Sound Journals

Sleeping with Cicadas

Waking up to the sound of my alarm this morning, I quickly hit snooze.  My bed is up against the huge window in my room and all I can hear are cicadas humming and buzzing outside.  I feel like they are a choir chanting to me "getttt uppppppp, gettttt UPPPPP, GETTTTTT UPPPP emily!" They're acoustics are dynamic in the way it lowers in sync and then gradually gets louder in an estimated tempo. Like an orchestra opening a concert, buhhhhhhHHH BUHHHHHHHHHZZZ, and then it just fades back out for a second before peaking again. Eventhough they're sound is so dominating, I've become so immune to it. And with the comfort of my bed and the insects' consistent humming outside I easily fall back to sleep. 

Starbuxxxx

I am back at starbucks to do my sound log, and it is much more lively this afternoon than last night.  I am undercover this time, I don't want to be arrested for writing about the way starbucks sounds on my blog. The primary audio in the cafe is smooth jazz music over the speakers.  It is very soothing lounge music that makes me want to catch up with an old friend over a cup of joe on a nice afternoon.  Behind the counter I can here the blinder churning, over powering the cooler humming hard to keep the goodies inside fresh and tasty. Some customers are cheerfully greeted by the staff, regulars are a common thing and the barista's work their charm. I can over hear a meeting-style conversation at another table, and I think what an  appropriate and professional locale, the local starbuxx. As I'm eaves dropping across the room, I can hear a paper bag rustling as a danish fills it, and the cooler door slam, again to keep the rest of the goodies cold and the flys out. A customer exclaims, "thanks again" as he departs the local coffee house, a peaceful oasis from the burning heat outdoors. This is my local starbucks and I typically come here at least once a day, but I've never really sat down to slow down and take the environment in.  Cash registers open and slam shut, seemingly in sync with the more upbeat jazz tune that is now playing. The espresso machine makes kind of a churning noise, creating steam, sounds like chuuhhhhhhhh with a muffled tone. It is definitely hard to distinguish all the sounds that various kitchen installations and utensils are making as the barista's carryout their duties. I hope the corporate head of starbuxx nation doesn't read my blog and sue me.