Thursday, September 11, 2008

Bathroom multitasking

Mind out of the gutter, this is a PG/PG-13 blog - most of the time.

Anyhow, as a busy young professional, sometimes your day doesn't lend a lot of time for things like...lunch hours... or brief socializing. Sure you can socialize with the people who sit around you, primarily by yelling over the cube, but having that one-on-one interaction to chat about the weekend or the Hills is often difficult.

So lately I've noticed a trend in my behavior that creeps me out just a bit. I've taken socializing to the can...literally. It started during my shopping adventure with Sarah where she recounted a hilarious story for me while I used the bathroom and I realized - this creeps me out just a bit. I'm trying to well...pee and all to the soundtrack of my friend's voice. A girl can get a bit of performance anxiety if you know what I mean.

Even at work, I always say hello when I see people I know in the restroom and last week I unknowingly engaged in a full conversation with a friend while using the bathroom, from stall to washing my hands. She even waited for me when I came out of the stall because we were still talking. And in that moment I realized, oh my gosh this poor girl has been talking about Entourage and was forced to listen to the sound of me using the bathroom and then washing my hands. Good lord. While the actual sound of someone using the bathroom isn't shocking, the real question is, what if you had a moment where a "number one" becomes something more? Someone you know, like and hang out with has heard unspeakable things that could be shared on IM or worse, Twitter around the office.

From now on, I'm going to take that extra five minutes and go over to someone's desk to talk rather than rely on a bathroom run-in to turn a conversation from "hey how are you?" to "please listen to me pee." 

It's worth it. I'd gladly come in earlier to avoid those uncomfortable bathroom situations.

37 comments:

Rachel said...

Nope, no talking to me when I am on the potty. It took Dan years of marriage to earn that right with me.

Anonymous said...

I talk to people while using the bathroom ALL the time and never thought of the possibility of, well, "one" becoming "two" and creating an awkward situation.

Perhaps I'll have to rethink this all, ha.

Stephanie said...

I hate peeing in a public restroom when I hear someone enter. You just never know...

Vanessa said...

I can listen to someone pee, no problem. Number two, unh uh. No way! We all have our comfort levels.

LJ said...

Ha I haven't ever really thought about this, I guess if its a good friend of mind it would be OK, but I'm not sure about a coworker. For sure no Number 2 with either one.

Anonymous said...

Hmmm I think I'd stick to having conversations at the coffee machine instead of in the bathroom.

L.C.T. said...

Ha, never thought about it before, but going to be conscious of it now!

Ben said...

See...dudes can't do that. Some of them try, but it's just weird.

Dusty @AllThingsG+D said...

My former boss once followed me into the bathroom and proceeded to have a "professional" conversation with me while I peed and she stood outside my door. Yeah...that was a litle uncomfortable!

Nilsa S. said...

Please oh please don't become one of *them*!!! Because, next thing you know, you'll be jabbering away on your cell phone while taking a whizz. And as a standerby, I might just be disgusted!

Mandy said...

If friends are standing outside my door and we're shopping I usually don't mind. But co-workers it creeps me out! I HATE it when a co-worker is on the cell phone and I think they are taking to me. Very uncomfortbale!Its too funny that you wrote this post because I was thinking of writing a bathroom oddities post...LOL.

Anonymous said...

Amen. When people talk to me in the bathroom, I get really annoyed. Whether it's a friend or just an acquaintance. There's something very uncomfortable about it!

Ashley D said...

I don't mind listening to people pee, but I always get nervous when someone is listening to me. And all conversations in the bathroom are weird... not necessarily off limits, just awkward.

B said...

people in my office LOVE to chit chat while peeing and it bugs me out hardcore

especially when my boss does it.

The Modern Gal said...

Bathroom time for me is quiet time too. I hate it when people talk on their cell phones while I'm in there trying to take care of business. I don't know who's on the other end listening to what I have to do!

Jess said...

I do not like the chatting while peeing thing. It distracts me and I do not appreciate that.

LBluca77 said...

I always feel uncomfortable in the bathroom when there are others having a conversation while I am doing my business.

Tiffany said...

i am so on the other end. i def don't care and i go into the kinds of bathrooms with one toilet and pee with my friends. also we pee on the phone usually. then again i come from an all girls school so there was always bathroom talk.

Jenny Grace said...

good friends? I totally pee in front of them. Coworkers? Let's save it for desk time okay?

Anonymous said...

God, I never thought of that as awkward until now... yeeks, I'm all self-conscious!

Because really, when you go with a friend to the bathroom, do you know if she's got to do Number 2? Do you ASK before you continue a conversation in there?

Katelin said...

luckily at work it's one stall for the ladies so no talking in there and i like it that way.

Megkathleen said...

I used to talk to people while in the bathroom all the time in college, but not so much anymore. I think I got to the same point you're at where I decided it was gross...

Unknown said...

ahahahha....I actually LOVE talking while in the bathroom. Certain friends are great at it! However, I try to talk to my hubby and he's like I'M IN THE BATHROOM!!!!! ahahahah so mad.

Unknown said...

however, we have a private bathroom at work ...no talky talky there. although, sometimes I sing...the acoustics are fantastic!

Cam said...

Oh bathroom awkwardness...SO very awkward...I think talking while using the can is weird too and it really bothers me when people do it. I like to remain anonymous when using the bathroom, thanks.

That being said, I ALWAYS run in to the same people in the bathroom so I feel rude not saying hello...which of course sometimes leads to conversation...You just can't win!

Pretty Unfamous said...

I don't think pee conversations are bad. I have pee conversations. But poop conversations? That's a different story....

KA said...

you know... that creeps me out too. I especially hate it when I'm trying to go number 2... I mean wtf?

James said...

I was in the bathroom once and the woman next too me was like "Hello? Hellooo?" and somewhat confused I quietly said "Hello"? and she said "what are you doing?" and at that point I was REALLY confused and then she went into full blown conversation and I realized she was talking on her cell phone...awkward!

P said...

Oooh, I'm very bad at having conversations while on the potty as I'm pee shy and need to put all my concentration into actually PEEING! Conversations put me off!

Anonymous said...

I'm not gonna lie, bathroom conversations kind of freak me out. It's like stage fright. Lady, please wait until I'm done peeing to talk to me.

Unless it's like super quiet because then I'm self-conscious about being heard so I'll start talking so she can't hear me pee.

Odd? Yes.

Anonymous said...

I only do the bathroom convo with best friends... Quite honestly, I hate even running into anyone I know if the bathroom at work lol

Anonymous said...

Ahh I, under no circumstances, can talk while in the bathroom. I get so weirded out.

Meaghan said...

Just stopping by to check out your blog, very cool.

Very funny!

xoxo
Meaghan

Princess Pointful said...

There's almost a level of friendship I have to reach to be comfortable with pee-talking. It's isn't just for the casual acquaintances.
Unless I'm drunk. Then I pretty much will debate the entire bathroom line up from my stall.

Anonymous said...

This happens to me at work all the time. There are only certain times of day when we teachers can make it to the bathroom, so we often go in a group. No one stops talking just because there is pee involved. It's a bit weird.

Kayleigh said...

Not gonna lie- my good friends and I ALWAYS talk on the phone to each other while we are in the bathroom. It's just become something of the norm. I'm talking girls and guys- it's open for business.

That might make us weird, but...le sigh.

However? If I'm at work in a two stall bathroom and some broad is in there yapping while I'm peeing?

UNCOOL.

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