One thing I'm learning about apartment living is that you don't really know your neighbors. We moved from a block where all of our neighbors went to mass together, and were up-to-date on each others lives, and children's lives. The type of neighborhood where you knew that so-and-so was single and so-and-so-was dating and so-and-so played softball for the town. It was sweet. Here, in young-professional/young-family-world we know no one. I saw our downstairs neighbor smoking one day when I was coming home from work, and Aggie says they have a kid. I over heard our next door neighbor say to another neighbor that they think we're Mexicans, but besides that, no neighbor-to-neighbor contact. I think its kind of weird, but maybe that is how America is now, and our old neighborhood was a relic of the past?
I think there are pros and cons of being friendly with your neighbors. On the plus side, knowing the types of people who inhabit your apartment can make you feel more at ease, and if you're friendly enough with them, you might get to re-live Friends (remember that show? Its replaced by the even better How I Met Your Mother). On the negative side, knowing your neighbors means more potential for drama, favors (can I borrow an egg?) and nosiness (although I can out snoop them any day of the week).
I've also been hearing a lot of sermons on the radio/ my ipod about community. It seems you're not expected to be in community with your physical neighbors. Although I wonder where the lot of them go to church? I'd like some suggestions of ones that are within walking distance.
Are you friends/friendly with your neighbors? Do you want to be?
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