So this is probably the sort of topic that you would read about on Dust or Golden's blog, but I'm running low on topics and Mrs. Dash says that I can't go to bed tonight without posting. Apparently even BB is posting more than I am...
All of the restrooms at my office have three stalls. I say "all" - but I'm really just referring to the men's rooms. The tiled floor, the paper dispensers and even the flushing technology differ from lav to lav, but the basic shape of the "3" is very consistent.
The "Accessible" stall (hereafter called Door #1) is just way too big. Door #3 is way too small and opens right into the heavy foot traffic area of the bathroom. Door # 2 - in the middle, is "just right". I am after all a creature of habit and I must always pick Door # 2.
If it is occupied, I will walk down to the next restroom in another part of the building. Another reason to take a walk occurs anytime someone is in the main area of the lav when I enter. I'm fine exiting from door #2 with others in the room; and I have no problems walking into a stall when I have company next door - but I can't stand for anyone to actually see me open the door and walk in.
All the extra long walks - sometimes with more than 2 stops - lend to my "visibility" in the organization by creating a perception that I regularly "walk the floor" to gain fresh perspective and best practices. I've avoided a few crisis phone calls by "staying in touch with my business partners". Still I'm a little afraid that if anyone actually figured out why I was walking from section to section, that it wouldn't be so noble.
I told T about this tonight she got quite the laugh and asked what I did when I walk into a full room. When I explained that I usually check myself in the mirror, or blow my nose she giggled at the thought of people thinking that I was preening. I then admitted that sometimes I just wash my hands as if I'm done and hope that no one notices.
Well - there you have it. I'm nuts!
See what she gets for "making" me blog :-)
9 comments:
So you increase your visibility by decreasing your visibility? Amazing.
Oftentimes, if I walk into a bathroom and all of the "stations" are full I'll walk out and come back in 15-20 minutes rather than wait in full view of everyone. It's just too awkward to loiter in the lav.
You crack me up!!!!
Likewise, I tend to go to door #2 also. Don't know why, but I always have.
I would much rather have someone wash their hands like you, than when you see them leave the stall and walk right past the sinks and open the door!
Maybe my mom had one thing right...she always kept the papertowel from drying her hands, in order to open the door. If she couldn't reach the trashcan inside the restroom, then she looked for another place to throw it away.
I started doing this just yesterday, when the "blonde-40yr-old-thinks-she's-still-20" walked by me in the bathroom without washing her hands! Yuk!
This 40yr-old-that-thinks-he's-20 remembers taking alot of slack recently for counting to 16 in my private OCD world. Now I'm learning that I am just a junior grade when it comes to personal avoidance tactics (personal "voidance" tactics?) I think I've invented a Montel show on PVT sufferers: "PVT - the private burden of privates habits"..... uh - 16-part series of course.
ok, I won't "make" you write a blog ever again. Well at least not right before bed. Do you even know how late you were up? At least everyone gets a good laugh in this morning!
It sounds like you couples really have the "team approach" going strong....even Vernal says she was "coerced"...now Dash was "made" to post...LOL!
Maybe my life as a single person is a good thing...otherwise, I might be "controlled" on what topic I could write about! J/K
yeah, or encouraged to write about something that people could make fun of for years to come!
and I thought I had problems. : )
I have no problem waiting in the lav for an open stall. That is what girls do. I avoid the handicapped stall because it is too big. I hate being next to the main door, so I also pick door #2 or #3.
The funny thing is that I actually thought of posting about this today. I was in door #2 today and a lady came in and went to door #1. She seemed to be in a hurry and I didn't want her to beat me out of the stall because I was in one before her. She flushed before I did and it bothered me how fast she was going. She was out of her stall door before me. We were both washing our hands at a sink at the same time, but I decided to take longer. I thought how stupid am I for rushing.
Golden, you crack me up too!
I also hate to walk to the sink at the same time...it means you look either look at your nails while scrubbing your hands, or you just can't get the water the right temperature...all so that you don't have to face one another in the mirror!
Everyone has their habits, but it's hilarious that you are gaining visibility in the corporate structure for stall avoidance. I used to always go for the one furthest back in any given bathroom, then I read the first stall is usually cleaner since everyone avoids it. Quite the dilemma. I changed my habit and usually go to the first though I've decided that I can't tell it's any cleaner, so I may give it up.
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