today’s Musing written and published from south
Morning walk: -11C/11F, mostly clear and calm, spandex clad joggers, dogs in tow, got Gusta’s attention – she nearly de-socketed my arm. The gym this morning was full of fellow over-turkeyed types in search of waistlines . .
May you have a happy, and quiet, Sunday afternoon. It’s quiet here now. Not sure if it will last. I’m looking over my shoulder, nobody there, hoping it lasts long enough to publish this column.
I like quiet once in a while. OK, I like it routinely. It is important to my well being, my effectiveness at much of what I do. I can’t write well without it.
I don’t ask much … or often; not that I don’t get lots. I do. Santa’s stocking flowed over with many nice things, I live a genteel life in a pleasant place cared for rather well by most high standards. But, some days, I’m ready to crack.
Today I was about to go postal on appliances. Gimme a gun.
It began:
Is this because of the season? Or was it coffee I was given mid-evening ‘to keep me awake’, (which it did till 2:30AM)? That gathering, 2nd last (I think) in holiday events series.; I won’t need any Chinese food for a while (good, but I ate too much); sodium and MSG levels on overload.
I ask for quiet, in reasonable chunks. Peace, quiet, concentration time. Not a lot. I don’t beg often. I’ll be on my knees soon, or locked up – not sure which.
Not because I have been on noise, conversation and Christmas music overload for many days. Not because I am a writer who can only concentrate and think, to be effective, when not constantly interrupted. Does anyone understand that? I planned/expected a quiet day; peace and quiet to write this column (and people wonder why I normally get up so early in the morning!), of paper shuffling, writing and starting ‘load music on my iPOD process’ – perfect, if quiet and privacy were available.
Why can’t I have some? I’ve worked hard all year. I’ve been a good lad. I’ve been socially appropriate throughout the holiday season. I’ve done most of my chores in a mostly timely fashion. I don’t want a lot. I’d like some quit. This morning, supposedly my quiet ‘leave me alone’ day isn’t getting off to a great start; if it’s not the washing machine, it’s the dryer, or someone feeding a cat or spilling coffee or talking so loud on the phone the conversation migrates. Wait, there’s more.
Surely, I must be overtired, unreasonable, picky, and have a stick up my butt about something else (I do); surely others would not get annoyed by these things. I must be such an unreasonable person, dare I complain? To whom? Isn’t that an argument starter (opposite of peaceful and quiet). Alternatives include double homicide, moving, headphones, or to make competing loud noises.
C’mon Mark, you’re being unreasonable. Sit down, talk about it. I went to the space next door, where PB was ‘cleaning up’; I explained my dilemma. She said ‘you’re not happy’. True, but that’s a different discussion. She answered with a two hour period this afternoon when peace would be available, she’ll be out, so will Sara.
I didn’t ask if she could take the washer, the dryer, the robo-vacuum and all her phones with her. That might be too much to ask.
Getting ticked over minor disturbances of concentration, say 10+ in any 30 minute period, is a justifiable defense for homicide in some countries, isn’t it? Little things are no doubt symptoms of bigger ticks. Yes, but c’mon, is a few minutes of silence too much to ask?
The dogs and cats seem to understand the concept, they’ve not troubled me at all today.
So why doesn’t this house get it? I’m begging y’all, for just a few minutes of quiet. I’m on the verge of buying silencing head- phones or a double-barreled shotgun, and I’m feeling like the shotgun is going to be my weapon of choice. Appliances be warned.
I tried turning my music on, and then up, to the highest level - way beyond what I could stand - just to make the point . . but no person or appliance was listening, in fact the damn dryer drowned out my music.
I turned it off. It was too noisy. I went to the bathroom; surely I could read in quiet privacy there …. but the robo-vac was above me, cleaning the kitchen floor for the second time in two days. I finished my business. Went back to my desk. The rob-vac was now in the living room above me, cleaning those carpets for the second time in two days.
It’s the appliances and the two legged critters who press their buttons. Washers, dryers, robo-vacuum cleaners, phone (people have to talk louder when the machines are going) conversations wafting down, trips to load the washer, load the dryer, feed the cat, pet the dog, take my coffee, spill said coffee, move things around . . etc., repeat, repeat, repeat, to the point I can’t savor the two minutes of relative calm (only the sound of washer + dryer) going . . because I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop. The hoof-beats (actually feet of lightweight people thinking they are moving around silently). I tried . .
Ahh . . the dryer stopped. … but then the washing machine went to rinse cycle. Then it beeped, like a forklift ready to back up, again. Then it stopped. Gurgles, starts again. Now it’s whirring up to jet engine take-off speed.
Wait … a moment of silence. Can it be? Has silence arrived? How long will it last?
I went over to check the lights/buttons . . everything seemed to be off; then the dam thing beeped at me – the signal to say, ‘I’m done!’
Then the furnace fan kicked in. It’s winter. I best get over it. Or, maybe next Christmas, I’ll ask for a set of those Bose silencing head-phones.
Meanwhile, does anyone have a number for 1-800 shotgun …?
Finally, I’m done.
Mark Kolke
325,932
198.7
RESPONSES/COMMENTS ALWAYS WELCOME; send to musing@maxcomm.ca
December 26 Responses
December 26 – SUM OF OUR CHOICES – Thank you Mark for sharing your writings with us, I feel like we are friends. Merry Christmas to you from Sedona, AZ, PT
December 26 – SUM OF OUR CHOICES - Best Wishes, Mark, For holiday season time with your family and friends. For 2010, I wish you all the "magic" spirit that is needed to keep you writing from the soul through the next year. And the next. And the next. etc., LAR,
December 25 – Hallelujah for WE all – And may I add, May 2010 be the year when people truly learn that addiction is a disease and that addicts need treatment, compassion and understanding and not punishment. May we all strive to be more tolerant and may our hearts be filled with understanding, SM, Palm Bay, FL.
I'm now admiring Mark, thanks for posting this!
-Luigi
Posted by: forklift | 12/28/2009 at 01:23 AM