Oh, I don't like the TV yammering on either! Since DH developed a hearing loss, he needed to turn up the volume very high, so he listens with headphones now. He uses the computer room for his TV watching, I have the LR for the little TV that I watch!

Edited for clarity.

I love the afternoons when I go into my sewing room. Have a beautiful view out the window. Somedays I sit in my comfy chair and relax. Hubs normally watches his old westerns when I start to sewing room. Love my relaxing time.

Get him some headphones for Christmas ! I hate hearing a loud TV all day, too. My poor late husband became completely deaf in one ear, and liked having a TV, or speakers for his computer turned up really LOUD ! I mean so loud it would make my eardrums hurt. Yikes ! I'm very sensitive to sound anyway, and I couldn't stand it. Thank God for headphones !

I have a nice view of our swimming pool from my sewing room, and so that is helpful and inspiring, but I tend to make swim jackets, swim wear, and outdoor pillows! I'm going to have to start selling some of the outdoor pillows - I've made quite a few more than we can use.

My mother would always have the TV on, and I hated listening to all the commercials. I only turn it on when there is something specific that I want to watch. I generally listen to music while sewing.

"Since retirement, my hubby keeps the tv on all day long. It's constant yammering."

Buy him wireless TV headphones. Get a good brand for better performance and durability. We bought a family oldster the Sennheiser model, she loves it.

Problem solved.

I love high-speed Internet access. I love video streaming, video conferencing, reading, research accessing, etc. right at my fingertips. I use it every day.

In the kitchen, while stirring my pot of white sauce....I turned the TV on. It's yammering away and I'm enjoying the yummy cooking aromas. Bliss.

I have so enjoyed feeding birds this fall. I have set up a small temporary office on the dining room table, so I can work there and look out the windows at the birds.

I leave the tv on all day, mostly for the dog for when I go out. I do start my day, though, in complete quiet, with a cup of coffee, out on the porch if it's warm enough. It IS the little things in life........ :)

Another small thing that I appreciate is the ability to mute TV commercials, which I almost always do. Like you, Lars, I really dislike them!

Headphones may not work especially for sports watchers. My husband watched seasonal sports but could not stand some announcers. He wanted the tv loud enough so if there was something he wanted to hear he could. He wore headphones listening to the radio announcers or music. In the car it was almost always NPR chat. Which is fine but not all of the time. Silence is so underrated until you actually have it available. He could no longer change channels so I had to sit in the room in case he wanted to see another team which was every commercial.

In the almost two years since he has been gone I think I may have turned the tv on maybe a half dozen times.

We only use the TV for news while seated at the kitchen table. The mute button gets a workout. We also read a physical newspaper at breakfast. We use our larger TV to stream movies or series for an hour during "Teatime Matinee" at 3 p.m. most days. We're great readers -- mostly novels. (Thank you, library!) I use the internet a lot. (Surely you are not surprised!)

We built this house nearly 20 years ago, choosing a quiet acre+ lot with only two houses within 'yoo-hoo-ing' distance. No noise from trains, planes, or automobiles, but 'town' a mile away. We are thankful for our privileged lives.

TV is only on when something is being watched. I don't watch TV, DH watches in the bedroom so I don't have to hear it. When I wasn't deafened and still watched, it was still only on when someone was viewing. How did television become something to use as background noise? It was never that way in my lifetime. We got our first TV in the fifties when I was a toddler.

Little things I'm grateful for:

My Kindle Paperwhite - Read anywhere in any light with no eyestrain from tiny print.

My Smartphone - Light weight all purpose connection to the world or not, my choice.

Riding silently along the forest trails when the chatty ones are absent. I appreciate those people in my life who have "learned to be still", and quiet.

Watching the waves ebb and flow on the beach.

Throwing off the mask as I leave a store and taking a big breath of fresh air.

Watching my 5 year old Rottie still get the zoomies.

Any day that ends with me smelling like a horse.

I think people grew up with a radio playing in the background at least in this area. As radios faded tv's took their place. However there are several types of people who do not like or seem to be afraid of silence. Want a known noise to cover the unknown. Some do listen to it but others is it to block out things.

My husband and I grew up with a radio on constantly. It took a while but he finally was able to go to sleep without a radio/tv/light on at all times. Me, I do not want the noise.

Wildchild.....I appreciate those people in my life who have "learned to be still", and quiet...LOVE that line.

Waking up and knowing there is nothing I have to do today.

Getting a call from the library telling me a book I requested is in.

Seeing my granddaughter with her beautiful, happy smile.

Having my grandson show me his latest lego creation.

listening to the cat purr.

Taking that first sip of tea.

Seeing my DH has emptied the dishwasher. Again.

My job. So many out of work right now. It's sad.

Reading has been my lifetime joy.

I would really miss the internet--my window on the world.

Early morning quiet with my first cup of coffee.

If someone took the television, I'm not sure I would notice.

I like quiet too. I am basically an introvert. I can get along with people and enjoy interacting with them, but if I had a choice, at least 80% of the time, I would prefer to be alone. I like piddling around.....feeding the fish and checking out the waterlilies. Starting new rose cuttings. I would love to ride a horse thru some of the old roads and trails thru the National Forest that surrounds us here, but with all my horses, I don't have a good riding horse. I need to be working with Shadow, Rita and Mariah. My time is limited right now, due to taking care of Jody. I am reluctant to be away for any amount of time, but I don't mind taking care of him. I am grateful for all I do have.

Simple things--like morning snuggle with my 52 lb "lap dog" Finley:

And my daily fresh brewed cappuccino made by my own personal barista! (aka Hubby)

My dog and I have a nightly routine. To start she will lay next to me on the sofa while I listen to tv & crochet. For a while, she’s satisfied with having her head next to my leg but eventually she’ll start to inch her way closer until she’s practically laying across my lap; forcing me to put my crochet down and cuddle with her. Then the tv is turned down and it’s just her and I having a conversation of sorts.

I love a good cuddle with Mia.

I have been very happy with my new Bluetooth in ear ear buds. I can use them with my tablet or TV while my husband watches his TV. I like the new earbuds that don't stick out of the ear, I had that kind and they didn't fit well. These new ones stay in great. I also have some of the headphones by Sennheiser that are great but heavy and not comfortable to lay down with.

I will likely never be able to hear silence again in my life. It would be fantastic if I could. I have had extremely loud tinnitus in both ears for many years now and I don't see that changing. So I keep noise in the background, fans at night.

I never have the TV on during the day unless there is an event like the inauguration. I like silence. I like my hour and 20 minutes every day when I hike the Appalachian trail with one of my dogs. I've done this since march when the pandemic started. We used to go to the gym every day but these four miles I feel are taking the place and I love seeing the seasons change. I never know what's around the corner like the seven deer who crossed from the woods to the cornfield yesterday.

Today I was trail riding and I commented to my instructor it was really nice not to have another horse at my horses flank, greatly annoying her and creating more work for me, today like on a ride a few days ago. He chuckled and said, "Yep it's the simple things in life we appreciate the most". Made me think of this thread. Funny how someone can offer up a subject in one place and suddenly you see it all around you.

I enjoy living alone so much. I can do what I want and not have to have the television on either. I am not really alone. I have Izzi, she is 13 and she saw the vet yesterday and is doing very well.

Sue