Been unwell most of the week and got back to work just in time just to catch an article aptly addressing how our co-workers do and can make us sick. That makes sense. Every time I’ve caught a cold, someone at work had it first. The guy who sits on my right has been coughing since the day I got here, making me wonder whether he has TB. It is possible, you know! He’s a nice a guy and that’s exactly why I can’t advise him to have some tests or cover his mouth every time he coughs. There’s more. One of the senior managers smokes, sometimes right in the office and because he has control issues, none of us has dared to ask him to do it outside. Knowing how dangerous even second smoke is, I dread to think what will happen to us if this guy keeps it up. I know many people don’t wash their hands after going to the toilet, especially guys, which is why I don’t shake people’s hands. I have my problems with the girls, too. Hair, toothpicks, tissue, etc, often dumped in the sink and in the end, it clogs up and we all suffer. Shouldn’t girls do better? The other day, the cleaner came over to our section during our lunch break and proceeded to take off his socks and shoes! It might have been a hot day but I still can’t forgive him for subjecting us to his smelly feet. The worst part was when he started massaging his toes. I was so disgusted I lost my appetite. While I dash off to the toilet to blow my nose, some people aren’t bothered and will clear their very full noses in the midst of a conversation. Others sneeze right into their hands and proceed to shake other people’s hands. I’m just so glad I have my own computer because some of my colleagues have to share. One minute, one person is picking their nose or eyes and the next, they’re typing away. A while later, someone else comes over to write a report using the very same keyboard with germs all over it. One other thing that irks me is when guys put their feet up on desks which aren’t even theirs. If you want to feel like the boss, do it at home, not the table your colleagues use as a workspace. Then of course there’s the bad breath and body odor to deal with. With so much dirt going around, I’ve devised means to survive in this unsanitary work environment. The first thing I do before starting the day’s work is clean my table in case some guy rested his feet there. I don’t share cups or glasses, cutlery, lip-gloss, etc. I know some people interpret this as being selfish but I like to think of it as taking care of myself. I carry my own soap after I saw flies in the soap dispenser in the toilet. I don’t touch knobs with my hands. If I don’t have tissue to place over them, I push and close the doors with my feet. You should, too, because those are some germ hubs. By the way, I’ve seen this kind of thing done in movies so I know I’m not extreme. Like I said earlier, I don’t shake hands, at all. I’m sure there’s a lot I’ve avoided by keeping my hands to myself.To be continued…