Public Washroom Etiquette (aka... uncommon courtesy)

OK, those of you who know me, know that public (or shared work environment) washroom behaviours are a source of some frustration and disgust for me. Today’s rant shouldn’t surprise you in the least.

What the hell is wrong with some people????????

I don’t care what the hell you do at home in terms of personal hygiene or “water conservation” or just sharing the joy, but PLEASE grant me my illusions at work?

Example: I just made a trip to answer the call of nature… when I walked in, there was a woman at the sink brushing her teeth. Good sign, I figure… good oral hygiene is always good. So I park myself in a stall and she goes into the one beside me. Problem #1… 5 stalls available and she uses the one beside me? But I can overlook that if I try hard enough. Problem #2… the stall she’s chosen in the handicapped one. Ok, so there’s nobody on the floor generally who NEEDS it, but c’mon… she’s perfectly able-bodied, petite… there’s no need for it. Leave the damn thing free in case there’s actually someone on the floor for a meeting who DOES need it!

She does her thing… walks out of the stall, grabs her toothbrush & toothpaste, and leaves. Problem #3… she didn’t flush. That’s just gross… who wants to walk into a stall and be confronted with that? *spew* Problem #4… she didn’t wash her hands. This is a biggie for me… skeeves me every time *shudder* Problem #5… she used the handicapped button (power assist) to open the door to leave… exposing the people who have to work outside the washroom to the joy of whatever sounds or odours may be eminating from it at any point (not in this particular instance, but still… a little courtesy) AND exposing those in the washroom to the knowledge that people can hear whatever they may be doing (and some people are shy and would rather not admit they ever have to eliminate waste products of any kind) for however long it takes for both doors to close. Plus, it’s a waste of power. Plus it’s wear and tear on the opener making it that much more likely that it won’t work when someone NEEDS it to (bad enough that the doors from the elevator lobby into our work area are automatic doors… you swipe your pass and the door opens… why this is the case on our floor but not other floors in the building with any consistency, I will never understand)

5 of my top public washroom peeves and they were all done by the same person on one trip!!!! Gah!

What????! Two posts in two days??!

Yes, I am feeling alright, but thanks for asking ;)

As I was sitting in someone's office this morning, I saw something posted on the wall that grabbed my attention and refused to let go. Since I tend towards the shorter end of the attention span ratings, that's pretty impressive *laugh* And now for startling revelation time... I had never before today read Desiderata. I had heard of it, but I had never read it. Funny, though, since I try to live it, it seems. For all that I tend to come across as cynical and jaded... for all that I rant and rave (to vent frustrations so they don't fester)... for the most part, this prose poem (if such a term exists) speaks of my philosophy of life.

If you've never read it before either, you can find it here

And on a completely different subject (I did mention the short attention span, right?)... anyone out there a psych grad/major? Back in first year psych I took part in a hypnosis experiment (an extra credit thing)... I ended up in their "control group" because they determined that I'm "not a candidate for hypnosis". And ever since I've wondered why. What part of my personality or physiology makes me a bad candidate for hypnosis? Is it the short attention span? How easily distracted I am? That I tend to be reluctant to completely surrender control? Trust issues? *laugh* Very little has driven me quite to crazy as wondering why I can't be dragged up on stage and humiliated *laugh* Or the other applications of hypnosis other than stage mesmerism, either ;)

That's it for today folks.... play safe!

Wow I suck at this!

So.. an online conversation today made me realize that I haven't written anything here in 2 months. Which has reminded me, yet again, that I really suck at blogging... and journalling. I have a journal at home that I started for a particular journey in my life that's been going on for the last few months (ok... I started it in September), and I haven't written in the darn thing since November, I think... although the journey continues.

Why is it that some people are able to blog about anything and everything on a regular basis, and others of us find it so challenging?

It's certainly not that I have nothing to say... those who know me know that there's little that could be further from the truth ;) Maybe it's a time thing... there's always something that seems more important. Maybe it's just that I haven't had nearly enough in the past two months to rant about (no, wait... that's not right either....). Maybe it's just that I suck *laugh*

Or could it be that I have a niggling fear that the people who haunt me taking great joy in my misfortunes or lack of photogenicness (I married an English major... I have the right by marriage to make up words ;) ) will stumble across this tiny little corner of the blogosphere and report back every little thing they can think of poking fun at. Considering how hard I try to be a good person and keep things diplomatic in places where my particular sense of humour doesn't carry well, it's amazing to me how many people really don't like me *laugh* Of course, some of that I find highly amusing (like the people who cling to things for years and won't let go... how sad is your life that you can't move on from some imagined sleight 2, 4, 8, 10 years ago? Some things are more important. Really.)

So... let's see the highlights....

D and I are going on an Alaskan cruise in a few months. It's been on our list of things we really want to do since before we were married, and since this will be our 5th anniversary year (yup, we're going to stretch it out for the full year 2008, even if the anniversary isn't 'til November!) we figured what better excuse to treat ourselves! I'm really looking forward to it!

I've recently reached one year in my current desk at work. I say it that way because I'm now on my 3rd team name, and second job description in that year. Not by choice. Stupid re-orgs. I'm now doing nothing remotely like what I left IT to do, but life goes on.

I'll mark 10 years with the company in April... right now that's my goal to shoot for *laugh* Once I pass 10 years all bets are off and if I get too peeved I might just up stakes and move on. Who am I kidding? I'll be here 'til I die... or 'til we win the lottery. I'm thinking the odds are better of the first *laugh*

Yup.. pretty dull year so far... you haven't missed much by me not writing ;) But I'll try to write more often in case there's anyone actually reading this thing.