poking the badger
The act of harassing, cajoling or otherwise provoking a reaction from a crabby overworked colleague.
"Daves still not completed that document and I asked him a thousand times!" "Don't worry- just keep poking the badger"
poke badgers with spoons
A truly original sin... this quote is taken from an Eddie Izzard stand-up routine which talks about the Catholic idea of Original Sin. He talks about a guy going into confession and saying "Forgive me Father, for I have sinned... I poked a badger with a spoon." In response the priest says that's a truly original sin.
As seen on t-shirts, bumper stickers, etc.: "I poke badgers with spoons."