Can You Hear Me Now?

  Years in Broadcasting, especially my early
ones as a DJ, have left me with a bit of a
hearing loss.
   I've mentioned it here before. I've pointed
out that between my reduced capacity to
hear and my wife's whispering voice the
word I speak most often at our house is.......
"What!?"
  I often use the Closed Caption option on
my TV to make sure I miss as little dialog
as possible.
   Word of this 'impairment' has apparently
reached every DJ who plays at weddings
and reunions I attend.
    We attended a beautiful wedding and
fantastic reception this weekend and, as
usual, the folks providing the music
managed to crank it up loud enough to
be sure I wouldn't miss a note or a lyric!
    Of course conversation with my wife,
sitting next to me, or our friends just
across the table was pretty much
impossible. But we all heard the music!
    Earlier this year we attended a group
picnic where, for whatever reason, the
band failed to show up.
    It was sort of amazing.....people were
talking with one another!
   Sometimes it's our own fault. We
might pick a table that's too close to
those new high tech and powerful
speakers.
   Some times, though, we're no where
close to the woofers and tweeters....
they're just aimed at us.
   It must be something like that
acoustical weapon they aim at those
pirates trying to take over cargo ships.
   The inventor was probably at a
wedding when he got the idea.
   I think I'll hit up my son-in-law
for some of those ear plugs he has to
wear at work.
  I can set them aside for weddings and
reunions. As long as I remember to
take them out at home I'll be all right.
  I can't hear anything there anyway!
  Hope you're listening to what I have
to say and that all your NEWS is good!