to want the window closed

[Arabesque1]

The woman I share an office with has had the window open since 9 o'clock this morning and it's freezing . I asked at lunch time if we could close it and she agreed with a bit of a face .

Came back from a meeting a while ago and she had bloody opened it again. WIBU to slam it closed with a big annoyed sigh?

And if you had asked me to shut it, I would definitely open it again while you were away, not to be nasty but because I would have been suffering all that time and I would need the fresh air.

My mother is getting a lot of airing on MN today... my mother told me a little story about two old ladies on a bus who were arguing. The conductor came along to see what the problem was (see, this is a long time ago, they had conductors). One of the old women said that if the window was not opened immediately she would suffocate. The other said that if the window was opened she would freeze to death. The conductor suggested opening it half way but the women would have none of it. At this point a man behind them leaned forward and said "May I suggest that you open the window until one of them freezes, and then shut it again until the other one suffocates, and then we may get some peace".

Bring a really woolly hat to work?

Annie!

that's great.

Just wanted to day you can still have periods/cramps and be menopausal I should know!

And I would suggest some thermal underwear, because it is likely to only get worse. Is there actually heating in your office then?

Shared office space will always bring up crap. Find a way of getting around the irritation so that you two can be more accommodating of each others different preferences.

Arnie!!!!

I feel your pain OP.

We had a similar problem in our office.
One of our colleagues NEEDS the big side opening window open (which they are sat next to) because they are too hot. They also turn off the radiator that they are sat next to.
However, when they turn the radiator off the radiators after that point don't heat up, meaning freezing cold office.
One person happy, none people not happy.
In the end management insisted that she does not turn the radiator down. She may either open the smaller window by her or use the fan that she has been supplied with.
Nine happy people, one satisfied person.

I'm sorry, it's just that the situation here reminded me of the story. I don't think the OP is behaving nearly as badly as Mrs Open-Window and does not deserve to be frozen. Whether Mrs Open deserves to be suffocated is another matter. Just a little bit, perhaps.

We have this fun in our office all winter. Its great entertainment.

Our office regularly is 22 degrees and people start to fall asleep (literally). Unfortunately the people near the window do very little movement all day and like windows shut. Those further away are in and out and more mobile around building and therefore notice the stuffiness of it and the heat. They open the window.

It gets opened and shut on and off all day every day in winter. Hilarious.

I think it is easier to put clothes on (fleece, thermals) than cool off if the temp is 22 degrees, therefore in our office the decision has been made that window open takes priority - fresh air helps prevent all the germs spreading and certainly makes people stop falling asleep.

Is there some kind of universal rule that where two or three are gathered together, the one who prefers warmth will be placed nearest to the window?

I agree Anniegetyoubum. It is madness that in our office the young fresh things who sweat less and are not menapausal are placed near the window. Us oldies are in the middle sweating nicely.

Mad.

This would drive me mad. I have worked in offices where my lips and fingers have literally gone blue. Even with the windows closed.

Try working in air conditioning. The fun really starts then!

Maybe she farts in a silent but deadly manner?

I worked in a hideous glass box in the city where none of these glass walls had any real windows (suicide risks? seriously.) so all was recycled air conditioning. Everyone was permanently ill and either baking in the sun or freezing. It took around a day for a change in thermostat to kick in. It was not fun and maybe is why I'm so pro windows

I work in a warm office but people who get cold can put a jacket on - if you are hot all the time there isn't much you can do.

Similar problem where I work but it's the air con that's the issue. Two people are too warm within minutes of arriving at work so put the air con on. The other 4 sit there freezing until it becomes unbearable then turn it off again. I'm surprised it's not broken yet the amount of times it gets switched on and off each day! I go to work each day in jeans, vest, t shirt and sweater/cardie, surely that's not a normal amount of indoor clothing.

Snap Loobylou, I wear that many layers to work now I'm forever dressing/undressing - down to leggings under my trousers

I'm really not that fussy as long as I know what to dress for, but at the moment a good 80% of the 25+ women in our open plan, crappily air-conditioned (i.e boiling or freezing are the only settings) seem to be simultaneously hitting the menopause and I have to say, coupled with the major mood swings my patience is pretty much non-existent. I'm not really sure why I'm spending half the day stripping off or putting a cardigan on when I'm not the one with a temperature problem

OP maybe getting a thermometer is a good idea, if you could get her to agree to shutting the window when it gets to 19 or something and she can open it again at 21 at least it dampens the 'who's winning' atmosphere.

Although personally I'd be secretly trialing it to check the agreed temperatures were within my comfort zone!

I'm a migraine sufferer. One of the main triggers for me is smells. Perfume, fabric conditioner, loads of bloody stupid stuff like that.

I sit near a window and do like to have it open, even if I have to wear a coat so don't have to smell anything that will set me off. It is shit, and I will close it if asked. In fact I do say sorry folks I need air, let me know when you start to feel cold. Them I shut it. Without fuss.

But we do also have a v v cold sensitive type next to a window. She had fought to keep her window seat despite having been through 3 office reshuffles. She spend half her time moaning she's cold, other half on the phone to the caretaker trying to get him to turn the heating up.

I can't understand how anyone can possibly want open windows in this weather-it was 2 degrees here this morning!

Who is closest to the window?

I used to sit next to a window and a couple of people who sat very far away were too hot and always wanted the window open, I used to open it unless I was already wearing my thick wooly cardy that I kept at work for exactly this reason.

They'd get quite moody sometimes when I wouldnt open the window but I was determined that I was most affected by the freezing cold wind that I should have the final say.

Nearly every office has air con and idiots need to understand they should just use that rather than have people opening and closing the windows all the time and other people constantly adjusting the air con/ heating to compensate.

I wanted to swap away from the window, but the hot and sweaty hairy man objected to this because anyone entering the room would be able to see his computer screen

So I froze while he shopped for a Russian bride. No joke.

Exactly the same reason no1 would swap with me, although prob just on fb rather than bride shopping!

I get very territorial over MY window!!