Hello fellow apartment dwellers:

I am recently divorced and in a very nice second floor apartment with my 14 yr old twin sons. No one is below us (thank God) because the duplicate floor plan below us is right next to the intersection.

We DO, however, have upstairs neighbors... *groan*. I have read so many posts about the thudding noises from above and I want some feedback.

I have learned that noise can't be helped... not all of it. I live in an apartment, I'm going to hear noise. But when is the cut-off time in the evening, during the week, for bowling balls to stop dropping and Dolby theatre surround sound beheamoths to be shut off?

My boys and me have to get up at 5:30am and being woken up at 2:30am by the elephants, in my opinion, is unreasonable. My sons go to bed at 10pm. The elephants sometimes drop their bowling balls until well after 11pm disturbing my sons sleep. Slamming doors - thumping - I hate apartment living - GOD I hate it.

In the four months I have lived here I have only complained twice to management and that was when their stereo was so loud my apartment walls and floor was literally vibrating and shaking. I couldn't even hear my own music.

This has gotten long and I apologize... but "WHEN" do you complain about the noise? Which battles are worth fighting?

Thanks guys.