Unfortunately, it is located on the other side of the wall that my bed is up against. This sound entered my life around 2am EST and only went away when I finally passed out around 9am and this has killed the majority of my day. And my good mood.
I have an accessory review coming out later (to be printed elsewhere) wherein I reveal that certain sounds drive me up the freakin’ wall. I had added it in and taken it out and put it back in and removed that bit about a million times. My primary concern was that people would have lightbulb moments and learn of a surefire way to make me snap. Then I realized that anyone so inclined to drive me crazy will figure it out one way or another and, heck, this review is for the greater good! Not really, but I like this particular product since it solves a problem I had with the official version of it (and introduces a drawback so it won’t be for everyone but I’ll link the review when they post it).
Basically, if your electronic product emits a high pitched sound that my parents and most other people can’t hear: I hate you. Hate you so much. Hate hate hate. I’m a geek but I make damn sure to turn off things when they are not in use or the sound will just grate on me. I can’t explain it. A whine? A whisper? A hum? Every device makes a different sound. I know I’m not crazy* since my brother can hear the same things I do. You can actually do a test at home! With certain speaker sets you can turn up the volume on them with no sound coming through until you get an audible hiss. Don’t actually do this if you like your speakers, by the way. But that’s a tame example of what I am talking about. Cell phone chargers, speakers left on, a tv on mute two floors above me at my parents’ house, a digital phone before it rings… I can hear it. This is not a very useful skill. It mostly causes me to snap at unsuspecting people to turn their crap off when they aren’t using it.
On a sound-related note *rimshot* I’m legendary in my family for one other quirk I’ve had ever since anyone can remember. Ticking clocks meet mysterious and swift ends around me. The first recorded instance of non-violent clock resolution involved me sleeping over at my great Aunt’s apartment when I was around ten years old. I, to the amazement of all, somehow got the clock down from the wall in one piece, walked calmly out to the balcony, carefully placed it down on a towel, locked the door behind me, and went back to bed. Any former hockey roommates of mine know that watches must remain in the hotel bathroom at night. Oh, it’s in your luggage? NOT GOOD ENOUGH. I can hear it and I will kindly suggest that you retrieve it before I do. And wrap it in a towel or four. All that said, I have lived next to and slept through trains, planes, trucks, boats, streetcars, major Canadian highways, and even a farm for a brief period of time. Took some adjusting, but then it was smooth sailing. Ticking and hissing and whining? No no no no no no no.
Anyway, I found a new horrible sound coming from a neighbour’s place and I am unimpressed. It’s so high that I couldn’t even record it so I could lower the sound and play it for other people. I can’t hear it over music, which will get me through the rest of the day, but I don’t know how to address this again tonight. Argh. I cannot wait to talk about my new life jacket but I want to be in a better mood (read: not grumpy with massive bags under my eyes) and do a video for it.
*well, I am. But not as it pertains to this issue. Honest.
{ 6 comments }
It sounds like you are adapt to hearing electrical signals, I have the same problem I can tell when a TV is left on and the sound it makes annoys me and I also hate the fact the xbox makes a lot of noise too! and I say to deal with the neighbor just EMP their house!
No mention of a vuvuzela?
And here I was thinking that you were going to complain about Vuvuzelas. But I do know what you’re talking about, I can always tell when my dad has the downstairs TV on. Though I’ve learned through science that this is usually just a capacitor charging and discharging very quickly.
Just because I know what it is, doesn’t mean that it won’t drive me batty.
I can hear that electronic high pitched buzz too.
What I find more annoying is lights when I try to sleep. Especially the fucking pulsing light on a mac…. anything that even remotely illuminates in my room must be covered up or I won’t be able to sleep.
What about crickets?
I can still hear some high pitches that age and being in a band for some years didn’t rob from me, but it’s the thump of my neighbors sub woofer that drives me batty. I’m so close to setting up my P.A. to my TV to turn the tables.
Although, oddly, I still need a fan or some other white noise generating device to sleep.
Comments on this entry are closed.