... that proved that men can filter out background noise that women can't. For instance, I refuse to go to theaters because of all the popcorn crunching, whispering, candy wrapper tearing, etc. that gets in the way of my enjoying the film. My husband, on the other hand, has no problem with this background noise. He just filters it out.

Conversely, we will be in a restaurant and I will ask him what song is being played on the radio, and he will not even hear it among all the other noises in the place. I can separate it out easily.

There is a definite difference not only between what men and women hear, but also how they emotionally react to sounds. Just like you, loud T.V. commercials drive me up the wall. Any loud sounds do, especially if they are sudden. I get very irritable, just as you do. So, I hear ya, girlfriend.

Cathryn