10 degrees of separation

Last winter, I kept my thermostat at 68F, and heat from neighboring apartments kept the room temperature at a cosy 74F. A lot of people moved out of the building this summer (or died), and there are half a dozen units still vacant. The apartment downstairs, and the one beyond my bedroom wall, are empty now, with the heat appropriately turned very low. Now the same thermostat setting brings the apartment to 64F, and I feel like a wimp being so uncomfortable with it. I was shivering under the duvet this morning, with my blanket sleepers and wool socks, wondering if I really needed to get undressed to take a shower. This is insane. It's only October. It's only a room temperature of 64F! When I lived in Ithaca, we had ice in the corner of the bathroom (of course, I was miserable there. But this is so much better...I should be comfortable with it, not just a little less miserable.)

It's not that I miss my former neighbors, to talk to. When the ones next door moved out, I was actually kind of relieved that I didn't have to worry about disturbing them when I had nightmares or overnight guests, because my bedroom wall is so thin and sound carries so easily. And I really didn't know the ones downstairs. It's just that I miss the thermal advantages of living in a full building!