Office Policy

I wonder if they make a handbook to cover work place etiquette. I've seen books about way more obscure subjects so it's not like it's an unreasonable idea. If they can write books to tell you how to teach monkeys to teach babies how to teach monkeys how to write they can write a book to help me get through the day at my job.

My big thing for today is how many times a day do I have to say hello to the same damn people. I've been working here for about a year now. They've hired maybe 10 new people since then and got rid of Mr Stanley for pissing on the floors. Basically everybody is the same. Every damn day I walk up in here and speak to everybody when I first see them. The whole company is in one building. Depending on how much water you drink, who you have to talk to about an order, and just plain old chance you might see the same person 20 times. Take today..

8:00 I walk into the building. "Good morning", Bob says.
"Morning" I reply.
8:15 I walk by Bob in the hallway. "Hey" he says. "Hey Bob" I reply.
8:16 I forgot my order number and go back to my desk and walk back by Bob "Hey" he says. "hey" I reply awkwardly looking around to make sure he was talking to me. He was.
9:05 My desk right by the entrance to the art department and Bob walks in. He says good morning to everyone in the department (by name) including me again.
9:45 I'm in the printing room which has a half wall of windows. Bob sees me and waves. I wave back reluctantly.
10:25 I'm coming out of the bathroom and Bob walks by and says. "How you doing Solomon?"

Bob spoke to me, or rather greeted me, 10 more times today. That s#@$ is ridiculous. It's not just Bob. It's 85% of the people here. Every time I turn around I'm greeting the same people over and over and over. Once I say good morning to you the first time I see you, you should consider yourself greeted for the day. Somebody should make a rule that says once Person A has been officially and properly greeted by Person B, unless there is some other conversation to be had between the two said persons, the initial greeting should be considered upheld and applicable for every chance encounter for the duration of the work day. No further greeting is required.

It puts me in a weird situation because I interact with these people everyday. They try to build this "family" atmosphere. I can dig being nice to each other. I try to do that anyway. So when people do speak to me, I can't just not speak. I want to believe that they would have enough common sense to know that unless you tried to touch my wife or steal my car then since the last time I saw you, that I have the same friendly respect for you as the first time I saw you and greeted you. However I full well know how "people" are. So I have to speak, less I be labeled "not a team player" or "disgruntled".

It's just f#*@$in annoying.