@Dollar Slice - re: the shared area, it's actually where our contract employees sit. I'm a pretty senior full time employee, so it kind of feels like we had this party & then just left the mess. (My team is perhaps slightly more female than men as well.) I like a clean work space, and it just makes me feel good to slowly pick things up that you stop "seeing" after a while.
Love the musician one! Your music friend is awesome.
It's hard when other people are relying on you so much, & you really do have to draw the line so you can a) get your work done timely & effectively and b) not absorb the negative emotions of everyone else.
I did a bad deed at work today & feel like I need to confess. I get in super early. Probably 90 minutes before anyone, other than my office mate. We were in our office, & I was expressing my frustration about a situation & the way someone was handling. A short time later, I got up & walked past the conference room that is shared with our office (by a wall) & noticed that person I was venting about sitting there. I feel terrible. Based on follow up conversations, I'm pretty certain she heard me. I moved on & discussed the business stuff, & we are resolving that. However, I feel like an actual apology is warranted. However, what if she doesn't want to discuss/or didn't hear? Also, great lesson learned for me. It's inappropriate & jacka** to do that, & save the frustrations for another time/place.