I know I’m a musician. I know I am more sensitive to noise. But just lately, I feel a bit like I’m being assaulted by it.

Here’s what I don’t get….

Why do people HAVE to talk on their phones on the train? They aren’t that important (if you are, get a limo to travel). Most of the time, they have to repeat themselves because they are just going through a tunnel. And I don’t want to hear their conversation. Neither does anyone else in the carriage. Are their lives really SO VERY BUSY that they have to make a call on a train?

Why do people have their car stereos up so loudly that I can hear them in another car, when all the windows are up in both cars?

Why do people open sweets/ chip packets/ insert-other-wrapped-item here at the movies while the film is playing? Why don’t they do it at the start when no-one is listening to the ads? Do they think it’s quiet? Can they hear the amount of noise they are making?

Why do people play videos of things on their phones in public places (ok – I’m back on the train thing here) without headphones on? I don’t want to hear it. I don’t care about Masterchef/ The Kardashians/ your small child talking to someone last night in the kitchen.

Has everyone just stopped listening to noise around them? If so, how do you do that? Could someone let me know? Or is everyone going deaf?

I will turn around and walk out of shops if the music in them is too loud. I can’t bear it.

Am I just becoming a grumpy old woman here? Or do all musicians have this problem?

And what’s wrong with a bit of silence, actually? Are people afraid of it?