K, this shared office business is going to drive me CRAZY. There are people in here, lots of people (OK, four, but still), and they're talking LOUD, mostly not to me, but STILL. It's seriously giving me the sort of claustrophobic panic attack I normally get when I'm in a very crowded hallway with people physically bumping into me, but I can't SAY anything, because this is a shared office and it's not like I can demand that everyone work in silence! And this one woman, the one with the LOUD grating voice, narrates every move she makes, and it's making me want to SCREAM.

This is my office and it's not even shared.

juliana, I would say I'm sorry, but I'm really very not.

I am, however, sorry that ND is stuck on a plane not going anywhere.

Midweek Music is Elvis Costello this week and Halloween is coming up, so... Jack and Sally montage to "I Want You"

Okay, Susan's feeling better so I guess it's my turn to be frustrated...

My car accident was over a month ago. Our 30 days of free car rental expires today. Joe leaves the house at 4:30am regularly and gets home around 6pm. Having only one car will be a huge PITA.

USAA still has not received the accident report and is asking us to go get it for them This is possible, but a huge PITA.

The body shop cashed the check, EVEN THOUGH IT REQUIRED US TO CO-SIGN. First complaint - they cashed it on Oct 10 and ordered the car parts last week. They estimate it will be done Nov 7th. Second complaint - the check required our signature to ENSURE that the work was done properly before they got paid. So, our only clout is now gone and, if we attempt to use it, will require us to contact some bank and fight over an improperly endorsed check. Another giant PITA in the making.

All for an accident that was in no way my fault.

Susan, my coworker wears those foam earplugs at work - enough sound gets through that if people approach him directly, he's not oblivious to it, but the random other people's conversations are easy to tune out. Might be worth a try.

they are cheap, that's one point in their favor. I use them 1. when I can't get away from Daniel's snoring; and B. taking clients to band practice, which is essentially a dozen developmentally disabled adults with drums, plenty of really loud music, and one very patient music instructor. Wearing them, the music doesn't give me the horrible headache that I would get, yet leaves me able to participate in conversation with other caregivers and the instructor, as well as attending to the needs of my clients. If you tried them and someone asked, you could say that there is something weird about the accustics of your new workspace that is making it hard for you to concentrate.

{{Stephanie}} sorry that accident is turning out to be such a PITA.

Ugh, Stephanie, I am so, so, sorry.

Tom has developed a snoring problem and I am using some foam earplugs. They're OK but still let sound in.

Ms. Loud Talker tells me one more time about how John used to do things when he was the ops manager, I might just snap...

Look at her, very wide-eyed, and say, "Oh, really?? How interesting!" and then just smile at her glassily (perhaps with a slight underlay of "fuck off and die") until she goes away. Works a treat.

I use foam earplugs at home when I'm sleeping. Helps cut down on the "drunk idiots outside my window" factor, but I can still hear the alarm clock.

Stephanie, I'm sorry. Car troubles suck.

I had lunch with my aunt today, who really is a great person, but she completely stressed me out about wedding plans. People really don't seem to get why I don't want to spend the equivalent of a downpayment on a house on a wedding.

OK, given that I had so many problems that I wasn't able to breastfeed long enough that figuring out how to do it in public ever became an issue...

Is it just me, or are these things a heck of a lot more conspicuous than just having a baby in front of your boob? [link]

And they look smothering. I know they're not, but they look that way.

For those asking, I'm tempted by that dress in black. Or maybe dark green.

Stephanie, sorry you're having such problems with your car. I hope the mechanic turns out to be as competent as they were eager and the car comes out OK.

I used to work in an open office where there were no restrictions on noise - so I'd be on the phone with a member, trying to listen, while there was a radio going, someone singing, and three conversations going on at top volume. argh

sj, stick by your ideas - maybe smile sweetly, tell people whatever they're telling you sounds like a lovely idea, and then go and do what you want. A drink or three beforehand might help.

People really don't seem to get why I don't want to spend the equivalent of a downpayment on a house on a wedding.

Well, if it means that much to them you should offer to let them pay for it.