I turn down the radio so I can smell better. I realize that it sounds strange, but it's just something I do without thinking about it. It sounds weird to me too.

Trudy, that's probably a non-verbal communication thing. I hear people so much better when I can see their faces.

I'm glad to hear I'm sane.

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I close my eyes when I'm trying to smell and to hear. Unless I'm listening to someone talk, then I have to watch his or her mouth. I'm not sure about the radio thing, I haven't had to try to find anything while driving in a while.

hm, anyone have experience in getting rental insurance? We're trying to figure out how much we need, and we are trying to decide between 25K and 50K.

I mean you don't sniff to hear better or squint to smell something (unless it's really nasty, in which case your eyes may be burning). S'odd.

I do it because hearing takes brain cycles, and recognising street name takes brain cycles. The less information my brain has to throw away, the more it can use the info it's looking for.

Lots of people do, but why?

Hee! As Jess and beathen said, it's one less thing to have to concentrate on when you're already concentrating on driving and something else.

I mean you don't sniff to hear better or squint to smell something (unless it's really nasty, in which case your eyes may be burning).

Ah! But some people do squint (or close their eyes) when listening or sniff (which in a really stretchy way can be said to be lessening your capacity to hear) to smell something.

When concentrating on one particular sense, it really does help to eliminate work that one or more of the other five ...er, uh, four senses are doing.

{{{Lilty}}}

Happy late Birthday Anne! Did you have a good time with your folks?

Very, but I am exhaustipated. Plus, I think I caught a cold or some such on the airplane. I was given freezer containers of ossobuco and home-made split pea soup to take home with me, so all is well with the world.

hm, anyone have experience in getting rental insurance? We're trying to figure out how much we need, and we are trying to decide between 25K and 50K.

I've got rental insurance through Geico; I can't remember if I got 25K or 50K but I do remember that the difference in the yearly premium was negligable. If you have things of great value, go for the bigger sum. Rental insurance is insanely inexpensive considering how much money they'll give you if all your stuff gets stolen--it's worth it to have enough coverage.

Oh, yum on the freezer containers! Glad to hear you had a good birthday, Anne.