A typical call at the switchboard

*beep* (meridian) *bing* the little alarmbell that goes off in my headset to alert me to the fact that customer contact is imminent. Quickly, I try to swallow a hard earned sip of water without choking and my ears lay back and open wide, ready to register the demands of my master: in this case a grumpy Highlander in search for a number of the "dpao of the 2nd sntyp in ufg scunthorpe" (or whatever it was - my short-term memory packed in when he got to 2nd). I say "Ok, I got scunthorpe - who did you want in what?" to which he, audibly impatient, answers in the same fashion, speed and dialect (boy, I wish I had a babblefish!) "the dpao of the 2nd sntyp in ufg scunthorpe". Right, I thought thats what I had heared! Still, it didn't make any sense to me whatsoever. So I slowly repeated the information back and trotted off on my little search structure through abreviation hell. Does he know what sntyp stands for, I ask him. "No!" he snapps back and I can almost hear his fingers tapping nervously on the table. After almost 5 mins of wrestling information out of him that might help me figure out what the hell he wants I finally come up with a listing that sounds like a winner. I read out the listing in hope that he will happily conclude "that's the badger", knowing without doubt that it must be right after figuring all the abrevations out (of course the listing didn't contain any of the abrevations) but instead he shouts "No! I wanted the "dpao of the 2nd sntyp in ufg scunthorpe". Then he hangs up.
I sit there shellshocked for about two seconds until the annoying *bing* in my headset pulls me back to reality. Next!

Little rant about Small talk

I hate small talk! No, really - I absolutely hate it! What is the point in talking to somebody about bullocks? Talking to somebody who you really don't want to talk to because you (obviously!) have nothing of interest to say to them? I don't understand it. Some people just make conversation for the sake of it, it seems. They start asking you random question and then when you start answering the have already turned off, ready to hassle the next person in line. They are not "really" interested in what you did over the weekend or what you had for dinner last night - they just want to catch your attention for a split-second to ensure that they still exist. And in the process they have distracted you from what you were focusing on, interrupted your trail of thought and further deepened the general fragmentation of your brain.

Its the same for random text messages and emails and phone calls - they drive me mad! This whole obligation business about staying in touch no matter what just because you "can". What is the point? Are we really that bored? I mean, if you have a "real" question or need some important information then by all means, go ahead and ask, text, email, phone, whatever...but if you really couldn't care less about what I'm up to or have no interest whatsoever in getting together then don't say "we really need to meet up soon" or "are you up to anything this weekend?". Its a complete waste of time and its annoying!

Besides, what if I were to take you serious? What if I really did want to get together because I genuinely like you or because I'm lonely? Then what?
How are you going to get out of that one? Would you still oblige? And what if I'm under the weather when you approach me? What if I were to answer honestly and start telling you about my problems and ask you about advise?
Wish you didn't ask?

Well, why did you then?