sounds sounds all arounds

I sat in the library tonight a short distance outside the limits of Java City Proper. While trying to read one of my textbooks (and not making much progress) a certain noise caught my ear. There the buzz of conversations was overtaken by the powerful arresting sound of
the
B.B.B.B.BL.LLLL.EEEE.nder.
The sound of the blender is a whole eleven seconds long. First the ice and other ingredients battle: smashing and crunching against each other. Then they join forces in a thick slow resistance against the blender blades. Finally the blades win and celebrate for four seconds of motorized hum. That hum has been there for the entire time but is only noticeable now that the other sounds have subsided. The hum reaches a higher pitch for five seconds then it falls immediately asleep like coming out of hyperdrive.

On the other side of me in the library there was a book reading. I didn't realize when I sat down but my temporary nesting place was diagonally behind a podium and sound system where an organization had set up to have an author read from her book. It wasn't too distracting at first but then I noticed she had a certain way of pronouncing her
SHs into the microphone
Even though the author talked about a soldier fighting in the chaos of the war in Iraq, her SHs are very calm and soothing. I hear her SH sound in worlds likeMichigan, She, Machine guns very softly alive. SH. Her voice echoes distinctly in the microphone with every other spoken syllable but her SHs are extra drawn out. SH. They sound like a swish. SH. Like a swish of soft fabric. SH. Like bing underwater and feeling the water swish aways as you kick. SH.

When she finishes reading the applause sounds like rain and I go back to reading my book.

Nearby another student studying stands up and walks towards and then past me. The odd clapping of her steps draw me from my homework and back into the odd world of sound by
flipFLOPS

When she walked, she knew what she was doing and where she was going- her pace was fast. Her shoes sounded like their name. flip FLOP. The flip is when the shoe hits the bottom of her foot. It is a muffled fleshy pop. The FLOP thuds as her shoe hits the short stubby carpet.
The rythm is lopsided; the soft flips against the rough FLOP. I don't imagine her walking straight, but waddling from side (flip) to side (FLOP) creating the unbalanced sounds.

So much for getting some reading done.