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To me eight hours is a real long time. I am always at awe with people who come into work and at the end of the day say that they do not know where the time went and the day just flew by. In every office job I have had, the day seemed to last forever.
Another thing I do not understand is how people can come to work and sit at their desk all day and not talk to a single person for the entire day. At my employer most conversation with coworkers is online (email and instant message), so they can still be called a team player and not say a word verbally. I always wonder if these people ever get bored like me and want to reach out and talk to someone face to face, at least once in a while.
Can you go all day without talking to someone at work and not get bored, restless or lonely?
The question for me is how can people talk the ENTIRE time at work....OMG..I like to chit chat here and there but there are times where I do not want to converse. I want to read my book, read the CNN or just chill and do my work. I feel bad for one of the girls I work with (sometimes it's just her and me on the shift) because she is a lot younger than me and she has no problem talking (about nothing) the enitre shift! It helps her make the shift go by faster is what she says but I am not the one. She's a sweet girl but I am just not an 8 hour talker...I just can't do it! (and I dont)
The socially inept people are the ones that aggravate me the most. It doesnt take a lot to say hi or smile in the hall or come out from under your rock for 5 minutes once in a while.
Then again, that is probably why these types of people have desk jobs, where their computer is their only friend.
Which, brings me back to my original statement in which I said that I just plain don't fit this job because I actually have a personality and like to interact with people.
I don't see 'quiet' people as socially inept or having no personality... with layoffs happening left and right I'm doing the job of two or three people and I don't have the time to flitter around the office chatting with people. Sure, I'll wave hello or stop and talk for 30 seconds but I have a LOT of stuff to do and if I don't do it right, planes don't fly and my boss gets angry. If you're the boss of a company and you see someone hard at work, then see someone JUST ONCE sitting and chatting who are you going to consider for layoffs the next round?? Probably won't be me.
The socially inept people are the ones that aggravate me the most. It doesnt take a lot to say hi or smile in the hall or come out from under your rock for 5 minutes once in a while.
Then again, that is probably why these types of people have desk jobs, where their computer is their only friend.
Which, brings me back to my original statement in which I said that I just plain don't fit this job because I actually have a personality and like to interact with people.
**I personally have had enough of co-workers butting into my business and using phony friendliness to achieve their own ends at my expense. I believe people who complain about those who stay in their offices and don't make small talk just have a hidden agenda of wanting to turn the office into a meaningless gab fest. I personally feel that it shouldn't matter if someone smiles or not or talks to anyone--as long as they're not getting in the way of other workers doing their jobs. I have been a victim of and have even been threatened by co-workers who did nothing but gab gab gab when i do nothing but work work work and oddly they make me the bad guy, not them
are co-dependents who are twisted and drain the energy and resources of people who simply do what they are supposed to do, and the gabbers just don't like it, pure and simple
I don't know what kind of people you guys know or what issues you have about social people, but I, for one, have no hidden agenda whatsoever. That has got to be one of the dumbest things I've ever heard (sorry).
I hate gossip and cliques - one of the reasons I couldnt stand high school, for instance. And I have never been 'phony' friendly. If I don't like a person - they know it. I make no effort to interact with people who I can't respect or who isn't friendly to begin with.
As for not having any work - that is completely untrue. I have tons of it - it could be just that I, unlike others, are better equipped with the skills to manage my time wisely and complete all my tasks without having to be so tied to my desk that I don't know what's going on around me. I don't have time to flitter around the office either (and I don't), but I am also not so involved in my head that I cannot acknowledge other human beings in the workplace.
Btw - there is a difference between quiet people and socially inept people. And I would guess that any good boss running a company wouldnt base their firing of an individual off of one observation, made in passing. Work isnt supposed to be a prison. But, then again, maybe that is why so many companies fail these days. People need to freaking calm down.
rlrl - why so defensive? chill out and smile at your co-worker.
The people I can't figure out are the ones who you've been working with for months (and years) who do not know your name. A quick "Hi ____" maybe even accompanied by a smile, is sufficient for serious workers.
I can't take the "gabbers" (cliquey gossips) either, and tend to stay busy (more work, no talk especially when surrounded mostly by fellow females who tend to be the worst) but always make the effort to greet and address folks by their names. When you address folks by their names, they will understand that you are a serious worker, and it's nothing personal when you aren't a "gabber"
The people I can't figure out are the ones who you've been working with for months (and years) who do not know your name. A quick "Hi ____" maybe even accompanied by a smile, is sufficient for serious workers.
I can't take the "gabbers" (cliquey gossips) either, and tend to stay busy (more work, no talk especially when surrounded mostly by fellow females who tend to be the worst) but always make the effort to greet and address folks by their names. When you address folks by their names, they will understand that you are a serious worker, and it's nothing personal when you aren't a "gabber"
Well said.
I agree with you on the female co-worker comment also. I used to work with mostly all guys and it was the best thing ever because they aren't petty, triflin' gossip queens. They were just chill and real. It was great! I typically cannot stand girls (and yes, I am a girl, obviously so this is not about being sexist) especially in the workplace because they tend to be catty and will stab you in the back for any number of stupid reasons they can manage to conjur up in their heads.
Last edited by CityGrrl77; 01-20-2009 at 08:56 PM..
Reason: ~
As a girl I love working with a huge group of guys because there is so little chit chat and gossip...a lot of jokes, crude comments, etc...but that's ok with me. They've finally realized I don't get offended. I couldn't go through the day without talking to anyone. There are a couple other girls so I am not completely outnumbered, but I don't work with them on a day to day basis. I think at my job it's a good combination of serious work time and some goof off time. Work hard play hard.
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I have worked with some of the most boring people (research job) and they had no desire to chat, ever!
It helps her make the shift go by faster is what she says but I am not the one. She's a sweet girl but I am just not an 8 hour talker...I just can't do it! 
(and I dont)
well
