Noise noise noise. Most days noise really bothers me. Random, disjointed, harsh, noise. Especially at work. At the end of the day, all the tellers get excited to be getting out of there and they start talking louder. The phone is always ringing at the bank. The printer is always beeping, loudly, because it has jammed, or run out of paper, or needs envelopes or somebody breathed on it the wrong way. We have a lot of sensitive information so we are constantly shredding things. The ATM behind the teller line is so loud-envelopes being deposited, money being dispensed, the 2 minute ceaseless beeping and chiming when someone leaves their card behind! Desk people yelling across the branch at the tellers to do something or not do something. Plus the slamming of drawers, ringing of coin as it is counted, the money counters spinning the bills, the validators at every teller station that print so noisely that you can't hear your customer speak. And don't forget the vacuum tubes rushing in at the drive thru, the dinging of the bell at the drive thru, and the never-ending noise of the customers! Oh yeah, and we invariably have music playing as well! It is too much most days for my poor sensitive ears to take. So at the end of the day when I have to work late, it is such a relief when most of it stops! Everyone leaves except for one desk person and myself. No customers. Minimal phone calls, no shredding, no printing, no one asking questions or yelling across the branch. No drawers being slammed, money being counted, validators printing. Blessed quiet. Or as quiet as can be. I love that moment after everyone leaves, I turn off whatever annoying music they were playing and I put on something nice. Today it was Sigur Ros (thanks Mary!) and it was so good and harmonious and pleasing to my ears after all the other crap! Ah, I love quiet!