[rant] Why do our gf/wives talk about their colleagues...

[BuzzardsWife]

I hate 'work' talk too, but it sounds like she's talking more about the social aspect of work, not her actual job.
Rarely my husband will tell me a little work gossip, and I find it kind of interesting. I think we have this silent agreement that work talk is boring so we just don't go there. I think what alot of women don't understand is that most men couldn't really care less about what Janet from work is doing. This is more a 'talk to your girlfriend' kind of subject. But if you're smart, you'll pretend you're interested! My husband doesn't even pretend. He tells me to call my sisters. It's hard for an alpha male to be a good listener.

[Titan]

Originally Posted by The Ditch

When I think of healthy relationships, ... you can just tune her out.

[PowerPlayoffs06]

Dude, I totally get this same crap at home, but thanks to that godforsaken bane to humanity, Facebook.

The wife will come home and we'll have some good conversation about our days and stuff like that over dinner. I have no problem listening to her stories about work and people she works with or family or friends. What pisses me off comes later in the evening.

I'll be sitting on the couch trying to tag some camping sniper in COD4 or something and she'll come in and get on the computer and log on Facebook and then I silently groan to myself and brace for the headache. Soon she's flipping through photos and profiles and stuff and all I get to hear is "Oh look! Nancy had her baby! Look how cute it is!" and I have to look, cuz if I don't I just get "Oh look, so cute! Look honey, isn't it adorable?" over and over until I finally look. The funny thing is Im trying to remember who Nancy is, and when I can't and ask how we know Nancy, I get, "She's the cousin of a girl I work with."

What the Hell do I care if some girl I don't know, let alone SHE doesn't actually know, had a baby or got a new puppy or their kid graduated or whatever?

[rubecube]

^^ Agreed. The WORST.

[Engine09]

I love women very much, but sometimes they really can babble on about the most inane crap.

Talking about the job and what they're up to is fine but unless I know the person I have absolutely no interest in their lives. None. The stories mean nothing to us.

[burn_this_city]

I get more fed up with girls who complain about how stressful their relatively simplistic job is. My current girlfriend works with horses and manages to complain about the stupidest things sometimes. Its gotten to the point where I almost roll my eyes when she starts up.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by fotze

Do any of you have to hear about the very personal medical issues of her family members.....in another continent. I learned recently that it is possible over time for someone elderly, for your colon or whatever it is down there to partially rip and for the feces to exit through the women's other orifice. But the real sick thing was that she somehow did not notice other than her urine being thick. WDF? Usually around dinnertime.

My mom is a nurse, growing up we had some pretty graphic dinner time conversations.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

I get more fed up with girls who complain about how stressful their relatively simplistic job is. My current girlfriend works with horses and manages to complain about the stupidest things sometimes. Its gotten to the point where I almost roll my eyes when she starts up.

I wouldn't just leave it at girls. Guys do that as well. Some people's ideas centering around 'working hard' and being 'stressed' are really out of tune with the reality that many other people face all the time. I used to have a roommate who complained about 'working 6 days a week', and how he didn't have time for anything despite him being home on the couch watching movies everyday at 3PM Monday to Saturday and more of the same all day Sunday.

[BCReefer]

This might help you understand her


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxtUH_bHBxs

PS - this is safe for your office

[Winsor_Pilates]

I don't see your complaint. If someone spends 40+ hours a week somewhere it's a significant part of their life.
When you get into a relationship with someone, you should be interested in those significant parts of their lives.

don't mean to sound like a jerk, but maybe being bored of your gf's stories means your bored with your gf.

[Galakanokis]

Originally Posted by PowerPlayoffs06

Dude, I totally get this same crap at home, but thanks to that godforsaken bane to humanity, Facebook.

I would like to find the guy that made facebook and stab him repeatedly with a tooth pick. I hate that thing.

If I don't get the work talk from the wife I get the facebook crap. Such and such just had a baby look how cute. I should send her something. Who's such and such I say. Oh, she's a friend I knew 20 years ago in grade 3. Actually we weren't really friends in school, she replies.

I can think of a lot better things to do than looking at pictures of complete and utter strangers, drilling holes in my toe nails come to mind!

[jammies]

No, no, if you want to bore your gf you must talk about things that interest GUYS, not try to play *her* game. Go on and on about that one time you fragged absolutely EVERYONE on the other team in CS, or constantly agonize about just WHICH rims would look nicer on your car (and by constantly I mean for months and months), or give her a detailed technical rundown on the difference between Blu-ray and HD-DVD... the possibilities are endless!

The other thing you can try is learn to listen and then redirect; make a witty comment whenever you recognize a name from a previous nattering session like, "Oh yes - is that the Hilda you hate because she has the same shoes as you but they look better on her?", and then, while she is glaring at you, deftly change the subject. She'll be too busy stewing over how NOT funny you are to realize she has been hoodwinked into ending her tirade early, and at least she'll think you're paying attention, which is all that really matters.

[The Fonz]

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[Antithesis]

There was a point when my wife had her old job that I had to put a time limit on how long I'd listen to her rant about how much she hated it there (it was a contract position, and yes, it was terrible, and yes, I did empathize with her) because it became overbearing - like every conversation somehow had to end up back at her work. Not cool.

Obviously, though, the benefits of being married to my lovely wife far outweigh any issues like that. She doesn't work there any more so it's not a concern, and I don't mind giving an, "uh huh" or "Oh yeah?" or a well-placed question when she's telling me about stuff ... if not just actually listening to her.

That being said, to have someone prodding you over and over again for attention while you are clearly involved with something else would be phenomenally frustrating. "Hey! The mundane details of people's personal lives that you don't know are more important than your entertainment! Feed my insatiable need for attention and acceptance!"

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by fotze

It could be that or it could be that the myth that a 'real' couple is completely infatuated and hangs on every word of the other is in fact a myth. If there aren't things that bug you about your mate then you are a liar. It doesn't mean you hate them, if you expect to not be bored at times then you are setting yourself up for failure the same way as expecting the Flames to win the Stanley Cup every year. The rest of your life is a long time.

Quoted for truth!

My girlfriend and I have had a smililar conversation. We know we love each other, and we also know that in a relationship there will always be things about the other that drive us nuts! Question is, can you deal with it?

[burn_baby_burn]

I'm glad to hear that my wife isn't unique. The Facebook stuff is the worst. I'll just be sitting on the couch around 9pm after putting the last of the kids to bed and she will yell "come look at this". Its like somebody scraping their finger nails on a chalk board. Or she likes to talk about gardening and home renovations all the time. "What do you like, I want to know what you like?". What I like, is not spending any money.

[Metro Gnome]

I've had similar situations with my GF, except it seemed to be a difference in perception about what was the appropriate amount of detail. For example: I could be genuinely interested in why she had a bad day at work. Except I usually assume she's going to share the general, salient details that pertain to the topic (as I would) and omit stuff that is irrelevant, nominally connected to the issue or confusing to me (since I dont work there and am unfamiliar with the details of her job). Her perception, in contrast, seems to be that sharing each and all the problems, in detail, in appropriate chronological order, is the way to go. Even if it includes people I dont know or aspects of her work which are a total mystery to me.

Luckily, my GF doesn't tend to "gossip" about strangers or anything. Which is a heaven send.

[Eastern Girl]

My rant would be when guys act like only women do this gossiping stuff. It's not exclusive to one sex only, both men and women bore their significant others with pointless stories about people they've never met and will probably never meet.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Eastern Girl

My rant would be when guys act like only women do this gossiping stuff. It's not exclusive to one sex only, both men and women bore their significant others with pointless stories about people they've never met and will probably never meet.

::stares blankly at rack::

...I'm sorry...you were saying something?

[Eastern Girl]

Dammit, I hate you guys!!