Do I Look Like I Care?

[V-Rated]

I really don't know if this is an age thing, or I am just getting grumpier in life. But why is it everyone has to tell people their life stories?!

Sometimes to complete strangers, other times its co - workers, or just in line up at stores.
Couple of examples:
At work, customer comes in - know her due to work - told me her whole christmas boo hoo about her boyfriend not spending it with her and she thinks they are broken up but isn't sure...yadi yadi yada

Co-worker, she never shuts up, she has to always babble about her ex, her kids, what she saw, heard etc. etc. - I even explained that I have my own problems and really don't want to listen constantly about hers and that I don't am kinda a private person and don't air my laundry to people at work (she actually said, Oh I know, I don't like people knowing my business either!) <---- can you believe it!... that stopped for about a day and a half and back at it.

Was in a store buying something, and the girl gets into the hockey tournament her son was in and how wonderful they played and how her son was scoring all the goals, yadi yada...but then someone else came in and she retold the same story to her while I waited. Seeing I was getting impatient, she got my things and as I was just about to leave - she brought up my co - worker and was about to get into a story about something or other. I cut her off and said, I have no patience for her as she never shuts up and tells everyone her life story. Now SHE says... oh yes... I hate that!

List can go on and on, but there might be a bandwidth limit soooooooo......
Do many of you experience this? How do you handle it?
I have told a few that I really don't care, I do come off as rude, but the subtle hints and comments do not seem to be working.

My close friends and I share stories and they know my personal life and I know theirs, I just don't have the need to tell everyone about everything in my life, especially strangers.

Thoughts?
~V~

[steven lloyd]

You must look like you care.

[Dizzy1]

Quite the ironic post lol

[sobrohusfat]

Is it Yadi yadi yada?...I always thought it was Yada yada yada

[MAPearce]

Don't ever be a cab driver... Bartenders get em drunk and when their sorrows are completely drowned..

They put them in cab , where the driver has NO other choice but to "listen"..

[Captain Awesome]

This usually happens when you're not being honest with people. Start being honest with them and tell them your opinion and they stop sharing with you in a hurry. Remember, honesty is the best medicine.

"- You only had 4 beers and decided to drive home, and that was the only time you ever drove drunk, and the police officer didn't believe you and now you have to pay thousands of dollars in fines? You're just an idiot who probably drove drunk all the time and finally got caught.

"- Oh, you got a bit drunk and kissed your ex at a party, and now your husband is divorcing you? Honey, you're just a *bleep*, that's all"

" - Your daughter won't talk to you? Hmmm, I wonder if it has anything to do with what a judgmental piece of work you are."

[Hassel99]

[kgcayenne]

Zone out, smile, nod, and work on your grocery store list.

[Donald G]

To kgcayenne ...

A grocery list sounds great but just a piece of paper and a pencil and the comment "sorry I have to get this done" works because it includes just standing there "thinking".

[mysideofthings]

Maybe some people don't have others they can talk to. I'm sometimes guilty of spewing out personal things about myself, but it's not unless someone makes a comment/remark and I feel the need to. I don't generally just launch into my life, also because I KNOW most people don't care.

Sometimes though, maybe people need to vent, and you look approachable. You never know, you could save someone's life by just letting them talk one day or be the one thing that makes their otherwise crappy day better.

So, while you might not like people being so open, it might just be what they need whether you care to care or not.

Without even saying a word to me on a day where I felt really low years ago, a teenage boy hugged me. He will never know that just by doing that, it changed my mind about wanting to end my life that day. It's something I hold onto even now during hard times because knowing a complete stranger can care is pretty awesome.

[Sn0man]

I really don't know if this is an age thing, or I am just getting grumpier in life. But why is it everyone has to tell people their life stories?!

Sometimes to complete strangers, other times its co - workers, or just in line up at stores.
Couple of examples:
At work, customer comes in - know her due to work - told me her whole christmas boo hoo about her boyfriend not spending it with her and she thinks they are broken up but isn't sure...yadi yadi yada

Co-worker, she never shuts up, she has to always babble about her ex, her kids, what she saw, heard etc. etc. - I even explained that I have my own problems and really don't want to listen constantly about hers and that I don't am kinda a private person and don't air my laundry to people at work (she actually said, Oh I know, I don't like people knowing my business either!) <---- can you believe it!... that stopped for about a day and a half and back at it.

Was in a store buying something, and the girl gets into the hockey tournament her son was in and how wonderful they played and how her son was scoring all the goals, yadi yada...but then someone else came in and she retold the same story to her while I waited. Seeing I was getting impatient, she got my things and as I was just about to leave - she brought up my co - worker and was about to get into a story about something or other. I cut her off and said, I have no patience for her as she never shuts up and tells everyone her life story. Now SHE says... oh yes... I hate that!

List can go on and on, but there might be a bandwidth limit soooooooo......
Do many of you experience this? How do you handle it?
I have told a few that I really don't care, I do come off as rude, but the subtle hints and comments do not seem to be working.

My close friends and I share stories and they know my personal life and I know theirs, I just don't have the need to tell everyone about everything in my life, especially strangers.

Thoughts?
~V~

Thanks for telling us your life story.

;)

[LoneWolf_53]

Just carry a pencil and pad, then when someone starts telling their life story, just say wait a minute, let me get this down for my column. 8-P

[ddiiaanne]

Actually, I can relate sort of relate...

I can't stand being held captive in a chair in a hair salon. Now these people never stop chatting. Sometimes for 2 hours straight, depending on what I'm getting done.

I'd rather take that time to just relax and read a book or just enjoy zoning out.

Are hair stylists trained in irrelevant ear sweating chat as a requirement to graduate?

[normaM]

I've found wearing my " sorry I am fresh out of give a Eff" expression stops the verbal vomiting.
But actually I like hearing the stories. Send them my way.
What on Earth are you having done to your hair that it takes 2 hours?

[kgcayenne]

LOL hair colour in a salon is time consuming, indeed! I love to chat, but there are limits that appear to be getting tighter as I age. Maybe that's why I learned to colour my roots by myself (stoopit grey).