Silence!!!

[Me-Ike]

I call this title The Oxymoronic Marriage of a Noun and Punctuation. And I just invented it. But apart from showing off my shakespearesque skills, I actually wanted to say:

I like silence.

When I am at home, when I take the bus/underground, many instances. I like to sit and read a book or stare out the window or just follow my thoughts. Of course, there are times when music is welcomed; when I go for a run, rhythm does wonders. But mostly? Silence.

What is driving me nuts is that in my circle of friends, family and roommates, I am the only one. Everyone else is always having the television running in the background or the radio, often it doesn't even matter what is playing. So I usually then take my book and go someplace else, although I think it would be nice to share a room while reading/thinking. That way, whenever something interesting crosses the page or your mind, you can look up and shortly share; out of this the most interesting discussions sometimes evolve (detrimental to silence, I know, but just as nice and there'd still be silence around us). But no, it's separate rooms or background noise.

Who's with me? I have this unique and original idea where I get hold of a nuclear bomb and threaten to detonate it unless the world shuts off television/radio broadcasts.

 

[Shatnertage]

A pair of noise-canceling headphones might be easier to get past the UN inspectors.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

I like silence in some circumstances. Actually, I'm the kind of person that can tune out pretty much anything, so I'm not especially bothered by noise, but I'm also fine with silence.

I can't say I'm as militant about it as you are, Me-Ike.

 

[Gryffindorian]

shakespearesque?

 

[Me-Ike]

^ Well, I already noticed that this was the one thing that stood between us and everlasting love. The nuclear bomb is a cry for help, really.

ETA: @ Robert Maxwell.

A pair of noise-canceling headphones might be easier to get past the UN inspectors.

Naw. I sometimes have to use earplugs when I go to sleep due to neighbours, I'm getting quite sick of artifically cancelling everything out.
I'll stick with operation Sideshow Bob until someone has a better idea.

ETA ETA:

shakespearesque?

It's a word! I'm really good with words. Why is nobody singing the praise of silence? I want more people being really, really bothered, dammit!

 

[Alrik]

At one time, I really enjoyed silence. But then, I'm not sure at what point, little voices started to invade the silence. So now I just drown them out with heavy doses of Van Halen.

 

[Amaris]

I much prefer silence, particularly when I am reading. Nothing frustrates me quite as much as two or three people having a loud conversation in the next room and I keep losing my place because it's so loud and busy, I can't concentrate.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Words like violence, break the silence. They come crashing in, into my little world...

I like silence when I am trying to sleep. I am a ridiculously light sleeper. The slightest noise will wake me up.

Also, I just don't talk a lot, as a rule. I am not chatty. I hate small talk. I shouldn't be like this, but it irritates the hell out of me at work when a customer monopolizes my time with chit-chat.

 

[Misfit Toy]

I have a sound machine that I use at night - I can set it to "waterfall" (which just sounds like white noise to me) and that helps me.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ I have found that music by Liquid Mind is excellent as well.

 

[Me-Ike]

At one time, I really enjoyed silence. But then, I'm not sure at what point, little voices started to invade the silence. So now I just drown them out with heavy doses of Van Halen.

Not sure, serious or reference to something?

I much prefer silence, particularly when I am reading. Nothing frustrates me quite as much as two or three people having a loud conversation in the next room and I keep losing my place because it's so loud and busy, I can't concentrate.

Oh, yes! This feeling when you sit down, anticipating your book, and then the chatter! Or the too loud headphones someone uses on the bus. This is usually followed by the sound of my gnashing teeth.

I like silence when I am trying to sleep. I am a ridiculously light sleeper. The slightest noise will wake me up.

Sounds like another earplug-buddy. Do you usually get your silence when you try to fall asleep?

I have a sound machine that I use at night - I can set to "waterfall" (which just sounds like white noise to me) and that helps me.

I have often seen that but I can't imagine using them myself. It takes me quite a while to fall asleep and after a while the sound would distract me ... I assume.
Does it shut itself off after a while?

 

[Kestra]

I don't think I like silence that much.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I tried using earplugs but I only use them now when I'm on the road and don't have access to my music.

 

[Lumi]

I need silence to read. I adore reading. I could read all day. But I have the radio on a lot... to listen to the news and stuff. And sometimes I leave the TV on while I sleep.

 

[T'Preea]

I enjoy silence to a degree, but with my having mild tinnitus, silence can be deafening. So, I go about with some kind of noise surrounding me wherever I go to cancel out the obnoxious ringing in my ears.

 

[Me-Ike]

^ Oh, yes. I can understand that. It must be difficult. I'd play some classical music for you in my Silence Room (sssh!).

But (mostly) everyone else here: boo! I expected more of you, TrekBBS. I am deeply disappointed in all of you (Kestra most of all, my beacon of hope, noisily extinguished).

 

[sojourner]

Silence is great for daydreaming, though I do like the sound of the wind through trees. There's something dramatic about it that sets me off.

Oh, and obligatory:
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hUy9ePyo6Q[/yt]

 

[Lumi]

I enjoy silence to a degree, but with my having mild tinnitus, silence can be deafening. So, I go about with some kind of noise surrounding me wherever I go to cancel out the obnoxious ringing in my ears.

Oh god. I used to have that for years. A ringing which sounded like an ambulance siren or something in my ears any time it was quiet. My sister put her ear to mine and heard it once. She still talks about that, lol. I don't have it anymore... it miraculously disappeared. O_o I feel for you. That is so damn annoying.

I have always slept with some sort of noise in the background... a fan, TV, etc. But one night when I still had the ringing the power went out for days... and all night long all I heard was sirens. I nearly lost my mind.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

Don't give up on us yet! I'm a big fan of silence, too. It's so peaceful.

I love music, but not when I'm concentrating on reading or work, or if it's close to bedtime, or if the day has been too full of people. And I hate visiting people who have the TV on all the time. TV as background noise makes me want to run right out the door.

 

[Alrik]

At one time, I really enjoyed silence. But then, I'm not sure at what point, little voices started to invade the silence. So now I just drown them out with heavy doses of Van Halen.

Not sure, serious or reference to something?

Half smart ass / half referring to the fact that I have raised two kids. Once kids enter the picture, silence almost never happens. But back in the day, to get them to sleep and get a short shot of silence, it was Van Halen that I would use to lull them to sleep (it was my then 5 year old son's request night after night).

Now silence doesn't really matter. I can tune almost anything out. I actually focus better if there is back ground noise.