Work Stuff

Four Weeks of More Work and More Stress

Karen

I like to think I get along with everyone – and I guess I do, on the surface. I try to get along with everyone, but I would be lying if I said I liked everyone I work with.

I do not. In fact, there is one person at work I pretty much despise. She is everything that I can’t stand in a person.

She’s loud.
Rude
Obnoxious
Callus
Ignorant
Clueless
Self-centered
Egotistical
A little crazy
Lacks empathy
Lacks a filter
Short-attention span
Turns conversations back to her – every – single – time
Insecure

She reacts instead of interacts.

Everything about this person grates on my every last nerve. Just breathing the same air as her make me want to punch something.

But here’s the kicker, I have to work with her. And she has a sense of humor, and she makes me laugh.

And I feel a bit sorry for her – her life is not perfect. She has made bad/difficult choices in her life and she’s living with those consequences now.

I grit my teeth and get along with her. What choice do I have? I try and see the good in her, I try to be patient with her. I try and set a good example when I’m around her by being patient with people, with trying to point out that patients are not black and white, that you have to read between the lines with people and sometimes it’s more about what they DON’T say rather than what DO say.

She will sometimes speak to me like I’m an idiot. Or beneath her. And believe it or not, I’m not a confrontational person – I tend to just let it slide off my back, but this chick? Not so much. We have been called into the office numerous times to air out our differences with our manager as witness because listen here, chicka, you’re not pulling that “I’m better than you” ‘tude with me. It’s not gonna happen. Those conversations have been awkward and have made this girl cry, but BUCK UP SISTER – it’s time to grow up.

It’s not easy burying my thoughts and quelling my words. There are days I have to literally walk away and take a breath because her harsh attitude makes me crazy. Her priorities are not right because when I’m at work, that is what my sole focus is, to do my job to the best of my ability. It’s not to make friends, it’s not to crack jokes and be funny, it’s not to put stuff on the back burner and constantly say, “I’ll get to it tomorrow.” It’s not to text friends and family even though I get there is family drama to sort out.

When you’re at work and you’re working with me, do your damn job.

Period.

End of discussion.

Can we have some laughs? Sure. That picture above is proof that I can be a nutcase with the best of them, but by the end of the day – is the job done?

But then this girl got some bad news, potentially life-changing news, and I felt like an asshole for disliking her so much. We still dislike each other, but I’m not cruel – I’ve listened as she vented and worried and I tried to offer her some solid advice.

Again, I’m not an asshole.

And I’ve prayed for her. This potentially life-changing news was borderline dangerous and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. Though I intensely dislike this girl, she’s a human being with responsibilities and she doesn’t deserve potentially life-changing circumstances.

We have a grudging respect for each other, (well, I think she does for me because I’m pretty much the only person who stands up to her and her bullying personality, I still can’t stand her), but we talk. Or rather, she talks and I listen, (I rarely tell anyone I work with much about my personal life – it’s my personal life, butt out). She’s young enough to be my daughter, but only just, and I suppose her immaturity and self-centered personality is something her generation has grown up with, but I am trying to “train” her, if you will, into seeing life from other perspectives – it’s not all about her. I know that’s shocking, and I think it’s been shocking to her, but I feel like I’m making progress, I guess.

She has gone to a few appointments and thank God, her news is not as bad as it was first made out to be. It’s something that can be fixed. I’m glad for her. I’m glad that she will have her surgery and it will work out to include her vacation so she will be out of the office for four weeks to recuperate. And I hope she comes back to work with a new attitude – though I’m not holding my breath.

Again, it’s someone I work closely with so her being gone will directly affect me and normally, I would be stressed out by this news. But you know what? All I feel is relief. It will be a breath of fresh air not to have to listen to her brash voice and deal with her piss-poor people skills. It will put more pressure and work on me, but I’m ready for it. In fact, I’m embracing it.

I would rather deal with more stress and more work than deal with this individual.

How sad is that?