It’s Elementary
Woman in the Middle | April 27, 2015I have noticed, over the last year or two, that I can still hear everything but it has become increasingly hard to understand what I am hearing. “Tall hat” sounds like “fall cat” and I am completely confused as to why one of the girls is talking about falling cats. In addition, there is a congenital hearing loss problem on my mother’s side of the family that comes on in middle age. So, I finally got my act together and asked the doctor to send me for a hearing test. After all, one of these days I won’t have one of the girls watching TV with me, impatiently telling me what the guy on CSI said for the umpteenth time.
I had a hearing test once before. Early in our marriage, Hubby was convinced I had a hearing problem because I could never hear him, especially if he was in another room. That time it turned out my hearing was fine. Hubby just has a naturally soft voice. I was delighted to bring him the brochure from the audiologist about how to speak to people so they can hear you. It didn’t do any good on his end but I have felt fine, for the last almost 29 years, saying “I can’t HEAR you” whenever he calls to me from the other room. Sometimes I even yell “What????”
Kevin the audiologist tested me this morning and I am happy to report that my hearing is solidly within the normal range. “Normal normal?” I asked, “Or normal for 53?” I am equally happy to report that my hearing is normal for a human being, with no qualifications for my age. So why can’t I understand things? He said that starting about age 50, we begin losing our ability to ignore peripheral noise, which impacts our ability to understand what is being said. I said something about, “So if I am looking at Joan and Sherlock speaks, that is why I can’t understand Sherlock?” He asked if I was referring to the TV show Elementary. I was. Kevin said I was at least the sixth person to mention how hard it is to hear the character of Sherlock on Elementary.
Do you watch that show? We love it, but we have to have the volume up significantly higher than any other show we watch, and not just for me. The 23 and 25 year olds need the volume up as well. I have to admit, Elementary most likely contributed to me thinking I needed a hearing test. That started me wondering, how many hearing tests in America have been administered just because of that show?
Leading up to my decision to get a hearing test, I had discussions with various friends about hearing in general and hearing as we get older. We wondered if it was our ears that were the problem or our brain? I coined a phrase for what we perceive is happening: Hearing while Distracted. I think my hearing test confirmed what I already suspected. I just can’t multitask like I used to, at least when it comes to listening. I guess I need to do more “conscious listening” from here on out. If I am doing something and someone speaks to me, I need to stop and really listen. Here is hoping it helps!
OMG! That is the worst show for understanding speech. The beloved husband whose hearing is slightly impaired by a bad middle ear infection a few years back (but he won’t admit it) bought special headphones so he could understand them! We have the volume cranked up as a 90 year old would and still occasionally ask, “What did he say?” There is some sort of conspiracy between the TV folks and the audiologists! The other thing I have noticed is that some shows use background music and it’s too loud or the talk-y shows that have the audience applauding so loudly you can’t hear what the speakers are saying. They can turn that background noise down and I don’t know why they don’t. Oh yes, we are out of the buying target now. They are pandering to the youngsters.
Happily, we are all not alone concerning the Elementary issue!!! My daughter just suggested using the closed caption option. I may just do that….
I have the same problem. Partly it’s his accent & partly that he speaks very fast.Usually British actors are very good at enunciating. I saw him in a stage production of Frankenstein and didn’t have a problem understanding him.
Maybe as part of the “character” he talks fast. We have to have the volume cranked so high for that show!
I have not seen the show so don’t know. I do know that I am having to wear my hearing aids more and more and I do like shows with subtitles just makes it easier for me to get what is being said
Great show, but so hard to hear!!!
I like the”hearing while distracted” nomer. That explains a lot. And it seems I am distracted me these days. Okay, well be doing some intentional listening to see if it quirks.