Out and about.

I spoke with Ideas Girl today. She's part of our social committee, so she knows what's going on, what's being organised etc. Sadly, we're not having a Christmas party. We haven't had one since pre-Covid and I haven't been to one since, I dunno, 2016 maybe? But I quite liked the idea of getting dressed up again and putting on my suit.

And there's no work thing this month. Well, there is, but it's not our usual trip to the pub and it's on a Saturday night. Quiet Girl said she didn't know if she would go, but I'm already booked up. It's the same day that I'm taking KfW2 out for dinner.

Speaking of that, we've finally chosen a restaurant. It's one of KfW2's favourites, which I knew, but we try and go somewhere new and I couldn't think of anywhere. I might have posted before that KfW2 rarely makes decisions about these things.

All we need to do now is figure out a time. I'd prefer to meet late afternoon and maybe go to mid/late evening rather than an afternoon start and dinner time finish or a late start and late finish. But kfW2 is the one with commitments, so I've asked her. 

Party on!

I heard a rumour a few days ago that we might actually have a company-wide Christmas party this year. it's been a while since we had one, since before Covid, and even longer since I last turned up to one.

In fact, I think the last one I was at, I left early due to a funk. The one before that, I turned down the tall women (who will be my new boss in a few weeks time), mainly because she was too drunk.

And it's 13 years since the "who knows" incident with CH. A night where I also, if I recall correctly, danced briefly with Quiet Girl after dragging her onto the dance floor.

Our Christmas parties used to be fun. The core team that I used to work with, that included KfW2, started to break up around 2016 which coincides with the parties becoming less fun but before that, we were a close-knit group (thanks to me).

I posted this rumour into a group chat, which includes Quiet Girl and Stalky Guy. QG seemed quite interested in attending if this all turned out to be true. I can't remember the last time I saw QG in anything other than jeans. It could have been that Christmas party in 2013.

I might even go this time, too. Now that I can fit into my old suit, and I actually think I look good in that suit, it'd be nice to have a reason to wear it that wasn't a funeral. I know that KfW2 thinks I look good in it (but then again, she was with me when I bought it, so it had her seal of approval from the start). But I also know that CH loves me in it. She's told me so, but she's also eye fucked me when I was wearing it (and she was sober). And USHW has also shared her appreciation, too.

Dance the night away

I've booked my tickets for the gig at Xmas, with my favourite band at CB Pub. My sister and brother-in-law are going, too. While no-one else has said anything, I'd be very surprised if there weren't others there - AM, QC1 in all likelihood. I suspect M could show his face if I told him about it.

There's an outside chance that Quiet Girl might show up too if I let her know. She seemed to be quite impressed by the band at the end of June .

Even if no-one else shows up, I'm already looking forward to it. 

Get on down.

While out at CB Pub last night, I saw a poster for my favourite local band. They're playing CB Pub a few days before Christmas. It's a Wednesday night, but I'll likely be off work anyway, so a few beers and some great music would be very welcome.

I think it might be stress free this year, too. I think we (the adults in the family) have agreed to only buy the kids, so no stress about buying presents as the kids will just want money.

Interesting.

In an interesting turn of events, there's a slight possibility that the tall drunk woman who came on to me at a work Christmas party ten years ago might be my new boss. Things in work are going to change next month, and that's something that's been mentioned, though nothing is currently set in stone.

She was very drunk, so I assume she doesn't remember. 

Merry Xmas!

Happy Christmas all! I hope that Santa has been really good to you (or will be, depending on where you are in the world).

I'm going to have a long hot bath (a proper long, hot bath, USHW, not "our" kind), make some brekkie and this afternoon, I'll head to my sisters for Christmas lunch.

Santa, once again, completely ignored my wish for Jessica Alba.

 

 

So have some  attractive women in backless dresses.

Sigh.

I know the last few posts have been bitching about my loneliness and my inability to get KfW2 out. But it does feel like it's hitting me a bit more this year than it has done in the past few years. I am nearly always lonely at Christmas, but it feels different this year.

It's a more specific loneliness - I want to meet someone. I've had holidays like that before, with that loneliness, but it's been a few years since it hit me like this.

KfW2 is bearing the brunt of it on the blog. I'm trying to scratch that itch by being social, by getting KfW2 or The Crowd out to the pub.

It's not really her fault, nor is it her fault that I can't get her out for dinner or drinks. Well, it kinda is, but she has her own life, kids, and a medical condition to manage. And I understand that. Doesn't mean that I have to like it.

Party On.

I got my big Christmas shop delivered yesterday and it dawned on me this morning that it's about 80% snacks and party food. At this stage, there is little to no chance that I am going to be doing any hosting. I haven't done any in this house since before Covid. So why did I buy all this food, enough for over a week, if I know that no-one will be calling? Habit? Hope?

I keep thinking about meeting KfW2 for a drink, like we used to do every year, but really it's the complete lack of anything that's been planned this year. And Facebook tells me that it's our 15th Facebook anniversary as friends today, reminding me of some of our best nights out.

I don't know how that makes me feel. Not good, for starters. It's not a good time of year for me with feeling lonely. I've reached out to The Crowd about meeting after Xmas. I'm toying with contacting KfW2, but if I am being honest, I'm tired of asking.

Sigh.

I'm feeling out of sorts for the past while. A funk like I've not had in a long time. Loneliness is a factor, the time of year is a factor - I've never made it a secret that I dislike Christmas (or rather then expectations that come along with this time of year) and work is a factor.

I have that much annual leave still to take that I'll be on a 3-day week from next week and it can't come soon enough.

There's stress from the house stuff too. The move from Tuesday to Wednesday, given my plans on Thursday is causing stress. It shouldn't stress me too much. If the work needs two days instead of one, cancelling my plans on Thursday should be trivial, even if I don't want to do that.

Am I feeling like this cos I'm worn out and my defences are down or am I worn out because I am feeling like this? I think it's the former - all the stuff is hitting me at the same time, when I am tired and in need of some downtime.

And hopefully once I get the work done on Wednesday, that'll make things easier and will free me up for a very long weekend of recharging.

Happy Christmas!

Yet another year goes by and I wake on Christmas morning and Jessica Alba is nowhere to be seen. I am not really feeling on top form. There was some booze taken last night, plus I was messaging USHW as well that kept me awake slightly later than I'd anticipated.

So in the absence of Jessica Alba in my stocking, have some pictures of attractive women.

Hmmm?

KfW2 called earlier. Another snatched phone call as she was on her way to Tesco and, as usual, about three hours behind schedule. However, as she was hanging up (in a hurry), did she promise to meet up some time between Xmas and New Year?

It sounded like it, though she was gone before I could ask her to clarify what she said. It wouldn't surprise me. Me telling her that she made a promise to go to the Xmas Market and then forget would annoy her. She doesn't like being "wrong" and add to that that she would genuinely feel bad for it.

So, that might be something to look forward to over the next week.

Back up...

Blimey, I genuinely don't believe it. It was my last day in work yesterday before I take over two weeks off at Christmas. That coincided with a work event. Sadly, it wasn't at the pub, but we did something in the building - foods, drinks and entertainment.

It was the entertainment that raised an eyebrow. For starters, one of the women involved in the entertainment, I think I've blogged about before. An attractive woman who usually wears black, slinky dresses.

There were other women, and one in particular caught my eye because she was wearing this fantastic glittery backless dress. She had her back to me and it was well over an hour before I saw what she looked like. She was extremely attractive. She was also half my age.

But that dress. *drool* My favourite type, too... one that goes tight the the what's the word? nape? No, small. One that goes right to the small of the back.

So here you are: celebs in backless dresses...

Missed call.

Facebook memories get busy around this time of year due to a plethora of work Christmas parties over the years, but the one that prompted today's blog post was the first trip that KfW2 and I had to our Christmas Market.

Setting the template for future years, KfW2 and I arranged it between ourselves then opened up invitations to everyone else. A few people turned up, had a few drinks and left, including GM and CC.

We (including KfW2's husband) were the last ones standing, and we were extremely drunk. We parted ways - I was living in a city centre apartment, but KfW2 and her hubby needed to get a taxi. I awoke the next morning to a missed call and a really sweet (drunken, but still sweet) voicemail from KfW2. It was quite long, too.

A suitable post.

It's been a while and, when I was out with Nerdy Girl on Monday evening, we stopped in at CB Pub for a drink and to continue our conversation. As it happens, a group of women were in for their Christmas party and one of them, a stunning blonde woman was wearing a suit. So this post is to reflect on that and re-iterate how much I love women in suits, especially 3-piece suits.

Here's hoping I see some women in backless dresses (unlikely) or nice boots (probably) over the party season.

 

D'oh.

I did a walk with Nerdy Girl last night. We did a slightly different route that was almost exactly the same distance as the shorter route we've been doing this year due to my injury.

As part of the conversation she was chastising me (very gently and not entirely seriously) about not contacting Chloe a few years back. I remember not really getting that vibe off her that she was looking anything romantic, but I also recall (though I was drunk) that she seemed quite earnest about getting in touch.

However, I got Covid that night and was floored for a week, then it was into Christmas and by the time the new Year rolled round, it was too late (in my opinion) to reach out, even if I thought there was reason to. Which I didn't.

And now I'm second guessing myself.

Time out.

I took the first steps in booking out my remaining time off for the year and it paints a pretty picture. I'm am off work on every Monday and Friday in December, plus the entire Christmas week. That's a three-day week for three weeks, then ten days off until 2025.

I think this year has finally caught up with me. Or more realistically, I'm seeing what's in store for next year and I'm not feeling too positive, so I need a break and four-day weekends sound about right.

And I still need to squeeze in another four days of holidays somewhere. I'm hoping that gives me more wiggle room in trying to get something arranged with KfW2. Last year, we went out on a Sunday. Maybe we can do the same thing this year?

Time out.

By my reckoning, I have two weeks of personal leave left to take before the end of the year. I'm on a training course at the moment, so won't be able to check until next week.

Traditionally, that translates to shorter weeks and typically taking every Friday off. I already have a week booked off at Xmas, so that's ten days to take in seven weeks.

I've always managed to leverage this into social engagements with The Crowd or KfW2, but I've not seen The Crowd in months and the last time I saw KfW2 was a similar Xmas day/night out last December, the week before Christmas.

It's a habit/pattern I've tried to break over recent years, but with little success. Often, I feel burned out by the time this part of the year, but it doesn't feel like so far. That could all change though, cos we're into the time of year that I don't like - the period between Halloween and Xmas.

But let's see what's going to happen with the time off. I need to put it to good use, I think.

Happy Christmas!

Happy Christmas everyone. I hope that you are having, or have had, an excellent Christmas.

Sadly, Santa never delivered Jessica Alba, so have a picture of Sabrina Lynn instead.

Phew

I think that's me done with Christmas prep for this year. Pressies are bought, though if I am being honest, I copped out with my brother-in-law's present with just vouchers. But all cards have been bought, vouchers are printed, and cash is in envelopes for nieces and nephews. All I need to do is chill out, and I do feel better for it.

While I got some sleep last night, I wouldn't say it was great quality and I am still knackered today after Thursday night's sleepless night.

But, there's footy on the TV later, which I'll enjoy with a few beers and maybe even Die Hard this evening, seeing as it's Christmas.

Humbug? Bah!

I guess it's about time I posted about how much I dislike Christmas. I've always disliked it, bar a few short years with my sister's kids getting all excited but they're beyond the Santa years now.

I've always felt lonely at Christmas. Bar my relationship with FA2 that covered a few Christmases (even though she was away for them for family) and my brief physical thing with FBS, I've never been with anyone at this time of year.

Within the past few years, though, I've started getting anxious about it as well on top of the loneliness. Anxious about getting the right present and making sure I've got everything bought on time.

Recent events have sucked out my remaining energy for this year. The couple of social events that I've done have given me a distraction, which has helped and seeing KfW2 and sharing this part of my life have been a huge help.

And yet, you still can't tell people that you don't like Christmas. I recently shared with some co-workers that I didn't like Christmas and was met with the usual accusations of being a Grinch. I stopped short of going off on a rant, but I think that I managed to explain to them how making those comments to anyone was not helpful.