I just don't care... small vent

[eliza61]

Maybe you're more friendly with your coworkers. I do have some that I'm willing to share with and listen to them share. Someone who I simply say "hi" when passing in the hallway... not so much.

I don't expect the majority of coworkers to care about my personal life.

What's wrong with that? and it's not that they have to "Care" but it does make the place you spend much of the day at, a lot nicer.

Listen, I just experienced a tragedy in my life and let me tell you, it does make the place where I work very nice when folks come up to me and express compassion and concern. Yeah, maybe it's meaningless because they all don't know me well and I don't think I'm an attention hog but it does feel good when the elevator guy says "hey sorry to hear about your loss".
sorry, I'm with the others, why is is so horrible that others simply want to be cordial.

Do we have to know some one's life history to share 3 minutes of our life with them?

For the record you're coworker was simply asking for a little help. Not really what I would say is asking you to "care about her life".

 

[sam_gordon]

Sorry Sam,
as much as I enjoy your post I gotta go with the other posters.

No problem eliza. I knew I would get these kinds of responses.

Are we really so self absorbed that some one sharing 1 minute of their life with us has become an annoyance? Yes, I too have had those folks who shared waaay to much information but really what's the harm?

Look at it this way. You shared your space with some one for a few minutes and you never know how you touch people.

consider it your Christmas gift to your fellow office mates.

Believe me, I'm not upset. Did it annoy me? Yes, just because I'm not that interested in others' (in general) personal lives. There are coworkers who I would have no problem with them sharing this information. To me, it comes down to the relationship you have with someone.

On an annoyance scale, this probably ranks about 1-2. But I'm bored, and thought I'd throw it out on the Dis.

 

[RitaE]

So you don't have a spare minute or two in your day to make a few sympathetic noises toward a Co-Worker who tells you he had a stroke .... but plenty of time to come here and post about it on the DIS?


You might consider one of those work in solitude type of jobs. No pesky co-workers around to bother you at all.

 

[eliza61]

No problem eliza. I knew I would get these kinds of responses.

Believe me, I'm not upset. Did it annoy me? Yes, just because I'm not that interested in others' (in general) personal lives. There are coworkers who I would have no problem with them sharing this information. To me, it comes down to the relationship you have with someone.

On an annoyance scale, this probably ranks about 1-2. But I'm bored, and thought I'd throw it out on the Dis.

No worries Mate,

I'm one of those people who for some reason perfect strangers will talk to. My dh would crack up with laughter. When we lived in NYC, we'd get on the train and it was a lead pipe certainity that the old lady sitting next to me would launch into her entire medical history and how her kids don't visit enough!!

 

[snapppyd]

No problem eliza. I knew I would get these kinds of responses.

Believe me, I'm not upset. Did it annoy me? Yes, just because I'm not that interested in others' (in general) personal lives. There are coworkers who I would have no problem with them sharing this information. To me, it comes down to the relationship you have with someone.

On an annoyance scale, this probably ranks about 1-2. But I'm bored, and thought I'd throw it out on the Dis.

So maybe he wants to become one of "those" coworkers? Sounds like he was just trying to have a conversation, and heaven forbid, get a touch of sympathy?

 

[sam_gordon]

You might consider one of those work in solitude type of jobs. No pesky co-workers around to bother you at all.

That would be nice.

But when did this become I don't like talking to ANY co-worker? Haven't I said I'm comfortable with SOME coworkers?

 

[MIGrandma]

Yes, it is very minor vent. I don't care that he had the stroke (or whatever). I don't care that he's filling in for someone. I don't care that his wife is working late and he doesn't want to ask her for a ride. I thought it was strange that he went into all the extra information when a simple "I want to talk to him about the cab company" would have sufficed.

Wow, you don't care that he had a stroke,or "whatever"?! I would care that a perfect stranger had a stroke, and I would most definitely care more that a co-worker had one!! I'm sorry you have no compassion for your co-workers. I see nothing wrong with what your co-worker said to you. He didn't go into all the gory details of his medical problems, he was just explaining to you why he wanted to talk to the other co-worker about what cab company they use. So sorry you couldn't give him the time of day. Very sad.

 

[furb & dez]

That would be nice.

But when did this become I don't like talking to ANY co-worker? Haven't I said I'm comfortable with SOME coworkers?

Haven't you heard, sam? Life is all black and white on the DIS. You've got at least a good three pages of clucking to endure, now that you've outed yourself as a horrible, horrible person for not wanting to be subjected to virtual strangers' medical problems.

 

[sam_gordon]

Haven't you heard, sam? Life is all black and white on the DIS. You've got at least a good three pages of clucking to endure, now that you've outed yourself as a horrible, horrible person for not wanting to be subjected to virtual strangers' medical problems.

Too true.

It's been a couple days since we've had a good "beat down" on here, so I thought I'd give people somewhere to focus their negative energy.

 

[Katieinwonderland]

I agree with you that over-sharing drives me crazy, but I don't know if this would bother me.

To me, over-sharing is what I had to put up with today. The cashier at Target asked when my baby was due and when I replied, her response was "you know when I delivered my baby I had the worst hemorrhoids, I was in so much pain, plus I tore and had to have stitches, you should have seen it down there!"



WHY are you telling me this???!!!

 

[snapppyd]

Haven't you heard, sam? Life is all black and white on the DIS. You've got at least a good three pages of clucking to endure, now that you've outed yourself as a horrible, horrible person for not wanting to be subjected to virtual strangers' medical problems.

Too true.

It's been a couple days since we've had a good "beat down" on here, so I thought I'd give people somewhere to focus their negative energy.

So you come here to complain, most of us don't agree with you, so now we're the bad guys.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

No offense Sam, but I do find it kind of funny and ironic in light of some of your posts here detailing your kids' sports problems to the nth detail.

Not that I minded those posts, just as I don't mind hearing about people's medical or other problems. At some point, all of us will have issues we want to talk about that affect us, that others couldn't care less about if they don't affect them. That's just how life is.

It wouldn't kill you to have a bit more empathy and compassion, cause some day you or your loved ones may be on the receiving end yourself. In fact, this is the perfect season to "get into the spirit".

Of course, maybe I'm a little sensitive today because someone close to me had a pretty devastating stroke last week.

 

[sam_gordon]

So you come here to complain, most of us don't agree with you, so now we're the bad guys.

Not what I tried to say. If that's how it sounded, I apologize.

 

[KennesawNemo]

Yes, it is very minor vent. I don't care that he had the stroke (or whatever). I don't care that he's filling in for someone. I don't care that his wife is working late and he doesn't want to ask her for a ride. I thought it was strange that he went into all the extra information when a simple "I want to talk to him about the cab company" would have sufficed.

Using the same logic, he would be walking away immediately after you said "no, can I help you?" because you wouldn't be able to help him anyway.

I don't see what the big deal was and you are just being hard.

 

[sam_gordon]

No offense Sam, but I do find it kind of funny and ironic in light of some of your posts here detailing your kids' sports problems to the nth detail.

I see posting online as different. For the main reason, if I open a thread to read, and then it turns out it doesn't interest me, I can close it. I don't have to read the whole thread or even the whole OP. I get to CHOOSE what I read. Not really the case IRL. Others I'm sure will disagree.

Not that I minded those posts, just as I don't mind hearing about people's medical or other problems. At some point, all of us will have issues we want to talk about that affect us, that others couldn't care less about if they don't affect them. That's just how life is.

You are correct

It wouldn't kill you to have a bit more empathy and compassion, cause some day you or your loved ones may be on the receiving end yourself. In fact, this is the perfect season to "get into the spirit".

Unless I'm missing it, the only thing I could have done different was say "I'm sorry to hear that." The problem is, by the time I could get a word in, it was pretty much past the time it was appropriate. And yes, "I'm sorry" he had a stroke. I wish he didn't. I'm sure someone will say I'm changing my story but I don't think so. I did not need the background of why he needed cab information.

Of course, maybe I'm a little sensitive today because someone close to me had a pretty devastating stroke last week.

I'm sorry to hear that.

 

[Elinor Dashwood]

Sorry Sam,
as much as I enjoy your post I gotta go with the other posters.

Are we really so self absorbed that some one sharing 1 minute of their life with us has become an annoyance? Yes, I too have had those folks who shared waaay to much information but really what's the harm?

Look at it this way. You shared your space with some one for a few minutes and you never know how you touch people.

consider it your Christmas gift to your fellow office mates.

I agree. This coworker might very well have been having a horrible day, you know what with his recent stroke for crying out loud, and talking to someone else was what he needed. It's a pretty sad day if a person can't give 30 seconds to another person in need.

No worries Mate,

I'm one of those people who for some reason perfect strangers will talk to. My dh would crack up with laughter. When we lived in NYC, we'd get on the train and it was a lead pipe certainity that the old lady sitting next to me would launch into her entire medical history and how her kids don't visit enough!!

This happens to me too! I've had complete strangers start telling me their life story and I patiently listen and comment. Who knows what kind of life they've had, what kind of battle (health wise) they may be fighting. It's not too much to give a bit of time and it doesn't annoy me at all.

OP, I realize everyone is different and you're not required to listen to every coworker but this post came across kind of harsh and uncaring. Your poor coworker had a stroke and can't drive himself to work. You don't feel anything for this guy? Heck, I don't even know him and I feel badly for his situation.

 

[snapppyd]

Not what I tried to say. If that's how it sounded, I apologize.

Just so we're straight, I think you are the one with the negative energy.

 

[sam_gordon]

just so we're straight, i think you are the one with the negative energy.

ok.

 

[soccerdad72]

Just so we're straight, I think you are the one with the negative energy.

By its very definition, isn't that a vent is?

 

[Alesia]

Yes, it is very minor vent. I don't care that he had the stroke (or whatever). I don't care that he's filling in for someone. I don't care that his wife is working late and he doesn't want to ask her for a ride. I thought it was strange that he went into all the extra information when a simple "I want to talk to him about the cab company" would have sufficed.

You poor dear! You had to spend 30 seconds listening to a coworker instead of pretending that he was a piece of furniture - that's terrible! Why on earth would that man think he's entitled to some human dignity?