So far, the new flat has been wonderful when it comes to noise. Aside from the time the dude upstairs played something widdly for four hours (prompting Ink to pay a visit – whereupon the culprit opened the door to his dark flat bleary-eyed and wearing his jammies) we’ve been pretty lucky.
This hasn’t always been the case when it comes to my living arrangements – man, I’ve been in some bad places for noise – but it’s a welcome development. So welcome, the peace at home is showing me just how much my colleagues are annoying me during the day.
An old pic of me looking grumpy
I know it’s not fair to be pissed off at people for speaking, or even, god forbid, laughing, in the workplace, but what do my clenched back muscles and screwed up eyes care about fair? I want them to shut up, and to do it quickly, because I’ve got three new stories and four pages to write before the end of the day and I’m never going to manage it if they DON’T SHUT THEIR DAMN FACES.
Most of the time I wear headphones, and that works out fine for us all. But sometimes, they just don’t have the power to cut out all of the office chatter. I think the only solution is for me to work from home, does that sound good to everyone?
PS. I feel really guilty about the negative way I keep reacting to laughter, tell me I’m not alone?
Lynsey May 
You’re not alone. I heard some toffy English woman laugh really loudly and carefree-ey on the train today, and it was the most annoying thing I’ve heard in ages.
God, I used to have serious concentration problems in that office. Especially with Him.
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Seriously, laughing is meant to be an expression of joy – how can it be so annoying Dave? I don’t get it.
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Surely you don’t include self-proclaimed office DJs in this? Those were the days…
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Oh I do, I really do!
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I completely agree, offices are inappropriate for work. I always wear headphones. My biggest annoyance is people who send you an email and then walk over and ask you did you get that email I just sent you and try to have some pointless conversation with you there and then. Or you email someone and they ask for your phone number to call you back. Again, if it can be sumarised in an email, piss off.
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Oh man, I really hate that too. Also the ‘send an email then call two minutes later to elaborate’ trick. Headphones are a wonderful thing, and offices should be much, much smaller!
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Some people just have annoying laughs. I feel bad for the same reason you do; expression of joy, etc. but then I think why should they be so happy when I’m so bloody angry?
If I’m in a REALLY grumpy *trying to concentrate* mood, and someone dares to eat an apple in my presence, I physically have to restrain myself from punching them in the face. Same goes for crisps.
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Some people do honestly chew in a very in-your-face kind of way, it has to be said. And i can deal with that in some contexts, not at my desk though.
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