Ours is during the day. And charging it to an job code is frowned on. And there is booze. About 3/4 of the group can use partial vacation days. The rest can't. I make myself seen and then leave.

Cute little bird outside the window. Very wee and round like a golfball.

Oh& I saw a racoon the other might on the way home. Which isn't remarkable except it climbed out of the gutter on a very busy street, looked around and toddled back in. It was strange.

huh, I have never been bothered by plus ones on invites of any kind. I also can't imagine bringing a BF to a wedding or an office event if they did not already know the people.

Wow. So my students are wonderful and smart and nice and... say terribly offensive things without any idea they're doing it. While claiming to be "the least racist person, like, on earth."

I know this isn't a surprise. They're high school students. But... wow.

I also can't imagine bringing a BF to a wedding or an office event if they did not already know the people.

I took Aims to company holiday functions before we were married. She was awesome; everyone loved her. Loved her more than me, actually.

The whole rest of the year was "How's your wife? She's cool."

I have compartmenting issues -people at work don't need to know about my life stuff.

I always bring Ethan to the holiday party because there is free food there.

DH's thing is this Saturday night--with adults only. Next weekend is an event for the kids.

My old job used to have a party/gift exchange during the day with snacks. Which was actually fun. Then we'd also try to do a cocktail type thing with spouses, etc. invited somewhere nice.

I'm trying to figure out now whether DH needs to get his direct reports gifts, so I can order them and have them delivered to the office. I just sent a cookie gift box to the childcare staff at the gym where I take Owen & Olivia.

Though I can't imagine dating a 25 year old.

Oh you're just not imagining hard enough!!!!

Is this like Tinkerbell, where if I imagine it hard enough (ahem - npi) I'll be dating a 25 year old?

No. It's like imagining where if you imagine hard enough you have a really fun time imagining.

And you don't even have to call Debetesse to fix your hair dryer.

I HAVE NO GUEST, OKAY? I AM A BIG LOSER WITH NO GUEST. I HAVE TO SIT THERE, BY MYSELF, AS AN ODD NUMBER, SCREWING UP YOUR SEATING ARRANGEMENTS.

Oh Allyson, I wish I could teleport down there and be your date to the party. Or I'd send you Pete! You quietly mutter snarky things to each other.

I always hated the white elephant exchanges, because someone would get something they liked and immediately have it taken away from them. Vindictiveness doesn't make for a pleasant party.

My excuse for avoiding off-site parties is, "Well, Hubby's health isn't the best, I don't want to leave him alone, and his back really doesn't let him go out for long."