I have to go have fun at my company picnic today....

[Jade Fox]

The good news is it looks like rain!

This is the first job I've had in a large office, and some of the social rituals
are pretty alien to me. Why, for instance, would I want to socialize
with people I spend way too much time with anyway?

[Dookus]

1. One of the mysteries of office work...

you spend most of your time with these annoying people, then they want you to go socialize with them, too. The worst is the weekend retreat... ugh.

And alas, you sorta hafta show up at these things. It's considered very poor form to not go.

Well, try to have fun!

[pagerbear]

2. Thank God I've never had to do a retreat with folks I work with!

But one coworker used to be all for "team-building lunches", whatever the hell those are.

[Heyo]

3. Poor form my ass...

Hehehehee...

How will you miss me if I'm right there?

:dunce:

Heyo

[Heyo]

4. Poor form my ass...

Hehehehee...

How will you miss me if I'm right there?

:dunce:

Heyo

edit: That's the second time that's happened to me.... why oh why?

[truthspeaker]

5. Sorta hafta show up? Hell no, I say!

I might go to an event if (a)it's on company time and (b) there's free food, but once I'm off the clock I'm outta here.

[Jade Fox]

7. There is free food today...

'tho I saw the less than exciting food list, and I think they are paying us.

The kicker is that if you don't show up at the picnic, you have to go to
the office and work! How's that for forced frivolity?

[truthspeaker]

9. but if all the bosses are at the picnic, you can "work" at your own pace

[slappypan]

6. ah the joys of "forced fun"

I have seen people get raises and 6-figure salaries because they brown-nose management by volunteering to plan and fuss over these outings.

[madinmaryland]

8. Make the best of it!

At least the food is free! Eat as much as possible, and have a couple of beers too! Not too many though, and then slip out early.

Good luck!

[JVS]

10. Drink heavily.

Then maybe you won't have to go to the next picnic.

[lpbk2713]

11. The absolute worst thing is the Christmas/New Year's parties.

They are usually compulsory in the corporate world. The really bad thing about these occasions is that people who shouldn't drink do. People who are obnoxious and hard to take in the nine-to-five world are totally unbearable after they have lost their inhibitions.