Don't Ask!
I have an end cube at my office. End cubes have low walls on the side facing the isle. Those of us who occupy these cubicles refer to them as our "drive-up windows." For the most part, I like it because people tend to address me over the low wall, rather than entering my cube from the opening directly behind me. Why do cubicle manufacturers insist on designing these unpleasant little boxes so that the only desk area large enough to accommodate a computer monitor forces the occupant to have his back facing the cube's only opening? Who wants people sneaking up behind them all the time?? The downside of my drive-up window is that it is directly across from the laser printers and the fax machine. People waiting for their job to come out of the printer or for their fax to transmit seem to feel compelled to idly chat with me. When I'm busy, I'd honestly prefer they be less sociable. The fact that two out of five people in my group are out on maternity leave has become the obvious topic of conversation. I'm trying to accomplish the same amount of work with half the staff. I don't have time to answer the same question two dozen times a day.
Yesterday, I hung a sign from my drive-up window reading:
Please don't ask.
I have no more information regarding
the status of people currently out on leave than you do.
Did it help? Did people get the message and leave me alone to struggle in my vain effort to keep my head above water? Are you kidding me? They stopped asking about the people on leave and started asking things like:
Have a lot of people been asking you that question?
[No, I'm just so bored I thought it would be fun to make the sign.]
.
Are you stressed?
[No, my left eye always twitches like this.]
.
I bet you're really busy, huh?
[Gee, you're a regular rocket scientist,aren't you?]
I considered redoing the sign to say:
Leave me the hell alone
or I will rip your f'ing lungs out.
But I figured it would just cause people to stop and ask me if I was having a bad day.
Can you say, "MONSTER.COM"??
Can you say, "MONSTER.COM"??
posted by WordWhiz at 7/27/2005
15 Comments:
Well, Whizzer, look at all the fun your readers are having (at your expense). There's a lot of merriment in this post.
6:24 PM
Poor CheeseWhiz!
6:29 PM
I ended up just taking the sign down. I attracted too much interest...thus too many comments. EXACTLY what I was trying to AVOID!!
7:31 PM
I have never had any luck with signs. Flat out ignoring people works for me.
7:52 PM
Are you stressed?
[No, my left eye always twitches like this.]
You crack me up. Sorry work is so stressing right now. Hang in there. (I've been perusing monster.com myself.)ttyl
9:35 AM
yeah, it's like that neighbor from "Home Improvement" TV show that you only see the eyes. I have an office, and it's no better, people think it's a lounge to come and hide from their work.
9:47 AM
Are you selling these signs? I could use one of each :)
12:43 PM
Maybe you could put up a bunch of binders and hide behind them, like in school!
How funny would that be? Pitch a tent so they can't see you!
1:12 PM
I hate my job too! Try Bank Bureaucracy! It's enough to match the suicide rate with Washington state.
2:58 PM
lmmfao. gotta love the office!! whereve you been?
4:09 PM
Whizzer, listen close and listen tight, now. You have a sick headache. You need to take a day of sick leave. Wait for the day of the week when people in your office will be most incapacitated by your absence (is there one day everything has to go out?). Upon your return, when your boss (and everyone else) says how much you were missed, look the boss straight in the eye and say "We need to have a talk about my compensation while I'm doing these three jobs." Smile. Sit down.
6:06 PM
One of my two remaining staff members thought of your idea first, FoilWoman. We were a VERY, VERY small department today when one of us called in sick. I'm sneaking out early tomorrow. I have tickets to a show in Boston - bought way before this situation presented itself. They'll have to deal with it...too bad!!
6:12 PM
LOL I love how FW is pushing you using this situation to your advantage and getting a raise and all! I wish she'd use her super powers to get me a full time rather than adjunct position too ;) haha!
It's too bad that your sign didn't work and even did the opposite. Maybe you should just practice flipping the bird to whomever is at your "drive thru window" as a way of saying hi and they'll get the message? ;)
8:31 PM
Well, as you head toward the parking lot tomorrow afternoon, if anyone tries to stop you, smile (keep walking), wave (like Queen Elizabeth), and say, over your shoulder, "I'd be glad to talk about that and my compensation package when I'm back in the office on Monday. Tata." Keep walking.
11:21 PM
This brings back so many memories. I too use to work in a cubefarm. People just never seem to get it. I highly recommend monster.com or hotjobs.com! Good luck!
2:27 AM
Post a Comment
<< Home