Even her inside voice is offensive

Dear Diane: I am 27 years old and have recently gotten a job in my chosen field with a company that offers me a very good chance for advancement.

Here’s the problem: The woman who sits diagonally across from my workstation has a voice that drives me up a wall. Let’s call her “Magpie.”

I don’t know if Magpie is a good person or not. I haven’t gotten to know her. But her voice is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. I cringe every time she tries to start a conversation. There must be something about the pitch of her voice that irritates me. She also “pops” her P’s, which means that if Magpie says “potato,” a “puh” sound wafts from her mouth toward me, carrying the scent of whatever she’s eaten last.

I’m at my wits’ end. Help me.

— Cringing in Carlsbad

Dear Cringing: The extreme solution to your problem is to find another company to work for. If things are so intolerable at this job, then maybe you should leave. I doubt you will, since you say you have a very good chance at being promoted fairly quickly.

So, take heart. If your chances of being promoted are as good as you say, you won’t need to suffer the Gorgon much longer. Until then, may I suggest you bring a set of headphones and a music-player of some sort to work. This will drown out Magpie’s shrill emissions.

If she continues to bother you, simply tell her that although you’d like to stop and chat with her, you simply have too much work to do, what with you being the new girl in the office and all. Maybe after being rebuffed enough times, Magpie will get the hint and stop pestering you.