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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be pissed off she switched our identical mouse mats

73 replies

Cheeseandlobster · 27/09/2021 21:07

I sit next to a lovely lady at work. Janice. She is really knowledgeable and has mentored me and a few others. We are not friends as such but as colleagues we get on really well.

I have rsi and she has carpal tunnel so we both have mouse mats with a gel support cushion. Last week mine started leaking. The gel is the stickiest substance known to mankind and just seems to spread everywhere. As a result the bottom row of my keyboard is so sticky the whole thing might need replacing, my photo of ds has had to be binned as have some of my documents. Its OK I thought. This stuff happens and I binned the mat.

Until today. I found yet another fucking sticky patch on my desk and 2 of my colleagues said "Oh has Janice confessed yet?" It turns out it was Janice's mouse mat that had leaked and she switched it with mine. She watched me bin my photo of ds and struggle with a now difficult to use keyboard and said nothing.

I know it's a relatively small issue but I just feel this is a bit off and I think Janice should have binned hers and ordered herself a new one rather than contaminate my desk with impenetrable sticky shit. Aibu to be peeved and to look at Janice in a slightly different light now

OP posts:
Getyourownback · 27/09/2021 22:02

Wow that’s a real dick move. Especially as everyone was obviously laughing about it.

I’d be tempted to reply to the WhatsApp message to point out it ruined your picture of your son (I’m sure that can be replaced but fuck it, it’s besides the point) and your keyboard and that you were surprised she’d behave that way to you. I’d then have next to fuck all to do with her and leave interactions at polite but cursory.

Highflyingadored · 27/09/2021 22:04

Eurgh the sticky stuff in those things are vile, cause I didnt like waste I had a keyboard rest covered in sellotape trying to stop the leaks.

Couple of things I would do

If you have infrared mice, a bit of scotch tape over the infrared stops it from working and daft people dont realise what's wrong after furiously clicking buttons and banging it on the desk.

Depending on computer settings you can take a screenshot of the desktop, hide all the icons in a folder and put in "my computer" and hide the taskbar . Then set the screenshot image as the desktop background, it looks normal but nothing they click on works..... see how long it takes someone to figure it out when they can suggest they go get a tea and you will have a look and switch it back. This only works If you have rights and access to change desktop backgrounds.

Find out her personal email and use it to register to loads of pointless websites and spam emails.

Cover her entire desk and paraphernalia in post it notes or wrap everything in cling film when she has left one evening.

mineofuselessinformation · 27/09/2021 22:06

Get into work early (or wait until she's left for the day) and swap her mat and keyboard with yours.
Give her a steely glare if she looks like she's going to say anything to you.
Once you've swapped them back, find a way to mark yours that is permanent.

GinIronic · 27/09/2021 22:08

Buy yourself a gorgeous mouse mat/wrist support and make a point of locking it in your desk every night.

godmum56 · 27/09/2021 22:16

goodness what a nasty woman

IAmTheLovechildOfYvesAndIsabel · 27/09/2021 22:30

You don't think there's any chance your colleagues were joking do you and Janice then thought you were joking about her swapping them over?
Just wondering because it's actually a really vindictive thing to do, very selfish considering that you have a medical need for the extra support and she of all people should be compassionate.
To then sit by and watch you have to throw away the photo and work on a sticky keyboard..... and not feel guilty enough to confess.
It's pretty illuminating, character wise.
It's all the more unpleasant because she appears to be so nice - I do not miss the Janices of the office world one bit.
Very tempting to retaliate but I imagine she wouldn't handle it very well. Probably better to distance yourself but file that bit of knowledge about her real personality away....incase she strikes again with someone else!

cafenoirbiscuit · 27/09/2021 22:47

Wait till she’s gone home, then tip glitter into her keyboard. Or natural yoghurt. Or both.

NewlyGranny · 27/09/2021 22:52

Wait until December, find out who gets her name for secret Santa, swap with them, wrap up something that leaks everywhere when she opens it.

NiceGerbil · 27/09/2021 22:55

That was way worse than I was expecting!

What an absolute fucker.

Text back and say oh ha ha yes v funny. You'll buy me a new one then I assume :)

(Your company doesn't supply?).

Eralos · 27/09/2021 22:55

Do wish Janice a happy 10th birthday.

Yanbu.

Skysblue · 27/09/2021 22:56

Janice is a two-faced bitch, do not trust her.

That was a really mean thing to do.

ToastieSnowy · 27/09/2021 22:59

Janice’s facade is lovely, her real personality is not lovely. When someone tells you who they are pay attention.

lynntheyresexpeople · 27/09/2021 22:59

Buy yourself a new one, and have it personalised with "fuck off janice" written on it - I have a cricut machine I'll happily personalise it for you! Grin

lynntheyresexpeople · 27/09/2021 23:05

etsy.me/39MUyuw see my above message 😀

NigellaSeed · 27/09/2021 23:10

Janice is a cunt. Fuck Janice

HeckyPeck · 27/09/2021 23:39

Swap your keyboards definitely.

I found WD40 good for getting the stick off the desk. Nothing else touched it!

timeisnotaline · 27/09/2021 23:41

Wow that’s horrible. Is your name on your new mousepad?? And I’d helpfully write her name on your old one. I probably wouldn’t sink to petty tricks but you’d definitely look at her differently and steer clear.

StoneofDestiny · 27/09/2021 23:45

Swap your keyboards over and mark the one you want to keep with indelible pen or a scratched in name underneath

Ilovesandwiches · 27/09/2021 23:49

Yanbu

Lalliella · 27/09/2021 23:57

Aibu to be peeved and to look at Janice in a slightly different light now

Peeved? I’d be fucking raging. Slightly different light? I wouldn’t be able to stand the bitch.

What a nasty, sneaky, selfish, lazy thing to do. I’d find it very hard to be civil to her again.

NiceGerbil · 28/09/2021 00:45

Get a massive mouse pad with some kind of subtle ish slogan on it aimed at her.

QueenBee52 · 28/09/2021 00:56

this is not remotely funny

ThinWomansBrain · 28/09/2021 00:58

Wow - the joys of working in the office again Hmm
Janice is a CF, YANBU

Currently in a new role trying to nudge people in to working flexibly in the office a couple of times a week - team meetings about hot desking, clearing personal crap - and there's always someone that chimes in with "yes, but at MY desk..." they really don't seem to get it!

SheldonesqueTheBstard · 28/09/2021 01:05

Janice is not a lovely lady.

I’d be professional but cool with her going forward.

WhoIsPepeSilva · 28/09/2021 01:07

It's just mean, not actually funny, like sexist jokes.

No apology just makes it worse.

I'd want to say something but probably wouldn't because it would be so easily spun as you being petty but I'd definitely back away from Janice as much as possible.

Sad when people you think are nice turn out to be nasty in secret.