Stop Clicking Your Pen

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I'm in a coffee shop trying to get some work done, and the woman next to me is clicking her pen maniacally. I'm losing my reason. What do you do with this? Microsoft public relations training--where they teach you to respond to even the most offensive question or trying situation with a smile and a cookie--did not address the freakish-pen-clicker scenario. I need to work! I have half of my coffee left! There are no other seats!

What would Robbie Bach do?

Robbie Bach probably got the deluxe PR training, where they DID cover this.

I'm losing my reason, people.

Saints preserve us.

Comments

  • Anonymous
    February 09, 2009
    Accidentally spill your remaining coffe down her back ....apologise , smile and offer to get her a cookie while you go and get some more coffe for you :-)

  • Anonymous
    February 09, 2009
    I'm sorry, with the greatest respect if you want a quiet working area don't work in a coffee shop. I have absolutely no sympathy for you. Ed

  • Anonymous
    February 09, 2009
    I actually did 90% of my study for my SA/EA exams in Starbucks because I couldn't get my study on at home. Its strange but now every time I hear some Jazz music I think of WS2008.. Next time buy her a nice Cookie and ask her to stop, she probably didn't realise she was even doing it.

  • Anonymous
    February 10, 2009
    I believe it's called the "library."

  • Anonymous
    February 10, 2009
    Wise man says... Let the pen into your life. The pen is not asking to be clicked, it is just being a pen. You wouldn't react this way if the pen was being used to write a letter. Your focus is weak, if all you can concentrate on, is the pen... ;-)

  • Anonymous
    February 10, 2009
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    February 10, 2009
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    February 10, 2009
    Holy correlated wait stats!  Now that we know what good ol' Dale would do, it sounds like I need some serious therapy.  I'll let you know what my Freudian disciple has to say during this week's appointment.  In the meantime, I'll keep myself on a short leash. BTW, I invite all y'all to check out my delivery of this spring's Commencement Keynote to the local ITT campus.  It was quite an honor.  Mr. Carnegie and MS certification played important roles: http://blogs.msdn.com/jimmymay/archive/2008/09/21/commencement-keynote-itt-technical-institute-indianapolis-9-20-2008.aspx

  • Anonymous
    February 10, 2009
    Give her a non-clickable pen, when you get the clickable one away from her (such as by cookie trade). Otherwise she might just pull another clickable one out of her bag if she still needs to write.

  • Anonymous
    February 10, 2009
    PS: For PR bonus points, give her a Microsoft promo non-clickable pen. ;-)

  • Anonymous
    February 11, 2009
    This is why they invented the iPo... errr... sorry... I mean Zune.

  • Anonymous
    February 11, 2009
    You walk over ask politely to borrow their pen. Look at it like a circus freak. Say, "Hmmm how to fix this. Ah.." snap in half with a look of glee. Hand it back politely and say, "There it shouldn't click anymore." Smile and walk away.

  • Anonymous
    February 11, 2009
    That's so mean. Besides, there's a good chance that she's obsessive compulsive, like me.  That's why I don't have clickable pens.  Of course if she is, she'll just move on to something else if you take the pen away.  I frequently:

  1.  Click my fingernails
  2.  Twirl my moustache (doubt this is an option for her)
  3.  Hold a USB stick in my hand and remove/replace the cap repeatedly with my thumb (makes a nice clicking sound). And so on...

  • Anonymous
    February 12, 2009
    Kevin, I would snap your moustache in half with a look of glee.

  • Anonymous
    February 17, 2009
    That's a mighty powerful glance, to snap moustaches like that.

  • Anonymous
    February 18, 2009
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    March 05, 2009
    Rainman style... (nodding up and down)"Zune, definitely zune," (shaking side to side) "no.... iPooed" (nodding again) "yes, zune, definitely zune..."

  • Anonymous
    March 05, 2009
    Rainman Style (Nodding vigorusly) "Zune, definitely zune" (Shanking nead side to side)"no... No iPooed" (Nodding again) "yes, zune, Definitely zune..."