This is the thread to let each other know of ways to GET RID OF tiny irritants in our lives. There could also be ways we could share of "mental tools" to turn off or turn away feelings of extreme irritation. But mainly it's about actually removing the irritants entirely!

I'm feeling better the past couple of days. But tiny irritants have been driving me "over the edge" for weeks. I've been researching ways to get rid of them. Here is what I've successfully done. It took a lot of work, and some of it was expensive, as in a few hundred dollars, not thousands.

1. I lost some hearing and could not discern what some people were saying to me on the phone. I bought a new land line set called Serene. It adjust volumes and options A LOT, and the Speaker works great! This is the THIRD try! I returned two other phones for refunds.

2. For blocking out noise downtown, see the headphone option in #3.

3. For the cell phone, I bought a headphone set, with an over-the ear phone on each ear. It also has a noise cancellation device on the ear pieces, and on the microphone so I can talk outside without the speaker picking up wind, and traffic noises. If you want to know what it is, please private message me and I will let you know. This is the third or fourth try! I ordered a new cell and it was a dud and I got a refund. Also tried other headsets.

4. For robocalls on landlines: There is a thing called No Mo Robo (spelled nomorobo). One landline company provides this for free as part of your account. So I changed landline companies. No more robocalls! The if a robocall comes, your phone rings once and cuts off the robocall. I don't like that it rings at all, but that's the nature of the beast with this free technology.

5. For robocalls on cell phones: One company I know of has an inexpensive smart phone subscription, no contract. Ya gotta have a contract to use nomorobo on a cell/smart phone. There's an app for it that costs $4.95 a month. Yes, it's available now, although some internet articles say it's "being developed." But the demand is so huge that there's a waiting list.

Anybody who would like specifics on these devices and features, please private message me. Probably it's either not allowed or uncool to describe commercial products in detail in the threads.

[gina_re]

Our floor was "refreshed" and so we have brand new desks and they changed the seating arrangements. The new people that sit in front of me are so noisy it drives me mad!! I either have to just get up and leave my desk for a while, or I'm on my phone playing games until they stop their loud conversations. And the one girl eats sunflower seeds everyday! Who brings sunflower seeds to work??!! The constant crunching of chips and sunflower seeds and personal phone calls and conversations with the lady sitting next to her....I just can't. I asked my boss if I could move my desk, but based on how they have the new office situated, I'm limited. So I went to Lowe's and bought ear plugs. I'm talking construction worker grade ear plugs that go into my ear and block out all noise. I can still hear them from time to time, but it's muted. And I don't have to hear all of the eating noises. I'm annoyed that I have to do that, but you do what you gotta do. Oh, and my boss is sympathetic, but there isn't really a whole lot he can do. He did talk to their supervisors, but their silence was short lived.