Dear Melinda
Dear [Melinda],
Yes, as you had set expectations, so did I. I tend to be most drawn to women my height or taller, thin, white, and agnostic.
Hopefully, we’ll have that unique friendship again, which you think of so fondly.
It’s hard to date others when someone has captured your heart. Sorry it didn’t work out with your Jewish entrepreneur.
On my earnings in Ohio: Well, I was not earning $90K when we were neighbors. At that time (circa 1995), I earned about $50K. I didn’t start making the  big  bucks  
  until 1997, when I began leading a software support team. Then Y2K came, and the software I supported then experienced no glitches. So I got some pretty big raises that year, totaling a 20% salary increase.
Hmmm, for some reason, I thought you were earning $60K in Dayton.
On taking a loss when you sold your condo: I also took a loss, when I sold my house in 1997, In fact, I was still $6K in the hole when the deal was done. These days, I have no debt – all student loans paid off, as well as all credit cards and installment loans. It feels great.
On [that guy from Pittsburgh]: Man, he must have had money to burn, signing up for classes and then dropping out on the first day. Oh well, at least he probably didn’t have to pay much, especially if CMU was like Pitt. At Pitt, they gave you two weeks to Add / Drop classes without having to pay for the whole class. Still though, I bet that decision cost him or his family thousands, as expensive as CMU is. Perhaps all he really wanted was to prove to himself that he could get into a prestigious school. I don’t know.
I remember visiting his neighborhood in Pittsburgh in the 80s. Nice place then. Not sure how it is today, although the surrounding neighborhoods have definitely declined. Anyway, when he and I attended college together, we had a party or two at a friend’s place just down the road from [that guy's] Mom’s place.
[That guy from Pittsburgh] went by the nickname  Steele  in our crowd, and I don’t remember anyone speaking ill of him, although he wasn’t overly popular either. That’s how my relationship to the crowd was, and perhaps that’s why he and I got along well then.
Oh yes, the good ole’ apartment Laundromats. I don’t believe I’d do well in an apartment these days. I hate other people’s noise, particularly when then slam doors or play loud music. Their cigarette smoke is no fun either. Now I don’t mind noise (when I want to make it).    But unwelcome noise is just such a nasty intrusion! I had that problem in two apartments in Philly – thus one reason for leaving there. Also, in 1999, I was mugged and slightly injured as a result (5 stitches on my head). Had I been able to afford living in Ardmore, the experience probably would have been far different – for the better. But as it was, I had to get out of there. At least, here at Mom’s, it’s quiet most of the time.
Mom has many health problems these days, and I’m not sure how much longer she’ll be with us.
On your Philly condo: I used to walk around Locust street often, particularly between 12th and 15th streets. Again, you picked a wonderful place to live. During my first year there, I lived at 22nd and the parkway, very close to the art museum. That was nice, but the rent was $1210 / month. So in the second year, I went to Frankford – please don’t laugh. I know now that that was a stupid move, particularly since it was in Frankford that I was mugged. Then, after that, I moved up to the far northeast, to Red Lion Road and Bustleton Avenue. The area was pretty good, but I had noisy neighbors. Finally, after three apartments, I realized that it was time to leave.
Sorry you’re not sleeping better. I don’t know your eating patterns these days, but I’ve found that I sleep much better if I avoid eating any later than four hours prior to bed time. Of course that means that you need to eat something pretty hearty at super so you won’t get hungry before going to sleep.
Well, we’ll talk more later.
