The Flip vs. The Flip.
May the noise (not) be with you.
It’s officially summer! In addition to swimming, sunshine, and lots of reading time, summer can mean something else: construction. Since it rains so much here most of the year, lots of projects get pushed to the dry summer months. Since I’ve been living with (and losing my mind over) construction next door for almost ten months thanks to the World’s Longest House Flip, I thought I’d share some survival tips! Whether you’re a writer hoping to get a lot accomplished this summer or someone who just enjoys hearing their own thoughts, read on. May the noise (not) be with you.
House Flips are different than 60s Flips.
I love a good flip, don’t you? Jackie Kennedy made it famous, but in my opinion, Mary Tyler Moore wore it best. That hair had a life all its own, and I’ve always been fascinated by it. A flip, by definition, is a hairstyle with bouncy, upturned ends. And while a house flip will be upturned, it won’t be very bouncy. Bounce has a joy and freedom to it that a construction site does not, unless it’s the freedom of hammers who, let’s be honest, are having the time of their lives.
Cozy up to cafes (and libraries!)
Ahh, the romance of the work nomad. You can work anywhere! If you haven’t already, choose a cafe and become a regular so that, when you walk in, they already know your drink order (1/2 decaf americano with room for me). Feel free to work in a new part of town, too. Visit that cafe that piqued your curiosity. Share an office, try a co-working space, and keep going until you’ve found a few productive spots. It helps make the shock of someone jackhammering twenty feet behind you without any notice a little easier! Pro tip: try libraries. They’re free, often architectural marvels, inspiring, and it’s impossible not to write while surrounded by books. Plus, quiet is practically guaranteed. Shhhhh!
Put a little ohm in the window.
In month four of The Flip, I was so desperate, I went to the New Renaissance Bookstore, bought new crystals and sage, and asked for advice on dealing with loud construction noise next door. I thought they’d point me to the largest crystal they had, but a lovely woman told me to put “ohm” in my windows, instead. This phrase, which I’ve been singing at the end of yoga class for over twenty years, acts as a blessing, protecting your space like a super-yogic force field. Score! I grabbed my green and purple markers, drew three cute ohms, and hung them in the windows facing The Flip. It didn’t exactly help with the noise level, but it did make my stress levels chill out, a bit.
Get to know your Party Hours.
Oh, Noise Violation Office, if only I had known about thee in September! When I felt like I was losing my mind in December after four months of construction from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. or later every day, including Sunday, I discovered the Portland Noise Office. Yes, I was working away from home, but it was often so loud, I couldn’t be in the kitchen to make dinner or even be at my house until after 9:00 at night. As it turns out, Portland has specific construction noise hours: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Any loud work performed outside of those hours is in violation and subject to fines. The noise office is friendly! They helped with a warning so that The Flip knows about the law, and then you can hope they comply while your ears get a break from loud (at least) noise in the evenings and on Sundays. Gardening, anyone?
Bathe in Bubblewrap.
Maybe not a literal bubble, but if you find yourself twenty feet away from saws, grinders, roofers, and framers, a little soundproofing helps. I taped rolled-up towels to canvases and propped them in the windows; installed the heaviest curtains I could find, and added blankets. And in some cases, I used actual bubble wrap. My house was built in 1929, which is cute in terms of built-ins and arches, but not so cute in terms of insulation and single-pane windows. Hammer Time is fun – unless it sounds like it’s in your living room.
Protect. Your. Ears.
Good thing you’re not responding to me in real time because I probably couldn’t hear you! Seriously, though, protect your hearing at all costs. I wear earplugs all the time, have noise-cancelling headphones (which don’t work), and tried the orange construction ones, but they ruined my hairdo. Kidding! They were actually too heavy. Seriously, though, if you’re sensitive like I am, and the noise is so loud that you: A: scream, B: fall out of your chair, C: feel the urge to flee, or D: all of the above, leave. If the contractor gives you a heads up, great! If not, have earplugs and your bags packed and ready to leave. I played in bands! I thought I was used to loud noise! I guess a Vox amp turned to 11 has nothing on a professional grinder.
Sing (and dance) it out.
Why curse when you could sing an entirely made-up snarky song every time you get shocked by loud noises? Singing resets the nervous system, as does humming, so sing away! Does it make you sound crazy? Probably! Does it make The Flip crews think you’re nutty? Who cares! They can’t hear you over the noise, anyway. Pro tip: if you need to leave suddenly and without warning, sing while you pack your bags (and after you put in earplugs.) It’s kind of like being in your own musical!
Try swim therapy, forest bathing, and mini-breaks out of town.
I’m writing this while in Texas, home of my mini-break! It’s been nothing short of miraculous to have 9 nights and 10 days where I’m not fleeing, shocked by, braced for, trying to manage, or trying to reset from construction noise. As a wise person told me, you can’t heal from trauma while you’re still in it, and I’m still in it. You also can’t do visioning for what’s next (I do this every quarter), or hear your own voice. I’ve missed it. Hopefully, it’s winding down and I can switch from survival mode to normal mode and enjoy some birdsong and backyard time this summer. Challenges abound, and nothing lasts forever, but my little writing heart can’t wait for Summer Writing Extravaganza. Here’s to an inspiring, joyful, productive, and peaceful summer. See you out there! I’ll be the one in the green foam earplugs. :)
xo,
Kari
