MegaSoundaphobia

Here's the deal. I have noticed that I have developed a "sensitivity" to noises. I don't mean noises like creaks or taps or whispers. I mean that whenever I hear things like sirens - a honking car - loud people in the next office - that little boy who visits in the next office on Wednesdays with a whistle that his mother seems not to desire to control (sorry, I got off on a tangent) - the neighbor upstairs who showers at 12:30 at night and when she stands in her bathtub it squeaks - and so on.

I'm not sure how this all started, but I notice that noises like that bother me now. They bother me to the point that I am distracted.

There is a parking garage next to my office. I had the window open today because my office was stuffy. Somebody's car started honking like when it's being broken into or you accidently hit the panic button. This went on for about 5 minutes literally and I was about ready to take a baseball bat to that car. I was - and I'm not proud of it.

The people in the office next to me are very loud at times - in fact they yell. I've discussed this issue before and I know that I need to just adapt. But it is very hard to adapt to a little boy and his whistle on Wednesdays. It makes me cranky.

It annoys me when people are outside of our apartment at 11 o'clock at night and they are loud enough that they wake me up.

Where did all of this come from?

I'm guessing that it's the fact that I spent many years living out in the country where you could hear a pin drop at night. You might hear a car drive by - maybe. You probably would hear a coyote once in awhile and you might hear Molly bark once or twice. But that's it. I've also almost always worked in an office where there wasn't a lot of noise. That and I've almost always worked in an office where the radio was on softly in the background.

At least these are the things I can point to right now that make me believe that I'm not just being crabby. I'm "adjusting".

I don't like "adjusting". I pretty much like things to go my way. And once again, I'm not proud of that fact.

So - what are my options?

I need to breathe. I need to let things slide by. I need to be happy that the mother in the office next to mine has a healthy little boy who has breath to blow on a whistle. I need to be thankful that people are happy enough to laugh outside my window. I need to be glad the lady upstairs takes a shower. Seriously. I guess I just need to get over it. Life is too short and yada yada yada.

OK - I will breathe.