Comfortably Quiet

In the realm of marketing noise is a nuisance. The term noise means that we are inundated with so many messages that we cannot clearly delineate one from another. Think about terrestrial radio, (yes some of us still enjoy it along with our satellite) and those incessant commercials. At those moments we gather our thoughts, try to remember if the light was green or red we just went under, and then wonder what is next on our agenda. After that the next song comes on or the talk-show host begins and we get lost in the noise again. We are surrounded by sounds every day and pretty much all day. Some of those sounds are pleasant and others grate on us like a baby screaming during a play. Those sounds we deem as ill will towards eardrums is noise. Some people like opera and to others it is simply noise. I personally am a massive fan of a nice throaty V-8 racecar. Some jackass with straight pipes coming out of his ’76 F100, not so much. Noise is like beauty, except it is to the ear of the beholder and not the eye. Think about your favorite song, mine would be Comfortably Numb or maybe Simple Man, and think about how you love to crank the volume on your surround sound speakers or roll down your windows and bellow out the tune. The beauty of the sound is just music to your ears. Someone tapping their fingernails, popping gum, or shuffling their feet will almost make you lose your mind. How in the world is that possible? We blow our eardrums out but those minute sounds make our skin crawl and our minds race. We cuss them, yell to them, or just think they are the rudest people in the world for their inexcusable actions. Let’s head back to the racetrack. There was a time recently where Brianna could tell you the different engine notes of a Corvette, Porsche, Ferrari, and Aston Martin. The music tone was like the best symphony to both of us. We sat at the wall of the Sebring International Raceway and listened to the cars go by. The brightly colored machines even brighter due to the echo of sound as they up shifted going under the drive over bridge. To us this was Mozart. To someone who doesn’t enjoy the art of speed this is just pollution; ear pollution. Sometimes a sport can sound beautiful and noisy at the same time. Take tennis for instance. Two gladiators battling it out on the court, both putting every effort into each shot, and the sound of the ball off the racket and the grunts of exertion coming from both competitors. Now, whether or not you play tennis or just like to watch tennis that last sentence can have two meanings. If either one of those competitors is screeching as is the case with some of the female players today your perception of the sound changes. That screeching turns into noise and the interest is at times not worth the level of discomfort caused from continuing to watch. Noise is everywhere. I am not a huge fan of screaming kids but I am a father of a little girl who gets crazy with her friends. Currently, my dishwasher is rhythmically cleaning my dishes while my commercial ice maker chills my beer in the garage. I am not psychotic yet, but I do remember one of my very best friends teaching me about the lost art of the comfortable quiet. I believe we are so used to the noise in our lives that when there is a moment of silence we become uncomfortable and we must fill it with something. Most of the times it’s just noise not beautiful sounds. I’ve had comfortable quiet by myself, around friends, amongst large crowds, and when practiced it sometimes is the best sound around. Today was a rest day for me. I rested by getting hay and feed for the horses, eating lunch with my dad, brother, and Robert, and finishing the evening watching my daughter and the Gnat chorus perform. It was nice to see the family and spend a little time catching up with those I don’t see enough. Yes, there was noise but there was also some good music as well.