So I keep saying that people suck and then other people feel defensive. In the past six days (or five, depending on how you count) I’ve had four people no-show on plans. Just not show up. Not say anything about canceling in any way. I’ve heard from one of those people since saying, “Oops. I fell asleep. I’m sorry.” But the other three? Complete silence. For some reason it seems to be bad form to point out that people are behaving like total assholes. You are supposed to just suck it up or shrug or something. Fuck it.
So this is why I’m pretty hostile about people.
wow, yeah, that absolutely sucks. i’ve had to bail on a few plans recently, but always with a call and (when possible) 12 hours warning.
No show, no response? That sounds like a former friend of mine… not that, hopefully, you have had the displeasure of being bailed on by her as well.
If people call I am incredibly understanding of cancellation. I have a kid. I have to cancel sometimes. I was less understanding pre-kid but these days my sympathy is increased. But people have been just really sucky lately.
Frankly, I have experienced that this is endemic in CA. One of the best features of the Midwest is that there is much much less of that attitude there. So if you do end up in Pittsburg, maybe you’ll experience that as well. But I could be snide and say maybe it’s the younger generation, too?!
I’d vote for “younger generation,” personally. My experience with party-giving in the Bay Area is that nobody under 40 could be relied on to RSVP, or, if they did, it meant nothing — they’d either show up or not as the mood struck them. I was getting very close to simply not inviting anyone under 40 any more.
FWIW, here in Portland, my experience with throwing parties (one 50+ person party plus a handful of 5-20 people gatherings a year) with people 20-55 y/o over the last 15 years is that people in general suck about RSVPs. For informal gatherings, I’ve learned to let it go. But when I throw the larger parties, I resent the heck out of having to track everyone down to see if they’re coming or not. Honestly, it’s included the over-40s over those 15 years.
I don’t know that we will be moving to Pittsburgh any year soon. Our house value has dropped more and the only way it would have been a good idea to move is if we made money on the house. 🙁
My frustration with saying that it is the younger generation is that I am part of that generation and this sort of behavior is just completely and totally unacceptable in my opinion.
I’m sorry people suck.
on the other hand, that is a perfect icon for this situation.
Isn’t it just? 🙂
ok I don’t understand why it isn’t those individual people who suck rather than people in general.
Because of a little thing called hyperbole.
OMG this was the same thing in Disneyland. People would look at you like you were crazy when you said things like “please don’t stop in the walk way”
GAH!
“Anytime you forget the world is full of assholes ten of them step up to remind you!”