When it comes to products or services, once I find a company or person that I like, I am very loyal to them. For twenty-five years, I used the same hair dresser in New Jersey - regardless of whether I was living in Boston, Philly, DC, or even Iowa. Once I moved to Vegas though, and my trips back home were not as frequent, I finally gave in and found a hair stylist I liked. I think what made me gravitate to him was that he studied under Vidal Sassoon like my hairdresser back in Jersey. He was excellent, and I liked the salon where he worked too. Now that I moved to the northwest, today was my first time with a new stylist. I think I've been spoiled by my Vegas and NJ stylists/salons because today was not as good of an experience as I hoped it would be.

Right off the bat, the place was very dark and gloomy. As an architectural designer, I understand the desire to used exposed structure and HVAC ductwork in a space, but it wasn't done well here. The walls were dark purple and the ceiling and upper 5' of the walls were painted black, so the sporadically placed adjustable lights were complete glare bombs - especially when having to look right up into them while having my hair washed. The styling chairs were also very uncomfortable, especially when having to sit in one for an hour.

You may ask why I'm going into this level of detail in a misophonia blog... I was already uncomfortable in the environment, so when someone started whistling to the loud music playing in the salon, I rushed to put my earplugs in. I felt bad for the stylist, who was very nice and tried to start some chit chat conversation. Unfortunately, wearing earplugs to block out trigger sounds on top of having to take my eyeglasses off while having my hair done (which meant I couldn't even fake being able to hear what she was saying since I couldn't lipread in a dark room - especially without my glasses), made it too hard to contribute to the dialogue. I tried to explain that I couldn't hear her because I was wearing earplugs since I was sensitive to sound, but she continued to ask me questions and try to converse. It was clear she didn't understand my discomfort.

Oh well... Maybe I just need to periodically take a trip back down to Vegas to have my hair done and see friends that I left behind.  :-)

Okay, technically I'm a new Washingtonian (state), but I still count my 12 years back in DC as being a "Washingtonian" too. Yesterday I *finally* was able to get my car title transferred and now have Washington license plates. It was the longest transfer process I've ever had to endure but it's finally done. (Yay!)

Unlike my last visit to the vehicle title office, when I was able to wait outside until right before my number was called, I was so afraid that they'd lock the door on me, I waited inside the office. (I arrived barely a half hour before they closed). It was a small office but there were two people sitting on the other side of the wall from me (maybe 15' away) who kept tapping their shoes on the linoleum floor. Thank goodness I had a pair of earplugs in my purse and a clear view of the number counter otherwise they would've driven me crazy!

Luckily I was done within 15 minutes of first hearing them tapping too. Of course, going home to a bird whining every five seconds while vying for my attention was a trigger I didn't need after the DMV annoyance, but once I finished unpacking a few more boxes, I was able to take him out of his cage and put him on my shoulder, and he quieted down. (I'm sure I'm going to have to deal with him doing that again as soon as I get home tonight. Oh well...)

Sometimes I wonder if certain professions, or environments, are more prone to being sources of triggers than others. A couple of years ago, I wrote a blog post about my frustrations with whistlers while at my car dealer back in the Midwest. Well, this past Saturday I went to another car dealer to get my car serviced and wanted to tear my ears out with all the whistlers in the garage area where you drop off the cars. I actually had to stop my conversation with the customer service representative to put my earplugs in so that I could focus on what he was asking me.

Being all hard surfaces, the garage space was a big echo chamber - much like many a stairwell where I've experienced whistlers. I doesn't matter if the dealership is in the Midwest, Northwest, Southwest, or even East coast, I've had the same experiences every time I go to one to get my car serviced or look into getting a new one.. I'm convinced the more resonant a space is for sound to bounce around, the more it entices people to whistle, or make sounds to show off that echoing.

As far as certain professions being prone to creating triggers, over the years I've been involved in creative professions and activities and found that creative people like to keep active. Artists and other designers constantly doodle and play with their writing instruments (even if it's just flipping a pen around their thumb). Musicians frequently tap to the beat - even when there's no audible music - or whistle. Dancers frequently keep their feet moving, even while sitting in place. I could come up with MANY examples of situations where I've been around creative people fidgeting or creating other triggers.

What I find ironic is the number of books and articles that talk about how highly sensitive people are creative people as well. So if people with misophonia are highly sensitive people, and many highly sensitive people are creative people, and many creative people tend to fidget, whistle, or create other triggers... What is wrong with this picture?!?

Just more deep thought ramblings about my misophonia and life experiences.

It wasn't so much that I had writer's block, but rather a period of time when I didn't write specifically in my manuscript file. What I mean is that in the past year and a half that I haven't formally written in the formal manuscript file, I've still been posting to this blog and jotting down lots of thoughts in my paper journal, but yesterday I took the first step in focusing my effort in finishing up my memoir. I went to my first writers' MeetUp group and it was just what I needed... Save for the misophonia triggers.

One of the wonderful things about where I now live is that there are TONS of MeetUp groups, and more being added every day. When I first started researching the city and checked MeetUp.com, there were so many groups for hiking, biking, theater, and yes... Even writing. This particular MeetUp group meets three times a week and all that the members do is write... Sort of a "study buddy" thing, but for writers. No analyzing what we wrote, just being in a room surrounded by books and other people writing. People had laptops, pen and paper, one guy even had a typewriter! I know that this is a group that I need to stick with so that I can finally wrap up my memoir.

The only difficulty I had at the meeting were the occasional triggers - both audio and visual. I arrived a bit late (very difficult finding parking over there), so there weren't many places to sit left. (I was actually surprised at how many people were there. I'd say at least a dozen.) I sat next to the guy with the typewriter, not remembering how distracting the tack-tack-tack sound is compared to today's computers. It wouldn't have been so terrible except he kept bouncing his legs and cracking his knuckles too... Over, and over... It's like his hands/fingers would never stop being able to crack. I didn't say anything though. I was so new and the people were very nice. I probably could've said something. (Aren't most people annoyed with knuckle cracking?) Instead, I just put in my earbuds and started blasting music. I was so tuned out that I didn't even hear when one of the café people brought the food I ordered.

Evidently, different people come to the various meeting days, which are held in different locations too, so maybe next time I won't be so triggered. (That, or maybe I'll just try to get there earlier so that I can get a prime place to sit.) Regardless, despite people not really talking much, other than a brief conversation when I first arrived, I know this extra-curricular will be a good step in achieving my writing goals.