Why didn't I think of that?

And speaking of noise sensitivity...

I found this on the Hyperacusis Network on the Net. It may help to explain why I can't help but write posts about the sound of people crunching potato chips:

(Selective) Soft Sound Sensitivity
Finally, there are individuals that have specific soft sounds which are intolerable. Not intolerable because they are too loud, but intolerable because they are unacceptable sounds for their ears (much like people with normal hearing enduring the sound and/or sensation of someone running their fingernails down a chalkboard). This is soft sound sensitivity to selective stimuli. No specific treatment has been agreed on for these individuals therefore it is unclear whether auditory integration therapy (AIT) would be beneficial or broadband pink noise therapy. My personal opinion would be to start the patient on broadband pink noise therapy because it is very conservative and would help the patient learn to build a tolerance to or help neutralize the offensive sound. Common offensive sounds for these patients are: the sound of other people eating, chewing gum, eating popcorn, etc. I believe these patients also have a problem with sound fixation. Let's take the patient who cannot stand the sound of other people eating. Usually this person can easily tolerate the sound of themselves eating but cannot accept or assimilate it. They focus so intently on that particular sound and simply can't get it out of her head. It consumes their very being. They need to develop techniques to defocus their attention on the offending sound. One other idea - I believe if the patient could listen to pink sound through headphones while eating this would mask (cover up) the sound of others eating and might help the patient get through the meal. Marsha Johnson –Audiologist from the Oregon Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Clinic gets credit for this term – Soft Sound Sensitivity. For many years I used to think this phenomenon was hyperacute hearing but there is a clear difference. Hyperacute hearing is being sound sensitive to specific loud sounds (frequencies). Soft sound sensitivity is being sound sensitive to specific soft sounds (not specific loud sounds).

See? I'm not just being a pain in the ass when I make my friends move away from popcorn crunchers at the movies!

How crunchy is too crunchy?

I am one of those sensitive people who can't stand to listen to others eat, chew gum or swallow. That being said, I don't understand why companies keep making chips crunchier and crunchier to the point where I can hear someone eating them from a mile away. I can't believe that there is exponentially more enjoyment to eating something that is so crispy that you could chip a tooth on it as opposed to a traditional chip. Is it the taste? And isn't chewing something that thick and crunchy more work? Where is the enjoyment in that? I think all of those kettle chip/traditional corn chip manufacturers just need to cool it. Have some mercy on my ears--please!

Sheesh, would someone shut him up?

I am not a fan of ValleyWag's Nick Douglas to begin with and this recent post, in which he rips publicists while simultaneously kissing selective practitioners' asses--how do you do both at once? Quite a feat!--makes me wish someone would grind his face into a pile of dung. I am particularly sensitive, true. But what kind of publicist pitches his/her clients to ValleyWag anyway? Desperate ones, to be sure.