countries to get along, if we can't even get along with our neighbors?

I just returned from a homeowner's meeting for my condo. I'm in "training" to be on the board next year so I attend each meeting each month.

At the last meeting, my downstairs neighbor complained about the "excessive" noise coming from my apartment. No, I've given up my sub-woofer and my exercise equipment. The excessive noise she complained about was my clock radio in my kitchen (set at NPR, for Jack & Marina) and my TV (even after I invited this particular neighbor to my home to affirm that no, it wasn't too loud and they were both at acceptable levels) and my walking. Since I've gotten hardwood floors, I don't even wear shoes in my place anymore, as I kick them off the minute I enter and only put them on as I leave.

Anyway, of course, when she was here to hear my radio and TV and agree with me about the levels not being too loud, I asked her if she had a resolution about how I could eliminate the walking noise for her. She didn't have an answer to that so I thought she would just have to deal with it.

I knew I was just being optimistic about all this when I got a phone call from her on Saturday night as I was running bath water for Joey and Jessie and brushing teeth. She screamed at me "do you know how loud you are being?" and I just listened to her rant and rave about how she just knew that I was talking about her with my sister and how she knew that I was trying to break up her marriage and how she hasn't been able to sleep at all at night and how she cries all night because I make so much noise.

Needless to say, she gave the same song and dance to the homeowner's group tonight and finally, when one of them asked her what she wanted, she said that she just wanted me to respect her.

So I'm trying really hard to do that, but I'm thinking that if anyone is that sensitive to noise that #1 --- they shouldn't be living in a downstairs apartment and #2 --- they shouldn't be living in a multi-family dwelling and #3 --- they should get a life!