# I can't take it anymore **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 4, 2016, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-take-it-anymore/745146 "2016-02-04T15:51:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![amaguri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@amaguri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amaguri)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-take-it-anymore/745146/1 "2016-02-04T15:51:03Z")
There’s massive construction going on at work so they’ve moved many of us into shared offices. The guy next to me is super nice but he eats pumpkin seeds all day, every day so here’s what it’s like in here right now: _crunch_ _chew chew chew_ _crunch crunch_ _chew_ _spit shell bits into a cup_ _hard swallow_ _slurp coffee_ _crunch_ _slurp_ _crunch chew_ _chew chew crunch_ _spit_ _hard swallow_ _crunch_ and this goes on ALL DAY LONG god help me ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-take-it-anymore/745146/2 "2016-02-04T15:52:37Z")
I used to work in an open office. Headphones are an absolute must, for everyone’s sanity. Get a nice over-the-ear pair and they’ll block out crap like that without you even listening to anything. ---
**Author:** ![Grrlbrarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrlbrarian/32/4048_2.png) [@Grrlbrarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrlbrarian)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-take-it-anymore/745146/3 "2016-02-04T16:01:23Z")
I too have misophonia and am sending you all the good vibes I can muster. +1 to **Sattua** ’s headphones advice. I couldn’t get through the workday without them. Best wishes that you get your solo space back soonest! ---
**Author:** ![scootergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@scootergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scootergirl)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-take-it-anymore/745146/4 "2016-02-04T16:03:40Z")
What a bummer. Yes to headphones. Also, you could sprinkle some cayenne pepper on his seeds when he’s not around. That ought to fix him for a while. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Calla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Calla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calla)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-take-it-anymore/745146/5 "2016-02-04T16:24:41Z")
Another vote for headphones here. Maybe you could join in on the snacking fun. Get yourself a large variety of obnoxiously loud snacks and give him a crunchy sound show of his own. Tortilla chips! Peanut brittle! Granola! Yum! ---
**Author:** ![scootergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@scootergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scootergirl)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-take-it-anymore/745146/6 "2016-02-04T16:45:17Z")
> [@Calla](#): > > Another vote for headphones here. Maybe you could join in on the snacking fun. Get yourself a large variety of obnoxiously loud snacks and give him a crunchy sound show of his own. > > Tortilla chips! Peanut brittle! Granola! Yum! Corn Nuts! ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-take-it-anymore/745146/7 "2016-02-04T17:05:18Z")
Who the fuck cracks open pumpkin seeds? They’re complete in and of themselves and don’t require shell-removal like sunflower seeds. And they shouldn’t make noise. Anyway, my sympathies. Since the guy is super nice you could try actually talking to him about it. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-take-it-anymore/745146/8 "2016-02-04T17:23:12Z")
Sympathies-schmpathies, bah! You uncreative, comiserating posters suck as sympathies don’t solve problems. Eat beans, corn, cole slaw & sauerkraut for breakfast, ask him for a few seeds when you first get in, rip 'email loud & proud, then audibly complain about how noisy those @$#&\* pumpkin seeds are! ::insert eevil smiley:: ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-take-it-anymore/745146/9 "2016-02-04T18:28:48Z")
I can sympathize with the OP. I mentioned in one of the workplace rant threads a while back that the guy in the cube next to me is constantly clearing his sinuses with that annoying back-of-the-throat sound. Also lately he has taken to snoozing at his desk a couple of times a day, so when he’s not clearing his sinuses he is _snoring_. Plugging in my iPod and cranking it up is about the only way I can get through some days. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-take-it-anymore/745146/10 "2016-02-04T19:02:19Z")
I have a co-worker with a really bad cold so the coughing is annoying as is the idea that she is here spreading her pestilence. I get motion sickness if I wear earphones that cover my ears totally – maybe earbuds would be OK. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-take-it-anymore/745146/11 "2016-02-04T19:29:11Z")
I third or fourth earbuds. Music of your choice. Of course, on those days I don’t listen to my music no one needs me, but on the days I am rocking out to Mozart or Brad Paisley or Pitbull, the phone won’t stop ringing. ---
**Author:** ![Calla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Calla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calla)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-take-it-anymore/745146/12 "2016-02-04T22:16:01Z")
> [@scootergirl](#): > > Corn Nuts! Excellent choice! ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-take-it-anymore/745146/13 "2016-02-04T22:29:56Z")
Headphones are a must have. I get a little shit from co-workers for bopping along with the very loud music that only I can hear, but it makes the day so much better. If you decide to go the conversation route, start with **Spidey’s** suggestion. Perfume the air a day or two, wait for him to act uncomfortable and then lead with, “I guess when we’re sharing a space, we all have to be more condsiderate of others.” ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-take-it-anymore/745146/14 "2016-02-05T05:29:27Z")
I’d just stock up on really yummy snacks. Crunchy would be a plus, but the point would be to act all orgasmic when munching. Wouldn’t be exaggerating for me: “Ohhh, ohhhhh, who’s a bad boy? You are, jumbo Twix bar with your skanky caramel layer. And that cookie on the bottom… Ohhhh, maaaaan… get over here, dipped pretzel rods, you’re just an excuse to consume salt and chocolate…oh, yessss!” ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-take-it-anymore/745146/15 "2016-02-05T06:01:23Z")
Try earplugs. They are cheap and unobtrusive. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-take-it-anymore/745146/16 "2016-02-05T06:03:04Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Who the fuck cracks open pumpkin seeds? They’re complete in and of themselves and don’t require shell-removal like sunflower seeds. And they shouldn’t make noise. Half the fun of eating either kind of seeds is in the peeling. But yeah, they shouldn’t make noise, what is he doing? +n on headphones. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-take-it-anymore/745146/17 "2016-02-05T06:52:29Z")
> [@amaguri](#): > > There’s massive construction going on at work so they’ve moved many of us into shared offices. The guy next to me is super nice but he eats pumpkin seeds all day, every day so here’s what it’s like in here right now: > > _crunch_ > _chew chew chew_ > _crunch crunch_ > _chew_ > _spit shell bits into a cup_ > _hard swallow_ > _slurp coffee_ > _crunch_ > _slurp_ > _crunch chew_ > _chew chew crunch_ > _spit_ > _hard swallow_ > _crunch_ > > and this goes on ALL DAY LONG > > god help me Does he ever manage to get any actual work done in all of this racket? ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-take-it-anymore/745146/18 "2016-02-05T07:23:48Z")
Some folks just can’t get along. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-take-it-anymore/745146/19 "2016-02-05T07:31:13Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Who the fuck cracks open pumpkin seeds? They’re complete in and of themselves and don’t require shell-removal like sunflower seeds. And they shouldn’t make noise. Presume the OP’s nemesis isn’t eating the green shell-less pumpkin seeds, but some other variety that does have a shell. Maybe that’s the solution to this problem. Buy the guy a bag of green pumpkin seeds and say “Hey, I can tell from the noise that you love pumpkin seeds - have you tried these?” ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-take-it-anymore/745146/20 "2016-02-05T09:08:38Z")
Why not simply ask him to stop? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-take-it-anymore/745146.md?page=2)