Silliness Quiet, Please! I'm Reading! - Page 3

grumbles · 11-07-2010, 09:02 PM

When I was younger (much younger) I would have been in the "what explosion?" category. Alas, I am older and I find noise much more distracting. I find as my hearing deteriorates background sounds become more distracting. I find that even listening to music while reading is difficult. If I want to read then I want silence (or as close to it as I can get in the city.) I find "white" noise very irritating. One of my computers (a Pentium D that was given to me) has a very noisy but average fan. All my other computers were designed to be as quiet as possible. It irritates me when I try to read (or think.) It's even worse when trying to listen to music.

Iridal · 11-08-2010, 03:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JLeighs

My dh used to think nothing of interrupting my reading every 3.7 milliseconds to yammer at me about absolutely nothing. Then I decided to turn the tables by interrupting him frequently as he was watching TV. He got the point.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seanette

iPods and books (in whichever form) make public transit a lot easier to tolerate.

Tell me about it. I overslept last week and forgot my reader and my iPod in my hurry to catch the train

I'm still recuperating from that experience

sherkanner · 11-08-2010, 06:43 AM

Silence makes me go insane.
People, TV, noises are distractions, and prevent me from focusing on my reading.
I need to isolate myself when I read (or work).
To do so, I always listen to music (earplugs).
At low volumes but with high isolation plugs (comply foamy stuffs)

simplyparticular · 11-08-2010, 11:16 AM

I can't say I ever thought of myself as an "extreme" reader, but I grew up in a noisy household with 7 kids, so reading happened in the midst of everything. To me, the best books grab you so strong that you can totally lose yourself in the midst of ANYTHING.

My poor mother would have to yell my FULL name right next to me, because I'd be oblivious. Those were the good old days.

Now that I have Supersonic Mother Antenna, I don't generally get that immersed into a book these days, but I can still block out the world around me when I need to. Makes it dangerous to read on my iPhone in boring meetings

Tattncat · 11-08-2010, 01:52 PM

I can pretty much read anywhere anytime under any circumstances. I tend to be oblivious to my surroundings when I'm reading. Unless I am analyzing the plot, for one reason or another.

SolRaven · 11-09-2010, 06:22 AM

I have to be really into a book to read in complete silence, otherwise my mind starts to wander. I need some type of background noise like music or a fan. However, I have found that putting in earplugs can be helpful but only because I can hear the rhythm of my breathing more loudly.

lack · 11-09-2010, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grumbles

When I was younger (much younger) I would have been in the "what explosion?" category. Alas, I am older and I find noise much more distracting. I find as my hearing deteriorates background sounds become more distracting. I find that even listening to music while reading is difficult. If I want to read then I want silence (or as close to it as I can get in the city.) I find "white" noise very irritating. One of my computers (a Pentium D that was given to me) has a very noisy but average fan. All my other computers were designed to be as quiet as possible. It irritates me when I try to read (or think.) It's even worse when trying to listen to music.

Sorry to hear that... You might do well with those green PCs with fanless CPU.
Apart from that, I too find music disturbing, all but one genre. Classic instrumental pieces are very good when I try to concentrate. Maybe try some clayderman?

vivaldirules · 11-09-2010, 08:37 AM

I really wish you people would keep it down in here. I'm trying to read the latest in the "Skippy Loves Bacon!" series. And some of the pictures are hard to read.

lack · 11-09-2010, 08:42 AM

Is that skippy on your avatar?

Pomtroll · 11-09-2010, 11:08 AM

I find it difficult to read if my DH has the t.v. on too loud ( he likes to work on projects in another room that requires the t.v. to be loud so he can hear). It seems the words on the t.v. get mixed into what I'm reading & it starts to make no sense. So we compromise. He has earphones

DMcCunney · 11-09-2010, 12:12 PM

I can read with ambient noise levels, up to and including the construction across the street. What I can't do is read with the TV on. I can't ignore voices, and my mind insists on paying attention to them and understanding what was said. That jerks me out of the book. Music in the background is fine. TV is not. My SO wears headphones while watching to spare me stuff I don't want to pay attention to.
______
Dennis

disney_mommy · 11-09-2010, 06:00 PM

I am very good at blocking out whatever is happening around me. Usually someone will have to yell my name to get me to come out of the story.

I've got a gal at work that lunches at the same time as me and we both like to sit and read our Kindles, but if there get to be too many people in the cafateria, she packs up and leaves. She can't take it. Lately she's taken to wearing noise canceling headphones with no music. She says it pretty much mutes everyone out and as a bonus, if people think she's listening to music, they won't bother her.

Xanthe · 11-11-2010, 12:41 AM

I can read in any type of noise situation; I just tune it out.

I cannot read in a moving vehicle; makes me queasy.

Maggie May · 11-11-2010, 06:01 AM

I voted quiet but not too quiet.
I like to have the radio on in the background, low enough to hear, but not distract from my reading. I choose a channel with more music than chat chat.

Mag.

David Munch · 11-11-2010, 09:15 AM

It actually depends.. If I am at home, I need complete silence. But I actually do my best reading in the train where there's a lot of noise.. Weird..

View Poll Results: How quiet do you need it to be to read?
I wear earplugs when I'm alone	1	1.28%
I need absolute silence	9	11.54%
Quiet, but not too quiet	11	14.10%
I can handle normal sound levels	23	29.49%
I'm a combat hardened urban reader	17	21.79%
What explosion?	17	21.79%
Voters: 78. You may not vote on this poll

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11-07-2010, 09:02 PM	#31
grumbles Addict Posts: 238 Karma: 1500000 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Toronto Device: Pandigital Novel (Black), T-2 and 3, Nexus 7	When I was younger (much younger) I would have been in the "what explosion?" category. Alas, I am older and I find noise much more distracting. I find as my hearing deteriorates background sounds become more distracting. I find that even listening to music while reading is difficult. If I want to read then I want silence (or as close to it as I can get in the city.) I find "white" noise very irritating. One of my computers (a Pentium D that was given to me) has a very noisy but average fan. All my other computers were designed to be as quiet as possible. It irritates me when I try to read (or think.) It's even worse when trying to listen to music.

11-08-2010, 06:43 AM	#33
sherkanner Enthusiast Posts: 25 Karma: 150 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Linz (AT) Device: Cybook Gen3	Silence makes me go insane. People, TV, noises are distractions, and prevent me from focusing on my reading. I need to isolate myself when I read (or work). To do so, I always listen to music (earplugs). At low volumes but with high isolation plugs (comply foamy stuffs)

11-08-2010, 11:16 AM	#34
simplyparticular Guru Posts: 610 Karma: 1395952 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: New York Device: Oasis 3 & GlowLight 4	I can't say I ever thought of myself as an "extreme" reader, but I grew up in a noisy household with 7 kids, so reading happened in the midst of everything. To me, the best books grab you so strong that you can totally lose yourself in the midst of ANYTHING. My poor mother would have to yell my FULL name right next to me, because I'd be oblivious. Those were the good old days. Now that I have Supersonic Mother Antenna, I don't generally get that immersed into a book these days, but I can still block out the world around me when I need to. Makes it dangerous to read on my iPhone in boring meetings

11-08-2010, 01:52 PM	#35
Tattncat Bookworm Posts: 673 Karma: 1029391 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah, USA Device: Nook Tablet, Samsung Galaxy Tab3, Sony PRS700, Sony PRS505	I can pretty much read anywhere anytime under any circumstances. I tend to be oblivious to my surroundings when I'm reading. Unless I am analyzing the plot, for one reason or another.

11-09-2010, 06:22 AM	#36
SolRaven Wizard Posts: 2,214 Karma: 12796976 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: The Sunshine State Device: Clara, Voyage, Oasis, Paperwhite & PRS-650	I have to be really into a book to read in complete silence, otherwise my mind starts to wander. I need some type of background noise like music or a fan. However, I have found that putting in earplugs can be helpful but only because I can hear the rhythm of my breathing more loudly.

11-09-2010, 08:37 AM	#38
vivaldirules When's Doughnut Day? Posts: 10,059 Karma: 13675475 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Houston, TX, US Device: Sony PRS-505, iPad	I really wish you people would keep it down in here. I'm trying to read the latest in the "Skippy Loves Bacon!" series. And some of the pictures are hard to read.

11-09-2010, 08:42 AM	#39
lack Zealot Posts: 113 Karma: 44088 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Osaka, Japan Device: PRS-650	Is that skippy on your avatar?

11-09-2010, 11:08 AM	#40
Pomtroll Guru Posts: 822 Karma: 1341819 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Minnesota USA Device: Sony 350, Sony T1, Kindle Touch, Kindle PW1	I find it difficult to read if my DH has the t.v. on too loud ( he likes to work on projects in another room that requires the t.v. to be loud so he can hear). It seems the words on the t.v. get mixed into what I'm reading & it starts to make no sense. So we compromise. He has earphones

11-09-2010, 12:12 PM	#41
DMcCunney New York Editor Posts: 6,384 Karma: 16540415 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: PalmTX, Pocket eDGe, Alcatel Fierce 4, RCA Viking Pro 10, Nexus 7	I can read with ambient noise levels, up to and including the construction across the street. What I can't do is read with the TV on. I can't ignore voices, and my mind insists on paying attention to them and understanding what was said. That jerks me out of the book. Music in the background is fine. TV is not. My SO wears headphones while watching to spare me stuff I don't want to pay attention to. ______ Dennis

11-09-2010, 06:00 PM	#42
disney_mommy Ebook fanatic Posts: 120 Karma: 120000 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Hampton Roads, VA Device: Kindle Fire HD 8.9, Kindle Keyboard	I am very good at blocking out whatever is happening around me. Usually someone will have to yell my name to get me to come out of the story. I've got a gal at work that lunches at the same time as me and we both like to sit and read our Kindles, but if there get to be too many people in the cafateria, she packs up and leaves. She can't take it. Lately she's taken to wearing noise canceling headphones with no music. She says it pretty much mutes everyone out and as a bonus, if people think she's listening to music, they won't bother her.

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11-11-2010, 12:41 AM	#43
Xanthe Plan B Is Now In Force Posts: 1,894 Karma: 8086979 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Surebleak Device: Aluratek,Sony 350/T1,Pandigital,eBM 911,Nook HD/HD+,Fire HDX 7/8.9,PW2	I can read in any type of noise situation; I just tune it out. I cannot read in a moving vehicle; makes me queasy.

11-11-2010, 06:01 AM	#44
Maggie May Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,907 Karma: 87755439 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Ireland Device: CYbook Gen3 and Sony PRS 3505 Kindle 3 G Nexus 7 iPad	I voted quiet but not too quiet. I like to have the radio on in the background, low enough to hear, but not distract from my reading. I choose a channel with more music than chat chat. Mag.

11-11-2010, 09:15 AM	#45
David Munch Scholar Posts: 1,009 Karma: 3999312 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Denmark Device: Kobo Libra H2O + iPad Air 4	It actually depends.. If I am at home, I need complete silence. But I actually do my best reading in the train where there's a lot of noise.. Weird..