throat clearing

[Guest guest]

I read a number of posts about folks who drive others nuts with their ice

crunching, gum snapping (something that drives me to drink) and post nasal drip

snot sucking. (AAAHHHHHH! HELP!!!!)

I have family members, that I don't dare mention their names, who are throat

clearers. I am not biologically related to them, but, they have to endure my

presence because of my marriage to one of their loved ones. They will do OK for

about 30 minutes after I enter the room, but, then the " AHEMs " begins. It's

funny to me now because I believe it is a hostility marker. (Watch the classic

movie " Horatio Hornblower " to see the " AHEM " tic in action)

Once I asked one of the two guys if they had a sore throat, or a cold. He

looked surprised and said, " no. " My response was, " Oh, I thought because you

keep clearing your throat that you must have a scratchy throat or something. "

The look on the person's face was total shock. The person totally didn't

realize they did such a thing.

Another family member is a post nasal drip snot sucker. I know that sounds

horrible, but, how else do you describe that behavior in words? I curb my desire

to give the guy a handkerchief every time he steps in the room. Also, he smacks

and pops his lips while eating. It's really " fun " watching the food in his

mouth as he inhales a meal.

Why is it that folks seem unaware of their body sounds? I love to chew gum,

but, only do it when I am alone. If I want to make obnoxious noises, I try not

to do them when there are others in the room. Why is it that shopping malls

seem to be the new " living rooms " for others? Getting along with others is not

only office politics, it's knowing how to act in a public setting.

I've had folks talk to me about things that I do they don't like. I try to

adapt my behavior to what makes others more comfortable. For those that don't

want me in the room at all, well, that's where the line in the sand is.

Just a random rant for a Thursday...

Nalani

[Guest guest]

" post nasal drip snot sucking " .

LOL that's gross but such a accurate description. That along with

throat clearing drives me bonkers as well. I've come to the

conclusion in my experience with this that people who make all sorts

of bodily noises make them because 1: they don't realize they are

doing it at all (like an unconcious habit), or 2: Things like that

don't bother them, so they assume it doesn't bother anyone else. My

husband falls into both categories. When he gets nervous about

something, he coughs a lot. I pointed it out to him and he said he

didn't even realize he was doing it. He now doesn't (thank the

Lord!). But, many other things he does he's told me that it doesn't

bother him to hear it so he assumes it wouldn't bother me. For the

most part, he really tries to not irritate me unlike most people in

the world. It's funny to me because I was raised to have very good

manners... don't smack your food, don't blow your nose in public,

etc... but it seems like society has lost it's sense of manners such

as people who " farmer blow " their nose or " hock a loogie " in public.

Stuff like this only fuels the fire of our dilema with sensitivity to

sound. It gets down to the fact that people need to be more aware of

others feelings. Whether they " think " things should annoy them or not

isn't the issue... the issue is that it does annoy some and they

should respect that.

>

> I read a number of posts about folks who drive others nuts with

their ice crunching, gum snapping (something that drives me to drink)

and post nasal drip snot sucking. (AAAHHHHHH! HELP!!!!)

>

> I have family members, that I don't dare mention their names, who

are throat clearers. I am not biologically related to them, but,

they have to endure my presence because of my marriage to one of

their loved ones. They will do OK for about 30 minutes after I enter

the room, but, then the " AHEMs " begins. It's funny to me now because

I believe it is a hostility marker. (Watch the classic

movie " Horatio Hornblower " to see the " AHEM " tic in action)

>

> Once I asked one of the two guys if they had a sore throat, or a

cold. He looked surprised and said, " no. " My response was, " Oh, I

thought because you keep clearing your throat that you must have a

scratchy throat or something. " The look on the person's face was

total shock. The person totally didn't realize they did such a

thing.

>

> Another family member is a post nasal drip snot sucker. I know

that sounds horrible, but, how else do you describe that behavior in

words? I curb my desire to give the guy a handkerchief every time he

steps in the room. Also, he smacks and pops his lips while eating.

It's really " fun " watching the food in his mouth as he inhales a

meal.

>

> Why is it that folks seem unaware of their body sounds? I love to

chew gum, but, only do it when I am alone. If I want to make

obnoxious noises, I try not to do them when there are others in the

room. Why is it that shopping malls seem to be the new " living

rooms " for others? Getting along with others is not only office

politics, it's knowing how to act in a public setting.

>

> I've had folks talk to me about things that I do they don't like.

I try to adapt my behavior to what makes others more comfortable.

For those that don't want me in the room at all, well, that's where

the line in the sand is.

>

>

> Just a random rant for a Thursday...

> Nalani

>