Mapper71 Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 I have this coworker who was my manager for about 4 months when I first started and then she got moved to managing her own part of the dept because I guess people felt she couldn’t handle the duties of being a manager of 15 other people. A few of us moved to another building and we are now in close quarters with her. I am usually the only person here when she gets here so I always say hi to her. She’s pleasant enough, but she can’t just come through the door and say good morning and always has some random comment to make to me. This morning before the door barely shut after she came in she says “Good Morning. Did you have a nickname as a child?” That was so bizarre and caught me off guard. I was like “Um, not that I can recall”. Then she goes on to say how her kids had problems saying their S’s and then walked to her desk. She didn’t say what their nickname’s were or anything and just stopped the conversation. Then last month she asked as she came in the door “So did you enjoy that show that you saw in November?” I had seen the show 3 months prior and she had asked me about it several times right after I saw it and then she brings it up again…as she’s coming through the front door? Other times she’ll start talking to me about just personal stuff and go “Please, if you don’t mind me telling you this I’ll just say one thing and then let you get back to work”. Just tell me! You don’t have to apologize for telling me something before you even start talking! Or "Please, if you don't mind me asking, have you always been so quiet?" AWKWARD! Then yesterday I wasn't even a my desk when she came in and instead around the corner where she couldn't see me and she comes through the door and says "Good Morning Mapper" just assuming I was sitting there and not even looking to see if I was there or not! I am a little on edge every morning wondering what random thing she's going to ask me that day! Link to post Share on other sites
CautiouslyOptimistic Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 I think she sounds hilarious and quirky. I'd be looking forward to her coming to work to see what random question she was going to ask me. I have a friend like this. She is highly intelligent....and just super quirky. Several years ago when I met her now husband I told her I thought they made the perfect couple because he's just as quirky as she is. She said, "what?? You think I'm quirky??" 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Kamille Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 You're on edge because a co-worker will bring up random topics of conversation? Really? If I recall, you regularly post threads about your co-workers and their quirks. Are you bored at work? I have to wonder if you have some form of social anxiety that makes it so you're uncomfortable with humans doing what humans do best: being random. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Author Mapper71 Posted March 14, 2018 Author Share Posted March 14, 2018 You're on edge because a co-worker will bring up random topics of conversation? Really? If I recall, you regularly post threads about your co-workers and their quirks. Are you bored at work? I have to wonder if you have some form of social anxiety that makes it so you're uncomfortable with humans doing what humans do best: being random. No this is super random. Other coworkers mention the same things about her. I have never known anyone else I've worked with to come in and just ask some out of the blue question without barely even seeing if you're there or not! And the other coworker I mentioned before is the one who is a nonstop talker and has to add to the conversation whether people are talking to her or not. And yes, everyone else here knows just how much she talks and how annoying SHE can be. Every conversation has to turn to something about her. Even when my coworker got news at work that her father died unexpectedly and was screaming and crying, once Chatty Cathy found out what was going on, the first thing out of her mouth was "Yeah my mom died a few years ago after being in a nursing home. It was hard having to deal with seeing her go downhill". It all turned into something about her! Link to post Share on other sites
Kamille Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 (edited) No this is super random. Other coworkers mention the same things about her. I have never known anyone else I've worked with to come in and just ask some out of the blue question without barely even seeing if you're there or not! And the other coworker I mentioned before is the one who is a nonstop talker and has to add to the conversation whether people are talking to her or not. And yes, everyone else here knows just how much she talks and how annoying SHE can be. Every conversation has to turn to something about her. Even when my coworker got news at work that her father died unexpectedly and was screaming and crying, once Chatty Cathy found out what was going on, the first thing out of her mouth was "Yeah my mom died a few years ago after being in a nursing home. It was hard having to deal with seeing her go downhill". It all turned into something about her! Ok so what if she's chatty and random? She's chatty and random. That's her. You're allowed to think it's odd, you're allowed to dislike her or that side of her if you want. What's odd is that you say it puts you on edge. Beyond thinking it's odd behaviour, this has very little impact on you. There's no reason for it to put you on edge. Edited March 14, 2018 by Kamille Edited to add a sentence. 3 Link to post Share on other sites
MuddyFootprints Posted March 15, 2018 Share Posted March 15, 2018 I dunno, but at some point in the past 800 posts, I'd be reconsidering who the common denominator is in my problematic work and personal relationships. 4 Link to post Share on other sites
CautiouslyOptimistic Posted March 15, 2018 Share Posted March 15, 2018 Yesterday I got my hair cut. When I walked into the salon, it was empty except for the owner and my stylist, who were having a conversation. The very FIRST thing I was asked was totally random. "Hey, if you could know the EXACT day you were going to die, would you want to know?" It was a conversation starter, nothing more. I just don't get worked up about such things. I have a lot more in my life to actually get worked up about. OP, I've noticed from your threads that a lot seems to bother you in life. 4 Link to post Share on other sites
canadaman817 Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 I can definitely relate to this, I had a manger at my job last year who was friendly but didn't have a whole lot of control over his tongue. He lacked basic self-awareness, would turn every conversation into something about himself, go on 20-minute rants, and tell us random unnecessary things at awkward times. Eventually he needed to be called out for his constant interruptions of our workflow. If it distracts you or others from your work, is it possible you could speak to someone higher up about it, and mention it as an anonymous concern? It seems like it could be a legitimate concern to me if it is causing you anxiety or taking up work time. Link to post Share on other sites
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