I am beginning to hate, dread, and even fear New Year’s Eve. This year we rang in the New Year at 10:15 with some of our bestest friends only to come home and have it ruined by our worstest neighbors.

Three years ago we were awoken at midnight by fireworks and a chorus of imbeciles shouting “Happy F—ing New Year” which continued for about 15 minutes or so. Apparently they don’t trust their clocks so they wanted to be sure the New Year was really here. I don’t really know how these people can even yell so loud that it wakes me up inside of my house with all the windows closed, or why they think that is acceptable.

Last year we were awoken by multiple gun shots firing repeatedly from the house across the street. When I looked out the window and saw a group of 6 or 7 minors firing a handgun in the air repeatedly I called the police only to be informed that they had a list about 100 addresses long of people reporting similar incidents and that the would never make it to my complaint. Oh well!

This year we were again awoken by gunshots at midnight. I was unable to see anybody firing a weapon or you can bet I would have called the police to report it again. It blows my mind to think that there are people in my neighborhood who are stupid enough to shoot a gun straight up in the air who own a weapon. I become afraid when I think about the weapons they possess. I don’t know anything about guns but whatever this gun is it can fire off at least a dozen rapid fire rounds so fast I can’t even count them. There were two of these guns firing off so close to our home that it was frightening, especially when we heard something land on our roof. Within earshot, but not loud enough to wake me up, if I haven’t already been awake, there were another six similar weapons being fired. All of this went on for 22 minutes.

So what scares me about all of this: 1. What goes up must come down. Don’t these idiots realize that firing a gun in the air means the bullet comes back down at the same speed it left the barrel of the gun — Killing Speed. Rule 1 of gun safety, know your target. 2. These people are violent. A few months ago there was a shoving match in the street outside of our home which ended with a gun shot. 3. These people have tempers. We hear so much shouting and fighting coming from these houses that it is plain to me that tempers are flaring in these homes. 4. These people are drunks. During the summer months we fall asleep to raucous, drunken, yell fests coming from these homes multiple nights a week. Put it all together and you have New Year’s Eve.

Whatever happened to watching the ball drop on TV, or whatever it is they drop in your town. Kissing the one you love and going home to enjoy the New Year?

When did it become acceptable to make any kind of noise at midnight? — I don’t care if it is New Year’s Eve, Independence Day, or Labor Day fireworks make noise, people have jobs and it is not acceptable to make noise in the middle of the night. Set them off before 10 o’clock, then go inside and have a nice enjoyable evening that doesn’t disturb your neighbors.

Dear neighbors, please consider and respect your neighbors and their property. Perhaps we don’t want to be awake in the middle of the night. Maybe we don’t want you to fire your gun in the air and have the bullets come down on our homes.