We have some weird neighbours at the moment. They're a relatively young couple, mid-twenties, getting married this year, he plays golf, she smokes. They tend to keep themselves to themselves smiling politely when we pass.

Apart from when they decide to ring our doorbell to express their distress at "overpowering noise". They can hear "everything", yes EVERYTHING and don't we realise our bedroom is right above theirs? They can hear talking and coughing and sneezing and drawers opening and closing. There's an indiscriminate banging going on constantly and it sounds like shoes are getting thrown about all the time. Then there's the piano...which is overpowering...obviously, most music is.

I'm not a mousey sort of quiet person. But I'm not a partying ned either. As part of my life I will play the piano some nights, moreso when I'm housebound due to studying, I will throw the dogs toys for her (those aren't shoes), I will take clothes out of my drawers and also put them away. I will talk, I will cough and sneeze when I'm not well or there's a high pollen count. I will do "everything" in my bedroom that's above yours.

And you know what...I'm a little bit sorry about the distress it is causing you overly quiet, conservative people but I don't think you have any idea of how utterly horrible and invasive it feels to be told EVERYTHING you do is being listened to. That is far worse than any amount of noise pollution.

Born of Two Mothers - December 07, 2009
Academic Angst - July 14, 2009
A Squooshin' - June 25, 2009
Emerging from a Black Cloud - June 22, 2009
Neighbours who know everything - May 21, 2009