So, my husband and I were eating lunch in a well-known restaurant, which I won’t name, when Salt-n-Pepa’s song "Push It" started playing loudly.

Had I been at the gym or even shopping at some clothing store in a mall, I wouldn’t even have noticed, much less minded.

But the highly suggestive song seemed so out of context and just so wrong over a spinach salad at a subtly upscale restaurant during lunch, where a large group of retirees also happened to be dining and admiring the seagulls and ships.

I’m no prude. I like music a lot and I was a Salt-n-Pepa fan back in the day.

But that incident and some previous blog comments about overly loud music in supermarkets got me thinking about how background noise can shape our shopping or dining experiences. It took me a long time to figure this out, but the music isn't for our listening enjoyment.

My mother rarely tolerated loud music when she was grocery shopping. Before she even found a cart, she would politely but firmly ask the manager to lower the volume. She also liked music. But on her own terms, apparently.

She shared the belief of writer Milan Kundera, who said: “People are going deaf because music is played louder and louder, but because they're going deaf, it has to be played louder still.”

But I think stores and restaurants, particularly in this economy, are going to play music louder and louder. That’s because, according to studies, loud music makes us eat more in restaurants, drink more in bars and buy more in stores.

Even if the music makes us want to run out with our hands over our ears, we just shop faster, observers of our behavior say.

“Music volume is negatively correlated with shopping time. However, people in grocery stores playing loud music make just as many purchases despite shopping for a shorter period of time. This indicates that sales per minute are much higher when music is played loudly than with soft background music,” according to this article.

In some stores, the music follows us, changing depending on what department we're in.

So, are we all being played when the music’s on? Must everything we do be accompanied by background noise, like one long music video?

And if you’re forced to listen to music in a public place, what would you prefer it be?

At least three people have called to report the sign war between Abundant Life Christian Center and Heartbreaker’s Gentlemen’s Club & Restaurant is back on.

Well, maybe a “sign war” is a bit strong. But it’s definitely edgy on the part of Abundant Life.

Abundant Life has had a billboard near Heartbreaker’s, 3200 Interstate 45 S., for 15 years. For years, the sign’s message was: “Jesus Heals the Broken Hearted.” It’s inspired by Luke 4:18.

But the sign disappeared for a year so the church could promote some of its camp meetings on the billboard.

I’m not one to judge what people do in their spare time. But every time I see that sign, I wonder whether it’s ever worked. Did it ever stop someone from entering the strip club? Today, after all these years, I finally called Abundant Life and asked.

Catherine Rudolph, a minister on the staff, said the sign does work. Its message has steered people to services, she said.

“On numerous occasions people have come into the church after they drove by it,” Rudolph said. “They said it made them think.”

But there’s something else about the sign. Some people find it comfortingly amusing and miss it when it isn’t there.

“The billboard isn’t there all the time, but it’s a hoot when it is,” one reader e-mailed to say.

What is it that we like about the sign? Does it say a lot about life in a small town? Do we like the refreshing boldness of the church?

Are you glad the sign is back?

Last year, when the chilling news broke that a Walmart employee was trampled by shoppers in a race for marked-down merchandise, it affirmed my fear of frenzied crowds.

Call me boring, but I would rather pay more than deal with big crowds.

But I do like a good sale. And I do like the fun of holiday shopping. So, I'm happy to report that Black Friday, the blockbuster shopping day right after Thanksgiving, is changing. It might even be a fading tradition.

Last month, Sears said it would offer Black Friday deals early. Such a strategy would produce a steady stream of shoppers instead of crushing crowds on a single day.

Then, this week, Walmart, largely because of the trampling death last year, said it had changed its policy and would no longer require people to camp out before it opened its doors for Black Friday sales.

For some, Black Friday shopping is as much a post-Thanksgiving traditionas leftover turkey sandwiches.

Are you one of those shoppers who likes a little adrenalin rush? Is Black Friday shopping a family tradition? Or do you prefer calm, peaceful holiday shopping?

How will you approach Black Friday? And tell us what lengths you've gone for a good deal.

Are high-fives in order? I'm only asking because Five Guys Burgers and Fries is planning an eatery in League City's Victory Lakes Town Center, reports NewQuest Properties, the shopping center's developer.

Weren't we all just talking about Five Guys in this blog a few weeks ago? Some readers were wishing a Five Guys would open in the county.

The Arlington, Va.-based chain is planning a big push in the Houston area. The chain, which started in 1986, began turning up the heat on the local burger scene with plans to open in Nassau Bay Town Square, a 31-acre development at the intersection of NASA Parkway and Saturn Lane.

Five Guys, which boasts nearly 400 restaurants in 25 states, is best known for juicy burgers with unlimited toppings. But foodies also rave about the hot dog.

The Los Angeles Times had an interesting article about Texas becoming a hot spot for retirees as Florida loses its appeal for many.

One of the retirees interviewed for the story lives in Galveston. The pros of living in Galveston are its relative affordability and access to the University of Texas Medical Branch, according to the woman interviewed in the article. The downside includes not-so-great transportation and lack of social services.

Real-estate market observers have been predicting baby boomers would in coming years flock to the Texas Coast, which would drive more development. That was before Hurricane Ike and the recession.

But catastrophic storms don't come around often and recessions don't last. Do you think retirees will boost the real estate market on the island and around the county? Is the Texas Coast a good place to retire? What do you think are the pros and cons?

Thursday I buzzed the rumor that Gringo's Mexican Kitchen, a popular eatery in Texas City, was planning a site in League City.

But officials in Gringo's La Porte corporate offices said there aren't any such plans in the works.

"Unfortunately, there is not any immediate truth to that," spokeswoman Heather McKeon said.

"We are always scoping out new locations, but have no immediate plans for League City."

Are you disappointed?

Some readers e-mailed to report the return of Murdoch’s Pier, a landmark Seawall business smashed to bits by Hurricane Ike a little more than a year ago. It’s a big deal. I know. The shop on a pier over the Gulf of Mexico made international news when Hurricane Ike left nothing of it but a gutted shell.

Some readers were astonished the paper would snub such an event. The rebuilding of such an iconic island establishment has been an uplifting symbol of island recovery. Its return snuck up on me. And in my defense, I was on vacation. And, Jim Little, whose family owns the world famous souvenir shop, was going for a soft opening, he said. So no, I wasn't snubbing Murdoch's. I promise.

Little and family plan a bigger to-do when the shop, which started in the 1800s renting bathing suits and showers to visitors, makes a complete return.

The east side of the building, where Murdoch’s sells gifts, T-shirts, lamps and other popular island merchandise, is renovated and open. The west side of the building, where Murdoch’s serves snacks and beverages, likely will open before Thanksgiving, which is Nov. 26, Little said.

Murdoch's is working to sort out a phone problem and I plan to follow up with Little in a few days to see whether he has it resolved. But the shop is welcoming customers. Stay tuned. And meanwhile, share some Murdoch memories.