[PaintPony]

Curious, what one learns on COTH.
Earphones and iPod take care of idiots.

LOL! God do I wish. But I find if I turn the music up loud enough I can't hear all the stupid things she says!

[Blugal]

We have this sign hanging in the office lunch room:


Stress Management


Picture yourself near a stream.

Birds are singing in the crisp, cool mountain air.

Nothing can bother you here.

No one knows this secret place.

You are in total seclusion from that place called the world.

The soothing sound of a gentle waterfall fills the air with a cascade of serenity.

The water is clear.

You can easily make out the face of the person whose head you're holding under the water.

There now, feeling better?

[Bluey]

We have this sign hanging in the office lunch room:


Stress Management



Picture yourself near a stream.

Birds are singing in the crisp, cool mountain air.

Nothing can bother you here.

No one knows this secret place.

You are in total seclusion from that place called the world.

The soothing sound of a gentle waterfall fills the air with a cascade of serenity.

The water is clear.

You can easily make out the face of the person whose head you're holding under the water.

There now, feeling better?

He-he-he.
I need to pass that on, very good.

[Emryss]

My poor husband has that very problem. Nothing has worked to stop it, with the possible exception of codeine cough syrup, but we decided the risk of dependency was not worth it.

Sometimes the constant throat-clearing drives me bats. I've learned to ignore it most of the time, though, and in some ways it's useful: I can find him in a store or a crowd. No matter how much I hate the throat-clearing, though, I'd rather have it and him...than have my home be silent.

[Bluey]

My poor husband has that very problem. Nothing has worked to stop it, with the possible exception of codeine cough syrup, but we decided the risk of dependency was not worth it.

Sometimes the constant throat-clearing drives me bats. I've learned to ignore it most of the time, though, and in some ways it's useful: I can find him in a store or a crowd. No matter how much I hate the throat-clearing, though, I'd rather have it and him...than have my home be silent.

I have heard B12 supplementation may help some with chronic throat clearing.
May be worth asking his Dr about trying that, if there are no contraindications for it.

[SweetMutt]

Hello, are you me? Because I have one of these too! Actually, I have a throat-clearer and more...

I share an office with 3 other people (used to be 4 and soon to be again, who knows what the new guy will bring in) and one of them clears his throat constantly. The one who recently moved used to do it also. Of the other two, one has some B.O. issues and the other likes to watch Russian TV that he apparently things we can't hear because his headphones are on. The throat clearing and the B.O. are a tie for the hardest to handle.

I have no other solution aside from noise canceling headphones, taking frequent walks around the office, and hoping for a day full of meetings (or a day they all work from home! How glorious that would be!) I have yet to have a desk setting that didn't involve some sort of irritating noise, so, I accept this as life and most days I can power through.

[vxf111]

My boyfriend was born without any muscles whatsoever on his esophagus. So he cannot control food going up or down. He had no gag reflex. He cannot control the urge to gag or cough. Neither can he control acid. Which, when you have no esophagus and food just goes down by gravity-- you have near constant acid reflux. He had terrible reflux for years which has burned all up and down his esophagus. As a result of the damage, he has a rasping cough that he cannot control. Anytime any acid comes up, he coughs. He coughs all day long. I am sure it's annoying to his coworkers, but he can't help it. He's in frequent discomfort and may develop cancer from the condition. So while I feel for his coworkers if they find a cough annoying, they should count their blessings to be healthy and normal and not have a persistent medical condition that affects them daily and may shorten their life.

[pony baloney]

Gosh. And I complain about the woman who chews the ends of all the pens. No pen is safe. She's got them in her back molars and wrecks them all. No dry ones anywhere.

[goingslowlycrazy]

Thanks for the feedback

On Friday I tried the smiling thing but I couldn't do it, lol.

I sold some stuff on eBay and I am bidding on a pair of Bose noise cancelling headphones. They're $300 new so hopefully I can snag a used pair for ~$100. There are cheaper brands but they don't seem to excell at the noise cancelling. I don't care what I'm listening sounds like as long as it doesn't sound like throat clearing.

I really want to get some, even if it's a sizable investment. I realized on Friday that I can't work in a civil manner with this person without them. (Bonus, they will also block out her daily whining sessions!)

I understand that this is a first world problems, but there are some difficulties to working in a somewhat repetitve business function. I scare myself when I start dreaming of retail because at least the annoying people go away!!

I guess what really trips my trigger is that she goes on like it's no big deal. I feel like if I had a similar problem I would be like "Hey, I'm so excited to work on this team, but I do have a medical condition that can be irritating to others, could I sit somewhere more private?" Or you know, I would cover my mouth and attempt to stifle it a little rather than just rippin' loose.

I snore, and not just a little, and you know what? I tell people! I don't want to have a barnmate have terrible show because they got no sleep because of me. I always offer to get my own hotel room and if they say 'no problem' I arrange pillows to prop me up to sleep on my side (I am a snorin' back sleeper) and I will stay awake to give others the chance to get to sleep before I start sawing away. Common courtesy? Right? Does this exist any more?

And these are the insane ramblings that this causes I get myself wound up and overthinking because I am having a hard time focusing on anything else at work

(Loved the misspelling in my original post by the way... I often proofread letters before they leave our company, how scary is that? LoL! A co-worker used to keep a folder with the funniest errors and that one would fit right in)

I am totally enjoying my weekend, btw, got some fan white noise goin' on... Ahhhhhh

[KateKat]

Although I do feel for the woman I can completely feel your pain. This is why I want to work from home! My office has a woman who hums CONSTANTLY. Even when in the bathroom she is humming. The worst part is it isn't even a tune. It's just some nonsensical trill she does all day long. I know she's been spoken to about it numerous times but its such an ingrained habit it's like breathing for her. Either way it annoys the crap out of me and was horrible when she sat near my cube. Thankfully she was moved a few months ago, so my sanity has been somewhat restored!