It's the "speak softly" part that escapes some people.

[bktheirregular]

Between the CONSTANT loud discussions in the office adjoining mine, separated only by a glass door with zero soundproofing, and the arguments going on in the hallway at high volume, and the drilling going on one floor below that hasn't let up since freaking JUNE, the workplace is becoming a place where concentration is getting difficult.

And people joked about my noise-cancelling headphones? At this point, I'm worrying about turning up the music too loud and damaging my ears, just to drown out the shouting.

(Soft chatter isn't too bad; it doesn't bother me. It's the shouting that get to me.)