If You Can't Say Anything Nice....

then come sit by me!

Working in cubicle hell, you end up hearing lots of conversations. Most of the time they wash over you, without notice or retention. But there is always that one coworker, the voice that you can't help but notice, the voice that will draw your attention, even when you would rather keep working. But you can't, since she's talking all.the.effing.time!

Cam and Sharon will instantly recognize whom I am berating. And in fairness, the reason I get so annoyed with her is not the tone of her voice, it's the consistent wandering around and chatting about things of no interest to me, while I'm trying to work. We've tried to be nice to her, and suggest she concentrate more on her work. And she supposedly tries to honor our work ethic by being less disruptive. Yet that only results in a disclaimer "I can't concentrate today" or "ok, I know I'm being annoying".

So before I ramble off in a totally different realm... back to the post at hand. The real intent of the post is to wonder (aloud) why society grabs onto some word or phrase and then shamelessly rides it for too long. I just had a visual flash of drunk sluts on male stripper night. Yikes!

"Amazing" -- the new "fabulous". Oh my gods, people... nothing is THAT amazing. Much less when you talk about clothes, hair, makeup, or food. This phrase especially annoys me when uttered by pretty young things. Honey, you're not old enough to experience much of anything. Your life has not provided enough comparison to determine whether any one thing is more "amazing" than the collective sum of your experiences.

"I know" -- now my parents' revenge is complete. I remember during my school years, SGM told me he hated me using that phrase. He said it was insolent, inferring that I as a child knew more than he, the adult. At the time, I probably blew it off and thought he was being a stupid adult.

But now, dear lord.... I realize EXACTLY how annoyed he was. My poor little monster has heard the "you DON'T know" speech already, and is trying to use the phrase less around me. He really is such a good and loving son. I'm so lucky.

Unfortunately, chatty annoying coworker woman has not gleaned such courtesy. And let me tell you, folks... "I know" is SO much more annoying when you hear it eighteen times a day. Especially since anything she does is quick to fuel my desire to smack her upside the head.

"I know" implies you have experienced the same exact feeling or situation as your dialogue partner. Or, it implies that your intellect is such that your knowlege base is superior. Neither of which is true for my poor coworker.

(sigh) The sad part is she just returned from a week's vacation. We won't get another break until she decides to go somewhere else, or I go to Phoenix in October. Although I've restrained myself from hurting her for several years now... trying to refrain for another month seems quite the task.

If I do, it would likely be amazing. You know?

Oy~!