Okay guys, thanks for the nudge to clarify here. The point is, given the millions of things in this world that we could be irritated by, often the irritations that affect us most intensely are those that align most closely with something within ourselves with which we have not yet made peace.

Think about the one thing in your life that you are most frustrated with about others, or one person in particular. Got it? Now ask yourself this: "How am I like that?"

For example, for years I was very irritated by angry people. I found the expression of anger to be immature, irresponsible, and disrespectful. It irritated me when the person in front of me in the check-out line got angry with the slow employee. It irritated me when people would express road rage while driving - yelling exploitives at the innocent 73 year old man who changed lanes without signaling. It irritated me when my then partner would be so easily angered by things that seemed to me to be petty.

How was I like that? I was so busy being irritated (but not expressing it, of course) by people getting irritated that I didn't notice my own anger. I was so busy denying myself the right to feel angry that I zeroed in, with a laser-like focus on those around me who expressed anger, and were in touch with their anger. I was so detached from my own anger, that everywhere I looked, in others I saw anger.

So the more comfortable I became with my own right to be angry, the less of an anger-magnet I became. Instead of attracting others into my life to show me anger, I began to allow myself to feel angry, and to express anger.

Though I am still not quick to anger and I don't express road rage or anger toward innocent strangers as those in my example do, I am no longer bothered by it when others do. And much to the chagrin of my partner, I am also much more comfortable expressing my own discontent when I am not happy about something! I have also come to respect anger, and the responsible expression of it, as an important part of our voice.

So, no, my message isn't that the chatty cathy's of the world aren't irritating, perhaps they always will be - but my message is, what are you going to do about it? Since you can't change her, you might as well learn from her.

While Cathy's chat it up at the office, is it not true that you two could be said to chat it up online? :) Don't misread me - I, for one, am glad you do, it's just that there are mirrors everywhere. Even the silliest of things that get to us carry messages from which we can learn - that is, if we remain open.