I haven't blogged for a long time, apologise to my many fans out there (cough). I've been so swamped with procrastinating for exams that I haven't had time. Plus I haven't had many interesting ideas, my mind has been full of exam revision.
I have something to share, but beware I get a little worked up about this.
Recently, the office I work in hired a temp to fill a position for two weeks. The first night we worked together she had told me her life story. Meanwhile, if I ever dared to interject a "uh huh" or a "oh that's interesting" I was swiftly shut down as she continued to talk. And it got me thinking ; I can't stand people who share their life story with you on the first meeting. Seriously , witihin 10 minutes I knew all about her last job and the people who worked there, where she lived, her favourite book, her upcoming trip to New York and I think I was about to learn her bloody pin number but luckily I faked a need to pee and bailed for a moment's peace.
Now it's bad enough that she would not shut the hell up, but another thing that got on my nerves was this.
"Yeah my last job was a bit different, it was out of my comfort zone ya know? I had met with Louise for the interview but it was Chris that trained me and I was always going to him or David and asking basic questions because it was just so hard!"
...... WHO THE FUCK IS LOUISE?? I hate it when people tell you a story and make reference to people by name, when they've offered no explanation as to who this person is. Am I supposed to know Louise? Oh yeah Louise, blonde lady with the mug with a picture of her cat on it. Lovely lady, Louise, I just love her. How am I supposed to follow your story when you talk about these people like they're our mutual friends. Then again, I wasn't following the story anyway. Couldn't she see I was studying / catching up on Masterchef online? I'm giving you all my "do not disturb/ fuck off" signals and you're still nattering away. Honestly, if I tried to even agree with her or ask her a question about her inane story (because I'm too bloody polite) she'd talk over me. I'M TRYING TO BE A PART OF THIS CONVERSATION, YOU MOLE!
The next week I tried a new tactic. Put in my earphones and ignore her. Then if she's particularly persistant, just apologise and say "Oh I'm sorry, I had my earphones in, I couldn't hear you". Then she gets the idea that if youy earphones are in, you're not going to respond to chat. Not that I could anyway, she wouldn't let me get a word in. Maybe she was talking to me the whole time I was watching TV shows on my computer, I doubt she'd notice that I wasn't listening.
So the moral of the story is ;
1. Don't refer to people by name unless the person you're talking to also knows these people. If you have the overwhelming need to mention their name, first explain who the fuck they are.
2. Let others contribute to conversation. Shut ya hole for 2 seconds!
3. If you're known someone less than 12 hours, spare them the details of your 5th birthday. Save that for another day.
4. Earphones work when people are too dumb to take hints.
