JOEL DAVID NewsOK.com Blogging Community

Here’s a tip for people I work with. This applies to people in general as well, but for now let’s stick with co-workers. If I’m in the office or on the elevator, if I have headphones on I can’t hear you so don’t try to talk to me. Please. I make this  plea because people talking to me while I’m wearing headphones happens on a regular basis. It’s never some life altering tidbit or information relayed to me. When I remove my headphones I have to answer one of the three following questions, or some variation, almost every time. These are …

1) What are you listening to? 

Anything that drowns out the dull conversation you’re about to start with me. Your kid did something weird or your boss is out to get you? Don’t care. The age difference between myself and everyone in my office is stunning. I am younger by at least 15 years than everyone I work with. It’s grating. It’s how I imagine a teacher feels hanging out with kids all day only instead of small children I get the pleasure of working with people whom I have nothing in common with because they are much older than I am. Also, I’m single, have no children and don’t want to work here forever which is a mind baffling prospect for most people I work with. “This is the best job ever! You’d be a fool to let this job that’s slowly killing your soul go.” Are people of the older generation perplexed by ambition or headphones? Perhaps it equal parts both.

2) Is it Friday yet? 

No. Also, I’m aware it’s “Another day, another dollar.”, you’re headed back to the salt mines and also that it’s 5 o’clock somewhere. Enough of the banality that is 99% of the conversation I endure at my job. Headphones help so much with that.

3) How badly do you want to punch me in my face right now?

Ok, that last one isn’t real buy it’s one I’d gladly answer. The answer? Badly. I cannot think of a more obvious reason to not start a conversation with someone than the one sense needed is clearly being used to listen to music as evident by the giant headphones and iPod. I don’t walk in front of someone watching a movie and say “What’re you watching?” because it would be rude and foolish. I understand being courteous but it goes both ways. Sure I could stop listening to the Beastie Boys or White Stripes to engage in a conversation on par with what I imagine fornicating cats trapped in a burlap sack might sound like, but why do that to myself? It’s bad enough I’m here, let’s not make it worse by a conversation about how management is out to get you and the union sucks and you think you’re gonna get laid off and blah blah blickety blah. No one wants to hear it.

Especially the guy with the headphones on.

RIGHT NOW

SONG - Electric Worm by The Beastie Boys from the album The Mix Up - It makes me want to walk in slow motion through 70’s Harlem dressed like a pimp. That can be said of a lot of things though.

MOVIE - The Last Starfighter - If you haven’t seen this movie at least 100 time than you probably spent your life reading books or meeting girls. Sucker.

BEST BLOG YOU SHOULD BE READING ASIDE FROM THIS ONE ONLY BETTER Let’s say you’re looking for a funny, and locally relevant blog. Let’s say you like mine but don’t like the inconsistency with which I post. This is a result of my either not having the time because I have two jobs or the fact no one reads this thing but me and whomever accidentally finds it. If you want funny and smart on a consistent basis, go to www.thelostogle.com  . This is the funniest thing I’ve read in a long time. Despite having been asked numerous times if I either write for it or help out with it, sadly, I do not. This isn’t because I wouldn’t want to, seeing as how their views on things fall in line with what I think, it’s simply because I haven’t been asked. The second I’m asked to contribute I will. Thought I’d throw that out there.  

- Joel

www.myspace.com/joeldavidd