Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Adventures in Neighbors and Marathons.


A couple things I want to get out of the way before the main post that has absolutely nothing to do with running.  Or really anything.  So sorry if you're bored to tears. 

1) By a couple twists of fate (mainly being able to get a random bib and having easy access to Sacramento), I'm running CIM.  So is 50% of the rest of the running blogger community!  I don't know if I'm excited or not, but it's happening ready or not.  After CIM, I want to focus on either the 5k or the half.  Time to try to PR in shorter stuff.  If possible.  If you're up at CIM let me know so we can say hi or look for each other!

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 2) Compex has a 20% off code for their machines.  I know these things aren't cheap, if I do think it's pretty sweet if you're in the market.
Code = TU20

3) It's past Thanksgiving, but I wanted to say thank you for reading my blog.  It's very fun to be able to have a voice and even better to be able to meet people through the blog.  I know there are a billion other blogs to read and you are busy.  So thank you.  

Main Post

I live in an apartment complex that is poorly constructed.  It's probably about the same quality as 90% of the thin-walled, made-for-10-years-of-use apartments throughout west LA.

Which means I can hear almost every move my neighbors make.   And they can probably hear me too.  This was fine until about a month ago.  A song here, an explosion from a movie there, what sounds like a giant dog running around the floor...sure, why not.    Comes with living in an apartment, right?

But about a month ago, something changed.  "Never-sleeping-dudebro" moved into the complex.   I don't really know about the comings and goings of my neighbors but this guy has made his presence known morning, noon, and night.  I feel like I know him better than I should based on his blasted musical selections of Sublime, Third Eye Blind, and The Foo Fighters.

AT 7 AM!!!

It's like he's partying like it's 1997 and there's no stopping him.

"Bump.  Bum. Bum."  is pretty much what I hear when getting ready for work, making dinner, and getting ready for bed.

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 A few days ago, I decided I'd had it.  I asked Anthony about it and he gave the typical chill dude response of "Eh.  I usually don't say anything because then if I'm loud they won't say anything about me."

And...

"If it really bothers you just go ask him to turn it down."

Too easy.  So I did nothing.  Then I fumed a few more days and got up the courage to knock on the wall we share.  No dice - same noise.

Yesterday night I finally got the courage to walk down the hall and ask dudebroneversleeps to turn down his speakers.   I knocked on the door next to me, and after a couple minutes a confused looking old guy answered the door and said "May I help you?".

There was no music.  Clearly this wasn't the right apartment.  I explained that I hear loud music 12 hours a day every day and that I had thought it was him.

"Yeah I hear that too!  I've filed a couple complaints and nothing!  I think it's the guy above us."

Now I was on a mission.  I thanked the old dude and ran up the stairs.  I could hear music blasting from this apartment.  I had found my culprit.

All of a sudden I got scared.  What if this guy is a serial killer and he plays loud music to lure people to his apartment to kill them?  After all, what kind of weirdo needs 120 decibels at all times and doesn't respond to complaints?  Visions of a Dexter-like episode went through my head and I stepped away from the door.

"Well at least that old guy from downstairs knows I'm here if I get killed.  They'll track this guy down in a minute if I go missing", I thought.  

I knocked on the door.  ....A dog growled and the music turned off.  My life flashed before my eyes.

"Shit he's got a giant monster dog too!",  I thought.  "Maybe first the dog attacks and then he does!". 

And then...a small, 23 year old, Mark Zuckerberg look-alike type dude holding a cute 10 pound dog opened the door.  There was a giant lit Christmas tree in the background.  Not what I was expecting at all!

"Hi?  Uh I'm Margot.   I live downstairs.  Uh...your music is a little loud.  Would you mind not playing it early in the morning or late at night?"

He looked embarrassed.  "Yeah definitely!  I had no idea people could hear it.   Sorry about that!".

Wow.  Too easy.  

I said thank you and goodnight and went back to my apartment.   It was blissfully quiet.  I sat back down on the couch and put up my feet.   And contemplated how I made that much harder than it needed to be.  Maybe it's just tough to talk to strangers, even if they are my neighbors.  But it worked out ok.  I guess I should meet the rest of my neighbors too.  You never know when you'll need a cup of sugar, right?

This place is gonna be all hella Mayberry.

Well maybe not, but at least it might be quieter.
  

18 comments:

  1. That would have freaked me out. I hate telling people that something they are doing bothers me, even if odds are that they have no idea it bothers me and they'd be 100% willing to change if they knew. There's just that off chance that they're going to hate (or kill, in your world ;) me for saying something.

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  2. The apartment above us at our last place seemed to attract loud tenants and my husband was the brave person to go make those requests to keep the noise down. The best was right after we moved in, he had to go ask them to keep the noise down during a party...because it was 3am on a weeknight. They corrected him, saying it was only 2:45am, and offered him a drink. Luckily they moved out 2 weeks later.

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  3. Haha! Love the Dexter reference. I'm glad it turned out well for you!

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  4. I am not confrontational at all. Sometimes my roommate has friends over before I have a race and they are sooooo loud. Only a few times have I gotten the courage to say anything. usually I fume angrily in my room and get no sleep. To be fair 99% of the time its good. Glad it worked out for you! Have fun at CIM! It does seem like everyone is running!!

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  5. Hahaha. Good for you. This guy with his 10 pound dog and loud tough music somehow reminds me of Michael Bolton in the opening scene of Office Space. Good look at CIM!

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  6. We call the guy in the apartment next to us Mark Zuckerberg. Not so much because he looks like him, but because he communicates very oddly, a la Jesse Eisenberg in Social Network. And he might have a little American Psycho in him, based on his 2:00 a.m. grunts and rowing-exercise sessions where he chants soliloquies about maximizing profits.

    Neighbors!!

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  7. wow, that was the best possible scenario! you should take him some baked goods! my neighbors ran an after hours club in their livingroom for a few months. we are not friends.

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  8. I definitely would have shared your serial-killer fear! I am absolutely terrified to knock on neighbor's doors and it is entirely irrational. When I used to live in an apartment, I refused to let anyone see where I was going. Like if I'd get off the elevator at the same time as someone I would dink around or turn the wrong way all so they couldn't see where I was going. Glad you aren't as insane and now you have peace and quiet :)

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  9. I'll be at CIM too, running the relay. I live in Sac so this is the fifth year I've done the relay. Just a warning, it is supposed to start raining tomorrow and not stop until Monday so bring some rain gear. Good luck!

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  10. Isn't it funny how the picture in our head doesn't match up with reality! I would have thought similar things and been surprised as well.

    The Kidless Kronicles

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  11. I'm convinced our neighbors are all part of the Witness Protection Program...you never see or hear anyone. It's so weird.

    I will be watching at CIM. I will happily and loudly shout encouraging things at you! Should I bring you some snacks?

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  12. Wow that definitely went smoother than I would have thought!
    I have the same issue with some neighbors across the street. I live in a townhome and our street is a deadend and any noise across the street bounces off the house and they party like its 1999 every so often and it's ridiculously loud. My neighbors and I have reported them and called the cops but they continue to be abnoxious. I would go over and talk to him but he is a real asshole and I have seen it, so I am not taking the chance.

    Good luck running CIM! I wish I lived in CA so I could run some of those races with ya'll!

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  13. I've lived in the same apartment for many years and still don't know most of my neighbors' names. I don't know if it's apartment life or just me. When I lived with my parents in the suburbs, we knew all our neighbors pretty well. I do know my neighbors kids' names since they run around the driveway playing and yelling at each other. I also know more about one neighbors dating life since she has long conversations out on the balcony. Her voice carries through the thin walls.

    Have fun in the rain at CIM.

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  14. I am so not confrontational. I hate it but this is a great reminder to just talk with our neighbors, so much conflict could be resolved that way. I'll be running CIM as well. Running or swimming maybe. Good luck!

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  15. I saw you run past me today, in the CIM. I was totally like, "I know that girl! I read her blog!!" It was like seeing a movie star :) I loved it. Just wanted to let you know :) It was crazy out there, but for some reason, I loved it. Its another story to tell. HOpe you did great, or as great as possible. You're amazing.

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    1. Hey! Just so you know, I showed this comment to Anthony and told him that I'm like Angelina Jolie now ;-).

      Anyways, thanks so much for commenting! Next time say hi if you have the breath. Man, I was NOT having a good time out there, but I'm glad it's over. Congrats on your race.

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    2. I saw you too! But i didn't know you were running so i thought 'no that can't be her'. This was my first marathon and what a story to tell! The rain was not nearly as miserable as i thought it would be, however it is my inspiration to do another marathon without rain!

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    3. Cool! :)

      Oh man that is rough this was your first marathon!! Believe me, regular marathons are WAY better than this one :)

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