Reply #16: You're right...you think you don't notice it until

[pipi_k]

it's gone.

I live in the woods, away from anything that would cause noise, but household appliances run all the time and cause a background noise that we don't pay attention to most of the time. People from the city come up here and always comment on how quiet and peaceful it is.

I think it would really freak them out to be here when the electricity is down for a while. That's when the quiet is really obvious, even for people who live outside the realm of city or suburban noise.

When the electricity comes back on, it's both a blessing and a disappointment, as we get our lights back, but the silence is once again gone, and even a few household appliances humming away in the background can seem like an assault on the senses.