Do You Keep Noise Around You?

**forHISglory** · 01-19-2008, 12:57 AM

When I am at home, I like it quiet. I don't keep a radio, TV, or CD player on just to have noise. On the other hand, I have a friend who just goes crazy if her house is quiet. She wants the TV on all the time. She doesn't sit and watch it; I think she likes it for company.

I do listen to the news at times and there is a money management program in the afternoon on radio that I stop and sit back to listen to. I'll put on a fav peppy CD when I am dusting (which I hate, so it helps me work faster). And I do watch a couple of TV shows in the evening. But I don't keep electronics on just to have noise. I watch about an hour of TV a day, and listen to about 45 minutes of radio.

I read an article that said that we Americans don't know how to handle quiet, that quietness forces us to search our minds, and that can be uncomfortable. Therefore we fill the void with TV and radio noise. What do you think?

How about you? Do you prefer quiet or not? What do you listen to during the day? How much time is your radio or TV on?

**Lori Biever-Launder** · 01-19-2008, 01:01 AM

I LOVE quiet. I work in a library (a noisy one!) but one that is quiet compared to nearly every retail location out there.

**forHISglory** · 01-19-2008, 01:20 AM

Another note:

Do you see any difference generationally in the noise/quiet realm? Some say that the older generations like it quiet, but younger generations like the noise.

However, my parents in their 80s, like noise, and have the TV going a lot.

**momtoadiva** · 01-19-2008, 01:26 AM

When I'm reading it has to be quiet, when I'm at work I have to have noise like my ipod (too many of the girls get acrylic nails and the tap tap tap of those nails on the keyboard drive me crazy, I don't get into office politics *gossip so I just put on the headphones and tune it all out. At home I like to have the tv on I'm usually busy cooking dinner and watching the news or cleaning and listening to HGTV. I like the quiet but it scares me that your statement about the quiet and what our minds do because though I havent thought about it; it rings some truth for me.

**Edna_E** · 01-19-2008, 02:05 AM

I tend to have it quiet. I play audio in my car but rarely elsewhere. I have the TV on only if I intend to sit down and watch it. My mother wants something making noise ALL the time except when she is sleeping, and my grown son is the same - so if it is generational, somebody's out of whack ;-)

**Ceashels** · 01-19-2008, 06:22 AM

Dh likes to sleep with the fan on (white noise) so by the time I wake up, my ears are saturated. I like keeping the house quiet when i'm the only one home. If I watch tv, thats fine but if I'm working around the house, quiet is what I want.

**ballylarkin** · 01-19-2008, 06:23 AM

No, I don't need noise....I work with 19 preschoolers, so sometimes it's nice to hear *quiet*...

**powerfm1** · 01-19-2008, 06:56 AM

I love the quiet. I don't even listen to the radio when I'm driving unless I have someone in the car with me and they like background noise.

I think after raising my kids with their attendant noise, the quiet is a blessing.

I do, however, break into song quite often!

**seadream** · 01-19-2008, 07:42 AM

I like the quiet, I don't turn the radio or tv on just for the noise.

I do listen to the radio occasionally in the morning while dh is getting ready for work, but after he leaves I turn it off.

**Lady_V** · 01-19-2008, 07:58 AM

When I was younger, I lived near an airport, highway and race track so there was always noise... even if I didn't notice it at the time.

When I was 10, we moved to the town I am in now, it was too quiet and I had a hard time adjusting so I slept on the porch so I could hear the traffic . My bedroom was in the basement, I don't know if it was the 'freaky factor' of bring in a basement, 2 floors away from the family, but I always had a radio on. Even when I did homework.

When I was 17, we moved and now I was on the top floor alone, I was also a teenager and doing a lot of homework, so the radio was on.

When I moved out I had either the tv or radio on, I wasn't use to being alone... after I got married, I don't remember ever turning either on, he would watch tv, but I would be curled up crocheting or needlepointing (but the noise was still there).

Now, we have the news on in the morning, more for the weather and school updates. If I am cleaning the house, I have an audio book on, otherwise, my house is quiet when I am home alone.

**forHISglory** · 01-19-2008, 09:54 AM

Interesting study! Hubby said that when he was in college, he kept music going in his dorm room all the time just to drown out the noise of the guys in the hall. He still wants TV or CDs on while in the house. Fortunately, his office is in the basement, and so is our family room. So in a way we have zones of noise and quiet. When I want to watch TV, I go down there, and when I want quiet, I go to the living room to read.

Do you have zones like this in your home?

**C@rol** · 01-19-2008, 10:11 AM

What do you think?
How about you? Do you prefer quiet or not? What do you listen to during the day? How much time is your radio or TV on?

I agree. I try everyday to have a time where there is
nothing that makes sound like the tv, radio, etc. is on
and just enjoy the peace and quiet. It helps to clear
my mind, be creative and come up with solutions
for any problems.
Good post.

**Squirt** · 01-19-2008, 10:21 AM

Silence is golden. I'm fortunate enough to live so far from the road that I can hear no road noise. There is a faint sound from the highway which is behind me- through quite a bit of woods. I can only hear that with the windows open. I like being able to hear the horses snort or paw, or to be able to recognize when one is in distress. It's like having one of my senses blocked when there is the background noise of a radio or tv.

It's the same at work, I'm in very quiet corner. I suppose I take quiet for granted, but I notice (and irritated) when I'm in a place with a lot of background talking or music. I've found that I go months at a time without turning on the radio or a cd in my truck. It's just a natural, preferred state for me.

DBF, on the other hand, seems to need to sleep with the noise of a fan, either our ceramic heater in the winter or the window air conditioner in the summer. It drives me nuts because I miss out on the odd nature sound, but I think it's a holdover from the 5 years he spent on 3rd shift, having to sleep during the day and drown out the noise of the road and his family.

**McD** · 01-19-2008, 10:28 AM

I like having noise. I grew up with three brothers and it was never quiet in my house. Now that Zac's deployed, I have found that the house is just to quiet once Wesley is in bed, unless I have something on like the t.v. or my ipod

**Jamauk** · 01-19-2008, 10:35 AM

I love noise and DH loves quiet - makes for some interesting days in our home

Since I'm home all day with the kids, I think they've just grown up with the noise and they kind of expect it. People think my kids watch a lot of TV, but they really don't - its just on all of the time. Typically, if we're home the TV is on (at least during the day, I do turn it off when DS is at preschool and the other one is napping).

PBS is the only station allowed on when the kids are awake and its mostly cartoons all day. However, my kids probably only sit and watch TV for a grand total of less than 30 minutes each day (and most of that is when they first wake up). They just go off and play and do their own thing. If we have playmates over, though I usually turn the TV off. My best friend's little girl will sit mesmorized for hours if the TV is on - so I always make sure it stays off when she's over (I don't want me kids realizing that TV is actually something you sit and watch!

)

I don't have a radio in the kitchen, but I'm planning on getting one (still looking for the right deal). I really miss having music while doing the laundry, cooking, etc.....

I do have to admit, though that as I'm getting older, I'm appreciating the quiet times more and more!