I'm sure some of you are like me in that I have suffered a significant hearing loss due to gunfire over the years. I am surprised how dependent I am on lip reading but have never realized it until now. Sometimes I can't understand one word from someone with a mask on. It's really annoying. Back in the day I could understand most of my dates and some were in full paper bag mode. Anyone else in the same boat?

HUH?

The struggle is real. I’m a mouth reader too. I hate these stupid things

CC on TV .

I was saved from this problem by a hearing aids.

Bill, the masks are a problem in person. I can turn up the TV.

help on teh way with the new trend....

It’s equivalent or worse than having background noise for me. It muffled what people are saying.

Sneaky, I tried turning the volume up on the young lady taking my order and she slapped me when I touched her knobs.

My hearing sucks too. I just quit talking to people!

I find the lady's right nipple is the volume up.

Try it.

I assure you her volume will increase.

Lots of individuals don't project their voice in the first place... wearing a mask makes it even worse.

I do lots of nodding and smiling to people nowadays haha.

How many times did she have to slap you?

I had seen the clear masks and wondered the reason behind them. It finally hit me when I was checking out at Walmart at a lane with an employee that I had seen before who appeared to be deaf. No offense but you can often tell a person is deaf by the way they pronounce their words. It was only after I left the store that I realized why she only smiled back when I spoke to her with the usual friendly chatter.

Your right? Or stage right?

X2

She is still slapping him and he loves it

I wear 2 hearing aids and it's a struggle with the stupid mask wearing. I tell them to speak up or take it off.

Pro tip.....
Plastic bags are better than paper. They have arm holes so the bags don’t come off.

X2

We go in a restaurant, which sometimes is loud to begin with, then the little waitress has on a mask, talks fast and sort of mumbles.

Gettin' old ain't all that great.

Hell I'm 33 and can't hear in that situation either. Any kind of background noise and it's tough for me - read a lot of lips. Screaming pigs inside a metal barn with no insulation will do your hearing in quick; even when you're in college and invincible. Not wearing hearing protection while hunting doesn't help either. But I'd rather blame the pigs.

Funny thing is - I can hear extremely well in a lot of situations. But give me background noise - like people talking or music - can't hear worth crud.

Yep it real. I realize now how much I read people's lips.