I confess; I am a hummer. I hum to myself all of the time, and I much of the time I'm not even aware. Although I am not humming right now while my mind is occupied with a task, I am prone to hum much of my life away. I hum when I walk, when I cook, when I shop: in otherwords a lot. I often don't know what I am doing until I catch myself at it, and I am frequently peeved to realize that I've been humming without realizing it.
The other day at the cottage, we were playing toss and balance the stick, and my nephew asked me if it helped for me to hum while trying to catch and balance. I wasn't aware that I was doing it at and can't fathom why I would be if I were in my right mind. I confess that this tendency worries me to some degree as I understand that humming is a characteristic of some Alzheimer sufferers.
Usually, there's an earworm connected to this strange behaviour of mine. Thank goodness my earworms rotate frequently. Some earworms I recognize: others not so much. Lately I've been humming a song that I've been wondering if I have made up. Apparently it is the Highland (or Skye) Boat Song (see below) because when I heard it the other day, I went "Aha! That's it!" But the only place that I can think that I might have possibly heard it is on a CD that I purchased sometime back and have hardly ever played and even then only in the background some time ago. So why it stuck with me, I know not. Of course, I know that I've heard it somewhere else as well in my life, but the point is that it's not exactly in my repertoire, so I can't fathom why it's been stuck in my head.
I worry myself sometime, but if I'm slipping into the oblivious mists, I guess I'll go on my way singing happily in my tiny little head.
I chew. I chew yoghurt, I chew broth, I chew a tiny crumb and I chew nothing at all! So, don't worry about the humming!
ReplyDeleteThat's too funny, Mara. You'll have to write a post explaining how you can chew broth. :)
ReplyDeleteI work with a oblivous whistler but I doubt she (or you) suffer from dementia. Pretty catchy tune on the video.
ReplyDeleteI'll taking humming over singing. I actually have to restrain myself when a "singer" gets near me at my jobs.
ReplyDeleteI found out that if you "embrace" your earworm, you can make it back off -- try to purposefully hum it. Unfortunately, this usually causes a DIFFERENT earworm to take the vanquished one's place. Adds variety, at least.
Just a guess, but most school kids of our era in Ontario had to learn this song - my husband's school choir sang it at a contest and he has it thoroughly embedded in his brain.
ReplyDeleteEarworms are the very devil. I explained the term to my grand daughter and she complained of one last week - age seven. I hope that is a comfort.
I also count. If I have had to count something (counting down does not seem to count) I will find myself, hours later, still counting at numbers in the thousands.
When we find ourselves in adjacent wings in the loony bin, I will probably count the tunes you hum.
oblivious mists ?
ReplyDeleteI've been in one of those for years! Come on in, the water's fine! LOL :)
Hahahaa....my Dad use to hum also...that IS, until Mom threatened him with a 2X4...She said it was worse than the man that rattles the change in his pocket...
ReplyDeletehughugs
I would hum that song too, it is a catchy little tune! My grandmother was a hummer AC. From as long ago as I can remember, she was always humming. I just figured that she was really happy and it brings fond memories of her to read of your humming! Love Di ♥
ReplyDeleteWell humming beats talking to the TV. My husband sits and cusses out every politician that comes on the TV. That is most of the time these days. I think I would rather hear the humming. LOL
ReplyDeleteQMM
I always wanted to be able to whistle but no I can't but I too hum a lot without even realizing it. My little niece tells me to stop all the time....lol....Hugs
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion AC we could have worse vices don't you think....
I just wanted to let you know that I couldn't read this post because the word"earworm" jumped out at me and saved me from a perpetually-humming episode.
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