June 6, 2012: Post 513 (2012 Day 158)

June 6, 2012

Daily Comment

A sad fact of my life is that my hearing sucks. Well, at any rate, it is impaired. To hear and understand normal-volume conversation, I need hearing aids.

I keep my hearing aids at work during the week. I don't normally wear them, because they are obvious, very slightly uncomfortable over the course of hours, and because while they definitely improve my hearing and comprehension, they always sound (slightly) unnatural.

When I watch television at home, I wear headphones and I put closed captioning on. Just the headphones for music listening.

The first time I knew I had a hearing problem was in my late 20s, when I had my first hearing test courtesy of new employer IBM. The test revealed I had moderately severe high-frequency hearing loss. I was told this was not unusual. 

People have always assumed that playing loud music is responsible for my hearing problems, but I don't think that's the case. I have heard music in different venues that was too loud - much too loud, painfully loud. But I have never been a high-volume player.

I believe there are two things mainly responsible: The New York City subway system, and heredity. Music is a third, but I believe, lesser cause.

When I was very young (single digit young), I rode the subways a lot. I was fascinated by them. To me, the NYC Subway system was adventure, freedom, fun, and the means for more fun. I used to like to ride between cars, too. Back in those days, the trains screeched and squeaked along the tracks. It was loud, very loud. I loved the whole vibe, but I think now that those are the loudest sounds I was ever exposed to, and it was repeated, often, at a young age.

My father never played an instrument, didn't listen to rock music, and didn't like anything louder than the symphony (from the back of the hall) or big band music (but not a fan of Woody Herman and the Thundering Herd, the loudest  band of the Big Band era). But later in life he wore and needed hearing aids. I think he needed them a lot earlier than he actually got them, but like me, was fairly adept at reading lips... That's the heredity piece.

What brought this discussion on today? Last night, I went to a concert, the second in 2 weeks, at different venues, both large theaters, one older, one new. In the past, hearing the music at a live concert has never been a problem. But I have noticed that, in theaters and in concerts, they have turned down the volume. Of course, not for everything. But recently, the volume has been at a normal conversational level in these places. Which means I can't hear/understand the dialog.

It used to be, I could rely on sufficient volume, even for my damaged ears, to enjoy the show without hearing aids.

I think those days may be gone. I'll have to take my hearing aids home from the office for concerts and movies. <Sigh>

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Food and Diet Section

Today's Weight:        201.2 lbs 
Yesterday's Weight:    202.8   lbs
Day Net Loss/Gain:     - 1.6 lbs

Year 2012 daily weight from December 31, 2011.

Diet Comment:

More success doing the same thing that worked before. Today is my weekly lunch out with my friend Al, so breakfast was skipped.

Food Log

Breakfast
Skipped.

Lunch

Salad Bar with Mesclun greens, baby spinach, broccoli, green peppers, mushrooms, peas, tomatoes, bacon and blue cheese dressing; Triple-prime burger with grilled zucchini.

Snack
Celery and home-made mayonnaise.


Dinner

Cauliflower with red beans and tomato curry and wild-caught salmon burgers with guacamole.

Liquid Intake

    Coffee:   22 oz,   Water:136+ oz

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