I started work at home today, almost simultaneously a crow in the garden started up 'Caw Caw Caw' always in threes, then a pause. Hes been at it all morning, alternating between the garage roof, the fence and the silver birch tree. Its really getting my dander up. I need to find my sons old catapult or something, but that probably against the law !
Does anyone else get irritated by a persisitent extraneous noise ? I guess its that once you have heard it , you notice it more, and it gets to you. Grrrrrr............. Its hardly music. A blackbird singing would be fine.

Oh, yes, all the time - but birds don't usually bother me (although I agree crows can be a bit too persistent, likewise magpies if they decide to have a go ) - it's power tools, strimmers, garden vacuum blowers (silly things!) tree cutters, that sort of thing. Learner drivers (we're on the circuit) grinding gears outside the room where I work. And we musicians have sharp ears of course and are trained to listen, not to shut noise out. If ever I comment to anyone else about noise, almost without exception they say "oh, I don't notice it after a while"

aaargh.

Talking of catapults, I think the local squirrels are building a nest in our chimney - not sure what to do about that !

If you have a clarinet, play a few screechy shrill high notes...!

Well at last I think he's gone!
Im working at home again tomorrow, so he'd better not start up again !Are they noisier at this time of year 'cos they are trying to attract a lady crow ? If my wife started up like that....................

I find that I can filter out a lot of noises quite well but I an sure that the background junk-music that is played in some of our local shops is getting louder! I found myself telling a speaker to shut up the other day.

join the club. I sometimes walk out of shops because the music is too loud, and if I see a staff member on the way out I have been known to tell them why I'm leaving!

I found myself answering back the automatic checkout machine voice in M and S yesterday.

(men in white coats hovering in the doorway).

Off thread I know , but I saw a man say 'Thank you' to an ATM !
Also a man alongside me at some traffic lights gave a 'Victory V' sign to his TomTom SatNav !

I was reading the other night about someone who was trying unsuccessfully to get a drinks can out of a vending machine. After the third attempt he stared at the machine and said, "Don't you know who I am?"

I think you all need to join the casts of Grumpy Old men and Grumpy Old Women Count me in.
Beverley.

Well Im pleased to say the darn thing has not reappeared today

We have two sets of teenage boys living near us both of whom have drum kits and guitars and both of whom invite their mates round for a "jam" session in the evenings, often at the same time.

The ones next door, presumably because the room is getting hot, open the window whilst they're "rehearsing" and the sound comes straight into our house. You can here it everywhere, especially the bass drum of course, pounding away.

The real joy comes when the two groups are rehearsing at the same time and we're stuck in the middle. It drives me round the bend though my other half says I'm too sensitive for my own good.

I am meticulous to ensure my students' lessons are not audible to the outside world, unless you're sitting right by my dining room window in my back garden. When I mentioned to my neighbour that sometimes the boys' music was a bit loud and we could even hear it above our TV she simply replied "Really, I do find that surprising, as I never hear them - they play so quietly!"

Is it my sensitive ears or is she deaf........?!