Dear Abby: Wife stifled by husband's noise

Dear Abby: My husband refuses to wear headphones. This means that when we sit in the living room together, I must put up with the blaring noise of whatever he is watching.

I do a lot of writing, and in order to think, I need silence. I have tried earplugs, but they don't muffle enough of the noise. Now, when I have had enough, I leave the room. This results in us being in two separate places, which he hates. Is there another solution I may be overlooking?

— Loud in Maine

Dear Loud: You might try noise-canceling headphones. However, if that doesn't work, because you need to 'hear' in your head the sentences you are trying to write, you may have to do your writing when your husband is not at home.