I’ve noticed that we live in a noisy world. I marvel at how loudly people talk while just walking down the street. Sometimes a friend accompanies them. Other times they’re alone, hollering into a phone. Are they shouting to be heard amidst the street noise surrounding them? Or perhaps due to hearing loss resulting from our noisy world of leaf blowers, diesel trucks and juiced up muscle cars?
People also feel a need to “share” their conversations with the world, in high decibels. Are they seeking to prove that they’re worthy creatures with friends? I’ve heard deadly TMI during these one-way conversations. Everything from, “Yeah I just got out of jail” to intimate details of the speaker’s latest bout with herpes and hemorrhoids. Remember when human beings had some semblance of pride and discretion?
Locking and unlocking cars set off horn blasts because a mere flickering head/tail lights isn’t good enough to inform anymore. And why is it always music that sucks blaring from cars and phones?
If your neighbor decides to have an outdoor party with whoops and drunken laughter well into the wee hours, a polite ask to keep it down results in even noisier braying.
The endless array of racket that humans make strikes me as pathetic cries for help. I cherish silence. I dread July 4.
Ramona Wise
Eugene
A Note From the Publisher
Dear Readers,
The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.
That’s because of you!
Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.
Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.
We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.
And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.
None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.
As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.
Thank you for standing with us!
Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519
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