Dear So and So

[bambu101]

This sounds exactly what I have been dealing with at work recently. We have open "quad-cubicles" , so I am sitting back to back with someone less than 2 feet away. The guy across from me spent the last few days snuffling loudly, and at one point I looked over to see him using the back of his hand as a tissue- ewwwwww!!!!!! Last winter, the previous occupant right behind me would turn his head in my direction and sneeze towards the floor (without covering his mouth, of course). I was so pissed I went to a manager and complained, and he went to the "offshore liason" , and the offender was spoken to. These programmers have never been to this country before, and I am trying to tell myself that it is just a cultural difference, but it is very disturbing.

[Velobambina]

Please invest in at least a front and rear blinkie, Ninja cyclists who insist on riding after dark, in black clothing, with NO bike lights. You are creating dangerous situations on the trails, as neither fellow cyclists nor walkers/joggers can see you until the last moment. I wonder how you manage to get home in one piece after you exit the trail and go on the busy roads? And the group of posers with no lights whom I saw on Tuesday, shame on you. Riding fast and hogging most of the trail are bad enough in broad daylight but after dark, you could seriously injure others and yourselves.

[fixedgeargirl]

Dear Ex,

You're nearly 50. Grow up already. Your mommy won't be around forever to clean up your messes.

Over it,

fixedgeargirl

[CycleChic06]

cyclechic - have you considered having a big 'ole can of Lysol at your desk? Next time he starts bringing up a lung, start spraying away!

Lysol is a good idea, I think it's too late though, I've come down with a stupid cold! I'm so pissed.

There was an article about this in our local newspaper this morning. There is even a name for it - "presenteeism".

Hope you are able to stay out of his line of fire. Eeewww

Yeah, I was just reading about the same thing. I wanted to print out a copy and leave it on his desk. However, I don't think this guy can take a hint. People have had problems with him before for other things and subtlety doesn't seem to work.

This sounds exactly what I have been dealing with at work recently. We have open "quad-cubicles" , so I am sitting back to back with someone less than 2 feet away. The guy across from me spent the last few days snuffling loudly, and at one point I looked over to see him using the back of his hand as a tissue- ewwwwww!!!!!! Last winter, the previous occupant right behind me would turn his head in my direction and sneeze towards the floor (without covering his mouth, of course). I was so pissed I went to a manager and complained, and he went to the "offshore liason" , and the offender was spoken to. These programmers have never been to this country before, and I am trying to tell myself that it is just a cultural difference, but it is very disturbing.

I feel your pain bambu. I've considered discussing it with his manager, who's kinda a friend of mine...but I'm not sure if he could say anything about it.

[snapdragen]

I feel your pain bambu. I've considered discussing it with his manager, who's kinda a friend of mine...but I'm not sure if he could say anything about it.

It's worth a try. I work with a guy who was raised by wolves...OK, maybe not. But when he first started with us, he had never worked in a cube farm; he was a programmer and always worked off on his own. Needless to say, the first few months were horrendous. Burping, farting, you name it. Finally his manager spoke to him, things improved after that. He's still an odd one - if you look up computer geek in the dictionary his picture is there - but at least he now acts civilized.

[Trek420]

snapdragen "Pfft. If they're going to steal the flip flops, all courtesy is off. Wear your bike shoes out the door, noise be damned."

Or leave the flip flops covered with wadded up kleenex, make sure the kleenex are damp, maybe even a little greenish...

[CycleChic06]

Needless to say, the first few months were horrendous. Burping, farting, you name it. Finally his manager spoke to him, things improved after that.

Wow, that's really nasty. At least I'm spared of the farting. Hah, as I was in the process of writing about how I think Mr. McPhlegm has stopped his coughing/throat clearing, he turned towards me and did it again. Something has to be done. The onsite nurse has posted all these 'cough ettiquette' signs around the company, I've photo copied them and I think I'm going to wall paper his desk with them. Think he'd get it?

[mimitabby]

Wow, that's really nasty. At least I'm spared of the farting. Hah, as I was in the process of writing about how I think Mr. McPhlegm has stopped his coughing/throat clearing, he turned towards me and did it again. Something has to be done. The onsite nurse has posted all these 'cough ettiquette' signs around the company, I've photo copied them and I think I'm going to wall paper his desk with them. Think he'd get it?

nope, you need to spray Lysol immediately after he does one of those things. He probably does NOT have a CLUE that it distresses you.

[Tri Girl]

Dear irresponsible/lazy parents,
please stop expecting public and private schools to raise your children for you, by teaching them things that should be taught at home (manners, values, discipline, social skills, sex ed, and alcohol and drug awareness). We're really busy trying to teach them academics, and all these other things take up many hours of our year and require us to have less time to teach the needed skills your child will need to be successful in the world. We are drastically falling behind on the world scene.
If you are responsible or have already received this message, please disregard.
Sincerely,
time-starved teachers everywhere


while I realize that certainly not ALL parents fit this bill, sadly the numbers are rising dramatically over the years (at least in the 11 years I've been teaching).

[IFjane]

Dear irresponsible/lazy parents,
please stop expecting public and private schools to raise your children for you, by teaching them things that should be taught at home (manners, values, discipline, social skills, sex ed, and alcohol and drug awareness). We're really busy trying to teach them academics, and all these other things take up many hours of our year and require us to have less time to teach the needed skills your child will need to be successful in the world. We are drastically falling behind on the world scene.
If you are responsible or have already received this message, please disregard.
Sincerely,
time-starved teachers everywhere


while I realize that certainly not ALL parents fit this bill, sadly the numbers are rising dramatically over the years (at least in the 11 years I've been teaching).

I'm with you, Tri! I taught for 11 years, now in admin. for 6 and we are seeing it more and more. Between what some parents do not do for their kids & what the kids see when they are watching the Great American Babysitter, we have our work cut out for us!

[mimitabby]

I wish i could remember the movie, but it was rated R.
my 2nd grade son (this was 1990 ish) brought home a permission sliip from school
to watch a rated R movie (it was an action-adventure story) I had an absolute
FIT!
So now MY kid looks bad because i don't want him watching rated R movies.
I was the only mom who complained. I don't think they got to watch the movie.
(it could have been Raiders of the lost ark)

[IFjane]

Mimi - we hear/see it all the time. We have PRESCHOOLERS talking about the movies they watch & they are seeing things I don't want to see. Not only is it making our jobs much more difficult but it is having lasting effects on young minds who are not sufficiently developed to process what they are seeing on the screen. Sad.

Thanks for being the one mom who stood up and said no!

[mtbdarby]

My preschooler got into Pokemon when a big kid brought in a gameboy to dc. I thought it was too violent for him so I told him he couldn't watch it. So his dad bought him a movie. Now when he gets frustrated he tells me how "stupid" he is and that he's a "loser". Right from pokemon. Thanks ex - now you know why you're an ex..

[mimitabby]

Mimi - we hear/see it all the time. We have PRESCHOOLERS talking about the movies they watch & they are seeing things I don't want to see. Not only is it making our jobs much more difficult but it is having lasting effects on young minds who are not sufficiently developed to process what they are seeing on the screen. Sad.

Thanks for being the one mom who stood up and said no!

Yeppers, due to the fact that we had two ACTIVE boys, ALL the teachers knew us as did the principals and even some vice principals.
ahem. We were VERY involved.

[Bluetree]

Dear neighbors,
STOP STEALING MY SHOES!
Imagine my surprise when -- for the third time in the last few months -- I return from my ride and find my flip flops gone!
Folks, I AM NOT THE FLIP FLOP FAIRY. Do you wake up in the morning, go outside with coffee in hand to get the paper and think, "Oh lookie! I've been a good boy/girl so the Flip Flip Fairy left me another treat!" Does it occur to you that they belong to someone else? Does it bother you to wear flip flops my MY name written on them? I'm trying to be quiet and considerate, but you are making that harder and harder.

At 5am this morning, I'm driving out to the desert for a race and on the darkened freeway, I see debris ahead of me. I immediately slowed. After all... what is soft debris or hard? Could it damage my car? What was it?

Well... my headlights reach the scene and light it up. They're flip flops! Thousands of them! All over the freeway! Every color and size!

I couldn't stop because I was anxious to check in my bike. However, if anyone else out there is missing flip flops, I recommend going to the eastbound 91 Freeway in Orange County, just east of the 605 intersection.

Go early for best selection!