Crank it up a notch

My collegue has been off with a hurt ankle (fell of a step at gym on Monday night) for the past 2 days. She's back.

And it's only now that I've noticed just how much noise is generated from that office. The clique gathers there for half an hour in the morning, talking loudly, laughing, carrying on as if there's no tomorrow. Certain equally-loud students pop in constantly (how does she ever get any work done?), as do a couple extra-loud staff members.

I don't know why noise is bothering me so much lately. Maybe it's because I've had a lot of "thinking" work to do - figuring things out, working through problems etc. And thinking work does not need background noise.

It might just be that I'm more tired than usual - haven't slept well, been plagued by strange dreams (last night it was the new section of mall that we'll get to see open tomorrow, and having to stop to help a cyclist who's back wheel had come off thanks to a broken bolt). The dogs have been getting up extra-early in the new daylight, whining for me to join them if I show any small sign of moving. It's been warm at night, so I've spent time outside watching satellites and shooting stars, or staying up listening to barn owls and frogs, or reading.

My soul has been craving serenity (yes, I'm still seeking it!), quiet, solitude - another reason why you won't find me at church right now. That craving seems to spill over into all aspects of my life - home, work, being out and about. I seek the quiet places, the still parts, the small sounds. Not the big, ear-busting ones, or the constant background chatter.

So today's noise level has got me irritable. Turned up my own music to try drown it, but that only creates more noise. Ah well. I guess this is part of the live and let live thing, the compromise with others thing. We're not all the same.