Just don't respond to their questions...take another bite and just continue to chew...looking them straight in the eye. They'll get the hint. :D

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Randy

I make sure not to eat lunch at my desk for just that reason.

They probably like you, and figure since you're eating you have time to talk without getting into trouble for BSing at work.

I would take it as a compliment of your personality.

Don't even get me started. You have no idea how much a pain it is for me to try and enjoy lunch out in the public "Excuse me. I see your trying to have lunch but....blah blah blah blah."

I get no lunch break, I work solo in a control center. I even have to answer the phone if I'm on the crapper. The benefits far out weigh the annoyances though.

Well, it's easy to just ignore them, but probably not best. 1 it pisses people off but more importantly 2 most folks are too stupid to realize that you're ignoring them.

You might just let them finish their question and then say "I'll get back to you when I finish eating." That should do the trick politely for most folks.

Your other option is to leave.

I've eaten while working or at my desk plenty. These days, I mostly leave. It's nice to get away for a while.

+1 As far as I'm concerned (and my job) I come to work and try to accomplish as much as possible. If I'm on the premesis, I'm going to get interrupted or asked to look at something or approve something, sandwich in hand. There's no "me time" until I get home.

You are clearly a highly respected fellow and your peers are seeking out your opinions and advice. As simple as that. I recognise that is an irritant at lunchtime. Tell them the F*** off and it will stop. Otherwise, put up with it and start to manipulate those folks to your advantage. Make this a power maneuver.

Just bring some "spicy rabbit head" with you for lunch... if anyone bothers you offer them a bite.

My lunch lasts 10 minutes. Bolt it down, one eye on the screen, and get back to work. I wish I lived in france . . . Or better yet, some country with a siesta culture.

I used go back to the field office for lunch..but realized a change of going back to the work environment would be better , when I should be taking my time out of my workday..

So I'll go eat in my car, or if the weather is nice, go and eat in a nearby park..... If my job is in an ok 'hood I'll have a sit down lunch in a restaurant..turn the cell phone off during lunch..

Years ago I worked with a contractor (Koch, they built the trade centers), there was a Field Engineer of theirs who would call me at about 12:15 every day...

I'd pick up my phone and ask the guy if he knew what time it is..Him; 12:15 Me; I'm eating lunch, Him; Sorry

Of course since we cant "delay" the contractor.. I would answer the question, or ask to continue the call later..

I know what business Vash is in.. I've been doing it for 30 years.. there is enough free time during the day, that I don't worry much about these lunch infractions anymore

That'd be great if I worked a shift 8hrs long and got paid for 8 hours, but my shift is 7-4. If I skip lunch, I don't get my hour back at the end.

If I worked a short day, fine, but they budget an hour for lunch. As it is, most of my lunches are 30-45 minutes even with me walking to lunch.

My dad was in the Navy. I spent two college summers with my parents when they were stationed in Rota Spain. That's on the Atlantic side down not too far from the tip where Gibraltar is. Absolutely beautiful place and really cool culture. I worked in the Officer's club on base when I was there, but on the days that I was off, I'd walk downtown and explore. If I slept in and got downtown at 11am, nothing would be open. By 11 they had closed down and they opened back up at 3pm or so. We went to dinner one night and showed up at this restaurant at 9:45 at night. They let us come in, but they weren't open yet. They opened for dinner at 10pm.

I was usually the only American working in the kitchen. Most of the guys spoke a lot more English than I did Spanish, but some only knew (only admitted knowing, I suspect) one phrase in English, "take it easy." I had them take mops out of my hand and tell me to "take it easy".

I met a guy whose dad had been a GI that married a Spanish woman and retired, so he was fluent in English, and young. While talking, he was amazed when I told him that our Independence day is only a single day holiday in the US. (On base in Rota, the Americans make it a whole weeks celebration, "when in Rome...."). He said that there's was a week or something like that and told me that their shortest holiday was 3 days. I'm not sure if Madrid is the same or different, but the culture in southern Spain, Andalucia, is pretty amazing.

Si'!! i come home for lunch now every day and get at least 20 minutes on the couch kat nap style. if i dont get it, much like cliff i get all crabby with my contractors. even tell em so.

as a out in the field guy most of my shift returning to the office for lunch affords me an OP to check email, return calls, be inside with some AC comfort during the summer's heat, and lastly check in with you kooks here in OT. see what kinda hoops cliffy's got you guys jumpin through today:D


t

thanks for the reality check. i needed it. i think you nailed it.

Exactly. If you're at your desk, you're fair game.