Pet peeve

[hearts and roses]

My assistant sits on the other side of my office wall and at times she gets to humming. It's not an actual tune...it's just a low rambling humming thing she does. I don't even think she realizes she's doing it...but MY GOD...it drives me completely and utterly out of my mind and I don't know why.

Wish I could make myself not get so insane about it.

I never say anything to her, because, after all, who am I to tell someone to stop humming? She is obviously content and happy. I am edgy and filled with discontent I guess because I can imagine myself muzzling her. How horrible is that? What is wrong with me?

 

[AnnieO]

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING is wrong with you. I have a coworker that complains constantly... I gave up on him.

However, this is what I would do about the humming. I'd walk up to her and say...

You know, I don't know how to say this without sounding rude, but sometimes when you hum it makes it hard for me to concentrate. Is there anything we can work on together to make it easier for us both?

Same as with a difficult child... If the aide is invested in the solution, it works better...

 

[Lothlorien]

I think that would drive me equally insane. Can you put a radio on or something to drown her out? How about a sound machine that just plays white noise?

 

[hearts and roses]

She's doing it now - she says she's bored. It's rapidly driving me insane. I need to leave for lunch soon. Ugh.

 

[AnnieO]

Ummmm if she's bored doesn't she need something to do?!

If I ever get bored I ask for something. Just because I hate sitting here doing nothing.

 

[trinityroyal]

Jo, nothing wrong with you at all.

I've always said that tuneless whistling is a human rights violation. I think tuneless humming falls into the same category. It's inconsiderate on the part of the person doing it, as it's intrusive and bothers a lot of people.

Maybe she needs to work on finding a silent nervous tic.

I would say something to her, gently so that she doesn't get offended. Also perhaps mention that if she's bored, then Project XYZ needs to be completed. Then give her something to do like mucking out the stables, to keep her busy.

Trinity

 

[Abbey]

I think most people who do stuff like this have no clue they are doing it. I brought to attention my H's throat sound thingy. Even the birds repeat it. He had no idea that he was doing it. At first he denied...then I said I'd point it out every time he did it. He was shocked at how many times a day he does that gross thing.

I think in a work environment I'd go for a radio or something to cover the sound.

Abbey

 

[Star*]

Okay Jo - you and I have discussed pet peeves before and I think we could be triplets - gcv mom as I remember had many of the same peeves as me.....

WIth that said - DF hums.....He hums if he's in pain, bored, anxious, watching tv, about to fall asleep, out working in his shop, driving the car

And some times his brain will catch a tune that his mouth remembers the words to and there will be what I can only describe as a song similar to a Native American spiritual drum song. (My GGFather would be proud as DF is Swedish) but......I HATE IT.

I can't stand it in a store
I can't stand it in a car
I can't stand it in my work place

and it is 3rd ONLY to chip bag rusting and whistling.

TELL HER she's doing it - and it makes you crazy. WHen I told DF - I said "I am not sure you realize you do this - I think your brain goes into autopilot and it's the elevator music of sorts in your mind that keeps your brain on hold while you do other things...but Phulease for the LOVE of GOD stop humming.

He said he didn't realize he was even doing it - and if he did it again just to say HEY Hummer......and he would immediately stop it.

-Discontent and grumpy or not - asking her to shut it beats pounding a cork in your ears.

 

[Mattsmom277]

Humming is a pet peeve of mine too. Drives me nuts!!! Or tongue clicking. Even worse, hearing people chewing food loudly. I was taught to chew with my mouth closed. I have actually had to dump my dinner in the garbage and leave the room at times when someone was chewing open mouthed very loudly as it will literally turn my stomache.
Hope you find a way to deal with your hummer neighbour. Perhaps you should get at walmart or somewhere one of those toys. You know, the ones that when they hear musical notes they start dancing. Put it between your cubbies. Every time she starts humming the toy will start singing and dancing and scare the jeepers out of her. Eventually she'll ask what sets it off. Say, oh, other than if I put music on in my workspace, it sets off everytime you start humming. (I'm evil ... I would SOOOO do this lol). I'd make sure the song was an abnoxious one built into the toy too bwaa haaa haaa

 

[susiestar]

I would also find this very annoying! I cannot believe she said it was because she was BORED!! How totally unprofessional to admit that to your boss!! Esp as a reason for violating your human rights!! (I agree with trinity that this is a human rights violation!)

It sounds like she needs more to do. Pile her up.

Mattsmom, I am with you on the noise of chewing or the sight of it in an open mouth being disgusting and horrible. I finally stopped Wiz and thank you from doing that a few years back. I told them that if their poor manners (I spelled out exactly which behaviors I meant) caused me to get sick to my stomach, then I would get sick ON THEM.

It is a gross thing to threaten, but I was totally sincere about it. I would have done it if they challenged me, but even Wiz knew not to poke Mama Bear on this one!

 

[hearts and roses]

I honestly do not have anything for her to do. We have been incredibly slow in our office and she's already done all the little projects that could be done!!

Right now she's cleaning out her space so she's not humming. Thank God.

 

[hearts and roses]

Also hate loud chewing, etc. I also hate people who wiggle and/or slowly rub their feet idly. Just drives me right out of my skin. My family used to tease me mercilessly as a child over these two things, i.e., my sisters would routinely show me their chewed food or chew really loudly and show me it...or they would wiggle their feet against my leg. Ugh.

If she starts humming again, I think I will just ask her, "What is that you're humming?" first just to see if she realizes it. She's not stupid - she will take the subtle hint. This is the same assistant who will turn the paper towel roll over if it's not coming out 'over' as opposed to the way I usually put it in, which is 'under'...I swear, I will fill the empty roller and later when I go back, it will have been turned over. I once turned it back for about a week every time I went into the kitchen and every single time, she had turned it over again. OMG. Finally I just gave up.

 

[Lothlorien]

Jo....paper towel and toilet paper etiquette, doncha know....it's supposed to be over, not under? ;-)

 

[KTMom91]

Please don't hurt me...I'm giving you hummer haters warning...and apologies...but I hum. I do. And I don't even realize it most of the time. Usually it's whatever the last song that was that was playing on the radio before I turned the car off. Or a song I really like that's just in my head. Tonight I'm humming and singing David Archuleta's Time Of Your Life because they played it at graduation.

If I happen to hum at you in Cleveland, just tell me and I will try to stop. Honest.

 

[hearts and roses]

Hahaha, KT - I also hum, but my humming never bothered anyone! Hahaha, yeah right! I really do think I'm just very edgy these days - normally a little humming doesn't bother me...it's the incessant humming about nothing that gets me. Even my therapist told me to make an appointment with my regular doctor to get some AD's...she said she thinks I'm dealing with too much at a time and it's making me angry and edgier than usual. My assistant is humming right now...again. Argh, I have to find something for her to do in the back room or something!!!!

 

[DammitJanet]

I have something that will drive you both nuts! There is this baby doll that works on cue...movement or sound. Every time it hears or somehow feels something it starts cooing. And moving its little arms and legs! Trust me, humming would set it off!

The blasted thing is in Keyanas toy box and whenever we go to leave the house I hear...waaa, coooo, waaa.