I can't stand to have people checking up on me, where I am, what I'm doing. I get especially annoyed when a particular co-worker looks into my office every time he walks by my door, which I could, but don't close out of courtesy to others.
I can not tolerate anybody invading my personal space. And do not yell in my face. I will immediately go to attack mode. I haven't learned how to deal with that, yet. Others, have learned to never yell in my face or poke me in the chest.
Living and working in the bayou country in the male dominated field of shipbuilding is a continuous challenge. These good ol' boys -direct cajun descent are blue-gummers- think a woman's place is barefoot and pregnant. They are the one's that commit the fatal error of yelling and poking - that being the accepted way among the rougher yard hands, quality (ha!) control guys, welders...not all, but a few bad apples.
I heard fn bitch so many times behind my back, I had a name tag made for my coverall F.N. BICH. That got a few laughs. The first few years were tough...Now it's only the new ones that got somethin' to prove or a problem with taking direction from women.
I'm trying to curb the attack mode, it's damn difficult, 'cause the response is instant. Can't always engage cerebral functions with that much adrenalin flowing. Staring at me gets the same attack response. If a glare from me doesn't work, I get more direct. I can actually feel the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Fuzz up just like a damn cat. Probably have a heart attack early because of this shit. Damn.
Well, I'm aware of it at least, and that's a start. Implementation I guess, will be just like my banjo playing, if I want to get better, I have to practice, practice, practice.
Trish
