My classroom/office faces 46th Street in West Philadelphia. I’m only one block from the Market Frankford Line, so my street is a frequent passageway for commuters. There’s also a Domino’s across the street. Consequently, there’s a lot of foot traffic outside. All of which is fine except when a rowdy group chooses to stop beneath my window—which, blessedly, is about eight feet up from the sidewalk—and use language that is less than polite. It’s hard enough to keep the attention of teenagers who would rather be elsewhere, but even harder when there’s a loud and unruly commotion going on.
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I’ve found a solution of sorts. I’m blessed with a window air conditioner, so when the noise gets too loud, I turn it on to block out the voices. Since the hot water pipe runs up through my room from the basement, it’s a win-win!
What’s an annoyance you’ve had in your work environment? How did you cope with it?