Ears of Practise

Do my ears hang low? Can I swing them to and fro? Can I tie them in a knot or tie them in a bow? Can I swing them over my shoulder like a regimental soldier? Do my ears hang low? The answer to all of these questions is a resounding yes. For those of you that have known me for a while or even only a few months, you will know that my lugs are quite interesting creatures. I can't recall a social setting where my ears haven't been the topic of discussion, whether it be for their size or the fact that I can wiggle them 'to and fro'. They are not quite as protruding as they used to be but they are still one of my most distinguishing features - along with my dashingly good looks (line = crossed). When I look at old photo albums (which by the way is one of the best ways to spend your time) I see the same ears that I see every morning in the mirror in all of their glory. Of course they are the same ears - I've not had a transplant - but they have also been the same size for the last 10 years of my life. You know when you were younger and you got some clothes for your birthday that didn't quite fit and your Mum said you would grow into them? Well that's what I've had to do with my ears. The reason why I've given you this (potentially boring) background is because I've noticed recently that I'm hearing more and using them to better effect than ever. The power of the ears, along with your other faculties of course, cannot be underestimated and here's why. 

I zone out quite a lot. If I'm sitting in a lecture that hasn't captured me, I'll daydream which really does happen more than it should. I was of the mind when I came to university that every single thing that I would be told was vital to me - it really isn't the case. Even if it was, all of the information that you need is sitting in a textbook somewhere so it's near impossible to miss anything. The thing is that recently I've found myself listening to people more, taking in what they are saying and then being able to hear their voice when I review notes. I was told by one of the professors at the university recently that students should be less intent on taking down everything that is said in lectures and classes, and should focus more on what is being said and analyse it. If you just write everything down that is written on a PowerPoint presentation or everything that the monotone lecturer is saying, you'll learn a lot less. My style has always been to make sure that I don't miss anything at all. If, later on, I find that there is something that I've written down that isn't all that relevant or repeats something I already know I'll ignore it. The only thing about this is that you tend to miss new things if you are so intent on copying down everything. You either have to be an amazingly fast writer (which I'm fairly lucky to be) or in most cases, be super fast at typing otherwise you end up missing about 5-10 minutes worth of useful information. The great advantage about ears are that they don't require any physical effort to use and if you have something useful in between them, then you are more likely to be able to analyse and learn.

The only thing about this is that it does require a lot of concentration and a good nights sleep. If you've only put in 4 hours the night before then the chances of keeping your eyes open, never mind your ears, is fairly slim. It is no coincidence that I find myself happier and able to learn more if I've managed to get to bed at a decent time the night before. Things usually seem worse when you've had a bad sleep and as a result you end up thinking about everything other than the lecture you're in. I always find it funny when a tutor asks the class what we are doing in our lectures that week because only about 2 or 3 people can actually say off the top of their heads. I would venture a guess that they are the people that are getting a good amount of sleep and are also the people that are actually listening to the lecturer instead of having it dictated to them.

I've also noticed recently that I'm listening to songs more and understanding them better. When you make a conscious effort to listen to the lyrics of a song, you end up getting more out of it. This follows on to Wednesday's post so I won't step on my own toes in that respect, but if you really want to enjoy music then you have to use your ears to better effect. As a result of this rekindled passion for music, I've picked out a few of my favourite lyrics from songs that I've been listening to for years. I've also come to realise that some songs that sound great and have a great tune to them very often have sinister undertones and really shouldn't be sung in the shower. If you are going to dedicate a song to someone or say that a song reminds you of someone then for goodness sake, make sure you listen to it first! You might end up insulting someone and we all know how taboo that can be nowadays.

This, however, all comes with a caveat. You have to know when to use your ears and when not to. It's all a matter of context in that you have to realise that there are something things that you just weren't meant to hear - and very often things that you wish you hadn't. If you ever find yourself in a situation where something doesn't want to tell you something because 'it doesn't matter', more often than not you should probably change the subject. I've had a few things relayed to me over the last couple of years that I wish I hadn't and have certainly made my pine for a smaller, less efficient set of ears. Contrary to popular belief, selective hearing can often be a virtue and I'm sure you can all remember a time when that applies.

Thanks again for reading. If I had the time (and a less gruff recording voice) I might have made this post into an audio file but I've already been told by some people that they can hear my voice when they read my blog - I'm sure that's more than enough for people to handle.

Cheers,

Martin