Being a fairly loud (read: boisterous) person, it's kind of ironic that loud people should drive me up a wall. But then, I did read somewhere that the traits that we hate about ourselves, we equally hate in other people. Equal or greater-than, more possibly.

Or perhaps it was growing up with a brother who made himself half-deaf by listening to Ozzy and Megadeth at dreadfully loud volumes, or the fact that in a household of six, silence was a rare thing.

Nevertheless working in an open office plan with cubicle walls three-feet tall in a job that requires intense concentration (writing), makes me just the teeniest bit grouchy when the noise volume increases.

While sharing this frustration with a coworker, she brought up the concept of the Cone of Silence from Get Smart. Cone of Silence, What is that? Get Smart, what is that!?

I immediately looked it up and had a good hearty chuckle and then thought for a moment - this is THE BEST IDEA EVER! It's a solution to those annoyingly loud cell phone talkers in stores, restaurants, and in your face.

Guess what everyone's getting for Christmas!?