Hmm...

I've been reading some of my past postings and they're a little dull. Sorry amigos, I think my problem is that I don't have a defining idea, you know? It's just random thoughts about me. If this were a diary or something that might be OK, but since there's a possibility that someone may read it, I should punch it up a little, don't you think?

So, let's see if I'm opinionated about something.

My office sort of chaps me. I'm in a huge room. It has one door and I'm the farthest from it, which essentially means that in a fire I'm a goner. In my old office there was a back door near me, and if things started to bug me, or if I heard my boss rustling about, I'd just quietly get up and leave. But I can't do that now. So when my boss leaves her office I am full witness to the long trek from her office back to my desk, and there's not a damn thing I can do about it but sit there and take it.

There are 6 of us in this room. I used to share a lively room with around 14 or 15 people. So this is much quieter, which for the most part is fine, but I have one particular coworker with elephant ears so gone are the days when I could make a doctor's appointment when she is in the room. Or say anything at all, frankly. This person also cuts her nails at her desk.

I know I'm breaching etiquette (aren't I?) by discussing this here, but I spend almost 40 hours of my life in this room every week and it has left an indelible mark on me.

One person in my office has become hypersensitive to perfumes and colognes. Not that I mind not wearing it, but sometimes you just want to put a little dab on, you know? But you can't. She ends up involving my boss and moving everything she's working on into another room.

There are a couple people who are extra chummy and that just causes all kinds of nonsense, since they are very hypercritical. All I hear all day long is "Why did she do it that way?" "This makes no sense." "You know I called him and he never got back to me" and on and on. And I'm not excluded from these comments. I'm not sure if that's just rudeness or stupidity or what. I'm not shy about calling them on the carpet about it, which has thankfully kept it at bay (at least while I'm in the room).

I have to face it. I'm dealing with certain people who have room temperature IQs.

Now don't go calling me bitchy or anything. It's a very rare thing that I actually give myself a compliment, but I think you'd agree that I do have a brain, right? Well, here's an example of the room temperature IQ. During a secret santa we had years ago we were asked to include our favorite candy as a gift idea. This person's favorite candy, the candy she eats every day because she's addicted to chocolate, was listed as "Recess Peanut Butter Cups." So, is this part of a school lunch program?

We receive a journal here at work that's called "Conscience" as in "I have a conscience so I don't go around killing people." In all the years I've known this person she's never pronounced it any way other than "con-SCI-ence." Like the word science with the word con in front of it.

I often hear the following: "I don't know why we have all these old books here." Um...OK. We work at a library. A research library. At an institute of higher learning. We are a repository of knowledge in all different formats: print, film, digital.

Oh, and as of last week someone here had no idea who was running for president. Not a clue. I'm not even sure they know who the CURRENT president is (hey, ignorance is bliss, no?).

Sometimes when I'm here I feel so alone. I used to be a part of a lively engaging department, but now I barely say anything to anyone. I'm not rude, I just don't want to be bothered. I can't say anything without someone listening in. I feel self conscious if I put on hand lotion because it might disturb the person near me. I am constantly hearing negative, critical comments from bitter stupid people.

Yeah, some days, it gets to me.