Getting out (of it)

This weekend my employer is holding a "family night" at a popular Southern California location. (No, not that one.) Employees from multiple offices will bring their spouses and children for an evening of fun.

I'm not going. And I'm fine with not going.

Around the office over the last couple days I've had several co-workers ask if I was going, and when I've indicated I was not there has been either an overt or implied follow-up where I'd need to justify not going.

At some point today it occurred to me that I could just as well ask them to explain why they were going.

It's not that I hate my job or the people in the office. However, why does me not choosing to spend time with hundreds of my co-workers' children on a Saturday night make me the oddball?

~

I grasp that the people who asked me were perhaps implying that they would consider me being there as improving the event. While that's flattering, the reality is: I'm not that exciting. They're grasping for anything to try to make it worthwhile. Thus, it's also kind of suggesting that I'm the one making the better decision.