Mini-Rant: Have some consideration when you hold a party

[sabotai]

So tomorrow I am going to this party friends of mine are having. No, not that kind of party. Not the fun kind. The kind that takes place in the afternoon and the kids nearly outnumber the adults.

For this party, we were given a few things to bring. That's fine. We did a secret santa thing. Check, got that. We need to bring stuff to put in stockings. Check, did that (got some hard candy and chololate mints. I know it lacks imagination, but oh frickin' well.)

I am getting picked up by someone since I don't know how to get there, plus my car died a week ago.

So what time is she picking me up? I have no fucking idea because she didn't tell me!

Rule #1: If you will be picking someone up, make sure you tell them what time to be ready!

I asked her Friday night, and she told me she would tell me today. Did she? Nope.

I get a call this afternoon asking me if I picked up the cheese dish (I don't even remember what he called it). :confused: The what? No, I didn't. Know why? Because no one fucking told me to, that's why!

Rule #2: If your guests are supposed to bring stuff to the party, make sure they know before hand what it is they are supposed to bring. Everything they are supposed to bring.

Geez....am I out of line with what I expect?

I swear, I hate my friends. I need to move and make new friends. These people are fucking clueless.

Not to mention the fact that I hate kids. Tomorrow is going to be so much fun. Maybe my friends will have the decency to go all Jerry Springer like they sometimes do and provide me some entertainment.

I'll follow up on this tomorrow night. I'm sure something will happen that will amuse everyone.

[Ragone]

always a option to play the not home card.. turn the lights off and stay in.. :)

[Lorena]

Dress up in a halloween costume and claim no one told you it was a Christmas party.

[sabotai]

Dress up in a halloween costume and claim no one told you it was a Christmas party.

Ha! I like that. But no, the name of the event is called "Thanksmas" so I don't think I could use that excuse. :)

[Ragone]

A happy mother's day cake might work though

[Dutch]

I swear, I hate my friends. I need to move and make new friends. These people are fucking clueless.

That's hilarious. :)

[CraigSca]

Thanksmas?! What the heck is that? Is that some kind of hybrid Thanksgiving-Christmas children's event that I don't know about?

Sounds like I have one more thing to be thankful for.

[wade moore]

Ha! I like that. But no, the name of the event is called "Thanksmas" so I don't think I could use that excuse. :)

Dress up as a Turkey with a Santa Claus hat.

[Oilers9911]

Ha! I like that. But no, the name of the event is called "Thanksmas" so I don't think I could use that excuse. :)

Thanksmas? Ok you're right about your friends.

[QuikSand]

OPTION A:

Loser: Hey, wanna come to the Thanksmas party?
sabotai: Hmm... I don't really like that kind of thing... I don't really even know what Thanksmas is...they'll prolly want me to bring some weird cheesy dish...I don't really even have a car... and I don't have any reliable friends for transportation... so...uh, sure, count me in!


OPTION B:

Loser: Hey, wanna come to the Thanksmas party?
sabotai: Sorry, I gotta ... uh... wash my...uh... feet... that day... can't make it.


What you need here is a Run, Lola, Run deal where you get to go back and rethink the real decision point. Best of luck at the party, though. *shurg*

[cartman]

You can get back at them on Festivus during the airing of grievances.

[Ajaxab]

I'm guessing they probably forgot to let you know you'll need to bring a sleeping bag too.

[SFL Cat]

At the party:

Friend who gives you ride: "What? You want me to take you home TOO?!!!"

[Anthony]

sounds like the party is gonna be more trouble than it's worth. you can always call up and cancel (or, as i do, just not go). if you rub a couple people the wrong way, so be it, doesn't sound like you hold these people in such high esteem anyway and it doesn't sound like you're a main cog in the group or else people would seem more eager to pick you up and keep you aware of details (like what you need to bring).

sounds like you were given what i call a non-vite. a non-vite is an invitation to someone who you really could care less about attending, but if you don't invite them then it sends the wrong message and it's just easier to invite them and hope they don't come.

[sabotai]

Predictably, the "party" was a complete disaster, an opinion formed by everyone there. At one point I spent about an hour outside chain smoking.

No particular story to tell, mainly because the kids were such monsters that there wasn't any time for everyone to go Jerry Springer on anyone else. I'm sure most people here have gone through what I just did with a group of children. Never again.

At least I got some animal crackers and a few other items from my "Thecret Thanta" (inside joke about communism). Score!

[ISiddiqui]

Sounds like the kind of event where you claim sudden illness... good to know you survived.

[JonInMiddleGA]

I'm probably just an anti-social SOB or something, but my take seems a lot like HA's. As you said yourself, this was a predictable disaster ... so WTF did you go? Don't have enough b.s. aggravation in your life or something?

[sabotai]

I'm probably just an anti-social SOB or something, but my take seems a lot like HA's. As you said yourself, this was a predictable disaster ... so WTF did you go? Don't have enough b.s. aggravation in your life or something?

I figured the aggravation in the long run by not going (cancelling) would outweigh the aggravation I would have to endure in the short term. Plus, when I say I'll do something, I do it.

[JPhillips]

Is there any way we can get a dynasty thread on a camping trip with Jon and your friends?

[rkmsuf]

sab is one angry little elf

[Galaxy]

Predictably, the "party" was a complete disaster, an opinion formed by everyone there. At one point I spent about an hour outside chain smoking.

No particular story to tell, mainly because the kids were such monsters that there wasn't any time for everyone to go Jerry Springer on anyone else. I'm sure most people here have gone through what I just did with a group of children. Never again.

At least I got some animal crackers and a few other items from my "Thecret Thanta" (inside joke about communism). Score!


What would you expect from kids?

[Desnudo]

I figured the aggravation in the long run by not going (cancelling) would outweigh the aggravation I would have to endure in the short term. Plus, when I say I'll do something, I do it.

Aggravation from a group of friends you hate? Something isn't clicking here. I think you went just so you could do a follow-up bitch in a post.

[rkmsuf]

Aggravation from a group of friends you hate? Something isn't clicking here. I think you went just so you could do a follow-up bitch in a post.

Maybe one of the kids hit him in the nuts.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Plus, when I say I'll do something, I do it.

See, there's the part I'm really not getting. Why on God's green earth did you agree to this in the first place?

Next time, to coin a phrase, "cowboy up" & just say you aren't going.

[sabotai]

See, there's the part I'm really not getting. Why on God's green earth did you agree to this in the first place?

I didn't realize there would be that many kids there, nor did I know it would be so badly organized. I was invited to it about a month ago when they started talking about having a party between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Trust me, lesson learned on my part.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Trust me, lesson learned on my part.

All right, now that seems more reasonable.

Most people, I think, have gotten into situations that were more trouble to get out of than to suffer through. The key to enlightenment here is not repeating the mistake knowingly in the future.

[sabotai]

sab is one angry little elf

Actually, I'm a human, but I was raised by elves.

[Toddzilla]

Yep - despite this party being an abomination, you're the dimwit for agreeing to it. Accept the invitation and you accept all the asshattery included. Blame no one but yourself.

My suggestion to you would be to start drinking heavily.

[rkmsuf]

I didn't realize there would be that many kids there, nor did I know it would be so badly organized. I was invited to it about a month ago when they started talking about having a party between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Trust me, lesson learned on my part.

minor point but if I presume you don't have kids and these are your friends then what's the big deal about picking up some last minute things? moreover if they are your friends and you know they have kids then why is it a huge shocker that their kids would somehow involve themselves in your life?

I mean it should be somewhat clear that the friends with kids organizing a party wouldn't be setting up a boozefest/single guy free for all party-tacular hedonistic funfest.

[stevew]

I used to get stuck going to all manner of annoying inlaws family parties. While initially I was annoyed by their children and the in laws, in time going to the events and witnessing the spectre of the trainwreck became more and more engrossing. For instance, my wife and I still laugh about our Sister in Laws redneck sister getting so drunk she pissed all over herself at a new years eve party. No event would be complete with at least one thermonuclear meltdown by a party goer, invariably someone was always a "fucking c*nt." Memories like that may be Springer-esque in nature, but they can last a lifetime.

I am glad, however, that we moved far far away, and no longer have to partake of their events.

[Desnudo]

minor point but if I presume you don't have kids and these are your friends then what's the big deal about picking up some last minute things? moreover if they are your friends and you know they have kids then why is it a huge shocker that their kids would somehow involve themselves in your life?

I mean it should be somewhat clear that the friends with kids organizing a party wouldn't be setting up a boozefest/single guy free for all party-tacular hedonistic funfest.

Preserved for length

[rkmsuf]

Preserved for length

lol, length

[sabotai]

minor point but if I presume you don't have kids and these are your friends then what's the big deal about picking up some last minute things?

They weren't "last minute things". They were things I should have known about, because they knew about them long beforehand. If I didn't get that call the day before (from someone not organizing the thing), it would not have been bought.

moreover if they are your friends and you know they have kids then why is it a huge shocker that their kids would somehow involve themselves in your life?

There were some people there that I did not know, and thus I didn't know they were bringing all of their children as well. I thought there would be 2-3 kids there, with about a 3:1 adult to child ratio. It turned out to be more like a 1:1 ratio.

[ctmason]

I am getting picked up by someone since I don't know how to get there, plus my car died a week ago.

So what time is she picking me up? I have no fucking idea because she didn't tell me!




Have you considered the possibility that maybe she's just not into you?

[sabotai]

Have you considered the possibility that maybe she's just not into you?

She is my best friend's girlfriend. I have no interest in her and I hope she's not into me.

[cartman]

She is my best friend's girlfriend.

Does she always dance down the street with suede blue eyes? Does she have nuclear boots and drip dry gloves?

:D