I hope that’s ok if I don’t agree with you.

If it’s not ok, I’ll take it back.

a. work a different schedule from you (e.g., someone works nights, so they are disturbed by your vacuuming in the middle of the afternoon. Or someone who works all day and thinks it’s fine to hammer together bookshelves at 11:30 pm)

b. has a love for music played at volume “11″ (And I don’t care WHAT music. I love Bach but having to listen to the Brandenburgs at high volume with the distortion of coming through the wall would still drive me crazy)

c. has loud arguments with anyone in their family/roommates

d. loudly and vigorously makes love. (One of THE most unsettling things to have to listen to through apartment walls, IMHO)

e. plays an instrument (Especially “is learning to play an instrument”)

f. cooks fish or other, shall we say, fragrant foods

I’ve lived in a few apartments over the years, and I will never live in one again as long as I can afford to avoid it. And yes, yes, I know not all apartments have paper thin walls. But I lived in one made of poured concrete when I was in college and STILL experienced listening to letter d above (well, at least until the couple broke up).

High density living is one of those things that may look great on paper, but people being what they are, there are going to be a few people who wind up making others miserable in the situation. Or everyone winds up making everyone else miserable for part of the time. (I will admit to having tried to counteract letter d by playing Edith Piaf records on high volume in my own apartment at times…)

And I’m glad you’re glad I asked. That was a very
nice thing to say.

And you’re welcome.

Yeesh. There’s only one thing worse than people who aren’t willing to let everybody else make their own choice from among the myriad trade-offs life demands.