Dear Abby: Writer Needs Way to Drown Out Noise So She Can Think

[cereta]

DEAR ABBY: My husband refuses to wear headphones. This means that when we sit in the living room together, I must put up with the blaring noise of whatever he is watching.

I do a lot of writing, and in order to think, I need silence. I have tried earplugs, but they don't muffle enough of the noise. Now, when I have had enough, I leave the room. This results in us being in two separate places, which he hates. Is there another solution I may be overlooking? -- LOUD IN MAINE

DEAR LOUD: You might try noise-canceling headphones. However, if that doesn't work, because you need to "hear" in your head the sentences you are trying to write, you may have to do your writing when your husband is not at home.

Comments

[taselby]

Maybe husband could stop being such a passive-aggressive controlling douche of a manbaby. "I need you neeeeer me! But I'm going to prevent you from doing the thing you love by being a dick about the Thing I Like because it's all about meeeee!"

Eleanorjane has it right: LW has tried and been shot down. Offer hubby choices of THIS or THIS.

I'd throw in a side of counseling if he keeps digging his manbaby heels in.

(Why no, I've never had to put up with *anything* like this, so I can't possible still be angry about it 15 years later.)

[cereta]

I feel you. I am more than a little annoyed that spouse, who complained for ages about me using the laptop while he watched only shows he wanted to and never compromised to watch something I might like (even when I offered to put the laptop away), has now taken to completely removing himself from the family room at night because he can't stand the small fanperson's shows.