Going to lose my nut. How do you deal with this?

[Coffeetree]

Happens all the time. Is it a woman thing? Where am I going wrong?

Family member/colleague/client: "Zomg stop what you're doing right now need to ask you something. Zomg now"

Me, gracefully setting a boundary: Just finishing something now but we could speak later today if you wish.

Them: Zomg no now now I'm just going to start asking anyway blah blah blah it'll take a sec.

Me, graciously giving them the benefit of the doubt: okay go ahead.

Them: Question

Me: Okay, that is a quick one. The answer is X

Them: The answer is X?

Me: The answer is X.

Them: yeah but I thought and are you sure and Facebook and my dad but yeah but what and yeah

Me, not at all graciously: That's my answer, bye.

Them: Why you gotta be so impatient and stuck-up like you have no time to talk to anyone.

Me: exploding

I get it at work a bit, with the annoying variant reply when I have answered of "yes, thought that was the answer". So why interrupt me then?
If working in the office have ability to work in quiet space or another desk to get out the way.

@godmum56

put this on your desk, job done

Zomg, that lemur really reminds me of someone. It'll come to me...

I've tried brief explanations but that doesn't help!

Me: You'll want to use the XYZ paintbrush.

Them: Zomg are you sure we don't use ABC paintbrush.

Me: Don't really have time to get into it right this moment but yes it's a regulatory requirement under XYZ regs.

Them: Zomg which regulations? I thought it was something else because I saw on a blog that sometimes blah blah.

Me: We can talk more later but yes I'm sure it's XYZ.

Them: Zomg yeah but

Me: locking myself in a cupboard like a mobile phone

@Coffeetree

Okay I just tried being more direct with my colleague. Exactly the above happened and I said while laughing, "I've just answered your question. If you want a different answer go try someone else".

and how did they respond?

@Keroppi

"Me: For those, we use the XYZ paintbrush.

Colleague : Are you sure?

Me: We use the XYZ paintbrush.

Colleague: I thought we used the ABC paintbrush. Does it matter which we use?

Me: Yes. We use the XYZ paintbrush

Colleague: Why are you so impatient and unapproachable? "

In this exchange I would imagine the colleague needs more information on paintbrushes and which paintbrush to use in what situation. "ABC is only used for red teapots. This teapot is blue, so we only use XYZ paintbrushes. I need to finish this now."

Maybe the colleague needs to learn how to articulate a question then.

I feel like this thread is littered with people that do this all the time so they’re coming at you.

If you have a question so urgent you need to interrupt then make sure you are concise and don’t question me once I’ve given an answer. Otherwise, be patient!

BTW if you don't know something, Google is a thing

Might as well post this as the first answer to 99% of MN threads then.

Ignore the idiots who don't know what zomg means

It's not OK to call people idiots on other threads where they cannot grasp the most basic things like what clothes to wear or what to have for supper. Why is it OK for you to do it here?

Are you ZOMGing your colleage, is that why they're confused?

I thought zomg was a nc fail.

OMG wrong thread completely! Will report and get it deleted

@Coffeetree

I've tried brief explanations but that doesn't help!

Me: You'll want to use the XYZ paintbrush.

Them: Zomg are you sure we don't use ABC paintbrush.

Me: Don't really have time to get into it right this moment but yes it's a regulatory requirement under XYZ regs.

Them: Zomg which regulations? I thought it was something else because I saw on a blog that sometimes blah blah.

Me: We can talk more later but yes I'm sure it's XYZ.

Them: Zomg yeah but

Me: locking myself in a cupboard like a mobile phone

I think you need to be more assertive.

At the point they say "Are you sure?" Answer "Yes." If they start going "But.." interrupt them and state again you've have given them the answer to the question and now the subject is closed.

I do think you need to have a meeting with the people who are constantly doing this and set out clear boundaries using their behaviour as examples.

no idea on background but glad things are seemingly a bit better, Angels !

At home, I have no hesitation in going full politician on DH whenever he gets pestery and interruptish by saying,

"I refer the questioner to my previous answer."

Works on him. Must find politer equivalent for colleague (M, not F, btw).

I'd try directing them to your male colleagues.

Them: "Can I ask a quick question?"
You: "No, sorry I'm busy. Try John next door."

Make yourself less accessible than they are.

Hahaha

I one said "asked and answered" and the asker said she felt "dismissed".

If you feel dismissed why are you still standing there?!

@5zeds

But *@Coffeetree* the second interaction in your example leaves your colleagues with the tools to be independent and with a sandwich….seems much more likely to lead to a peaceful working day/week/month going forward.

She would also have lost half an hour of her time. Repeat a couple of times a day. And then she will be the one in trouble because she hasn’t done her job!

ZOMG! For all those complaining about zomg, it was very common turn of phrase about 10-15 years ago in the earlier days of online gaming, forums and meme culture. A quick google will give you all of the background you need on it. The z is a typo from trying to press the shift key.

Me personally I read it in my head as "Zoh My God!" and it is said in even more exasperation than a regular OMG.

irregular: "I hadn't come across "ZOMG" before but thought it brilliantly conveyed a certain, annoying faux-urgent blather. Some people have no imagination!"

This! I thoroughly enjoyed the dialogue in the first post. You should do stand-up, Coffeetree.

I have a similar problem, but it's texts. If I don't reply they start asking me if something is wrong. No, I've told you that I'm working and yet you're still bombarding me with questions!

Every month or so I lose my patience and don't talk to anyone for a week and then they all start acting worried my MH is deteriorating again but I'm just fed up of being everyone's therapist or advice giver.

@Plumtree391

I don't get the 'Zomg'.

I don't get any of it!

@RacistAngst She would also have lost half an hour of her time. bollocks. It sounds like 5 mins absolute max she just finds their interaction an intrusion and an affront and sees it as a lack of “respect”.

@Coffeetree

Hahaha

I one said "asked and answered" and the asker said she felt "dismissed".

If you feel dismissed why are you still standing there?!

Honestly, your answers sound insanely rude. I think you need counselling in how to speak to people.

I'm sure it's been around for at least ten years, catch up people!

Given how many haven’t heard it, it is hardly widespread. You must feel so special that you are one of the few. 🙄

How does one pronounce zomg? I think the reason that many of us assumed you were talking about text interactions was because surely nobody actually says this "word" out loud?

I'm also (particularly) confused about what this means:
yeah but I thought and are you sure and Facebook and my dad but yeah but what and yeah