Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Sounds that bug and stream of consciousness

This morning Lukas woke up after Tom had already left for work, so I took the opportunity to grab an early shower before the kids had breakfast. I was just finishing when Lukas came to the bathroom and started talking to me. I couldn't hear him and said, "I'll be right out," but he kept talking. Finally I understood what he was saying, "Is the buzzer off?"

Lukas was talking about the buzzer for the washer or dryer that tells me when they're done washing or drying a load. The laundry room is right next to his bathroom, and when either the washer or dryer is on, he always asks, "Is the buzzer off?" before going into the bathroom because the buzzing sound really bugs him. It doesn't seem to bother him if the buzzer sounds and he isn't in the bathroom.

As I was drying off and getting dressed, that started me thinking about the sounds that bug me: beeping sounds. I remember being driven nuts at a fastfood restaurant by the beeper on the french fry machine going off constantly (and the employees not turning it off quickly). I have beeping sounds in my kitchen--two kitchen timers--and I am quick to turn them off when they beep.

Tom is bugged by crackly paper sounds--someone unwrapping a candy wrapper very slowly or someone taking one M&M out of the bag at a time, and each time crackling the paper, can send him over the edge.

Natalie hasn't let us know what sounds bother her yet, but I'm sure she'll let us know eventually.

What sounds bug you?

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