14 January 2010
On Totally Inappropriate Responses...
...so if you said something to me at the conference and I responded in a way that simply didn't make sense, remember: I probably didn't hear correctly what you said. I know it happened at least once, and I'm suspecting more than once. And that is one reason why I *despise* it when a person speaks with mood music playing in the background (happened more than once at our worship). I simply cannot make out much of what the fellow is saying. I don't know why SINGING the words makes a difference, but it does. I can often follow that. But speaking with music underneath and that weird distortion that electronic amplification brings - well, "does not compute" in this brain.
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We speak of things that are subjective and objective, but something that might seem subjective can in fact be objective. Example: my daughter's sensory integration disorder. There are certain sounds that throw her in complete disarray, such as vacuum cleaners and warm air hand dryers in bathrooms. It could be that mood music and guitar distortion may actually set some people off, especially when they are not accustomed to it, and it is NOT simply the preference of the listener. My daughter cannot control that these air motors likely feel like someone is drilling into her head.
And that's in addition to the jarring that new music can bring when citing old texts.
I can relate. I had to get hearing aids about 2 years ago for what's called moderate hearing loss. And it's not necessarily the volume that's the problem - it's the quality of the sound itself. All background noise, be it music or whatever, competes with what you're trying to listen to. Sometimes it's the quality of a person's voice. My sainted mother found that with the various people who read the lessons on Sunday morning. My Dad's cousin, who is rather soft-spoken, she could understand perfectly well, while a man with a loud voice she couldn't understand at all. And she had to leave the sanctuary when the handbells played, especially if there was a lot of the highest bells playing. It actually hurt her ears. Dealing with hearing loss is quite the adventure, to say the least. And people without hearing problems just do not understand.
I'm deaf in one year. Can't "sort" background noise from foreground noise the way most can. Electronically amplified music is nearly always "too loud" for me, no matter how "soft" it really is.
I missed the first half of the Pastor's prayer while visiting a church because the rackety-rackety garage-door-opening sound of the blasted screen being retracted behind him drowned it out.
Also, as someone who's just sensitive to noises in general, I have complete sympathy for Dan's daughter. It's hard to concentrate on worship when all you want to do is crawl under the pew with your arms over your head.
But. . . but. . . but you promised you would send me that check for $1000. . . >=o)
Hearing aids, for the most part, are a great help, after a period of adjustment.
They are getting better about filtering out background noise.
(Of course, I need mine worse than I did when I got them. They have been "tuned up" a couple of times.)
--helen
I am beginning to lose some of my hearing where there is a lot of background noise, too, although I have been tested and can hear those those little tones from the earphones very well. I imagine there is more sophisticated testing available to determine the difference. I should look into it.
But you comment regarding hearing better when the words are sung actually struck me and are the real reason for my comment. I find this fascinating because sung words go right over my head if I let them. It's not that I don't hear them, it's that they are so easy not to pay attention to. I really have to force myself to listen if words are sung. I don't know why that is.
I don't hear the upper range in the tones. Just nothing there. Dr. asked if I had played in a rock band as a kid - now that's a hoot!!! Um, no.
The sung words is fascinating, Dixie. My experience is so polar opposite. If I hear them sung, I almost never forget the words again. Right now, I can conjure up:
He who saved the three young men in the furnace became incarnate and suffered as a mortal man. Through His suffering He clothed what is mortal in the robe of immortality. He alone is blessed and all glorious the God of our Fathers. Christ is risen...
If I hear it sung, it tends to stick and stick for good. God's diversity in creation is just amazing!
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