SOUNDS OF OUR LIVES

“ Safe or out?”.  The split second decision made dozens of times a game

By acoustically trained professional baseball umpires.

Yes, an essential segment of their training is recognizing the sound of

a baseball making contact with a glove while blindfolded. 

We hear that sound: and that of a fastball smacking the glove of a catcher.

Recognizable, unique, part of our “ sound culture”.

 

From a sports perspective, there are sounds which define us by geography, culture and class.

Close your eyes: rest in a quiet place: enjoy your memories: Fill in the “ Places” which  your sound recollections. Add to the list…

The Sport	Sounds	Place(s)
Baseball	The “whack” of bat hitting the ball Runner/catcher colliding  at home plate 1st baseman spearing a line drive Vendors selling beer	?
Cricket	Bat smacking the ball Bowler running headfirst and  hurling the ball	?
Car Racing	Roar of high powered engines Air and noise as cars hurdle past Sheet metal bending as cars meet the walls of the track Thousands of beer soaked fans cheering	?
Football	Wide receivers and safeties meet at high speeds in mid air Quarterbacks barking signals Lineman head to head in the trenches The 5th quarter of UW Madison band Profane cheering students at Camp Randall	?
Golf	Golf club connecting full flush with ball off the tee   Club, weeds, ball meet in the rough Clanking of clubs being carried down the fairway.	?

 

Each of these sounds generates unique memories  and contribute to our total person,

 

Sounds of our workplace create indelible memories.  Are you a doctor, a mechanic, an IT technician,

an accountant, a musician? Each has its own rhythm, pace, decibel level. 

Have you paused to recreate in your inner ear  the sounds of where you work, live, or play?

Do you have a preference?  For example, in the streets of Middle Eastern cities the sounds of blaring

 horns is incessant. Drivers seem to blow horns for random reasons.  Loud, continuous, at all hours the

cacophony is ongoing.  Here in the Midwest, horn blowing is rare. Roadways are a place of frequent

silence.  Could you live in both or either place?

We are told that noise or the absence of it definitely impacts the quality of life. Hmm. Some cultures

 have adapted to noise _ others to silence.  

A thoughtful challenge – listen:  what do you hear? What do life’s impactul  sounds mean to you, your

lifestyle, and where you choose to spend your time?

 

“ Safe or out?”.  The split second decision made dozens of times a game

 

By acoustically trained professional baseball umpires.

 

Yes, an essential segment of their training is recognizing the sound of

 

a baseball making contact with a glove while blindfolded. 

 

We hear that sound: and that of a fastball smacking the glove of a catcher.

 

Recognizable, unique, part of our “ sound culture”.

 

 

 

From a sports perspective, there are sounds which define us by geography, culture and class.

 

Close your eyes: rest in a quiet place: enjoy your memories: Fill in the “ Places” which envelope your sound recollections. Add to the list…

 

The Sport	Sounds	Place(s)
Baseball	The “whack” of bat hitting the ball Runner/catcher colliding  at home plate 1st baseman spearing a line drive Vendors selling beer	?
Cricket	Bat smacking the ball Bowler running headfirst and  hurling the ball	?
Car Racing	Roar of high powered engines Air and noise as cars hurtle past Sheet metal bending as cars meet the walls of the track Thousands of beer soaked fans cheering	?
Football	Wide receivers and safeties meet at high speeds in mid air Quarterbacks barking signals Lineman head to head in the trenches The 5th quarter of UW Madison band Profane cheering students at Camp Randall	?
Golf	Golf club connecting full flush with ball off the tee   Club, weeds, ball meet in the rough Clanking of clubs being carried down the fairway.	?

 

 

 

Each of these sounds generates unique memories  and contribute to our total person,

 

 

 

Sounds of our workplace create indelible memories.  Are you a doctor, a mechanic, an IT technician,

 

an accountant, a musician? Each has its own rhythm, pace, decibel level. 

 

Have you paused to recreate in your inner ear  the sounds of where you work, live, or play?

 

Do you have a preference?  For example, in the streets of Middle Eastern cities the sounds of blaring

 

 horns is incessant. Drivers seem to blow horns for random reasons.  Loud, continuous, at all hours the

 

cacophony is ongoing.  Here in the Midwest, horn blowing is rare. Roadways are a place of frequent

 

silence.  Could you live in both or either place?

 

We are told that noise or the absence of it definitely impacts the quality of life. Hmm. Some cultures

 

 have adapted to noise _ others to silence.  

 

A thoughtful challenge – listen:  what do you hear? What do life’s impactul  sounds mean to you, your

 

lifestyle, and where you choose to spend your time?

 

 

 

“ Safe or out?”.  The split second decision made dozens of times a game

 

By acoustically trained professional baseball umpires.

 

Yes, an essential segment of their training is recognizing the sound of

 

a baseball making contact with a glove while blindfolded. 

 

We hear that sound: and that of a fastball smacking the glove of a catcher.

 

Recognizable, unique, part of our “ sound culture”.

 

 

 

From a sports perspective, there are sounds which define us by geography, culture and class.

 

Close your eyes: rest in a quiet place: enjoy your memories: Fill in the “ Places” which envelope your sound recollections. Add to the list…

 

The Sport	Sounds	Place(s)
Baseball	The “whack” of bat hitting the ball Runner/catcher colliding  at home plate 1st baseman spearing a line drive Vendors selling beer	?
Cricket	Bat smacking the ball Bowler running headfirst and  hurling the ball	?
Car Racing	Roar of high powered engines Air and noise as cars hurtle past Sheet metal bending as cars meet the walls of the track Thousands of beer soaked fans cheering	?
Football	Wide receivers and safeties meet at high speeds in mid air Quarterbacks barking signals Lineman head to head in the trenches The 5th quarter of UW Madison band Profane cheering students at Camp Randall	?
Golf	Golf club connecting full flush with ball off the tee   Club, weeds, ball meet in the rough Clanking of clubs being carried down the fairway.	?

 

 

 

Each of these sounds generates unique memories  and contribute to our total person,

 

 

 

Sounds of our workplace create indelible memories.  Are you a doctor, a mechanic, an IT technician,

 

an accountant, a musician? Each has its own rhythm, pace, decibel level. 

 

Have you paused to recreate in your inner ear  the sounds of where you work, live, or play?

 

Do you have a preference?  For example, in the streets of Middle Eastern cities the sounds of blaring

 

 horns is incessant. Drivers seem to blow horns for random reasons.  Loud, continuous, at all hours the

 

cacophony is ongoing.  Here in the Midwest, horn blowing is rare. Roadways are a place of frequent

 

silence.  Could you live in both or either place?

 

We are told that noise or the absence of it definitely impacts the quality of life. Hmm. Some cultures

 

 have adapted to noise _ others to silence.  

 

A thoughtful challenge – listen:  what do you hear? What do life’s impactul  sounds mean to you, your

 

lifestyle, and where you choose to spend your time?

 

 

 

“ Safe or out?”.  The split second decision made dozens of times a game

 

By acoustically trained professional baseball umpires.

 

Yes, an essential segment of their training is recognizing the sound of

 

a baseball making contact with a glove while blindfolded. 

 

We hear that sound: and that of a fastball smacking the glove of a catcher.

 

Recognizable, unique, part of our “ sound culture”.

 

 

 

From a sports perspective, there are sounds which define us by geography, culture and class.

 

Close your eyes: rest in a quiet place: enjoy your memories: Fill in the “ Places” which envelope your sound recollections. Add to the list…

 

The Sport	Sounds	Place(s)
Baseball	The “whack” of bat hitting the ball Runner/catcher colliding  at home plate 1st baseman spearing a line drive Vendors selling beer	?
Cricket	Bat smacking the ball Bowler running headfirst and  hurling the ball	?
Car Racing	Roar of high powered engines Air and noise as cars hurtle past Sheet metal bending as cars meet the walls of the track Thousands of beer soaked fans cheering	?
Football	Wide receivers and safeties meet at high speeds in mid air Quarterbacks barking signals Lineman head to head in the trenches The 5th quarter of UW Madison band Profane cheering students at Camp Randall	?
Golf	Golf club connecting full flush with ball off the tee   Club, weeds, ball meet in the rough Clanking of clubs being carried down the fairway.	?

 

 

 

Each of these sounds generates unique memories  and contribute to our total person,

 

 

 

Sounds of our workplace create indelible memories.  Are you a doctor, a mechanic, an IT technician,

 

an accountant, a musician? Each has its own rhythm, pace, decibel level. 

 

Have you paused to recreate in your inner ear  the sounds of where you work, live, or play?

 

Do you have a preference?  For example, in the streets of Middle Eastern cities the sounds of blaring

 

 horns is incessant. Drivers seem to blow horns for random reasons.  Loud, continuous, at all hours the

 

cacophony is ongoing.  Here in the Midwest, horn blowing is rare. Roadways are a place of frequent

 

silence.  Could you live in both or either place?

 

We are told that noise or the absence of it definitely impacts the quality of life. Hmm. Some cultures

 

 have adapted to noise _ others to silence.  

 

A thoughtful challenge – listen:  what do you hear? What do life’s impactul  sounds mean to you, your

 

lifestyle, and where you choose to spend your time?

 

 

 

WHEN DOES LIFE END?

The balding, punchy, bent over guy seated at the
last fish fry of Lent looked –old. No other way to phrase it-
He looked old, tired, beaten, defeated. Prosperous but defeated.
Discussion topics drowned on about physical maladies – his bad feet,
and by-pass surgeries. How he had to ride a golf cart instead of walk the
flat local course.
“ Next month I am eligible for medicare” he proudly announced.
And oh yes – he enjoys doing nothing most days since retiring.
Attempts to discuss positive events such as the Green Bay Packers
winning the Super Bowl turned to – what if they have injured players
next year and can’t repeat. It sounded like a fear of enjoying the moment:
out of a dread that something terrible might soon follow.

Armageddon is on the horizon? The grim reaper is in the next room.? The bubonic plague is returning in all its indescribable horror? Life is a video about Russian roulette.

Twenty years ago we had a similar negative tinged conversation with
this same gentleman. At that time he was “ looking forward to “retirement”.
Life was a drag. Work was a bore. And the main topic of discussion
was the awesome 45 minute to work each day. Such self-pity.

His shirt swallowing the increasing girth, jaws swollen with flesh, shoulders bowed, what happened inside the soul of this once energetic, athletic ,
successful financial executive more than 20 years ago?

As a society, we collectively marvel at those who are “mature beyond their years – those who Have the insight and perception of a  50 year old when they are 25.
A gift which many embrace and cherish.

Conversely, why do some people have the premature demeanor and attitude of agers?
Seemingly before the time of their peers? In may ways they seem to carry
the mantle of a 65 year old when they are 35 or 40. A lifetime spent missing the
many joys and opportunities of middle age. No middle age crises here – he drives a Chevy Nova.

One wonders which came 1st – physical ailments or the loss of zest for life?
What causes people to cash in their chips when in their 40’s and 50’s?
Are they happy? Is their main objective in life to hope the race ends sooner
rather than later?

Is life merely an endurance contest rather than a gift to be enjoyed during the limited time we have on this earth? We hope the days of wine and roses are more prevalent than the gray skies portending gloom and doom.

When does life end?