Sounds--The Good and the Bad

'Boita, I'm reminded of the time I was on an interpreting assignment in New Mexico. I was partnered with a Lithuanian colleague as the group we were interpreting for was a mixture of Latvians and Lithuanians. As you know, I'm from Boston; my colleague was a Chicagoan. Both of us come from big, noisy cities.

We had gone into an Indian trading post type of gift shop together while our charges were touring the Carlsbad Caverns. As we came out of the shop, my colleague stopped and seemed to be listening for something. Then she turned to me and said, "You hear that, Andy?"

"What?" I said. "I don't hear anything."

"Tha's it," she said. "Nothing. Isn't it beautiful?"

I know exactly what you mean, Andy. All that quiet. It's wonderful. But I don't think I could take it for long. I could be wrong. But just as I miss the feel of concrete under my feet if I'm away from it for a while, I think I'd ultimately miss the sounds of the city.

When was New York City really, really quiet? The night of 9/11. It was eerie. Real true quiet in the city.

Mostly, noises never bother me. Occasionally, the boom boom boom of the car stereo across the street, perhaps, but I can't think of much. My ex working buddy was so temperamental about noise that he took to shooting the mockingbirds singing around his roof. They sang after his bed time. I like for kids to be noisy. I like to give them noisy toys. The parents don't seem grateful for this, but I don't really care.

Sounds I like. I keep the TV on all the time, or the CD player, just to be sure it's noisy. I like the sounds of wildlife, the wind - lots of things. If a sound doesn't appeal to me, instead of getting annoyed, I tune it out.

I love to listen to a mockingbird. For about a week, every morning (verrry early) a mockingbird was in the tree right outside my window. It was incredible that that one little bird could make so many beautiful and distinctive bird calls. A truly wonderous little creature.

But, to answer your other question about what makes me go screaming into the night? See above - because after several days of that yammerin' I wanted to blow his little head off so I could go back to sleep!



j/k!

Does anyone remember the time Nikita Khrushchev banged his shoe at the U.N.? At the time I was working in a building across from the Empire State building. Khruschev was supposed to be passing through 34th street in his limousine at noon.

They time it that way, so the streets will be crowded with office workers going out to lunch. Anyhow, I walked out of my building just as the motorcade rode by. The silence was deafening. You could have heard a pin drop. It was really weird. A moment later, after the motorcade had passed, the sounds of the city returned.

Hate-The sound of an air pressure door on a train constantly opening and closing on an hour long journey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love the sound of thunder rolling across the land from far away.

The sound of Roland the cat trotting down the tile hallway....thumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthump.

The sound of the keyboard when I'm typing....clackityclackityclackityclack

The sound of Mr. Tea's old work van pulling into the driveway....thump...rrrrr...squeak.

sudden wind in the trees.

I hate the sound of mororized lawnmowers. My community has an association, which takes care of the mowing. Those damn things are going all day long, not only at my house, but all the houses around me. After a few hours of that noise, I want to scream!

Sounds I dislike -
This week I was reminded how much I dislike the sound of a dental drill. Our neighbors remind me I am also not enamored of chain saws or overly loud and distorted music. Snorty laughter, particularly when it's too loud and not at anything that's actually funny. Overly loud talking on the phone (I don't really need to hear about your cousin's sister's girlfriend's son's operation, yanno?). Slamming doors.

Sounds I love are more pleasant -
mockingbirds (although there's some racket there)
whirring fans
light traffic (sans honking)
ocean
wind (but not hurricane force)
RP's voice
carillon
silly in-jokes that only RP and I know (croaking the word biscuit! at each other, for example)
opening notes of songs I like
sounds of the kitchen, of microwave dinging, slicing through fresh celery, clinking of dishes, filling a glass
clickety clack of an animal's nails on linoleum or pavement
ding/tinkle of dog tags
wind chimes

There's about a million more, can't think of them all at once.

Two words:

Snapping gum

I could KILL when I hear someone snapping their gum.

I hope there's no gum snapping nurses aides on the maternity floor!

There's a construction site very near where I work. They're putting up a new building. All day long it's "Clang... Clang... Clang" Damn! It's driving me crazy. I feel like I'm living in a mill town or something.

P.S. I hate the gum snapping thing too. People have such bad manners these days. It used to be that everyone's Mom would teach them things like, "Say please and thank you. Don't be so loud. And don't snap your gum." Doesn't anyone have mothers anymore?

Roberta, the sound of the surf is lovely. Also I have a few doves that do their soft chant. Even the sonic boom of the shuttle returning to the Cape doesn't bother me. It fills me with awe.

I hate the sound of mowers and weed eaters as well, Chai.

No one here wears flip flops except on the beach, and yes, Andy, the sound of silence. <smile>

I keep the TV on, too, just in case I hear a song that I like.

Right now I'm listening to "It's a Jungle out There". I like that song.

I love the sounds, forte and pianissimo, of classical music.

Some sounds offend the ears; others do not. "how strange the change from major to minor.."

That was Phoenix...I have no hate in my soul.

I love the sound of rain.

Oops, sorry Phoenix. Thanks for the correction Chai.

Re: Sounds--The Good and the Bad


You'd kill me because since April, that's all I've been wearing.

Swollen feet and tight shoes don't mix. Flip flops are a preggers best friend.

Edgar, Lucky for you you're not sensitive to sound. I would go nuts having on the tv or CD just to have some sound. When I'm not actively watching or listening, the sound is OFF.

happycat, Mockingbird makes it to both sides of your list. A friend sent me a tape of bird sounds and songs. Dem mockingbirds are wonderful. Of course I don't have to listen to them when I'm trying to sleep. I'm not a fan of gum popping either.

Phoenix, Of course I remember Nikki pounding his shoe at the U.N. Interesting that his motorcade created silence. I wonder why. I had the misfortune to be in a cab in Manhattan when Gorby's motorcade was wending its way north. Horns honking. People cheering. And very little movement. An expensive ride that day. As for lawnmowers, I've heard them. But they're certainly not a constant in my life. I think they would irritate me A LOT. On the other side, once the grass is mown, you get that wonderful smell of fresh cut grass. Divine.

Material Girl, Interesting. You don't like the sound of the air pressure doors. I've heard that sound hundreds of times. I kinda like it. To each her own.

Chai, Yes, rolling thunder is a sound I like. Roland makes a sound on tile? Cats are usually such silent walkers. I love the sound my cats made when they jumped down from something. Thud. You like the sound of the clickety clack from the keyboard. I usually like it when I hear someone else clickety clacking. I'm less aware of my own clickety clack. Come to think of it, I miss the sound of typewriters in a busy office. Offices have become so quiet. So Mr. Tea makes a thump rrrr squeak when he comes home. What's not to like.

Jes, Our dislikes run along very similar lines. I hate the sound of extra loud phony laughter. Grrrrr. I also dislike the sound of people talking too loud on the phone, especially in public places. Kitchen sounds. Nice. I also love the sound of a dog's nails clicking on a hard floor. I like wind chimes only as an occasional sound. If it's constant, they get on my noives.

Bella, Yes, the hated gum popper/snappers. When I'm alone, I'll make a lot of gum chewing noises. However, I don't chew gum when others are around. I forgive the flip flops. For one thing, you're a pregnant lady and you gotta do what you gotta do. For another, you're very far away from me, so I can be gracious cuz I don't gotta hear you.

Stray Cat, Oy, construction work sounds. Get me my ear plugs. Sorry you have to endure that.

Letty, I knew that if you showed up here you'd mention music. Felt it in my gut. I too love the sound of the surf. I don't get to hear doves, but I do like the gurgle-coo of pigeons. Another nonfan of motorized lawn equipment. Understandable.