Sarah

realjohngreen on pursing quiet (in this case in an airport) and Jace Clayton on finding the quietest place.

Quiet to me means many things, not just silence. It is about having clear space, so you can focus on what is important and give it your full attention. I'm not one of these people who can have the radio/TV on in the background. I suppose the only exception to this is listening to music while walking or cleaning, but that is because I am trying to control my anxiety by a distraction, and in this case the anxiety is more overwhelming than the need to focus on the present.

Quiet is so important to me. It's one of the reasons I live alone, so I can achieve this.  Actually, being clutter free full-stop is important. From the desktop on my computer where I cannot have wallpaper, only a black background, to having everything ^[0].  And I know this is also slightly ironic since I live in the middle of a city right by once of the busiest roads.  At the moment due to heat it is necessary to keep the windows open at night and you can hear the roar of the cars and the screech of sirens at night.  Going to bed I turn on an audio book to change this into noise I can control. I wear headphones at work with no music playing just to get some sense of quiet.

I suppose it is all because my mind is so busy.   Living a life where you are use to a hundred thoughts a minute I need some way to be able to control these and to feel like I am not completely mad.

^[0] Yes I know given the state of my flat at the moment this is laughable, but it is driving me *nuts*. I really need to spend a week de-cluttering.

Dear O Wise Interwebs,

I am inheriting my old work machine to use at home. I will need to by a monitor and a keyboard to use with it.
- Monitor: I only have space for a flat screen. I am undecided whether to get something cheap and cheerful, or something more expensive that I will want to use as a second monitor for my iMac (when I purchase one).
- Keyboard: I do quite like damerell's IBM model M keyboard, but it is quite expensive... Oh, and I definitely want a wired keyboard, as opposed to a wireless one.

Can anyone offer advice on these products?

Thanks!