Dealing with people

Living in an apartment building for the elderly and disabled, I am continually reminded of the generation gap, and never more so than when I attend the monthly dinners held by the Tenants Association.  At least those that feature music played during dinner and afterwards for dancing.

You basically have the difference between the Baby Boomers (of which I am one) and the "Greatest Generation" (those who lived through World War II).  The GG's generally cannot abide the music chosen for the dinners because it's chosen by the Baby Boomers who control the Association.  The music is too loud, not appropriate for dancing, etc etc. 

Myself, I don't usually care one way or another.  My musical tastes cross generations, although I admit that I cannot abide hip hop/rap or much of today's pop.  I am happy with jazzy standards and I am happy with disco.  Anything to drown out the noise I continually hear. 

 It's easy here to provoke an argument and ill feeling.  In a close-living community like this, tempers can flare easily and things seem to hurt more deeply than in other places.  There was a disagreement this morning about a woman "hogging" the front seat in the bus that takes tenants shopping at the local supermarket.  Another woman was incredibly upset by last night's dinner being a pajama party.  She was upset because the building has a policy against people wearing pajamas in the community room and she felt the Tenants Association was breaking the rules.  However, the organizers of the party had gotten permission from management so....

Generally, I have found it best to keep my mouth firmly zipped shut. I am friendly with people but there are few that I have close relationships with.  And those that I have "close" relationships with don't really know me well.

That's probably because I don't say very much about myself.  And even if I do, it doesn't seem to penetrate, unfortunately.  When I do say something about what's going on with me, it's received a bit perfunctorily, as in when you ask someone "how are you doing?" and you really don't care about the answer, you're just asking to be polite.

Some of this has changed, though.  Ever since an article about me was published in the Providence Journal, Rhode Island's main newspaper, those here who read it are aware that I deal with mental illness.  And some have made a point of approaching me to say how much they appreciated my openness.  Others probably have a different opinion.  Which is fine.  I'd rather be disliked for being crazy than for being bad tempered and argumentative the way some are here.

I just really want to get along with people, and feel free to live my own life.  And this place allows me to do just that.  For which I am truly thankful.