So MSN hates me for some arbitrary reason. This week I have not been able to sign onto msn from my computer. It just says “Service temporarily unavailable.” Well maybe my version of temporary differs from theirs or else they’re screwing with me for some reason. Nothing changed on my computer. It just will not let me sign in. I even re-downloaded and re-installed it. Piece of Microsoft crap, that’s what I say.
So how do you deal with people you don’t particularly want to be associated with in every situation? Say you’re helping someone with their Phonology homework, and conversation naturally intersperses itself throughout the study time. Good enough. But, also, say this someone has the loudest, most wall penetrating voice you’ve ever encountered and the door to your office is wide open. Further, suppose this person starts telling a story that would easily be interpreted as wildly inappropriate and offensive and repeats the possibly offensive word over and over, and takes his sweet, ear piercing time telling it. Clearly I am now associated with the inappropriateness since it’s in my office. Clearly my likely reputation and a decent person is completely ruined since my office neighbours that of two professors. How do I disassociate from that?
It was obviously impossible during the telling of the tale to tell this someone to shut the ---- up since I am just not the kind of person who can do that. I tried to make signals that I wanted to work and that the phonology study session was over.
Seriously, I need some advice on this. I lost sleep last night. Why can’t people take hints and shut up? I know I should shut up sometimes, and I apologize if I have similarly put anyone into this situation. But honestly, he was so loud. The possible consolation that someone might not have heard was completely destroyed with the mental reminder of the decibel level produced.
I didn’t even want to show my face in the department today, but had to in order to go to class.
5 comments:
Fake a phone call. The more fake the better.
Or, um...hide under your desk.
Serious help? I don't know.
But I am way impressed you have an office.
hmmm that sounds....awkward. i think people, if they heard, will quickly forget. only next time, maybe go study elsewhere. or not at all. have a lovely weekend : )
Give this a try to solve your Micro$oft issue.
When it comes to loud and possibly obscene people, there is a word game you can play... it consists of one person saying a word (I think you know the word) and then the other saying it louder till one of you chickens out.
Well, Dinah, I don't have a cell phone, and its really hard to fake a call on you office phone when it clearly hasn't been ringing.
And yes, Jon, I do know the word, and I have played that game. I think that in this situation, however, I would not want to win.
If it's any comfort, in my experience people tend to forget random things like overhearing someone say obnoxious things. Especially if it's not directed at them. So, you'll probably be in the clear in a few days/weeks. I hate being in that situation. It's happened to me several times, but not consistently with the same person.
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