Answering In Kind

I love music. I spend much of every day listening to music while sequestered (of my own volition) in my bedroom. The music is at worst not a hindrance to my productivity while writing or doing whatever else, and it might even lubricate the creative machine a little. A regrettable fact of living in an apartment building with roommates and neighbors is that there are many noises and distractions which it is difficult if not impossible to eliminate. The music helps that.

Supposing that a roommate is moving about the apartment or doing something else, the noise of which could be quantified as a six out of ten. My move will always be to get some music going at a minimum of a seven, and probably higher. So long as the noise is coming from a rock legend like Warren Zevon, it does not anger me or derail my process. This remedy may cost me down the line when I cannot hear, but for now it's good.

I recognize that this strategy turns me from the victim of unsolicited noise to the perpetrator. Many people do not see how easily and how regularly the victim can become the victimizer, but I do. Consequently, I would like to contain my noise so that I am no more objectionable than those I am reacting to. I gather that there are excellent sets of headphones which contain the music very well, and which keep out the interloping sounds. I would like such a set.

Noise-canceling headphones would presumably keep out the unwelcome noise whether I play music through them or not, but of course I would still do so. That's not a concern. What is of some concern is the potential discomfort of the headphones. I couldn't bear to have my ears all manhandled and sweaty. Having used them at length in the past, I can say that they aren't necessarily intensely pleasant to wear, but I will do what I must.