TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: The Overwhelming Smell of a Coworker From:"Parks, Beverly" <ParksB -at- EMH1 -dot- HQISEC -dot- ARMY -dot- MIL> Date:Tue, 8 Jun 1999 09:19:34 -0700
I must have canned the original message to this thread in one of my mass
deletions yesterday, and I've already emptied the Deleted Items folder, so
I'm just going to answer based on what I can assume from the subject.
Unfortunately, also because I don't have the original, I can't reply
directly. My answer is serious because I know this is a real-life problem.
I've had to deal with it, too.
I shared an office with a woman who had a drinking problem. Drinking
problems are often accompanied by hygiene problems. The woman's feet stank
to high heaven. It became unbearable. I finally got up the nerve to suggest
the use of odor eaters to her. It helped that I also use them in all of my
shoes, so adding that bit of personal information to the suggestion lessened
the impact and potential embarrassment of it, I think.
This was several years ago. I think I approached it by simply saying
something like, "You know, I think it might be a good idea if you start
using odor eaters in your shoes. I have them in all of my shoes and it
really helps." Sure, she was a little embarrased, but she said "OK, thanks"
and that was the end of it. The foot odor dissipated from the room after
that.
And that was my experience with the overwhelming smell of a coworker. I hope
it helps whoever the original poster was.