I didn't think it would be that bad!

Last Purim I had a really great time at the local Ladies' Purim Party, where I danced up a storm. With those pleasant memories encouraging me to go, I finished baking the hamentaschen, threw on a wig and other props and went on my way to the party.

It was just over an hour after the official start, so I knew it was just the perfect time to arrive. Everything should be set up, and I was looking forward to a pleasant evening. then I saw something that made me get a bissel nervous. A couple of little girls, much younger than the boys I teach, were making their way to the door of the very same building where the ladies' party was supposed to be. Could I be imagining it? No, there aren't enough very short women in Shiloh to have had been them, and I could tell that they were little girls. I just wasn't in the mood for a party with little kids. At a quarter to eleven at night, little kids shouldn't be partying.

I went in; it was noisy, and there were little girls. My friends tried to convince me to stay, promising that the children would be leaving soon. Honestly I'm not as nasty as I seem from the first paragraph, and I decided to stay for a bit. Then the already too-loud-volume was turned up. I fled.

My hearing isn't what it used to be, and the painfully loud music at the party would only make it worse.

Many, otherwise healthy, people are losing their hearing due to noise. Even children are suffering.

As I walked out I spoke to a number of friends who were just walking in, and I explained the dangers of the high volume. As I spoke to one, the volume was turned even louder. I'm glad that I left when I did. More people must take a stand and leave loud places if they can't convince the people in charge to lower the volume. Don't be shy. Protect your hearing.

Loud music is one of the biggest causes of hearing loss.

Read this:
Did you know...
...Noise is the most common hazard for American workers?
...Hearing loss from noise is slow and painless; you can have a disability before you notice it?
...Hazardous noise is found off the job from things like power tools, lawn mowers and guns?
...You can protect yourself from hazardous noise?

Yes! You can prevent noise-induced hearing loss
...If you must raise your voice to speak with someone only 3 feet away, you are in high (hazardous) noise.
Wearing hearing protection in high noise prevents noise damage to your hearing.
Use ear plugs, ear muffs, or both, when in high noise.


I'm not sorry that I walked out of the party. There's no reason for me to endanger my health.