Your annoying co-worker

[pikachu]

lol, AZChristian! Maybe that is why she doesn't want to get out in the elements.

I'm about to go on a walk for my morning break. I looked outside and it's not raining at the moment.

I guess my kitties will be happy I had a change of plans. I was going to have to skip going home to see them at lunchtime as I usually do but since our lunch got cancelled, I'll be having lunch with them after all! My kitties are much better company than my co-workers anyway.

BTW, this co-worker who has issues with going to lunch in the rain is the same co-worker I complained about upstream for wanting to order folders with a different cut. She's rather obsessive/compulsive.

[AcookerTV]

I have started doing a new exercise for my own sanity which may be applicable to your co-worker pikachu. Each time I encounter one of those people who does something to really annoy me - the kind that make me think "now why on earth would she do that?" I try to answer the question. For example, I saw a woman with a can of soda in church, and wondered why on earth she couldn't go an hour without something to drink. So I made up an answer - she's just getting over a sore throat, and could go into a hacking cough fit without it. It doens't matter if it's true or not - it gave me a reason to understand why it might be, and be a little more compassionate with her. Maybe if you start doing that with all your co-workers annoying habits, it will at least alleviate the negative feelings you have towards her and make having to work around her more tolerable.

[pikachu]

I guess I'm just not the compassionate type. I understand why this one co-worker might have the hang-ups she does but I don't understand why everyone else should suffer for her whims. I would never be so selfish as to tell the whole office to reschedule lunch in the boss's honor because of a few raindrops. I think we at least should have had an office meeting to discuss it and decide what to do instead of basically having one person dictate to everyone else what we should do.

If my co-worker had a legitimate reason for wanting to do lunch another day, I would be more understanding.

That's just me, though. I'm more rational/logical than sympathetic/compassionate.

And I'm not afraid to speak my mind, unlike my other co-workers who agreed with me but didn't want to rock the boat.

[echo226]

I guess I'm just not the compassionate type. I understand why this one co-worker might have the hang-ups she does but I don't understand why everyone else should suffer for her whims. I would never be so selfish as to tell the whole office to reschedule lunch in the boss's honor because of a few raindrops. I think we at least should have had an office meeting to discuss it and decide what to do instead of basically having one person dictate to everyone else what we should do.

If my co-worker had a legitimate reason for wanting to do lunch another day, I would be more understanding.

That's just me, though. I'm more rational/logical than sympathetic/compassionate.

And I'm not afraid to speak my mind, unlike my other co-workers who agreed with me but didn't want to rock the boat.

Your co-worker sounds like she has anxiety about going out ... maybe DRIVING in the rain ... especially if she is not the driver and not in control.

I remember Oprah doing a show about panic attacks and she admitted that she had panic attacks going into a Supermarket. That is hard to figure our. Being afraid in a vehicle in the rain is somewhat understandable ... but what would cause a panic attack in a Supermarket?

Instead of getting yourself upset ... you may want to ask her what the rain phobia is about.
People with no fears or phobias have a hard time understanding. Example ..there are people who are afraid of dogs ... any dogs... period. We have a bunch of animal lovers on this board some of whom might have a hard time understanding that.

So, somewhere there is a logical/rational reason/explanation. Also, it seems the rain avoidance has become the "norm" in your office, so someone knows something!

[Miss Scarlet]

pik - Think about it this way. Maybe she knows that witches melt when they get wet. (Wizard of Oz reference)

When I read the original post all I could think of was: "I'm MELLLLLLTTTIIIIIIIIIIINNG!" Knowing me & my smart mouth attitude, I probably would say that to the co-worker.

[AcookerTV]

I agree with Echo - compassion and logic don't have to be conflicting principles. Honestly, that's part of the reason that I started doing the "answer the question" exercise for myself. I needed a logical explanation, and it helps me - whether it is true or not. To not do it I realized is bringing truth to the old adage about drinking poison and expecting the other person to get sick.

[beerbelly]

My annoying co-worker cannot stop talking. We had good news on a candidate and instead of b1eng happy for her team-mate she asked me 1f 1 had heard anything about hers. She 1s so childish. (my keyboard is not working so 1 am be1ng creative)

[Debb70]

There have been so many scheduling, rescheduling, cancellations, etc., in our office for birthday luncheons, that I can't even keep count. It happens at the last minute a lot. Most people aren't even consulted.(It is difficult for one hour to work out for so many people. I get that.) We find out as we are getting ready to walk out the door. It's unreal. I just attend when I can and don't when I can't. I don't make huge efforts to arrange my schedule anymore. I used to get annoyed and even offended at times, but I finally just gave up. It was too stressful and I decided that it wasn't that important to me.

I get your frustration Pikachu. That rain thing is common though. I know several who are very afraid to drive in rain. It's a mental thing, IMO.

[ClosetRTWatcher]

There have been so many scheduling, rescheduling, cancellations, etc., in our office for birthday luncheons, that I can't even keep count. It happens at the last minute a lot. Most people aren't even consulted.(It is difficult for one hour to work out for so many people. I get that.) We find out as we are getting ready to walk out the door. It's unreal. I just attend when I can and don't when I can't. I don't make huge efforts to arrange my schedule anymore. I used to get annoyed and even offended at times, but I finally just gave up. It was too stressful and I decided that it wasn't that important to me.

This whole concept of cancelling if one person can't make it is a bit baffling to me. Where I work it would be nearly impossible to find a time when everyone could make it to something optional like a lunch. Even with a group of just 5 or 6 can be difficult! The organizer just picks the time that works for the most people and whoever can make it comes. No one would ever be offended if a person couldn't make it!!

[PhoneGrrrl]

I nearly wrote a screed about the birthday lunch back in May. I was working a job that had a set 11:30 to 12:30 lunch time, with a set conference call at 1 p.m., giving me about 15 minutes of wiggle room. My former coworkers didn't have that set of a schedule, and though I'd explained it to them many times, they were PISSED that I couldn't make a 12:45 lunch (that was originally set for 11:30, but pushed). It got to the point where I was practically "Gaslighted" with all sorts of texts saying "are you okay?", "is someone hurt?", "is there something wrong?". Yeah, there was. I told them when I could go, I couldn't go due to my schedule, it was nothing personal. You can't get sushi in 0.30 seconds, not even at Whole Foods out of the deli container. It really irritated me because I thought they were my friends, or at least acquaintance plus, for better than 10 years. Long story short, I don't do work lunches except for strictly business purposes with clients.