I don’t know about you but the storm we had a couple of weeks ago was very exciting. And I’m sure that there are many people who must feel the same way. I suppose it’s because we don’t see that many here so even a small change in weather from the usual heat and humidity is very welcome. 

That being said, I am, by no means, discounting or playing down the havoc the last storm caused. That was not nice. The floods were not nice, the lifts in some buildings shutting down was disruptive, the leaks in some areas were damaging and the delays in the delivery of products was problematic. But if we put aside the problems the storm caused, let’s suppose for a fraction of a second that they didn’t happen and everything ran smoothly, the storm in itself was rather pleasant, don’t you think?

Natural sounds of the outside world, and I don’t mean cars blaring or kids screaming or drills going, are very relaxing especially if they’re real and not recordings. The sound of birds chirping, leaves rustling in the wind, the wind howling and the sound of a running stream are all very calming and soothing. Even the sound of crows cawing, along with any sound the mynah bird makes, are welcome. And you know what, these birds are great for ridding you of your pigeon problems. Owls hooting at night are very common in suburban areas in the UK and though they sound spooky, they are somewhat calming.

Other natural sounds that I love are the sound of crashing waves, or the sound of waves coming onto a beach, the sound of seagulls at sea and on a deserted beach. Speaking of beaches and the sea, did you ever hear the sound of a ship’s foghorn blasting at night? It’s sort of long and continuous, lasting perhaps 20 seconds. It’s eerie because you can’t see the ship that’s emitting the sound because it’s dark but the sound is very relaxing and some say it’s the loneliest sound you can hear. I believe that too.

Certain smells are equally soothing, calming and relaxing. The smell of freshly brewed coffee, for example, is so attractive and inviting that some workplaces actually purchase devices that emit it in their offices. Not all fragrances are attractive, despite the fact that they’re still called fragrances. It’s beyond me that some fragrances, body sprays and shampoos boast the smell of fruit and chocolate. They are not calming, soothing or even pleasant.

Some smells are quite unpleasant, at any time of the day. But when you are trying to have your morning weekend lie-in the last thing you want to wake you up to is the smell of food cooking and onions frying.  Unfortunately, when you live in a block of flats where all the ACs and their vents are connected, this is quite a common occurrence. In fact, if someone is smoking in another flat, it might be that their smoke comes through your vent, and that’s unpleasant no matter what time of day it is. Apparently music can be both relaxing, calming, reminiscent and annoying, depending upon what you’re listening to and where.  As a shopper, I find loud music blaring in shops and supermarkets to be very offputting. How many times have you walked out of a shop because the music caused you distress because it was too loud, even in a tiny shop? I’ve walked out of countless of them. Music is fine but the one time of day I certainly don’t want to hear it is first thing in the morning in a supermarket. And I’m sure there are many shoppers who also feel the same way.