I don't know what to do

[infinite monkey]

I'm seriously at my wit's end.

There was a conversation in another thread about those of us who cannot stand mouth noises: gum chewing, eating with your mouth open, lip-smacking...

In the last couple weeks, my cow orker, my cube neighbor, who I really really like, seems to have gone off the deep end with the gum. It is ALL day, every day. Just constant little cracky slurpy type noises, but I can't STOP hearing them. When I think I've tuned it out...it seems to get LOUDER.

I've tried turning on a desk fan. I've worn earphones (then a girl got sort of snippy with me yesterday because she was standing behind me--people here like to sneak up like spiders) and I didn't hear her immediately.

I don't know what to do. I've tried to ignore it. I just can't. It goes on and on and on. I think I should just deal with it but everytime I hear it I get more and more tense. I was ready to jam a pencil in my eye yesterday: i was trying to concentrate on a particularly difficult issue and all I could hear is "snap...slurp...pop...crackle...slurp."

I found this article concerning the same thing. I SHOULD just say something to her, honestly. I just don't think I can bring myself to do this.

http://www.sector404.org/archives/20...wing-etiquette

Meanwhile, it's driving me straight bonkers.

I wish I were deaf to it. I wish I could ignore it. I wish it didn't bother me. But none of those things are true.

I never want to hurt her feelings. She's a darling person.