Your predicament is all to common, I believe, in our 'gopher hole'
workplaces.
I discovered the information on the 'Mozart' effect while doing some online
research related to background noises. I then promptly bought:
1. A great pair of earphones for my computer.
2. Several CD's of the well-recommended Mozart titles.
I printed the research results so that anyone asking about my listening
habits would soon learn that the music I had chose has been 'proven' to
boost learning and performance.
This approach not only quieted my workplace, but also quieted any opposition
to my approach. Ultimately, it quieted my responses to the hubbub around me!
HTH
Marsha
____________________
Marsha S Finley
Empyrean Services, Inc.
PO Box 3482, Warrenton, Virginia 20188-8082