I try to get in some form of exercise that's not work every day. Today I left the operating room a little before noon and worked at my desk for a little while. I'd packed a lunch and ate while I did paperwork. I checked the weather page on the net and noted that it was only eighty-one degrees out. I had my camera with me so I headed downstairs. My plan was to find a few flower beds and escape into petals and leaves and color for about ten minutes.
I was struck by the noise of the street as soon as I exited the building. Construction vehicles are everywhere in the Medical Center. I say I love the city and I do, it's just that there was no escaping it today. It felt oppressive and a little ugly. A new structure has gone up across from my building. I'm not sure what it is. It may be a water tower, but it seems more like a containment structure, as if it's been built in case of emergency. It's next to a power plant for the hospital. I know there was a some sort of drilling rig in place before the walls went up. Then panels were installed that made it look like a weird piece of modern art plopped right in the middle of all the steel and glass buildings. It's bizarre.
The other picture I'm posting is to show you just how congested this area is with buildings, and more buildings. It's thick with them.
So today I feel like I looked out and I saw noise. My eyes were full of the hustle of the place I work. Perhaps more overload or maybe just a chance to look at things a little differently.
Noise was the biggest reason for us moving out to the 'burbs.
ReplyDeleteWe used to be in an apartment, just a block from the busiest street in the city. There was noise at all hours. If it wasn't traffic it was drunks, or demonstrators, or sirens, or (in the middle of the night) street racing jerks.
There was also light noise, if you see what I mean. Lying in bed, I could see the lights of the Sky Tower blinking; after a while it seemed as if they were blinking at me personally. I'd have to adjust the blinds to get rid of them.
Now it's lovely and quiet. Well, there's still a bit of road noise, particularly in the wet, but it's soooooo much better on average.