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I find it quite profound how often one person's blessing is another person's curse.
I have suffered intermittent hearing loss all of my life. Even when my hearing is in top form, I am quite skilled at filtering noise. When my sons were small and bored, I would take my engineering design packets to the nearest video arcade and set a stack of quarters on the end of the table with the single rule that they could only take 2 quarters at a time. That way they would have to check in with me on a regular basis. I would then filter out the arcade noises and finish the engineering designs their restlessness would not let me accomplish at home. Got the job done.
At 60, those intermittent hearing losses are . . . maybe on the verge of becoming permanent. Among other things, I am a musician. Some days I feel like Beethoven getting ready to saw the legs off his piano so I can feel the vibrations through the floor.
The DIL with whom I am traveling is sound sensitive with zero filtering capabilities. Her sound preferences are tomb levels. Chicago's Loop is far from the quietest place on Earth. The curse of her sound sensitivity is a constant reminder of the curse of my impending deafness. Can we trade problems???
Just venting. . . Life does seem to be a never-ending dichotomy. . .
I have suffered intermittent hearing loss all of my life. Even when my hearing is in top form, I am quite skilled at filtering noise. When my sons were small and bored, I would take my engineering design packets to the nearest video arcade and set a stack of quarters on the end of the table with the single rule that they could only take 2 quarters at a time. That way they would have to check in with me on a regular basis. I would then filter out the arcade noises and finish the engineering designs their restlessness would not let me accomplish at home. Got the job done.
At 60, those intermittent hearing losses are . . . maybe on the verge of becoming permanent. Among other things, I am a musician. Some days I feel like Beethoven getting ready to saw the legs off his piano so I can feel the vibrations through the floor.
The DIL with whom I am traveling is sound sensitive with zero filtering capabilities. Her sound preferences are tomb levels. Chicago's Loop is far from the quietest place on Earth. The curse of her sound sensitivity is a constant reminder of the curse of my impending deafness. Can we trade problems???
Just venting. . . Life does seem to be a never-ending dichotomy. . .
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I don't really know how to label this but I having a rough week and I can't say it's one thing.... I have a lot on my plate which is nothing new and I try to cope in many positive ways and do but I still have my moments.My kids more so my daughters talk to me about everything which I know it's cause of comfort and we are close.... however I really struggle with the venting about their dad which...
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I did the dumbest thing today. I charged my earbuds, unplugged the block and put the block in my little bag instead of the earbuds. I wasn't happy about that when I got to the gym. What a dummy!
To me, being childless was long a curse. But the hidden blessing of it has been that I can take care of my elderly mother, and I know that the family patterns of ick will not be passed on to another generation....
My friends with children are blessed with these marvels of exploration, curiosity, potential----and cursed by the anxiety and worry of financial and emotional costs to themselves and the family...
Somewhere, there is a happy middle, but lacking that, supportive vibes, Arfie. The bees will always hum for you...
Most of the hearing aids available are still condenser mics which you put into your ear canal. Sexy as a super model with zero filtering capabilities. You are amplifying the sound of the neighbor's toilet as much as you are amplifying a beloved voice. Hit an unexpected sound surge and those condenser mics can take out what is left of your hearing. Think rock concert feedback squeal in your ear canal. . . I would rather protect what is left of my hearing than listen in on conversations I have heard before. On the blessing side of my hearing loss is the simple fact that the majority of the sounds and conversations in the world are not worth hearing.
The design which has my attention is one which conducts sound through your bones rather than through the ear canal. Still watching.
As for the DIL? My little brother says that noise-canceling headphones are $50 well-spent. One of the mechanics at his shop has a pair, and the headphones filter out specific sound ranges, I understand? So bro's co-worker can hear conversation fine, but the headphones cancel out impact wrenches or loud bangs or whatnot.
He himself uses regular foam earplugs to cope with his twins...the kids shriek like dentist drills when being put to bed at night for whatever reason. ( It may be due to having to be removed very prematurely, but for whatever reason these twins are outrageously fussy babies.)
I can filter out sound and get work done pretty well myself. Latin America, as you know, can be a hustle and bustle place in the big cities. So sometimes up here in the States I'll go to a cafeteria or coffee shop to work so I'll have ENOUGH noise. My office is too quiet. For example, right now. I left my office to do my posting on DS PTSD from the college's cafeteria.
As for old age, I'm starting to get high pitched ringing in the ears. That's kind of annoying.
Hope you enjoy the end of your trip and the train ride home, arf.