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."

I am now very thankful that my work holiday obligations have devolved to "we all go out to lunch at a restuarant, paid for by the department." There is no booze, and we all go back to work after lunch.

For some reason, me not wanting to go to Office Christmas Parties makes me like Sarah Michelle Geller (bear with me). At one point, it seemed like fandom didn't like her because she didn't like to go to fan events, or wasn't close to the cast, and didn't go to the Buffy wrap party. And I just kept think that she's worked with these people for 7 years, and I would probably be the same if I were in her shoes. It is great when co-workers like to party together and get along, but I like to keep work at work and home at home, and go home at the end of work. Which is why I was fairly unsuccessful in local theater, I think, because one sort of has to get to know people so that they will give you jobs.