I’ve alway been sensitive to noise. When I was about 12, I told my mother that I wanted to work in a bank, because the lobby of our local savings and loan was so quiet. After that, I wanted to be a librarian. (Remember when librarians “shussed” patrons who were talking, back when libraries were for reading, not computer use?) Now, noise is what can set off my rather calm personality in a big way. And that’s part of my irritation with TV: too much background noise for those not actively watching. Did you know that TV sound scores at 70 decibels, the same level as freeway noise? A study in the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (2000) found that children living in noisy neighborhoods (above 60 db) experienced increased stress and elevated blood pressure–girls in the test group even experienced diminished motivation. I’m quietly plotting (as my blood pressure rises)…headphones for everyone for Christmas.