It’s Just The Normal Noises In Here
I took eight versions of that picture above when I was walking by, and like usual, the first one I took was the best.
It’s funny, but as I’m getting older I find that there are times I actually yearn for a quiet place – this city is so noisy, all the time. I was in a meeting yesterday and there were sirens going off outside that went on and on and on for probably ten minutes. I don’t really notice them anymore, unless they go on for a long time (like this was) and then they start to register. One of the other people who was from out of town finally asked about it – and he was worried that there was something amiss, but I reassured him that it was standard background color for midday in Manhattan.
An actually unusual noise that happened yesterday and did make it through all the background chatter was a ship’s horn – a very large cruise ship was docking at the Passenger Ship Terminal on the West Side and it blew its horn three long blasts that I think you probably could have heard anywhere on the island. The Wikipedia page says the Ship Terminal is in Hell’s Kitchen, but I wouldn’t consider anything on the water side of the West Side Highway Hell’s Kitchen, really.
(another sidenote and then I will stop digressing – the city announced this week they are reducing the speed limit there to 30 mph, which I get, because there has been a lot of wonderful parks development along the length of it, and pedestrian traffic is up – but 30 mph makes it not really a “highway” I think.)
Anyway, DiaryMistress and I have been to many nice places, but one that I was struck by the quietness of was Grand Teton National Park. Some days, I think sitting by the water and listening to nothing other than the breeze blowing and the waves splashing quietly would be too perfect. There were times we were in the woods there that the silence seemed complete, like it had its own being.
I think we don’t realize how much background noise we are exposed to every day – as I sit typing this, I’m trying to listen for it. Door slams, voices talking, ventilation humming, elevators moving, it goes on and on – there’s always some kind of noise to occupy some part of our brain space.
It makes me wonder about those sensory-deprivation tanks.
(what was that movie in the 80’s where the psychologist and his wife went into tanks and all kinds of crazy stuff happened. Have to go look. oh right, Altered States. That film was messed up.)
Apparently, you can rent time in a sensory deprivation tank – I don’t think that’s for me.
But I could go sit on the rocks by Jenny Lake right now.
My city is small compared to yours, but the noise just drives me insane. I am trying to move to a place where there is more open space, but even then I would have to live in a house that’s 10′ away from the next house.
@startingover_1 I have lived in places with lots of open space too – and there are certainly advantages to both!
Warning Comment
I have a picture of the Grand Tetons framed, by my bed.
I’ve long told people that my favorite thing is when it’s snowing at night (I live in a city of about 70k). I like to sit outside because it’s the most peaceful silence.
The other things I love is there is a park nearby in the Rocky mountains and you could lay on the grass, right by a river. The stress of life just fades away.
@heffay yes! The silence of snowfall is a good one too.
Warning Comment
I live in a small city, and our neighborhood is relatively quiet, except that I-95 is less than a mile away, and despite the houses and trees between here and the highway, there is always road noise.
Living with 2 other people (and a dog), the house is rarely ever quiet. I relish the silence on the rare occasions when Mom and Brother go out and I’m by myself.
@gypsywynd we’ve often looked at houses that back up to highways but have those big sound walls, and I’m never convinced it wouldn’t be noisy all the time!
Warning Comment
My place is pretty quiet. At night I can usually only hear the surf. Sometimes not even that.
@bonnierose I love going to sleep with the sound of surf!
Warning Comment
I’m the opposite. I can’t stand silence, I need noise in my life.
Except the idiots who set off fireworks well before November 5th. They can, frankly, sod off
@williamthebloody ha, unexpected fireworks are never welcome IMO.
Warning Comment
I think if there was no noises we would all go crazy. Even when I am totally alone I still hear things going in the back ground. The pictures you have taken for your posts are always perfect.
@jaythesmartone thanks!
Warning Comment
As I’m reading this right now, there are sirens blaring and the city I live in is quite a small one. I would love to be sitting on 5 acres of land surrounded by trees and rescue animals. One day!
@velvetunderground funny that you got to have a soundtrack to go with the entry!
Warning Comment
I always crave silence because I get so little of it!
@queenofegypt I think that’s why I find it attractive too, but there’s a good chance too much of it would make me crazy 🙂
Warning Comment
Complete silence like you’d find in a sensory deprivation tank would enhance my tinnitus and probably drive me insane.  Still, I’d rather live in the country than the city and I prefer natural sounds like wind and water to traffic noise.
That photo is beautiful.
@wren I would much rather listen to sounds of wind and water, the sound of waves might be my favorite. Thanks on the photo!
Warning Comment
Talk about a blast from the past. I was working on the total rebuild of my long neglected website and was remembering how it all started. I googled Open diary successor to see if anyone had rebirthed the site, and here you are. I logged in just to leave a note. I may write, I may just read, but there is really nothing like the original community, especially the reading.
Attended my W.E. Groves 50th in August. Time flies. Good to see this again.
@nsrider-com It’s awesome to see you here! Thanks for coming by, and I hope you will be around.
Warning Comment
And Blather Inc. Now that’s a hoot as well.
@nsrider-com only a few people have made that connection so far 😉 but it seemed like a good way to pay tribute.
Warning Comment
Nice to see you as well. Since we lived only a mile and a half apart, it was most probable that we went to the same high school. I lived on the dirt road that ran north and south next to the country club. In an entry I wrote about long ago (since deleted) I wrote about walking on the lake in the dead of winter.
I’m thinking I might post a page or two from the wayback machine, it’s amazing who I recall. My first entry was over 20 years ago in December of 1998 if I remember correctly.
@nsrider-com that is amazing, and if I had known that and forgot it, I apologize!
Warning Comment
I love quiet. Having noise pollution as a constant auditory gradient is numbing. Even now, a sound machine is on and I can’t sleep and it isn’t peaceful, the undertones are grating. (However, my nieces both sleep well with them.) Love the image feom your tracels with the mistress.
@glitterampwings thanks that’s one of my favorite pictures 🙂
Warning Comment
we now live in a 55+ community. And our house is very well insulated, plus were away from traffic. The Combination of these things make for a lot of quiet!
@dlk082244 that sounds lovely!
Warning Comment
Don’t knock the sensory deprivation until you try it.  I’ve been doing “floats” for a few months now and it’s really rejuvenating.  Good for the mind, body and spirit.  🙂
@drama would never think to knock it, I’m glad that you find it helpful 🙂 that is so cool that you have actually done it!
Warning Comment
We’re siblings in spirit when it comes to the noise – I live in front of a freeway. I’ve learned to tune out noises that bother me, though. If you don’t, you lose your mind. Gawd… I remember Altered States! I wouldn’t rent the tanks you mention either, but I’d venture to try some VR-based system, like in the TV series REVERIE, sadly short-lived.
Love the picture of the snowy mountains. My ideal quiet place would be somewhere with nothing but snow.
@thenerve maybe a VR experience is the answer!
Warning Comment
Thank you for your note! Those are some great photos. I think you’re right; we all have so much background noise going on at all times. I’m working on meditation and it’s not easy!
@lapetite I’m sure – the times I have tried meditation (admittedly, not trying very hard) I was unable to concentrate (or not concentrate) enough 🙂
Warning Comment
Just a heads up I found a diaries who is trying to promote their law firm  they are called Personal Injury in Las Vagas….. I saw them on the front page.
@jaythesmartone thanks, we will remove them!
Warning Comment