I must be spoiled by good bars … usually saying “I don’t drink alcohol” a few times is enough to get most people to leave you alone, and if you just want away through two of your stouter friends, they, if nothing else, can’t pursue you further. Standing right by a bouncer usually helps, too, for those of us who are all of 160 lbs soaking wet:)
Maybe you just can’t admit that as a drinker, you’ve never considered that a non-drinker may have a bit of trouble with world’s assumption that everyone drinks. Perhaps you’ve just realized that you’re guilty yourself of being as presumptious and imposing as the example I’ve just given. I mean really, you asked for some description and I gave it without straining a neroun since it’s so common. Don’t try to insult me now just cause my “cite” was adequate.
ExperienceS. And I KNOW that all drinkers aren’t like that, I never really said all were. I was obviously using violent hyperbole because (1), this is the pit, (2), I’ve been suddenly thrust into a situation where I’m surrounded by the drunkest people I’ve ever met in my life who either bore, disgust, or infuriate me with their “last - time - they - got - so - drunk - they - puked” rememising and accuse me of being “unfriendly” and “anti-social” when I don’t want to sit and listen, and (3), I’m 20 and I’m just realizing most places for adult socialization consider drinking and fun to be inextricalby connected, and I’m worried that a single, non-drinker lifestyle may be impossible to maintain. And Sisemi’s naive little tunnel vision rant just gave me an open for all this pent up anger.
Nanner nanner nanner, I like to use smiles in the pit too. 
:smack: ;j :eek: 
For a lame rant, … we are now on page four (4) {1111}
Everybody’s right.
Everybody’s wrong.
This is so fun I just had to join in but could not think of anything to say but I do want to pad my post count.
::::Bwhahahahah, the uninformed leading the trolls of agenda
past the emotional righteous with those unaffected cheering them on.
Words of condemnation flow freely on the blood of the other’s ox
while shoes of white prance on second floor balconies. :::
'Way back on page 2, I posted about what it’s like going to my husband’s company’s Christmas party (where alcohol is served and enthusiastically consumed) when neither my husband nor I drink. That’s what I was talking about when I said “see my previous post on the hubby’s company X-mas party.”
I am not in any way related to or aquainted with Seimsi in real life, as far as I know. And neither is my husband. 
Oh. Sorry. I am now undiscombobulated.
Am I the only one who thinks this may actually have nothing to do with the boss’ wife and everything to do with budget.
Company I worked for before this had parties with alcohol. You were given ONE drink ticket. The reason was that the party quickly went over budget with an open bar. Drink charges for an open bar at a hotel are astronomical.
Companies - particularly publicly owned companies, are budget cutting like crazy. A holiday party is a prime contender for a little budget trimming.
(I consulted for years, and I know plenty of publicly traded companies who have an official “company doesn’t buy alcohol” policy. In one case, the result of a nasty sexual harrassment suit when one of the senior officers got a little “uninhibited.” Another when an employee left and died in a traffic accident. )
That makes a lot of sense, Dangerosa.
I think the thing is, it’s not really the boss’s party at all. It’s a COMPANY party, and I am in agreeance with the OP that alcohol should be offered UNLESS the ‘company’ is owned by the Temperance Union (or whatever) where alcohol is explicitly prohibited by their charter. The wife of the CEO should have NO SAY in whether booze is served or not. Given that alcohol is legal, and a socially acceptable adjunct to parties, it is SHE who should not turn up rather than imposing her values upon the rest of the employees.
Now if the boss/wife WERE throwing the party, they can serve whatever they like.
It’s a party fer chrissakes. Crack a bottle of bubbly.
That wouldn’t explain closing the bar - all they’d have to do is provide one free drink and let people buy their own after that.
And following pizzabrat’s further whining, I would hereby like to submit that my theory has been proved beyond reasonable doubt. People are rude to him not because of of some drinker/non drinker clash, but because he’s a tedious little bore.
So far then, the Australians, Irish and Scots are all agreed that alcohol should be served.
Not conforming to any stereotypes here, are we?
Stereotypes? Who? Us?
(Chuck ‘us another stubbie outta the fridge will ya darls…seems like these Merkins are gettin’ uppity again.)
I’ve experienced this too. It’s especially trying if the reason you are not drinking is that you are an alcoholic in recovery. Then you also get “You haven’t drank in so long, how do you know you still have a problem?” And “C’mon, ONE drink can’t hurt ya!”
If people are obnoxious, just tell them you’re driving, on medication or pregnant. [Hint: this last one might not work if you’re male. Then again…]
I’ve had every sort of arseshole under the sun try to get me to “try just one drink! go on! you might like it!” - yeah, like after a lifetime of not drinking I’m suddenly going to start at the behest of some fuckwitted stranger.
So I do know what it’s like. On the other hand, I do respect other people’s right to drink, and I do accept that - outside of an Islamic country - it is MORE normal for people to drink than not drink.
It would explain the closing of the bar if they were the type of hosts who believed in either paying for drinks or not having a bar at all. Since they seem to think its important enough to have a bar - but not enough budget to let everyone drink all night, they’ve decided to do the esteemed (and perfectly socially acceptable) cocktail hour.
The OP doesn’t mention what happens after the bar closes. Dinner? Then its perfectly appropriate to host a cocktail hour with no open bar during or following dinner. Even without dinner following, a cocktail hour may be appropriate.
I really don’t get this “alcohol at a Christmas party being a right.” I expect my employer to give me a safe work enviroment. Competative salary. Decent medical benefits. Not an endless supply of Jim Beam at the Christmas party.
I’m also confused about why Seismi feels she needs to attend. I can see her husband feeling the need to attend, but there is the “social excuse.” Coworker says to Mr. Seismi: “Where is your lovely wife.” He replies “She came down with a killer headache this afternoon. She is so disappointed, she bought a new dress for the party and everything.” Next year she can need to sew Seismi Jr. Holiday Pagent costume, or have a project at work demanding her attention. Chances are, it will be years before anyone detects a pattern.
Idle thoughts:
Obviously, you don’t let your boss actually see you using the hip flask. The ones that look like mobile phones can come in useful here …
pizzabrat (and others), there is a difference between “moderate social” drinking and “dude, I was so wasted I puked all over the stereo, huh huh huh” drinking. I think most of us think the first sort is most appropriate for an office party - and moderate social drinkers are, on the whole, less likely to apply pressure to make other people drink.
On the evidence of this thread, Siemsi deserves some kind of Least Spellable Username award.
(Hey, I said they were idle thoughts. Never said they were good ones.)
Thank you to all who “get it”…
Steve…yep…there IS a difference btwn 20 somethings drinking like fishes and moderate adult social drinking.
Sorry about my user name…
You complained about your boss’s party. I complained about your complaint. What did you and I do differently? Thanks in advance if you “get it”.
Libertarian,
What I mean by “get it” is the purpose of my rant…the fact that the boss’ wife DOES NOT work at the company. Yes, I know I don’t work there either…
…But in general society, and yes, it is the norm…people have many alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages offered at nice Christmas parties held in public places (I’m not talking about private parties in peoples’ homes.
Sorry, but that’s the kind of sinful world I come from.:rolleyes:
I expected to have people criticize me and my rant. That is what this board is all about, isn’t it? :rolleyes:
There is one and only one person who holds a relevant opinion about what the party should include. And he has not checked in here.
Steve Wright
[QUOTE]
Obviously, you don’t let your boss actually see you using the hip flask. The ones that look like mobile phones can come in useful here …[/Qoute]
Where can I get one of these?!?!?