Have you ever lived with someone who narrated his/her every move?
My roommate and I are good friends. I really enjoy her company and in general we live together well.
The one thing she does that drives me crazy is that she talks nonstop about absolutely nothing. She will announce to me that she found her shoes, that she drank a lot of water today, that she is about to stand up from the couch, etc.
I have no response to these comments and generally brush them off with “uh huh” or “yeah?” or ignore them completely. I feel really rude every time I do this but have no idea how else to respond.
So any thoughts from other people who have lived with a nonstop talker? Is there a better way to handle this? Can any nonstop talkers reassure me that I’m not being rude, or let me know the hard truth if I am?
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Do the same thing around her but x10. Hopefully she realizes how annoying it is once she is around it and will eventually stop. If she doesn’t stop don’t respond to her remarks at all. Good Luck!
My dad’s side of the family have been staying here for about 1 year now and everybody is irritated and annoyed but we’re trying to work everything out!
You can just walk away or ignore her but just try not to pay attention to anything like that.
Is she fishing for conversation/attention?
This is a personality style and you cannot fix it or change it.
There are different kinds of people and some people think out loud. She is not talking to you. She is thinking and it comes out verbally. Her thinking is on the outside.
It may be annoying to you (I am sure that it is), but, there is nothing you can do, this is part of who she is.
LOL, my son does that, I suspect he could go far in the world if he becomes a sports announcer.
@Sarcasm: I think you’re onto something there. She is very chatty and constantly wants to be hanging out and talking when we’re home together.
@Marina: Sometimes I don’t, but I feel so rude! She is clearly directing these comments to me.
I often think out loud, and it probably comes from those years of driving with no radio (commercial CDL and a 1972 Chevy truck that I owned for several years that the only had an AM radio and it didn’t work). I think out loud to myself to get my thoughts straight, somehow thinking verbally works for me. Other people think it is strange, and often ask me “What?” or respond to the question. I try to keep it to a whisper, but sometimes, especially when I get excited, I get loud. I just can’t break the habit, it is too deeply ingrained.
I thought I was the only one, but obviously your room mate is another of my species. :^)
I grew up with a mother who did that. It almost drove me mad and as a teen, I wondered how my father could stand it. But I forgot to factor in that she was very beautiful and he had sex with her.
I still dream about that voice.
In a way, and I realize I’m in the minority here your feelings on the way your roommate narrates life blow by blow is how I feel about the multitude of internet users logging their lives blow by blow on sites like myspace, facebook and twitter.
To answer your question though, no you are not being rude. You actually sound quite patient to me.
@mcbealer: But you have the choice to read or not to read.
@gailcalled ~ I realize that, that’s why I dont. Just some commentary on my part…..
My youngest brother does this. Despite numerous protestations, criticisms, insults and physical attacks, he still feels the need to say inane things like, “I’m going to the bathroom now,” “I’m hungry,” “I’m going to sit here and rest,” etc. It drives me nuts.
I don’t think I’d be able to approach a non-family member about such behavior. I’d probably just move out or ask him/her to move out.
@mcbealer Haven’t heard you in so long! Great to see you Fluthering.
Whenever she goes ‘I’m about to go get a drink of water’ Say ‘I think I might too!’
You get the idea right?
Don’t just say ‘Whatever’ or don’t respond.
This way your roommate can relate to you, and see that you don’t think that it’s annoying! However, She might start announcing less, because she does not like the constant announcing of you, that you keep responding, she will catch on, eventually and stop announcing so often!
Or you could tell her your feelings in a way:
’‘I’m sorry, but I don’t like it when you tell me EVERTHING, can you cutt down a little, I mean, I used to have the same feeling, I just think that it gets a little, annoying at times’
i do this sometimes.
i remember i went through a phase where i would actually narrate my life
ex: “As i walked into the kitchen, ana(me) wondered if vero(my sister) would make her a sandwich. Once she saw the look on vero’s face, she knew better than to ask.”
this drove my sister crazy cuz i would do it to annoy her.
It was fun though cuz it made me expand my vocabulary so my life wouldn’t seem boring haha.
@mcbealer i sometimes stopr myself before saying “lol” out loud when something happens in “real” life instead of just laughing.
@amoreno06 I also do this, like I’ll say Hey, I’m about to get a drink of water. For no reason, my friends, look at me like I’m crazy! Sometimes, I think I am crazy Anyway, I think you have a Great! answer!
L.O.L. Seen it! Thanks anyway mcbealer!
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