OT: Pet Peeves - annoying co-worker's OCD!

[tarkus]

I've been working with this guy for about 4 years now.

 

His OCD gtes worse and worse.

 

1. Finger tapping - desktop drumming.

 

Endless - arhythmnic - it goes from drumming to imaginary keyboard playing. I have to tell him to stop when it gets out of control. Gene Krupa stuff without the rhythmn.

 

2. humming

 

opaque melodies. Whenever he gets an e-mail or surfs the net, he begins to hum strange melodies. Sometimes I can detect which song it is, and sometimes he hums the same song all day.

On a good day - he breaks into a Bing Crosby type scat with lots of "Ba-baba- ba-baba, dadadada daaaa...

 

3. Internet volume.

 

He'll surf the web from time to time, but forgets to keep the volume low. In the middle of the day he'll be watching a news-site and a commercial clip will blare out of speakers top volume.

Our supervisor sits less than 10 feet away and shoots us "the look" as my associate fumbles with the speakers.

 

4. Panic over nothing.

 

An account of ours read him the riot act - our boss took care of it. No harm, no foul - just a simple misunderstanding. Nevertheless - panic everytime this customer call us.

This usually followed by uncontrollable shakes, desk-top drums, and an ashen complexion.

 

5. reading over my shoulder. He's not here now, but if he was, he'd be reading this verbatim.

 

 

 

 

[Marzzz]

You are either going to have to talk to him about this, or kill him.

[tarkus]

I mention it to him when he gets really out of control, but there is a "fine-line" separating criticism from ridicule in the workplace.

 

It's been a long time - I want to keep my job, but I told my boss I'll need more vacation days for mental health.

[ITGITC]

You are either going to have to talk to him about this, or kill him.

 

:grin:

 

Around here it's cell phones. And many of my coworkers have downloaded unique ringtones that stick in my head and bounce around in there until the end of the day.

 

I just politely give 'em crap about it. They usually get the hint.

 

We had a whistler down the hall a few months back. Luckily, he stopped.

 

Another guy shows off by whistling classical music - beginning to end. Nice guy, but he'll eat off your plate. He'll say, "Hey, are you gonna EAT that?" and that's usually after he's already skewered it with his fork. We were all at lunch at this Mexican place on the outskirts of Durham a few years ago. It was kinda like an old BBQ joint or something. English wasn't spoken. All the TVs were showing sports, in Spanish. I put part of a bull's tongue on his plate and of course, he ate it. Didn't have a problem with it... even when we told him. :grin:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ProfD]

My office space is a suite containing systems furniture i.e. cubicles.

 

As a result, it is an open space but normally, quieter than a church sanctuary during prayer.

 

Nonetheless, there are (2) employees who talk loud, whistle, sing, laugh, etc. everyday. You can hear them from anywhere within the suite.

 

One offender stands about 4'11" minus an inch or so. I've asked her why she feels the need to be the loudest person in the suite. Her answer, "because I'm short".

 

I'm not the office police by a long shot. But, these folks are well over 40 years old. They should know better. Oh well...

 

I know their supervisors hear it too. For whatever reason, they will not address it.

 

Think I'll put a bull tongue on their desks. Thanks for the idea Gas.

 

Tarkus, your offender is a guy. Drum your fingers across the top of his head. That'll teach 'em.

 

 

[got_the_bug]

I have a cube neighbor who sucks/slurps on hard candy for much of the day...I've actually mused about stabbing my pen through both eardrums to end the long, semi-rhythmic, slurping auditory torture.

 

Instead of this drastic measure, I have decided on one more pleasing...it may work for you, too, depending on what you do for work:

 

Insert quality Sony earbud in ear closest to said slurper, leaving the other ear open for awareness of any actual important co-worker conversation. Start media player of choice, and dial up a little Oxygene or Koln Concert just loud enough to mask sucking sounds. Works magic...ahhhhhhhh, she's doing it again, even as I type this!!!!!

[tarkus]

I forgot to mention the Coffee Slurping.

 

The guy doesn't drink much coffee, but when the occassion arises, he SLURPS! Very loud, very deliberate.

 

I looked at him during one of these 'episodes' - - "Why?" is all I said.

 

"It's too hot - sorry my drinking bothers you."

 

I lost it. "That's not drinking. That is slurping. That is how a fly ingests his decomposed meal. It's disgusting! Let the coffee cool off and drink like a human."

 

He just grumbled, and continued to slurp in long drawn out slurps.

 

He does this with soup too.

 

The guy is in his 50's, although he looks older than my grandfather.

 

 

[born2die]

I have to say I sympathise with you lot. My other half has to deal with me all day i have been laid off with a bad back for 6 months on top of that we have a two year old and then there is my ocd.

 

i seem to suffer from bouts of cleanliness that would drive most people round the bend dirty looks if anybody drops somthing on the floor makes a mess or goes near my setup. it has got to the point that I tend to dust twice a day and hoover at least once. I thankfully do not have the hand washing etc just cleaning and making sure the house is locked up and most things are turned off (takes me 10-15 minuits from leaving to actully leaving.

 

Trust me it drives me as nuts as it drives everybody else but after years of fighting with myself I am slowly getting over myself.

 

tris

[Dave Horne]

I received an e-mail from my daughter today and she was going on about how much she hates her new job. (She's a nurse just starting out, already quit one job since she was offered more money and much shorter commute in her new job; she's making somewhere in the neighborhood of $26 - 28 per hour plus complete medical coverage but unhappy since the folks in charge give preferential treatment to the 'traveling nurses'.)

 

I told her how sorry I was that she wasn't happy in her new job but pointed out that's why it's called .... work.

 

I agree with Maarzzz' approach; I would just add, try and make it look like an accident. His family will probably collect more from the insurance if his death is an accident.

[JohnH]

Loud throat clearing, constantly, even though the guy isn't sick, can't figure out what's wrong with him, I finally blasted him on it. I've mentioned water, cough drops and he says it doesnt help. Loud talking and cellphone rings. We had a coworker who kept taking personal calls all day with the sound of her annoying descending ringtone and even though a another worker and I mentioned the vibration mode, she still kept it up, so I finally had a supervisor intervene and now the problem is solved. She wasn't talking loud, just I've noticed loud talking is an issue where I work.

 

 

[Rod S]

First week on the job, I had a coworker who would leave her cell phone at full volume on top of her desk, and then go somewhere else. The first day I just observed, everybody got angry everytime it wrang, but didn't say a word. The second day I turned it off. She shows up a after a while, and yells out 'who shut of my cell phone?'. I confronted her and told her I would keep doing it until she left it on vibrate. (This was a 20 year old - it was her boyfriend calling 20x a day).

 

A lot of people just don't have a clue about cell phone etiquette. It's amazing. Anywhere from talking too loud, obnoxious rings, phone ringing in movie theaters (and some people actually talking!), theaters (the actor did a brilliant improv in the middle of the play making fun of the person!), and so forth.

 

We also had this guy coming over from the branch we had in another city. I went to pick up the guy at airport, and he insists on whistling along every single song - completely out of tune. This guy had no sense of pitch or rhythm - later I found out he did this the whole day. Luckly he was only there for 3 days...

 

We also had this other guy who stunk like crazy. What amazed me he would show up dressing really neatly, his hair washed and combed, shaved - yet he smelled like he had just shitted on his pants.

 

Everyone was too unconfortable to confront the guy, so I started putting a bar of soap on his desk everyday in the morning. No improvement. To this day I don't know what was wrong with the guy, he might have had a medical condition which led to the problem, but it was unbearable to interact with the guy. Everytime we used to go out to lunch (instead of going to the company's cafeteria) we used to sneak out so we didn't have to invite him - nobody wanted the guy in the car. A friend of mine did give him a ride once, and at the end of the day the car still stank.

 

I do my best to follow basic rules of etiquette, anywhere I go. Unfortunately not everyone does. If I don't confront the person, I'll at make sure s/he's aware of the situation.

[Rod S]

Well, I went more off topic above. Remembered another one.

 

I had an exgirlfriend that had bruxism - grinding of the teeth at night. That drove me crazy a few times...

[Botch]

The second day I turned it off. She shows up a after a while, and yells out 'who shut of my cell phone?'. I confronted her and told her I would keep doing it until she left it on vibrate. (This was a 20 year old - it was her boyfriend calling 20x a day).

I stand and salute you for doing that, particularly on your second day of a new job!

 

[SilverDragonSoun]

print off a list of common OCD issues that he does that annoy you and leave it anonymously on his desk. Maybe a brief explanation wouldn't hurt either.

[Ed Coury]

Click here for one solution to annoying co-workers.

[SK]

I'm not in that type of environment... but if the boss knows about it, he should be responsible and jot off a message of "rules for good concentration" or something to give to everyone, so this annoying nerd doesn't feel singled out. It could start out with "It's been brought to my attention that some workers make it difficult for others to concentrate... etc., blah, blah."

 

Either that, or the missile idea above sounds excellent.

[Botch]

Oh, and I forgot, we have an ice machine in our office next to the water cooler. It's great to fill up a large glass with ice, then water, and have cool water to sip all morning/afternoon.

But this one guy chews the ice, it gets really irritating. I'm trying to stop it, but its a bad habit. I mean, I think he's trying to stop it, but its a bad habit. :oops:

 

[Dave Horne]

This isn't a work place pet peeve, just one in general. I really hate when people at a concert or even just listening to a speech decide to scream, yell, or whistle really loud instead of simply putting their two hands together and clapping.

 

I watch TV talk shows on occasion and the audience thinks it's accepted behavior to scream and yell. When did clapping one's hands go out of fashion.

[captainmri]

Whenever I'm in a movie theater and somebody's cell phone goes off, I loudly reply "HEY CALL ME BACK...I'M AT THE MOVIES".

 

I went to see a flick a while back and one guy was either snoring LOUDLY or talking on his phone. After a minute, I'm the one who got to be rude.

 

It seems more and more people are all living at the center of their own little universes.

[Joe Muscara]

Dave,

 

I've developed a dislike for the "woo" sound people make. What is that anyway? And when a crowd of people do it, it becomes this low sound that just seems strange.

 

I also dislike when people applaud more than laugh for comedians.

 

The whistling at concerts is really annoying when the person doing it is really close to you. It sounds like he [really, what women do this?] is doing it right in your ear. Thanks, bud.

[JohnH]

This isn't a work place pet peeve, just one in general. I really hate when people at a concert or even just listening to a speech decide to scream, yell, or whistle really loud instead of simply putting their two hands together and clapping.

 

I watch TV talk shows on occasion and the audience thinks it's accepted behavior to scream and yell. When did clapping one's hands go out of fashion.

 

Thank god for molded, custom fit musician's earplugs, and have to remember to leave em in until your in the car, because those dumbasses yell and scream all the way out of the venue, very painful for sensitive ears if I take them out too early.

 

John

[Trill]

I'm so glad I work by myself , If I did work in an office with others . I would be silent assasin. The unsuspecting practical joker. And the ones with the bad habits would bear the brunt of it. Don't get mad get even :grin:

[DanS]

and people wonder why people go postal.....