DEAR HARRIETTE: I have a co-worker who speaks so loudly on the phone that it is hard to concentrate on my work. I think she needs a hearing aid or something. We work in cubicles, so it's an open-air situation. I cannot keep my concentration, though. It's as if she is screaming. Several people have asked her to tone it down, but she shrugs us off. I'm not kidding when I say I think she has a hearing problem. Even though she's not old, that has to be the problem. My brother-in-law has hearing aids, and he's in his 40s. He said his hearing loss came from listening to too much loud music. Anyway, what can I do or say to get her to understand she's too loud? -- Driving Me Crazy, Shreveport, Louisiana
DEAR DRIVING ME CRAZY: If you are friendly with your co-worker, you could tell her about your brother-in-law. Having an example to illustrate something that you think is going on with a person can be illuminating.
Shy of that, go to your supervisor and explain what is going on. Ask if it's possible for you to move farther away from this person or if she might be able to be moved into a room with a door. Ask your supervisor to speak to her about the volume of her conversation. If nothing changes, get permission to wear noise-canceling headphones in the office. By listening to music at a low volume, you may be able to tune out your co-worker's loud voice.