Silence....

[ckay87]

...can be really creepy sometimes. I often wonder if I'm alone in this, but I seem to have a real need for sound. Today in the office, there is no ventilation running for some reason. It is soooo quiet that I can hear people around me chewing. I find it extremely unnerving. For me, it would be easier to concentrate if U2 were playing a gig down the hall!

Even at home, I always have on a radio or tv. We sleep with a fan on. This probably is a defect in my psyche (and not very "green" of me, I know). There is even a pet store that I *used to* shop at, but don't anymore. If I stop at all anymore, I am in and out rather quickly because there is NO music. You just hear people walking around, breathing. Creepy.

So IS this strange or are there others like me?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I can't have silence.

I have tinitus (sp? ringing in the ears)--and it gets really loud...so I sleep with other things on so that I have something else to listen to besides ear piercing tones and chirps.

Not so much an issue in the daytime as usually there is ambient sound going on somewhere.

But for me--silence is just way too LOUD and anything but quiet.

 

[apirateslifeforme]

Sounds like my DBF. He always has the TV or CD player going at home and even in winter, he sleeps with the fan running. At work, he plays CDs in his cubicle.

I don't seem to "need" noise, but I definitely work better with it. When I had my job, I used my mp3 player all day every day. Now I'm back in school, but when I do my homework, I still put on some music (just like I did when I was in HS and college!). However, I can sleep with the TV on or off, that doesn't seem to matter.

 

[pixiewings71]

Which is why I listen to music at my desk....and it's rarely that quiet in my office. LOL

 

[maslex]

I totally NEED some type of noise when there are people around. I cannot STAND to hear my husband eat, chew, swallow or breathe. Well, anyone for that matter, but DH is THE WORST. If I'm home by myself during the day, sometimes I would sit in my recliner next to the window, let the sun shine on my face and take a quiet nap. And I also need to sleep with either a fan, AC or humidfier on. If I need to sleep in the same bed as DH, I need to have something diffuse the noise of his breathing. I swear I sleep with Puff the Magic Dragon with all that huffin & puffin.

 

[MIGrandma]

I'm completely opposite. I love silence.

Many times if I'm the only one at home I'll turn the TV off. I don't need noise to make me comfortable.

I have tinitus in my ears too, but maybe it isn't as bad as the other person's that mentioned it.

I love sitting down to read a book, and hearing nothing but silence.

I love spending time up north at our camping property, most of the time we don't hear anything but the wind in the trees and the birds. It's wonderful!

 

[smkiya]

I enjoy the silence. I drive in my car often with no radio on. I'll sit at home with no tv on. I prefer to work in a quiet place, and like listening to the sounds of life going on. That said, I do enjoy listening to music, and watching tv, its just not necessary... except now, going to look up "enjoy the silence" by depeche mode on youtube this thread put the song in my head.

 

[nutterbutter2010]

I just put my two screaming fighting kids to bed. SILENCE IS GOLDEN!!!!!

 

[Imzadi]

No, I live in the 24 hour, "City that never sleeps." I crave silence. Right now, there are carpenters working across the street on some construction site. They will be there till 11 pm.

 

[Bluestars]

In find the time passes by more quickly if I have the radio on when I am working. If I don't, it gets very boring. The only exception is if I am working on something that needs complete concentration, then I have to have silence.

At home when I am on the computer, I always have the TV on in the background. Again, I get bored when only one thing is going on.

 

[Silent1CB]

I like peace & quiet. Silence is never really silent. Even in silence of nature there are things to listen to.

 

[CathrynRose]

Im with you. Can't stand quiet - at all.

I have a fan on my desk for the whooshy sound, and I sleep with one on, too.

 

[SeaSpray]

OP, I agree that too much silence can be creepy. When I was a SAHM and DH and DSs were gone for the day, I'd have either the tv or a radio playing. Couldn't really stand total silence.

I'm the youngest of 7 kids so I'm used to having background noise my entire life. At home we usually have the tv on in the family room if we're in there. DSs always have music playing in their rooms (not too loud though).

The only time that we don't have music or tv on is when we're sitting down to dinner. But then, we're all talking, so it's not quiet.

At work there is usually someone talking on their phone or to a co-worker, and I have my iPod playing music or podcasts on my desk. Once in a while it gets too quiet at work and it's VERY noticable. lol

 

[Handbag Lady]

I can't stand silence but I need 100% quiet when I sleep. Unluckily, my husband can only sleep with a fan on. We trade off sometimes or one of us just goes without full sleep.

But, when I'm home alone, I have to have the TV on or I will go bonkers. Even if I don't watch it, it has to be on.