Cornflake Girl

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Good Neighbors, Got Some?

Lately I've been thinking a lot about good neighbors. I've lived all over the country and have had good neighbors and not so good neighbors. I've had neighbors that have become lifelong friends.

When I was growing up we had a family that moved next door that I would put in the bad neighbor category. They had disrespectful children who ran wild. They were rude to adults and caused my family major grief. They installed a basketball court in their backyard and we heard the sound of bouncing balls all day and night. When their ball came into our yard they jumped our old wire fence to retrieve their ball. Our fence soon sagged in the middle from them jumping into our yard. After a few run-ins with this family over fence jumping and name calling and my Dad almost punching an out of control teenager, Dad put up an eight foot chain link fence. We only wished it was a wooden fence so we couldn't see them any longer. Eventually they moved away but we had a few stressful years in that house due to these neighbors. Fences didn't make a good neighbor but it prevented us from going to jail.

I had a neighbor in Oklahoma who was nice enough, just not that bright. When we moved in there were no fences in the back yard. At some point they got a dog and chained it to a doghouse and then proceeded to ignore the dog. The dog barked all of the time and more so when we came into our yard. The poor dog probably just needed some attention. We could not sit out back and relax without the noise.

Next he bought an old metal shed and proceeded to put this in the backyard. It got stuck while he was moving it in and he dropped it where it got stuck. Just plopped down cattycorner sort of in the middle of the yard. Fence time for us. We put up a six foot wooden fence. This was much better as we no longer had to look at their crappy backyard.

I've had some great neighbors too. I had two favorite neighbors in South Carolina who had keys to my house and I theirs. We watched each others cats when we left town and shared plant cuttings. We brought each other casseroles during times of sorrow and gladness. We enjoyed each others company. These are the sort of neighbors that I am currently wishing for.

I have been in a new home for almost four years now. I had high hopes for meeting neighbors and finding some that were social and interesting. In three short years I saw two of my new neighbors get divorced and their families torn apart. I've had houses on either side of me go into foreclosure. One house has been empty for over a year now. The other has had some renters.

Here is what has been making me think of what makes a good neighbor. The first owners of the house next to us never ever cut the grass in their backyard. It was knee to shoulder high in weeds. We didn't see it unless we peeped over the fence but the weeds seeded and it caused more weeds to grow in our yard. I was always waiting for a brush fire to break out.

Then another family moved in who also neglected the backyard. They seemed nice enough but we wondered why they would not clean up their backyard as they had children who I'm sure would have loved to go out into the yard to play.

Next the house was empty again and went to short sale. Then it had a for rent sign. The next neighbor moved in. We could not tell who lived in the house or how many people lived there. I think it may have been two couples. Sometimes we would see a child or two. For a while a huge moving truck would be parked on the street in front of our house leaving a huge oil stain in the street. Next they put in a trampoline with a giant ten foot net around it. Granted we have six foot concrete wall fences. They are called privacy fences for a reason. No more privacy in our back yard when we have jumpers.

Another sign of a bad neighbor is noise. If you are playing the music in your house so loud that your neighbors can hear and feel it inside their home, it's too loud. If you are playing it late at night, in my opinion you are a bad neighbor. Oh yeah, and if your dog barks constantly bring them in the house once in a while. Be considerate of others in the neighborhood.

Here's my list of what makes a bad neighbor:

Someone who neglects their yard

Someone who is inconsiderately noisy

People who don't abide by basic HOA rules

Multiple oil leaking cars in the street

Dogs that bark constantly

Loud music that can be felt and heard inside other neighbors homes

Here's my list of what makes a good neighbor:

Friendly

Keeps yard clean and weed free

Obeys basic HOA rules

Keeps noise to minimum

Is that too much to ask? Am I just getting old and cranky?

One of the neighboring houses is for rent again. I am again praying for good neighbors.

What do you think makes a good or bad neighbor?

Sunday, January 25, 2009

The Wrestler

Wow. We went to see the movie The Wrestler yesterday. Mickey deserves an Oscar for this role. It was a very good movie. Gritty, real and sad. I thought all of the main characters were played so well.

I don't know why Hollywood is acting as if Mickey has been gone for such a long time. We've seen him in plenty of movies, Sin City, Domino, Once Upon a Time in Mexico. I loved his character in Once Upon a Time in Mexico. He's been around and he's been good.

I could not take my eyes off of his face though. He has definitely had some sort of plastic surgery on his face. It actually adds to the character in this film. His eyes are so expressive and when he smiles you get such a sweet side of the character. Actually the character is a very sweet guy. He's just in such a strange business.

Marisa Tomei plays her character well also. I have never gotten over her Oscar win for My Cousin Vinnie. I thought it was not deserved. However she has redeemed herself in my eyes in this role. This time she has a real role and she is really acting. She is also brave for taking this role as she plays a stripper and has a few almost naked dances around the pole.

The thing about this movie is that it is a great story but it is also a good story about aging. Everyone ages and it comes at you fast.

I recommend this movie. Bring some Kleenex.