Maybe just not audio fan

[SadieKate]

There's a time and place. When I used to drive a 52 mile commute, talk radio was fabulous. On long distance drives, you bet.

NPR Science Friday, Rachel Maddow, Fresh Air, etc. I miss the information I gained from those now that I work at home.

But I won't turn them on at home unless I'm cleaning house and need to entertain both sides of my brain. The vacuum alone isn't enough.

[kiwibug]

I love talk radio. I know there's not that many Canadians on here, but I absolutely love CBC radio one. I grew up listening to that or classical music. My mom is a total news junkie so we always had the radio on, at all times.

That said, I really really enjoy cycling on rural roads and hearing the wind, and the birds, and my own breath. Even if I thought it were safe, I don't think I'd listen to music while riding. And I also really love the quiet that I get when hiking or camping.

[shootingstar]

I love talk radio. I know there's not that many Canadians on here, but I absolutely love CBC radio one. I grew up listening to that or classical music. My mom is a total news junkie so we always had the radio on, at all times.

That said, I really really enjoy cycling on rural roads and hearing the wind, and the birds, and my own breath. Even if I thought it were safe, I don't think I'd listen to music while riding. And I also really love the quiet that I get when hiking or camping.

Not to suggest at all that those who love to listen to talk radio, music, don't like quiet /peace/stillness either. The only time I liked CBC radio, was whenever I heard snippets of classical music. The last time I heard CBC radio was listening to a radio audio clip of my partner being interviewed on cycling matters. That was over 8 months ago!

I seem to lack patience to listen to radio talk shows. But I can "look" at something for hrs....and get lost in thoughts. I actually get a headache when I listen to music for hrs. and hrs. It's like chewing gum for hrs. and hrs.....it actually wears me out, it doesn't soothe nor motivate me.

Bleeckergirl

I like to hear the quiet and the naturally occurring sounds around me. It's becoming harder and harder to have that choice in our world.

Interesting for you since you are musically inclined. (I'm not nor is my partner. Neither of us can play an instrument.) But yes, I do prefer naturally occurring sounds. And not hearing other people's music selections.

Sure the vaccum cleaner isn't harmonious , but it's not a jack-hammer. I don't need to have ear-bud music when I'm vaccuming or doing any household chore.

As for screaming kids...I dunno. I'm not about to test this, but for reasons of child's safety , I probably still wouldn't play music. I did grow up in a large family. As the eldest, hearing baby siblings scream away and often, wasn't foreign. Flipping on music for me, heightens stress in that type of environment.

I'm actually accustomed to hearing alot of human beings around me engaging in low noise activity the whole day. Moving away from home for first year, I realized how QUIET it was...and how noisy a large family was. THat noise was actually comforting to me. So I tried radio music, etc. to cover up the silence. I got a headache, couldn't concentrate on my studies, etc. Forget it.

Only exception is when I get around to painting, I may occasionally put on instrumental music. No lyrics. Music to pique my Muse, stay focused.

[Pedal Wench]

I'm a recording/sound engineer, and was a music major (Music Engineering, within the School of Music) in college. I can't imagine a life without music.

[GLC1968]

I had a friend in college that would put on music whenever she was doing anything that required brain power or else she couldn't think. Her reason was that there was always a song in her head...always. We used to test her on it and she never failed. I think that would be hard to live with...

I use classical or instrumental music when I've got long, difficult computations to do at work because it drowns out other distracting noise without distracting me. Same thing for working difficult homework problems when I was in school. I also use music for running on the treadmill or biking on the trainer because I like to drown out the equipment noise.

Other than that, I prefer silence or the sounds of the world...particularly when I am outside. And I cannot stand leaving the TV on for 'background noise'. It drives me insane!

I also don't do audio books except for long drives (they saved my sanity driving across the country with only my cat for conversation!). I read at more than double the speed of an audio book, so I would never choose one when I wasn't intentionally trying to kill time, either.

[lph]

Audio preference is funny, and very individual. Like I've mentioned before, I love listening to music when I bike. I've always been very driven by a beat, I love dancing, I've been to aerobics classes where I've almost tripped and fallen over because a nervous new instructor hadn't matched her choregraphy to the music So I really enjoy fast music when exercising, I feel so much stronger and more motivated. I listen to music for weight training or skiing for exercise too, anytime I need to feel energetic and carried away.

Conversely, I very rarely play music otherwise. Hiking or recreational skiing never. I've taken my mp3 player with me on the bus loads of times and ended up not using it at all. At home there's always someone talking and when not the silence is so blessed. If I happen to be so lucky that I'm home alone for any period of time I may put on some music after a while, but it takes a couple of days.. Even then it's usually classical, relaxed jazz or something like that.

I just have great trouble filtering music out. It distracts me so that I can't use it as a pleasant background. And I go nuts in homes where the tv is on, because I'm incapable of not watching it. One thing I can do - when working with numbers at work, routine stuff creating spreadsheets, I can listen to music. But not while writing, it interferes completely with those thought processes. Funny.

The only time I really listen to the radio is when driving a car. Never caught onto audio books, I have trouble picking up on meaning when I can only hear someone, not see them. So I dislike talking on the phone except for practical purposes.

[Crankin]

I am like you, Shootingstar. I *never* watch the movie on a plane. I read. Even on trips to Europe. I hate audio stimulation. I quit using my I Pod when running or walking, to focus on the environment. I couldn't do work with any music or other outside stimulation.
Not much of a music person, movie person, concerts, etc. I do play the radio in the car. That's it. Never put music on at home, unless I am on the trainer, but even then, I usually watch the news on TV.
I know I am different than most, but, who cares? I liked all of the above when I was a teen, into my twenties, but then I sort of lost interest. It seems like if I am not outdoors riding, hiking, x country skiing, etc,. then I am eating, just hanging out with friends or family, reading, or doing something work related. I do have a theatre subscription, which is 7 plays a year and while I love the plays mostly, sometimes I get irritated at the people in the audience, as in it's just all too much over stimulation for me. I always can't wait getting back to my nice quiet house in the woods.

[Mr. Bloom]

Ironically, I almost never listen to music at home although I own a rather large collection! But music when driving or exercising is a necessity for me.

That said, I really really enjoy cycling on rural roads and hearing the wind, and the birds, and my own breath. Even if I thought it were safe, I don't think I'd listen to music while riding. And I also really love the quiet that I get when hiking or camping.

Amen - even riding the same route, the sounds and conditions always make it different!

I had a friend in college that would put on music whenever she was doing anything that required brain power or else she couldn't think.

I used the classical theme soundtrack from Conan the Barabarian!

There's a time and place. When I used to drive a 52 mile commute, talk radio was fabulous. On long distance drives, you bet.

NPR Science Friday, Rachel Maddow, Fresh Air, etc. I miss the information I gained from those now that I work at home.

Ahhhh! NPR Podcasts - "Car Talk" and "Wait, Wait Don't Tell" make any long drive short for me!

[Catrin]

Ironically, I almost never listen to music at home although I own a rather large collection! But music when driving or exercising is a necessity for me.

I love music - and have a lot of it - but I only listen to it when driving, exercising, or doing intense data manipulation at work. I am glad to see that I am not the only one I can't see listening to music when I ride

Talk radio is another thing - I just don't care for it. Of course I don't like talk shows on television either...

[Crankin]

Yea, I guess I'm a freak. I could live quite nicely without music, radio, NPR, talk radio, any or all of it. Just give me a newspaper. And books.

[Catrin]

Yea, I guess I'm a freak. I could live quite nicely without music, radio, NPR, talk radio, any or all of it. Just give me a newspaper. And books.

Reading is great, and I love to read. I don't mix reading and music though... which some of my friends have found odd. To me mixing the two detracts from both. That is just me though.

[PamNY]

Yea, I guess I'm a freak.

Why does that make you a freak?

[Crankin]

I'm using the word in a humorous way... when I see so many people around me walking around with music buds in their ears, it makes me wonder. And it's not just people younger than me. I considered the generational aspect, but even my DH listens to music in a much more normal way. I mean, I'm the one who sits and thinks, looking like I am staring into space, on the plane, when everyone else is listening to music or watching the movie.
Quite a few years ago we moved into a community where music is as highly valued as sports, in the schools (not where we live now). My older son had been playing an instrument for a couple of years and was able to transition into the band, etc, quite well. But, I had a shock when I was expected to find and pay for private lessons on my own. In the previous community (which was less affluent) the music lessons were part of the program, if you were in the band. My younger son never had any interest, although I think the talent is there. So, in seventh grade when he had to take the music elective, he failed a test. He was quite upset because the teacher did not believe him when he said he had never taken music lessons and couldn't read notes. I came to find out that all students had this opportunity in the elementary schools where we now were. One of my friends asked me something like, "Don't you think he'll be culturally deprived if he doesn't have this experience?" I said no. No one in my family plays an instrument, sings, or is in a band and I didn't think we were lacking in any cultural things.
So, I think it's purely what you are used to and what your interests are.