I walk or cycle into work at the hospital – just a few short blocks. I RELISH the time to listen to music before I start my day. My job involves dealing with people, all day. And that is great, I love it.
What I can’t stand is how more mornings than not, when I get in the elevator – clearly listening to music with my large headphones on – some yokel will feel the need to strike up a banal conversation.
You: “Cold out today!”
Me (seeing your gums flapping in my direction – takes off headphones): “Pardon me?”
You: “I said; cold out today!”
Me: “Uhhh, yeah, it is.” (puts headphones back on).
You: “Yeppers, gonna snow this weekend”
Me (takes headphones off again): “I’m sorry, what?”
You: “Think its gonna snow this weekend!”
Me: …considers pouring steaming hot coffee down my own pants just distract myself from the urge to karate chop you in the trachea…..
So, at the risk of sounding antisocial and rude; if you are in an elevator with somebody who is CLEARLY listening to music with headphones on – please resist the urge to make idle chit-chat as it is fucking annoying when a guy is trying to have a few minutes of relaxing music before talking to people like you for the entire day about stupid shit like the how cold it is, or if it’s going to snow! —Unless My Hair is On Fire and I Haven’t Noticed – STFU!!
This article appears in Jan 12-18, 2012.
Your sense of entitlement is ridiculous – do you think people are mind readers, OP? And why the fuck should they stop their chit chat because IT ANNOYS YOU??? What are fucking spoiled knob you are, OP.
People are being kind and speaking to you ……… Prick, why do you want to travel through life in a bubble with the rest of the world tuned out?
I speak to people in my path/elevator/on the shitter/ whatever and do not notice they have headphones on until they take them out………… geezuz
Oooh! This could be a fun game:
Me: “Turn your fucking iPod down, I can hear your Balinese gangstah rap from down the hall, fuck!”
You: (seeing my gums flapping in your direction – takes off headphones): “Pardon me?”
Me: “I said; cold out today!”
You: “Uhhh, yeah, it is.” (puts headphones back on).
Me: “Yeppers, you sure look like a real douche with those big ole headphones on.”
You: (takes headphones off again): “I’m sorry, what?”
Me: “Think its gonna snow this weekend!”
You: “Oh, umm, yeah, I think so.” (puts headphones back on).
Me: “I had sex with your mother last night. Boy, she’s really into the rough stuff eh? I may not walk right for a week.”
You: (takes headphones off again): “What?”
Me: “I said it might get kind of rough out there. It may make walking a little tricky”
You: “Uh-huh” (puts headphones back on)
Me using every ounce of will power to try and not burst out laughing. 😛
Elevator door opens, see this….
http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/2420/to…
Thanks for the belly laugh, Avasto – always nice to know I can use my nose as a coffee sprinkler.
Maybe it would help if you wore dark glasses and sported a white cane…?
Just smile and nod, ffs and don’t pull out the ear pods. The person uttering the banalities is merely acknowledging the presence of another human being. That would be you.
Maybe you should ease your way into a day of dealing with the public with this minimal courtesy instead of all at once when the elevator doors open. Douche.
Don’t you have to take your headphones off when you get off of the elevator anyway? Is that extra minute of music THAT important to you?
What a trivial thing to waste your time/energy bitching about. Find a new problem, OP.
Vastie’s idea made me think of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1leDAwjtto
I’m with you OB. Nothing more lame than inane conversations when all you want to do is enjoy your happy place for a few minutes before getting down to your job.
I think most polite people would take the hint when presented with someone wearing headphones: no conversation. I mean. Come on. This is even a stretch for the peanut gallery to find fault with, no?
zillah, that’s classic!
lol Glad you enjoyed your ‘coffee nose shower’ TTFN lol. Sorry about any damage that may have caused, not to mention a waste of good coffee. 😉
I’ll have to wait to watch your link, Ivan. Youtube no work on this puter that I’m presently using.
do you grant the same courtesy with panhandlers?
look, you can’t control the other morons and douche bags out there…
but you can control your own actions by completely ignoring the jibber-jabber-er and going about your day like they’re dead to you.
don’t pretend to be courteous when it’s going to annoy the piss outta you…
just stone wall em out.
And I gotta say, I think that this is what’s wrong with our society these days. Basic human interaction is truly suffering. People are so busy, so wrapped up, so engrossed in their own lives that we’ve started losing respect for one another. I mean, you call a business, you get an automated directory/phone operator. You call an associate at work, you get voicemail or everything is done via email. You go to the bank, you use an ATM. People everywhere have their heads buried in their smart phones, texting away. etc, etc. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not against any of this stuff. All of these things have increased speed, efficiency, security, accuracy and convenience to unprecedented levels and I use them all. But at the same time, there is something to be said for some basic human interaction, too. (like what this person was doing in the elevator) I for one, rather like when a complete stranger says good morning to me, or asks me how I’m doing, (even if they don’t really care). Some of the best, most interesting, funniest conversations I’ve had in my life have been completely random and spontaneous, all because someone, or even myself, took a chance and spoke to a stranger.
Am I saying not to enjoy your quiet time or your music? Hell no. By all means, OB, cherish those moments. Lord knows they don’t happen often enough. At the same time, don’t shit all over someone for just saying Hi or making small talk. It’s not the same as dealing with the public all day, like you do in your job. Take a minute and engage them back. It can be just as relaxing. Lord knows it doesn’t happen often enough either.
Hahaha Avasto, i think you may be onto something there. 🙂
you’re a good man charlie brown vastie^^happy friday the 13th http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YMOXQUoxk08/TGWR…
Talk to your lonely old neighbor. You never know when you’ll need to borrow a cup of sugar
Thanks, PG! And the same to you!
http://images.icanhascheezburger.com/compl…
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ljc4f6EM…
http://amyletinsky.files.wordpress.com/200…
AVASTO, still laughing at that nicely done….
As for the OB add you to the Douche Pile.
Cheesus, vastie — I’m oddly attracted to the guy in the first pic, even though he looks kinda creepy at the same time.
Shit, I hope I’m not developing a ‘creepy man’ fetish. :|
In any event, I think you are kind of an asshole, OB. Someone is being friendly and you’re shitting all over it. I listen to my ipod all the time, but I always pause it when I go into elevators with others or get on the bus, or if it looks like someone’s about to strike up a conversation with me. I don’t want to hurt their feelings by being a rude asshole.
Is that 30 seconds of music really THAT important that you have to come on here and bitch about someone being friendly?
I’ve heard it all now.
i think it’s too late for you miss kitty, what with the stephen lust^^
Sooo, you’d rather listen to one of your songs for the 127th time, than acknowledge another persons presence?
I’m with you, OP. Some folks deal with stressful/shitty situations both at work and at home, and the only relaxing time they get happens between these two places. Sometimes a bus, an iPod and some Miles Davis is exactly what I need to deal with a shitty day/week/month.
I agree, it’s a little irritating when you clearly have headphones on and someone tries to talk to you about something dumb. I need to listen with headphones for some work I do and people will still strike up a painful conversation with me at my desk, while I’m trying to work. But OP, you work in a hospital where someone might have a mental illness. I find some mental illnesses make it impossible for someone to stop talking, but they clearly enjoy talking to random people so just deal with it. There used to be a mentally ill person in the building I used to live in who would always talk about the god damn weather but I just went with it. Talking seemed to make him happy.
One day someone might be telling you to move as a car is coming at you. That might be the day you chose to be rude and not take the moment to lower your ear plug. People are just attempting to be nice to you.
Ahh dictophone, Mel?
Robyn wins The Coastie this week for the category of Most Far-fetched Scenario Extrapolated from a Non-regulars Bitch. To quote Sally Field: “You like me, you really like me!”
Display it with pride.
Who says you have to respond?
I’ll remember that when I read about you being shanked in the papers…vastie.
when it comes to people, less is best.
“Sooo, you’d rather listen to one of your songs for the 127th time, than acknowledge another persons presence?”
Depending on the song and the person, that is often the preferable option, Skipper
http://www.japanfocus.org/data/Hownaturesa…
Well Col. you’re right… but only because you outrank me.
Gotta love the Far Side!
Not necessarily. Naval Captain is the equivalent rank of full Colonel. >; )
Roger that on the Larson.
“Ahh dictophone, Mel?”
Noooo PK, she’s single now. They’re phoning her. >; )
Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk
FFS zZz, we’re talking about saying hi to someone on the elevator, not walking through Compton, L.A. trying to make friends with all the guys with the blue bandanas or some shit. Fuck, I’m not some countrified yokel. “Uh-yuh! Gawrsh! Are you all from the city? Can I be yer frey-und?” You be smart about it.
C’mon man. Contrary to what you may think or feel, not everyone is out to get you.
I’ve been all over this world and talked to hundreds of people from dozens of different cultures and no one has tried to shank me yet.
Jesus zZz….brood much? But whatever, man. Draw your curtains a little tighter and try not to get the black nail polish on the sofa.
He lives in Fairview, vastie — you’d be paranoid about getting shanked too if you lived there. That type of paranoia stays with you wherever you go, man. 😛
Oooh remember the Fresh Prince episode where Carleton goes to live in Compton? Well in the syndicated episodes they had to bleep out the word “compton” and put a voice over of “comptown” or something. I guess compton doesn’t want to be known as a ghetto hood…. or something?
Aren’t ya excited zZz? In just over a month the international motorcycle show will be in town! Are you going to go? I got my ticket bought and I for one, can’t wait to go…and I don’t even own a motorcycle! (…..yet)
I’ll make you a deal…you show up and smile, just once, and I won’t engage in random conversation with strangers, (bike dealers and presenters excluded) I’ll even give you my t-shirt I got when I bought my ticket. Never worn. Whaddaya say?
Call it a primer for the upcoming riding season, when you can get that Honda of yours back on the road and go screaming down the highway.
Jeez, Vastie. You’re batting .1000 on this thread.
Great work!
Heard you were shanked.
Get well soon.
Your friend,
Wpaul
Shanks very much, Wpaul. I’m feeling much better now. It only pierced my top layer of bodyfat. A quick value meal from Rotten Ronnies should have everything back to pre-shank condition in no time. I tried to say Hi to the lady in the drive thru window but, I guess she had the volume on her intercom headset turned up cuz, she didn’t acknowledge me. I threw my drink at her and peeled out. 😛
“I threw my drink at her and peeled out.”
Way to waste some perfectly good soda, vastie. *shakes head*
just keep headphones on, and say in a thick funny accent,” me know speaks da englash”.
Legit bitch. Headphones isn’t sign language or Greek for, “I’d be delighted to have a conversation with you.”
However, there is no such thing as a karate chop, OB. There are the ‘shuto’ knife edge strike and the opposite is the ridge-hand.
That was superb, avast!!!
lol did you really get stabbed avast? That’s no fun.
I say it’s just as rude to chat a strangers ear off when they are exhibiting signs that they don’t want to talk as it is to exhibit said signs. Sometimes people aren’t in the mood for convo and people should take a hint. I know they don’t mean anything by it but not everyone feels the need to fill every moment of the day with incessant chatter!! I can see both sides though.
The movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles (one of my faves, I love the old Steve Martin) comes to mind:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7koduZSD9A
RIP John Candy
I rememer this PK,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrhHqTv_kvA
I’d take 30 seconds of The Dead Kennedy’s screaming ‘Too Drunk to Fuck’ anytime over 30 seconds of inane babble. Rock On OP!!!
Planes Trains and Automobiles was my all time favorite movie as a kid and I still LOVE IT, Thomas!
Let’s get together and watch it sometime — I have the DVD 🙂
Also: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USb-XNYqjZk
lolz.
LOL “I’m goin ta go out and get me some of those douche marks!”
Op, so you walk an bicycle with a set of headphones that make it impossible to hear someone a few feet away?
That sounds dangerous.
You’re clearly an asshole. Why not just flat-out ignore people’s attempts at kindness? This overly-nice routine of taking your headphones off and pretending you give a shit is passive aggressive and depicts a level of courtesy you don’t actually possess.
Dillhole..
Plus OP, did it ever occur to you that some nice person might be saying “Uh.. excuse me.. your fly is open?” or “you dropped your phone” or “want to have a drink with me tonight?”
Walking past the library this morning some skell gargled at me “Hey man, got the time” He then grunted like silverback watching Dianne Fossey porn. Then he whistled at me. No ear buds, no ipod – just the straight-up passive aggressive joy of ignoring a scumbag. It felt good.
I’m kind of “on the fence” on this one. Headphones are an example of people cutting off the world and living in their own space. The basic desocialization of our world which seems to be increasing with technology. However,when I go to the gym, I often have headphones on because good music increases the adrenaline and helps me get in to my workout. Doesn’t stop people from coming up and talking to you which is mildly annoying.
I understand what Avasto is saying and I agree with him in principle. It’s just when I have my tunes on, I don’t want to be interrupted.
Speaking of crows..
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-buzz/…
LOLz – Painey posted that clip the other day Javelina-Trood. Pretty amazing stuff. I love sitting on my balcony in the summer watching the flock that live about the dacha. Must be a male crow – expending effort on pure enjoyment. If it was seeking out gaudy and ornate baubles to decorate it’s feet, and pecking the eyes out of anything in it’s way – I’d feel comfortable calling it a girl. >; )
Yeah, you’re probably right Ivan. lol
BTW, anyone heading outside tomorrow, keep your eyes peeled for falling Russian spacecraft. Wouldn’t want any bitchers squished by a failed Mars probe.
Good point Trood. And, citizens – talk to your dog about the Soviet Space Program, before a Soviet does.
http://static.themetapicture.com/media/fun…
Ivan no comprende, senor.
Oh they’d talk a good line about Hero of this, and ShockWorker of that and dangle the prospect of a Lada, a dacha, unlimited beet flavoured chew toys and the chance to appear on a podium with these humps:
http://www.corbisimages.com/images/Corbis-…
but it’s all a con. >: (
I agree, I need that bit of “me time” before work, or after, or for that matter, whenever the fuck I want, it doesn’t make me inconsiderate, spoiled, antisocial, rude…sometimes I will just put my headphones on without listening to music at all! Just to let people know “I can’t hear you/I don’t want to chit-chat…” especially if I have to take the bus, ugh, sometimes you just need to wind down after work…
I have noise cancelling headphones, I like to put them on without music when I am on the bus. It makes the ambient noise better than my car(without headphones).
Hey Coasters, lets play some alternate scenarios here and see what you think: we’ll unplug the ipod and ditch the earplugs.
Now…
OB is in a library making notes from a book. Yes or no to the OB complaining about some yokel starting up a conversation about the weather?
or
OB is on the bus engrossed in the latest book about vampires. Yes or no to the OB complaining about some yokel starting up a conversation about the price of eggs?
you make good points cranky, but please don’t call me a coaster. it’s like calling me a trekker instead of trekie, bitch please. in any of these situations, it’s best to say something like “i’m sorry, i feel really stabby today. please leave me alone”
Scenario 1 is not valid as there are rules about striking up conversations in a library setting. Not so on an elevator.
As for scenario 2, personally, I find a random discussion with some stranger on the bus about the latest flucuations in the egg commodities to be a fuck-load more interesting and engaging then reading the lastest installment from the Twilight series. Pffft…fuck sparkly vampires!
Have you been to a library lately? Uni or public, they’re hangouts for people putting off getting their pre-drink on.
PG, sorry about that. I thought Trekkie was derogatory and TrekKER was the accepted title amongst ‘those kind’, beam me outta here.
i’m just messing around crankster, i really don’t give a shit. i haven’t been to a library in a long time, last time would’ve been to get dinosaur books and pingu videos
Avast, I will likely find myself at the show Saturday…
though with no prior show to go off of, I’m not sure what it’s going to be like.
I picture it similar to the tattoo convention where there’s just booths everywhere for all the vendors…. it does look to be a decent lineup of sellers though.
I’m a coaster? I hope people don’t start setting their drinks on me.
I’m not sure if this is the same show that was held at the Exhibition Grounds or if it’s a completely different entity. The one at the grounds was alright. Nothing spectacular by any stretch. (I think they had more camper trailers on display than bikes) and some of the vendors didn’t seem to fit the theme, but, meh.
I’m hoping where they’re touting this one as being ‘International’, that there will be a better calibre of presenters/vendors. We’ll see.
feb 19th, mark that day on your calendar, bitches