so I've been on the phone with my landlords twice today. the first time was this morning. I called to air my concerns about the penetrating noise from the bar and actually spoke to the husband half of the landlord team for the first time ever. he was very concerned and stressed that the bar would have to insulate since their lease said they're not to disturb and that he'd warned them after they removed the drop ceiling in the former structure that noise would be a consideration. I offered that perhaps they should come over some night to hear how loud it is and he took my phone numbers and said he'd get back to me. I felt very relieved after speaking to him, like a weight was lifted from my shoulders, especially since he seemed frustrated by the situation as well.

when I got back from lunch I had a message on my phone from a worker in the rental company's office suggesting April and I move into the second floor unit that's on the other side of the building. which is a great suggestion, only when April and I looked at the unit a few months ago, when it was first vacant, we decided there was no way we could move into that place because the bedrooms are somehow significantly smaller than the ones we currently have. one of the bedrooms would only really be suitable as an office or a baby's room. so I called back the rental agency to say, thank you, great suggestion, but we've already thought of that and it won't work. this time I was speaking to the wife half of the rental agency and she soon afterwards said her husband wanted to speak to me.

the husband explained that he spoke to the bar's financer (who is a dentist, I learned) and that the guy specifically said he didn't want people to be complaining about the noise. but then the husband landlord said that when the police were there last night (I called in yet another complaint, which may or may not be a good way to go) they said it wasn't loud for a bar at all. and then the landlord launched into a big spiel about how it's been dead silent down there for the past year and a half since I've been living there and when it's quiet at night you can hear a pin drop, but now there's a bar and you've got to expect noise. I granted him that yes, bars can be noisy, but I wouldn't be complaining unless the noise was exceptionally bad and disruptive. the landlord said that he was going to have someone come in and make estimates for how much it would cost to insulate the place but there are complications because they've installed recessed lighting and boy did they spend a lot of money on that thing, hundreds of thousands of dollars. there's really no quick solution to this. and even though the landlord said he wasn't going to take sides, I could tell that his alliance is more with the bar owner than with me and my roommate. especially since he mentioned that the owner of the bar that used to be there ended up just renting to one of his employees who didn't mind the sound. the landlord suggested that next time the sound is bothering us, I should go downstairs and "be very lady-like" and suggest one of the workers come up and hear how loud it is. he also said he thought that "it will probably end up you girls will be moving." and then I had to actually stop myself from starting to cry out of frustration.

so now I don't feel so good about the situation anymore. my next step will be trying to find some airport runway-quality earplugs for now and then I believe it will be time to start looking around for a new place to live, with the backing of a tenants' rights organization if necessary. there's no way I can only get 4 hours of sleep every weeknight for the next 7 months and be expected not to murder anyone.

so so so so sucky.

in other news, I saw Johnny Marr last night at Double Door. the music was really kind of boring, but it was neat to see him and Ringo Starr's son and the guitarist from Kula Shaker perform. I actually liked the opening band, Mellowdrone, a lot better. it was kind of like a loud Jeff Buckley with lots of looping. not half bad.

man, do I need a drink and a smoke right now. I can actually feel my blood pressure rising in my neck.