Well, I'm the "computer guy" (and telephones too). The one thing that really aggravates me is this kind of thing.

Them: "We need some kind of computer program to do X."

Me: "OK, that sounds like a good idea. Can you tell me what are the most critical features it needs to have to do X the way we like to have X done?"

[a conversation follows... some days later.....]

Me: "OK, I've found some products that look like they might work. When can we get together so you can see some demos and try them out?"

Them: "Oh, I don't have time for that. Can't you pick one?"

Me: "I'm just going to install it. You're the one that's going to have to use it every day. We'll make a better choice if you're involved in the decision."

Them: "I really don't have time. Why don't you just buy the best one?"


I hate it.

it was choice.

No, honest! I passed out on my keyboard, and when I regained consciousness, all I had to show for it was that post, and a face covered with imprinted keyboard squares.

No big picture or long range planning. Communication as power. Power trips that manifest in avoidable crisis, drama, and the loss of one of my favorite coworkers (he quit) due to such stupidity.

I meant it in the slang way, like "Choice, dude!"

I have a guy that sits behind me. He's the religion editor, real nice guy, good heart, loves a great laugh.

My only issue is that he ALWAYS FUCKING asks everyone about food. "What'd you eat for lunch today?" "Did you order chinese with everyone else?" "What'd you get on that cheesesteak?" [10 minutes later] "Hey, you ever try a philly cheesesteak?" "Hey, there's free donuts on the back - only about 300 left, you better grab them while you can" (I had already eaten about 12).

In fact, as we speak, he's going through the remains of today's lunch order. Okay, he just grabbed the extra carton of fries and brought them over to the [hot, super attractive] news clerks and distributed.

I just realized 2 weeks ago that I've never seen him eat the kind of shit that goes around the office. Dunno why that never occurred to me, but I offered him a piece of super sugary cake a few days ago and he refused. Turns out he's diabetic, and doesn't eat any of the sweet crap that he's always preaching.

I had a coworker that was fixated on two things. Food and sex. It appeared (from the look on his face) that he sometimes confused the two.

There are quite a few of us that still have terrible flashback shudders when someone mentions "sharp provolone."

Now on the topic of office food, I am reminded of something else that drives me batshit at my office.

Tuna. Specifically, the tuna salad that someone near me eats daily for lunch. The stink is compounded by the guy leaving the bowl to sit until he leaves for the day. No human being should eat that much mayonaise in a week and survive to see another day.

My office pet peeves are:

The folks who purposely let calls roll to voice mail so they can avoid work.

The folks who foist calls off on me because they avoid work. - Always seemingly prefaced by a "Call Dagney, she's the guru"

The folks who 'forget' what I've told them multiple times during training sessions, because (let's all sing along now) they can avoid work.

The folks who play stupid (although it's not much of an act) so they can (insert chorus here)

I'm the manager of a help desk. I can tell you stories of stupidity on the phones, in the cubes, and in the trenches.

Agh.

And don't even get me started on driving to and from the office!

The folks who purposely let calls roll to voice mail so they can avoid work.

Does voicemail serve another purpose other than this?

also, listening to the guy with the gas listen to his voicemail on speakerphone. Is that nec'y?

And then do they use it, find it to not be to THEIR satisfaction, and then cry to you about it (after you told them that they should have been part of the decision)?

I have a friend who goes through the same thing. :(

Office pet peeves...

People who eat out of containers that are not theirs (from the office fridge). That's just nasty! This hasn't happened to *me*, but to many people that I have worked with. Or worse: their food is totally gone from the fridge!

I've heard of funny revenge tactics, such as putting interesting ingredients in the food like laxatives, hot pepper, and other goodies. :D

If you cut out the middle it sounds kind of cool