several hours of the same rhythm over and over...I'm going to launch a cruise missile into her bedroom.

I didn't mind it when she first started. It was only an hour or so. Then her dad killed himself, her mom isn't home as often...and the drum solos started becoming all-day events. I know that words have been said--other neighbors have complained--but it's not going to change. We can always tell when her mom is home. It's quiet. Mom leaves to go to work, and the drums start. Trust me, it sucks!

I don't know about the rest of you, but if I have my house closed up and the TV on, I shouldn't be able to hear it. But, as there is only a 10-foot gap between my house and theirs, even if I'm downstairs, I can hear the thumping. I once kidded that if it didn't stop, I'd put my speakers outside...and put a certain annoying song by Carly Rae Jepsen on an endless loop

[Tama]

Dear next door neighbor:

Either answer the fucking door or call the cops. This guy has been knocking on your door for several minutes now. Loudly!

[Aria]

Ah, the upstairs neighbors again... Yesterday some very LOUD music started, roughly around 5 PM. EXTREMELY loud... That went on for a bit, then there was a female voice yelling. The music stopped and a very angsty male voice started yelling back. Then the music started again, at a more reasonable volume.

D'you think there's a teenager up there?

[cindybubbles]

My mother was drying clothes. She needs to keep the front and balcony doors open so that the steam doesn't damage the walls or the ceiling of our unit. We also have to turn on our bathroom fans.

She tried to explain this but you didn't listen. You assumed that because she's brown, that she cooks a lot of curry and that's why the door is open. She tried to reason with you, yet you insisted that she close the door and risk ruining our unit just for your own convenience.

You should already know that this happens here all the time, whether it's cooking curry or drying clothes, so if a neighbour's open door bothers you, you can either tough it out, call security or look for another place to live!

BTW, lady, how the heck do YOU dry your clothes without risking damage to your unit?

[Food Lady]

I can hear you clear across the courtyard and it's 11:30 pm. I don't know how it is in your home country, but in this one sometimes people sleep at night.

[Aria]

My mother was drying clothes. She needs to keep the front and balcony doors open so that the steam doesn't damage the walls or the ceiling of our unit. We also have to turn on our bathroom fans.

...What is wrong with your building that this is necessary?

[cindybubbles]

...What is wrong with your building that this is necessary?

I don't know, except that it was built sometime in the 70s, and some of the paint has already bubbled beneath the bathroom wall on the second floor, though that could be chalked up to not using the bathroom's fan while showering (my dad, mostly; mom and I take baths with the fan on).

If we forget to turn on all of the kitchen, laundry and bathroom fans or open the front and balcony doors, chances are that some of the moisture won't escape. Sure, I have an open window and table fans near or in my bedroom, but they're on the second floor and the washer and dryer are on the first floor. Moisture equals mould, and mould made me sick lots of times in my old condo, which happened to be a building that's just as old as, and that shares the same complex as, my newly-bought condo.

We also installed an external lint trap for the dryer that looks a like a hole through the big hose, so we're trying. My mom now uses Scotch tape on the front door lock so that it would appear to be closed if any neighbour should pass by, while still maintaining that much-needed cross-ventilation.

EDIT: My mom stopped using Scotch tape because she thought up of the idea of propping the door open with its own lock. It worked, and no one has complained since.

[Food Lady]

I don't know WHY you decide to start this crap at 10:00 pm but I am giving you until 11:00 and I am calling the police. It's SUNDAY NIGHT and I don't have to work tomorrow morning, but our other neighbors do! Fine, I'll be the one who's not too nice to call.

Edit: I didn't even give them an hour. Police just called me back to request apartment number. I said I'd called before but couldn't remember it. I should write it down. *sigh*

[Food Lady]

Great. Now my whole bathroom smells like smoke, even though I don't smoke. The vent in the ceiling goes to the roof and their stupid smoke blows over it. Arrrrrrrgh!

ETA: Annnnd now the other neighbors are arguing. So glad I don't have to work in the morning.

[Aria]

What the hell are they doing? Drilling at 11 PM? Fuck... I do not like that rattling noise! Or are they using a really loud sewing machine?

My upstairs neighbors are really, really annoying me now...

[Food Lady]

Could be me using my blender to grind coffee. Sorry.