It is funny with socialising, you can go months and months with minimal interest when there is minimal happening on that side of life, but as soon as you go out two weekends in a row, it is like, wow, where is the next hit going to come from. And no, that phrase doesn't come from my real life, I think I first read it in Trainspotting or something.
So, last weekend, out with some workmates, had about four Becks, which is a big night out for me nowadays, and a nice piece of pork sirloin on sweet potato mash, and a good old gossip session. Which I hardly do anymore, as I have to button up my opinions apart from with the team leader in my new team, but bumped into some 'old team' colleagues last weekend, so I had a good conversation over dinner. Only at the pub, but the restaurant side was half deserted because of Ekka and the league game at that time of the evening.
And I think, after years and years of accepting it, I am pretty well over the evenings where your 'meal' consists of endless bowls of chips or - tres exotique - wedges. And with the restaurant being slightly quieter, didn't have to shout across all of about six inches for the person next to me to hear what I was saying. Damn, pubs on Friday nights get loud.
Last night I also went out - another reorganisation of the business unit, so on Monday people will be heading off to parts anew in various directions, although my current team only has one going out, one coming in. All the freaking new staff though, migod - we must have had about sixty (five groups or so) in the last three months.
So, my new team was having drinks, my old team (whom I had caught up with last weekend) was having a dinner out. Guess which one I went for, although I did have a quick beer with my current team on the way to dinner - haven't been out socialising with them all too much as yet, so there will be other times, other opportunities I am sure where there isn't such a clash.
Dinner, was okay. The menu was pretty light, two pages of starters and mains, double spaced, one small page of desserts - I had the salt and pepper calamari (I have developed quite a taste for that cut of squid) for an entree and the Atlantic salmon for the mains. Calamari was good, the salmon a bit less so - and am I being a bit of a snob to not think that $13 for a entree, $27 for a main is reasonable? Others were saying the place was a bit pricey.
Conversation flowed and that is always good - a bit less bitching about work than last week, and is it just me or am I the only straight guy in the workplace? Sometimes, when going out and socialising, it seems that way. Or the other straight guys are a bit boorish, and yes, that could be me being snobbish again.
Ended up at another bar for a couple of drinks, another set of workmates, had gone through my new team, my old team and the third group of the night were mainly completely new staff (well, the last six months intake or so - is scary when you realise you are one of the experienced staff that when you started you wouldn't say boo to). One of that group's birthday drinks or something - had a couple of delightful strawberry cocktails, and, just as I was getting up the courage to talk to the newbies, almost all of 'my' group bailed.
And hence, about ten minutes later, sitting by myself wondering what to do, so did I - bail that is. Though I don't often get out with the newbies, but I am sure there will be other opportunities.
So, last weekend, out with some workmates, had about four Becks, which is a big night out for me nowadays, and a nice piece of pork sirloin on sweet potato mash, and a good old gossip session. Which I hardly do anymore, as I have to button up my opinions apart from with the team leader in my new team, but bumped into some 'old team' colleagues last weekend, so I had a good conversation over dinner. Only at the pub, but the restaurant side was half deserted because of Ekka and the league game at that time of the evening.
And I think, after years and years of accepting it, I am pretty well over the evenings where your 'meal' consists of endless bowls of chips or - tres exotique - wedges. And with the restaurant being slightly quieter, didn't have to shout across all of about six inches for the person next to me to hear what I was saying. Damn, pubs on Friday nights get loud.
Last night I also went out - another reorganisation of the business unit, so on Monday people will be heading off to parts anew in various directions, although my current team only has one going out, one coming in. All the freaking new staff though, migod - we must have had about sixty (five groups or so) in the last three months.
So, my new team was having drinks, my old team (whom I had caught up with last weekend) was having a dinner out. Guess which one I went for, although I did have a quick beer with my current team on the way to dinner - haven't been out socialising with them all too much as yet, so there will be other times, other opportunities I am sure where there isn't such a clash.
Dinner, was okay. The menu was pretty light, two pages of starters and mains, double spaced, one small page of desserts - I had the salt and pepper calamari (I have developed quite a taste for that cut of squid) for an entree and the Atlantic salmon for the mains. Calamari was good, the salmon a bit less so - and am I being a bit of a snob to not think that $13 for a entree, $27 for a main is reasonable? Others were saying the place was a bit pricey.
Conversation flowed and that is always good - a bit less bitching about work than last week, and is it just me or am I the only straight guy in the workplace? Sometimes, when going out and socialising, it seems that way. Or the other straight guys are a bit boorish, and yes, that could be me being snobbish again.
Ended up at another bar for a couple of drinks, another set of workmates, had gone through my new team, my old team and the third group of the night were mainly completely new staff (well, the last six months intake or so - is scary when you realise you are one of the experienced staff that when you started you wouldn't say boo to). One of that group's birthday drinks or something - had a couple of delightful strawberry cocktails, and, just as I was getting up the courage to talk to the newbies, almost all of 'my' group bailed.
And hence, about ten minutes later, sitting by myself wondering what to do, so did I - bail that is. Though I don't often get out with the newbies, but I am sure there will be other opportunities.
