When I read and write, I prefer zero distraction—no music,
no conversation. This is amusing to me because I can multitask with everything
else. I can fully concentrate on driving while listening to complicated stories
or music or basically doing everything else, but not reading or writing.
When silence is not an option, my other way to do it is to
blank out on the surroundings. I wrote my first book while confined in a small
space with my parents blasting music and movies. They were there for me and to
help me back then, so I couldn’t complain and wouldn’t anyway, so I created my
own bubble and zoned out. It worked, in the expense of not paying attention to
everything else, which I try not to do.
Now, three of my nearby neighbors are doing heavy
construction, one of them directly next to me. The houses here are basically
next to each other. Not only are there loud sounds like drilling, hacking,
nailing, or whatever, but recently, they added one more thing: music. Not the
kind of music that I like—that’s the worst part. There is no peace, and I have
been having regular headaches.
While all my quest, life goal, and firstborn are dedicated
to telling them off, either by barging in there or blasting it in the
neighborhood group chat, HAVE YOU NOT DONE ENOUGH WITH YOUR NOISE TAKE
EVERYTHING AND SHOVE IT… I grit my teeth and contemplate my decision.
I’m not a pushover, no, but I exercise caution for safety on
everyone who can monitor my habit, schedule, and know where I live. However, on
top of that, I consider something else.
Maybe you live in different places with different cultures,
where one should comply with noise regulation, HOA, or everything is ‘proper.’
To put this into perspective, I know because I have worked in a
construction-related field for a significant period of time in the past, the
regulation here is very lacking, and so is workers’ welfare. They weld without
eye protection, they work without earbuds, masks, or helmets, and there is no
such thing as a drilling schedule.
The noise disturbs me a lot, but that is probably the only
thing that helps them work. They don’t have earphones, and the volume is most
likely to overcome the noise level of their work. When I hear them sing along
happily, it’s like a confirmation that maybe I should put on my earphones (I
try to limit this since I’m uncomfortable), or enter my bubble and try to
endure it.
That is what I decided to do, but maybe one day I will barge
in and yell at them with veins in my forehead. I can’t promise. Fortunately,
the last few days have been better (or have I gotten used to it?). I believe
they have toned down their volume, which is great. Maybe someone else had
barged in and yelled at them.
Anyway, wish you peace and quiet, if those are your
preferences.
Please take care, and thank you for enduring my ramble and
not yelling at me.
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