The Coffee House

[sm4him]

In other news:

I had oatmeal for breakfast this morning. With raisins in it.

I haven't had oatmeal all winter long. Sometimes I forget how much I love it.

But…really, that just leads me back to the same topic. Sometimes, about halfway through a bowl of oatmeal, the way the excess oatmeal plops off the spoon back into the bowl gets on my nerves so bad that I can't stand to eat any more of it.

 

[Designer]

I'm sharin' too!

Speaking of wearing headphones, that reminds me of my experience in design studio. All of my classmates liked that "Top 40" crap, and played it all the time.

ALL THE TIME!!!!!

My poor attempt at coping was a set of over-the-ear headphones coupled to a portable CD player with something classical.

 

[Warhorse]

A lot of whining going on here today...sheesh!

 

[limr]

I always hated pop music, even when I was younger. There was some barely-alternative stuff in the 80s that probably counts as "pop" that I liked a lot (Brit pop electronic type stuff, for example) but for the most part, my music tastes have always been...eclectic to say the least So when I can't stand hearing whatever rap or hip hop crap is bleeding out of students' headphones, I put on my own and listen to something good. Sometimes it's classical or opera, sometimes it's heavy metal or punk, sometimes it's international music or folk music or "easy listening"...oh, how I love shutting out the world!

 

[limr]

A lot of whining going on here today...sheesh!

Boooooooo! I'm now going to complain about people who tell me to stop complaining!

 

[Designer]

what they are doing is ENSURING that I cannot do my job well.

There is probably some HR reason they want all the doors open. And they will not level with you to tell you the real reason.

Your post reminds me of another anecdote:

I once had a co-worker who speculated that the bosses did everything with the goal of making our jobs harder, but as yet had been unable to make them impossible.

 

[Designer]

I probably wouldn't mind the Top 40 if it was just one selection in the midst of many other types, but that constant mono-themistic stuff with no break was simply way too much for me.

Actually, now that I think about it, practically anything that is repetitive in nature is irritating.

 

[Designer]

A lot of whining going on here today...sheesh!

Boooooooo! I'm now going to complain about people who tell me to stop complaining!

Yeah!

Let us have our gripe session!

Venting is good for one's health.

 

[sm4him]

what they are doing is ENSURING that I cannot do my job well.

There is probably some HR reason they want all the doors open. And they will not level with you to tell you the real reason.

Your post reminds me of another anecdote:

I once had a co-worker who speculated that the bosses did everything with the goal of making our jobs harder, but as yet had been unable to make them impossible.

No, I'm pretty sure I know exactly what it's about, and it is the sole decision of the new-ish General Manager. I won't get into it, but it basically boils down to a matter of control. She likes to be able to look in as she walks down the hall and see what we're doing…

So, cut a big freakin' hole in my door and put in an insulated glass panel!! I don't CARE if you can SEE me, I don't care if you want to come in--I just want all the noise OUT THERE to STAY out there.

Oh, and LOL at the last statement!!

 

[sm4him]

A lot of whining going on here today...sheesh!

I guess it's a good thing I brought cheese for lunch.

 

[Gary A.]

No more surgeries, please!

However, sitting there stewing in anger, "killing someone mentally", over something that could be easily remedied by reaching out to someone is silly.

I get this and totally applaud you for your compassion, I truly do.

Having said this, sometimes the anger is not always controllable. I'm not speaking for Gary or anyone other than myself.

I have something called misophonia. Marija can tell you about it, too. Misophonia is a neurological...thing...not sure if it's classified as a disorder? Syndrome? ... Whatever it's called, it comes down to having an extreme negative reaction to certain sounds. For me, the most common trigger is someone eating. It's not just being annoyed that someone is making noise or being upset at the break in social convention. It's an intense fight-or-flight kind of reaction. When I find myself stuck next to someone who is snapping gum or audibly chewing (especially with their mouths open!), my heart starts pounding, I get intensely angry, and I want to scream, punch someone, throw something, run away...anything to get it to stop. Sometimes, like when a student is at the support center and music is bleeding from his or her earbuds, I can tell them to turn it town and address the situation directly before I get too agitated and bitchy.

But how do you tell someone at the next table at Starbucks to stop chewing like a cow? Or how do you tell your friend that you never want to eat lunch with her because the way she chews makes you want to slap her until she cries? I've finally resorted to just carrying earbuds with me at all times so if I can't say anything or get away from the noise, I play some music to drown it out.

So to "normal" people it might seem silly to get so upset over something like chewing or snoring or a wheezing laugh, but some of us are tortured by these sounds and can't do much about it. I can't even tell you the anxiety it causes me when I have to be, for example, on a bus or plane, or stuck on line somewhere, and I don't know if someone is going to trigger the miso or not.

Sorry to hear you have this, and if someone has that, I feel for them.

However, that's not to say there weren't three options available if Mr. Gary found this man that off putting : (1) ask him to wake up, (2) move to another seat in the waiting room, or (3) wait in the car.

But, I will apologize for taking this as far as I did. No more out of me on this topic.

Why should I move to another seat or wait in the car? It was he that came over and sat by me and it was he that started snoring at a level that far exceeded his personal space. This is something I don't get ... shouldn't he be the one that should move or wait in the car. Regardless of what private matter he may be going through, it doesn't give him the right to be rude. Waking him up and telling him that he is being rude ... can be construed as equally rude. But that is probably what I should have done as all the other options just enables him to continue his rudeness. But I didn't interrupt his beauty sleep because he kept waking up and I'm thinking that maybe he stay awake this time.

In this world it seems that people with better manners are the ones that are abused by those with lesser manners.

 

[Gary A.]

Buenos Dias Coffee Hosers. Day two for Mary Lou. She has a knee scooter and is getting around quite well. steps notwithstanding. On the Chrysalis Watch, the Monarch on the chair emerged. It was large and strong and beautiful and absolutely wonderful. I picked it up and let it walk on my hand and arm before depositing it on a flowering plant where it can feed.

 

[limr]

Well, if our venting is quieting down for the moment, I've got something to tell.

I, um...got myself a part-time paralegal job. I start next week. And I can keep teaching my classes.

 

[SquarePeg]

Congrats! Is that something you can do from home?

 

[Designer]

Well, if our venting is quieting down for the moment, I've got something to tell.

I, um...got myself a part-time paralegal job. I start next week. And I can keep teaching my classes.

Woo-Hoo!

Drinks are on you!