Children in Los Angeles

So we're moving... again. Unfortunately, the place we moved into post short sale of our Encino home proved problematic for two reasons:

1. NO closet space. I kid you not, between John and I, we have been sharing a closet for BOTH of our wardrobes that has been approximately the size of a women's public bathroom stall at a store like Target. (Not the ones reserved for the disabled or baby changers mind you - I'm talking about the ones that I can barely fit into as an average sized human being).

2. Our upstairs neighbor. (And she is the far bigger problem here). She is a spoiled Loyola Marymount University student who has made our lives a living hell since she moved into the apartment right above us about 9 months ago. We have lost countless nights of sleep thanks to this little inconsiderate selfish witch - who stays up all hours of the night - and literally drops things on her floor that we can only surmise are dumbbells on account of what they do to our roof, our walls, our dogs... as well as us. Not to mention everything else she pulls up there.

Her daddy pays her rent, (mind you, rent is NOT cheap in this place), and denies time and time again, (despite our repeat complaints), that his precious little angel could possibly be doing anything wrong. In fact, he indicated that John and I were out to harass her. Right, 'cause that's what we spend our time doing as 30 and 40-something professionals.

So, after 5 months of complaining, we were finally told we needed to prove that she was up to no good. Thanks for the heads up Management! We called security - and this time, after they spent over an hour in our apartment marveling at the incessant noise coming from upstairs, they filed a two page report about her antics. One would've assumed that this would've been sufficient to perhaps consider eviction - but of course it wasn't. We were then told to somehow record her excessive noise and to call the police instead of security. (What's the point of security then)? Well, we didn't feel like investing in the caliber of recording equipment that would've picked this particular brand of noise up - but we did call the police. Guess what they told us? They wouldn't come unless the noise could be heard from the street. Back to square one. Wheeeeee!!!

4 months later, (and 9 months since this nonsense began), after what has to have been 50+ noise complaints, countless visits from security in the wee hours of the night for them to hear what we have been privy to on a daily basis, and months of research into finding a new place where we will have significantly more closet space and will be on the top floor of the building, we've been given the right to terminate our lease early.

VICTORY!

What does this have to do with children?

Well, almost nothing - however having gone through all of this, two things have occurred to me:

1. A two bedroom apartment is probably far more conducive to raising children in Los Angeles - though still not a great scenario.

2. The idea of raising children in Los Angeles is becoming less and less attractive, so the above point may be moot regardless. L.A. was just ranked (again), as having the worst air quality in the country - and supposedly by 2033 another 9 million more people may be living here. If this is what the air quality looks like now, can you even begin to imagine what it's gonna look like then. I swear, I might as well be smoking a pack a day... oh wait... I probably am by simply living here.

In any case, we've still got a long road ahead of us in terms of making any major decisions - but the good news is that we will now be in much improved living quarters. We may actually be able to entertain again!

In closing, I'd like to say that I really do hope karma exists - and works as its supposed to.