I Heard You - OK!

The Gayla Pink Apple

I Heard You - OK!

You Can Stop Talking Now

Yes, I Heard You

The "LOOK"

 

It drives me crazy when someone talks so loudly during the movie, at a restaurant, church, or event, etc. that I hear them and it distracts me from paying attention.

 

When I'm at the movie theater, the noise of crunching popcorn drives me insane.  I can't hear what is being said on screen - I can't pay attention to the movie because you are eating popcorn with your mouth open and smacking so loudly --- it is driving me nuts.   I sometimes just have to get up and move to another seat.    I love my popcorn at the movie - but I hate to hear people smacking it!    Arggggg!      Ugggggggg!  Get me outta here!!!!!!!!!  Same with slurping your straw to the bottom of your cup when it's empty and it makes that horrible noise! 

 

People talking loudly in the movie or in a restaurant.  That person in the next booth, or at the table close to me, and their voice carries across the room to the point of being a disruption.  Sometimes the conversation almost seems like the person knows they are talking too loudly, and do it on purpose, so everyone can hear them.  One way they get a little attention.  Other times I've been with someone who talks loudly themselves, and honestly I don't think they even realize people in the next booth or table can hear them.  Yet, I'm annoyed by it.

 

That person in church who whispers but it's not really a whisper, because I hear every word they say.  The women in my family have this 'look' and if you get the 'look' that means STOP.  I have many times wanted to turn around and give that person behind me the 'look.'  When I say the women in my family I'm referring to my mother, my sister, and me.  It is kind of funny, really - we all three have this same 'look' that means STOP IT - YOU'RE MISBEHAVING! 

 

That person who sings along with a soloist!  Oh My!  It is just not OK.  I don't care if you think it's just part of your enjoyment to sing along - it is just not OK.  I don't want to hear you sing - I am interested in hearing the soloist sing - not you. 

 

I attended a wedding recently and the lady behind me gave her husband and me (since I couldn't help but hear her) the details of what was going wrong.  She says "that's not the song they are supposed to be playing while the Mother walks in."  Really, lady?  Why do you need to say that aloud - you're only calling attention to something negative - and if you kept your mouth closed I'm pretty sure no one would notice that the pianist is not playing the correct song --- yet.    Oh, wait, now the pianist is playing the correct song, you say!  Yes, here comes the mother so things are going correctly now?  I could have done without being told that little detail.  Seems the pianist played it timely and you were wrong.  He knew more than you!  Or, was the comment really made so that you would make sure others knew that you were "in the know?"  Well, if you were all that important you would be in the back directing the wedding instead of sitting behind me distracting me from enjoying the beauty before me. 

 

Interesting to me that some people do not hear these little things - and are not bothered by them at all - yet I seem to pick up on them - to be point of being annoyed. 

I can see and hear things going on around me even while carrying on a conversation with you.  I'm not sure why - I contribute it to my job when I was very young.  I worked for the federal government (IRS) for 11 years and while talking to a taxpayer, about their delinquent taxes, I trained myself to focus on things around me.  It was just being smart and observant on the job.  I could be interviewing a taxpayer and my eyes could do a glance of items on their desk for clues about them, etc.  I might see a bank statement - would give me the name of their bank - in case I need that information later.   I would ask the taxpayer where he banked and he'd say he didn't have a bank account.  I knew better, I saw the statement on his desk.  I guess that might not be the case today since most of us bank online.  Just making a point and sharing why I hear things and see things others might not.

 

I worked a couple years for the Bureau of Legislative Research at the State Capitol.  Sitting in on legislative committee meetings, during session, I could hear and listen to the bill before the committee, and at the same time scan the room to see if the legislator who would be presenting the next bill was in the room.  This allowed me to make sure we were prepared and ready for the next bill on the agenda.  I had to know what motions were being made on the floor -- so my mind had to stay on the bill currently being discussed while my eyes were looking and taking a mental note of what was ahead.

 

I think I'm easily distracted because I taught myself to be very observant.  Now that I don't need to always be so observant it has turned into a situation of my being easily distracted and annoyed by little nuisance type behaviors!!!  Maybe I can untrain myself now that I don't need to be so observant, huh?  I'll work on that!

 

But, while I'm working on it,

Yes, I heard you, and I'm
wanting to give you the 'look,'

Gayla