I will usually escape unless doing so might embarrass someone. I don’t envy you having to be there.

When you are in an uncomfortable and unfamiliar setting, you need to ask yourself where the problem really is. Is it the situation that has caused you to want to run, or your unwillingness and incapacity to adapt? Im sorry you didn’t have a good time. It seemed like everyone else had more fun than they expected. Whoever doesn’t envy you, must not be very adaptable either. It was a fun night, but that is because I chose to have fun. We all wish you would have tried to have fun. You can never blame anyone for a bad time. Life is what you make of it. Im off to my honeymoon in 10 minutes. Even if a hurricane hits out there, I will always look back and never wish I wasn’t there for it.

I would have had so much more fun if I wouldn’t have been sick When we got home my oldest son was sick also, so it’s something going around here…I hope I didn’t get anyone else sick!

I had the best time I could under the circumstances…please don’t put words in my mouth that I didn’t try to have a good time or that I blamed anyone for anything. I didn’t say anything to that effect. I loved the setting and the place you choose. It was really nice.

I hope you guys have a great time on your honeymoon.

Brandon, you don’t know me or my ability to adapt. I’m showing empathy to a friend who was in an uncomfortable situation. I find that people respond better to kindness than they do to censure. I don’t envy anyone who is sick, far from home and in a new setting with people she doesn’t know. Would you envy that?

I am often outside my comfort zone. I tend to watch the clock (or calendar) and remind myself that it will soon be over. Nothing lasts forever. It helps; think of all the times you though something would NEVER end. They did, didn’t they?!

And I pretend nothing is the matter. When you look like you’re comfortable, people take their cues off you, and that makes things soooo much easier.

Sometimes, though, you REALLY need to make a quick exit. A member of my staff threw a Christmas party. I was the only English-only gringa in the place. And the few who spoke English did a wonderful job translating for me. But when they said we were going to play Spin-the-Bottle, I was ready to run. Think of the sexual harassment issues!!! Thankfully, I found out it was more Truth-or-Dare than kissy-kissy, but I still had to take off before my authority was compromised.

And now that I’m clueless about anything underlying this situation, let everything be neutralized and I’ll prance around clueless.

Tralala!

Hope you’re on the upswing, Julie!

I head for the nearest exit. If I can. But if I don’t feel like I can, I sit there and smile nicely and let other people talk. If they try to draw me out, I’ll usually join in, but otherwise, I’m happy being my own shy self.

I’m sorry you were sick.

And I miss you.

When a group of people that you don’t know all know each other and are making references to times that you weren’t there for and don’t really care about, trying to pretend you care can make a setting uncomfortable.

I say when it’s so obvious that it’s going to suck to begin with… Just don’t go. If for some reason you have to, stay for a short time and then escape.

The fact that you were sick makes the whole situation even worse… You can always hope they all got the hiv from you. Then you can hope they have fevers that will be made worse by being rained on because the hurricane (that freakishly occured in March) ripped the roof off of wherever they’re staying. If fact, you should have gone around and licked silverware and glasses to try to get it all started.

Ugh sorry you were sick. Man I swear… one of these days… I wanna meet you

Did ya put the photos up?

I agree with Fancy - if you’re going to be miserable, take everyone else down with you.

I don’t allow myself to feel uncomfortable in an unfamiliar setting. I view it more as a challenge - what experiences can I bring to the conversation. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. And if I see someone in that position, I’ll go up to them and try to make them feel comfortable.

Though, that can be difficult while wearing fishnet stockings.