I live in an old pre-WW II building. This thing is solidly built and normally the only thing you can hear is people walking; not their TVs; no talking. Then I moved into a different unit. Down stairs we have the TV addicts. Their TV is on from at least 8 am until at least 12 pm. It is so loud that I can identify the TV show. Five years of living here and I could never hear any other neighbor's TV before. Any attempt to ask him to turn it down leads to verbal altercations and threats. The super likes his family, so she's decided that I'm just crazy. After five years of friendship!

Upstairs we have the Piano Man and the Fat Soprano. Okay, he's a musician and needs to practice. And while it is annoying to listen to him all day at least he's doing his practicing in the middle of the afternoon when most people are at work. Why oh why did I get a work from home position? Now he and his tone deaf wife have taken to practicing between 8 and 12 at night every night. It sounds like his damn piano and obese, shrieking wife are in my apartment with me. And if you knock on the door to request a little quiet they don't answer it! Any attempt to bring the super into this is met with a dumbfounded expression. She can't figure out why I don't feel privileged to live so close to a real musician.

I've taken to wearing ear plugs and running a fan at all times just to get some quiet. And that still doesn't drown out all of the noise. What do I have to do to get some sleep?!?