Mojo - The Music Magazine

Episode 14. That tinnitus issue is resolved!

January 19th, Monday, Perth

10:00pm
I must be hard of hearing. I’ve finally gotten around to querying Nick about his earlier statements regarding tinnitus and it seems I got it all completely wrong. What he was really saying is the ability to filter out distracting ambient noises becomes impaired as one ages. According to ear doctors, this faculty is even further compromised in individuals with tinnitus. He also spoke of the growing popularity of tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) that teaches patients to “embrace” or “love” their tinnitus, by habituating them against the negative perception they have of the ringing in their ears, and instead associating it with a pleasant state of mind.

I can relate to this. My tinnitus is an incessant gentle hiss that reminds me of the steam radiators you find in old Lower East Side apartments, an association I find very warm, cozy and nostalgic. On the other hand, occasionally, in the middle of the night, I am awakened by an alternating set of percolating high frequencies that resemble an early period Martin Rev organ riff. This aural phenomenon usually lasts about a half hour and I find it a bit harder to “embrace”; in fact it’s maddening. There’s is also the rare “gong” which comes out of nowhere, is quite loud and alarming, but just as suddenly fades without a trace.

Last time I went to the audiologist, he reported to me that I’d lost a couple of db of sensitivity at around 10,000Hz range, the frequency at which some high-pitched songbirds sing. That handicap notwithstanding, upon emerging from the Perth domestic terminal we are hearing loud and clear a cacophony of cawing, twittering, whistling and chirping from literally thousands of green parrots gathered in the gum trees surrounding the twilit parking lot.

Not being a birdwatcher, I’m unable to advise whether these colorful critters are the indigenous Ringnecks. They may be actually be Rainbow Lorikeets - one of Australia’s many invasive pests along with the infamous Cane Toad (bufo marinus) and European Rabbit (oryctolagus cuniculus). I’ve heard of various ingeniously crude methods employed by natives to eliminate Australia’s non-indigenous invaders. There’s even a Paul Simon parody song, Fifty Ways To Kill A Cane Toad; but I’ll spare you.

PS: Like Australia, my hometown of Brooklyn is also under severe threat from wild parrots. Legend has it they escaped from a crate that burst while being unloaded at JFK airport; they have since spread from my neighbourhood of Mill Basin as far as Greenwood Cemetery. These irrepressible, hardily breeding rascals build multi-dwelling apartment building style nests in the junction boxes atop telephone poles; apparently the units give off enough heat to make for comfortable wintering quarters. The telephone company claims the nests are a fire hazard and are calling for a borough-wide cull. The parrots needless to say have their avid supporters and of course a web site.

Episode 15. Farewell, Mick Harvey…