Snapping Gum

[li10up]

Ok, I know that my username is li10up but for 3 days now a co-worker has been snapping/popping her gum like crazy. I finally went to the guys next door and asked if they'd noticed it. They said yes and I asked if it was starting to bother them and they said yes. After another 30 minutes of it I went to her and told her I was going to have to start calling her Betty. Betty is someone we all have remarked about popping her gum in our ears as we talk to her over the phone. She got what I was saying and said that she had gotten some really good gum...good for popping. I asked her when her pack was going to run out...I tried saying it in as pleasant and joking manner as possible while still trying to make my point. She said she'd try to stop but she has been going at it all day!!! Two minutes later she was popping away again! Then when I said something to her later about something else she seemed cool. I'm not close to anyone in the office but she is probably the person I am closest too. Why can't I just keep my mouth shut?!? Was I wrong to say something?

[lph]

It's a bit late for this maybe, but depending on your (and her) personality, over-the-top "anger", with a grin, works.

Like "AAGH! I'm going nuts in here! Will you STOP that? If you don't stop that popping soon, I swear I'm going to STRANGLE you!!"

But this only works if you're on top of it and can laugh at it, in a sincere way.

This is what my next-door office mate does when I play music he doesn't like or talk too loudly on the phone

[Duck on Wheels]

Just heard an incredibly loud vacuum cleaner running outside my hotel door here. Then one cleaner calls out to another, "Betty!" What is it with Betties and noise?

[teigyr]

You are a LOT like me, I can't keep my mouth shut and there are things that drive me bonkers.

I wonder if she is dieting, quitting smoking, or has something else going on?

It's always better to say something instead of letting it build up. I agree that joking is always best (ie "don't make me throw this stapler at you!") and if that fails, then you have to be direct and serious. Maybe someone else could talk to her with you? I usually have other people do my dirty work because I have trouble being calm and logical. I tend to take stuff personally, like they are doing what they're doing specifically to annoy me. Sounds narcissistic

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Snapping gum is like chewing food with your mouth open.
I'd want to kill her.
You may have to talk to the boss....that kind of distracting irritating noise can be really bad for work productivity. It's like people who hum aimlessly.

Give her some mints to keep her mouth busy instead. Hmmm....she probably start sucking on them really loudly though, smacking her lips.... How about a pacifier?

[Tuckervill]

I would say:

"I must not have been clear when I told you earlier how much the gum popping is bothering me. I'm sure you're not doing it on purpose, but I am having a hard time concentrating with the gum popping going on. Would you please try not to pop the gum?"

Then, the next time, "I can hear your gum. Would you please stop?"

Then, the next time, "Gum. Please?"

After that, I would be sure she was doing it on purpose and I would have to have another talk with her, and then let her know I'd have to go to the boss.

Is she talking on the phone while she's doing this? More reason to go to your boss.

Karen

[Deanna]

I'm not sure if this is a very professional way to handle it, but if you have the option of dialing up her voice mail without the phone ringing, you could then hold up your handset to record her gum popping. Maybe when she hears how annoying it really is she'll stop.