Anonymous wrote:Gotta love the rich oligarchs of America. Throw around some money and get whatever you want. You folks are the real heroes.

+1

I went to a gala where the chair got so emotional about all the support in planning the gala. I would have laughed out loud but she was in my social circle, so that would be poor judgment. Instead I rolled my eyes and laughed on the inside. Seriously this is such a nonevent. Men don't do this - why do women think it's so important?!

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Think about what you would tell your kids in this situation. It’s not the worst thing in the world to sit at a table with some people you don’t know for a few hours. If it were your kids, you’d encourage them to meet new people and work on their social skills, wouldn’t you? You can do the same. Best case scenario you make a new friend or two, worst case you have a meh experience and just end up talking to your spouse.

It’s ok to experience discomfort in life, you know.

OMG this is such a load of crap. This is not an event of importance. It's a frickin fundraiser for a school. If the school gets the money they need from donations, no one NEEDS to attend these stupid events.

There are plenty of times in life when we have to experience discomfort. We don't need to manufacture more so extroverted jerks can lecture introverts on how they can "stretch and grow".

Get over yourselves.

Are you sure you don't need brushing up on your social skills?

Nope. Social skills are fine. Having low tolerance for BS does not mean no social skills. Quite the opposite.

People who say that often have the very worst social skills. It's like saying "No offense, but...."

My life suggests otherwise.

Yep. Mine too!

Those that feel they have to say “social skills are fine” and things like “get over yourself” are actually much worse of than me - an introvert who feels awkward at these events but can navigate them, even though I don’t enjoy them. Now, I just don’t attend.

You would think you could just live and let live rather than freak out and call these "stupid events" and use the word "fricking" like an 8 year old. None of this suggests happy and well adjusted adult. The word choices and excess emotion betray a supposedly wonderful fulfilled life without social difficulties.

None of your quotes above were in my post, but okay.....

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Think about what you would tell your kids in this situation. It’s not the worst thing in the world to sit at a table with some people you don’t know for a few hours. If it were your kids, you’d encourage them to meet new people and work on their social skills, wouldn’t you? You can do the same. Best case scenario you make a new friend or two, worst case you have a meh experience and just end up talking to your spouse.

It’s ok to experience discomfort in life, you know.

OMG this is such a load of crap. This is not an event of importance. It's a frickin fundraiser for a school. If the school gets the money they need from donations, no one NEEDS to attend these stupid events.

There are plenty of times in life when we have to experience discomfort. We don't need to manufacture more so extroverted jerks can lecture introverts on how they can "stretch and grow".

Get over yourselves.

I stand by what I wrote. If it’s such a minor thing, you should be able to deal and not have this level of anxiety about it. If you don’t want to go, don’t go, but it’s really sad there are so many adults out there who can’t cope and are raising a generation of kids who can’t cope and are socially stunted.

Sad???

Sorry but we're going to be in Italy at our summer estate.

Gotta love the rich oligarchs of America. Throw around some money and get whatever you want. You folks are the real heroes.

Anonymous wrote:You sound impossible. You’re friendly with other parents but not super close with them. You’re not part of the in crowd so nobody asks you to join their table. You can’t start your own table because you don’t have people to ask to join you. You can’t have the gala organizers seat you at a table because there might be other parents you don’t know yet sitting there. Lady, as a member of my kid’s school auction committee, what exactly do you want?

You're obviously 'in', so can't feel OP's pain.

I'm an introvert too. My kids' school is great, but those fundraisers -- ugh. I went to one, then skipped the rest of them.

It’s really no big deal. If you don’t want to go then don’t go. However, you’re aware how this thing is conducted correct? It’s fine if you’re not social and, of course, it being Washington may have that imbued in them. It’s part of their job. Regardless of their motives it’s great that those that have give.

Nothing more; nothing less.

All the years we went to these I remember the drama of the tables and every single year I told everyone, including my friends, I didn’t care where I sat and would just tell the committee to seat me anywhere. It was just fine, it was a great way to meet new people and it was for an hour at most to eat and listen the the event. Sure there were some folks who just weren’t that engaging and others who I couldn’t quite get on the same page with but whatever. Finally stopped going after about 4 years and couldn’t be happier!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Think about what you would tell your kids in this situation. It’s not the worst thing in the world to sit at a table with some people you don’t know for a few hours. If it were your kids, you’d encourage them to meet new people and work on their social skills, wouldn’t you? You can do the same. Best case scenario you make a new friend or two, worst case you have a meh experience and just end up talking to your spouse.

It’s ok to experience discomfort in life, you know.

OMG this is such a load of crap. This is not an event of importance. It's a frickin fundraiser for a school. If the school gets the money they need from donations, no one NEEDS to attend these stupid events.

There are plenty of times in life when we have to experience discomfort. We don't need to manufacture more so extroverted jerks can lecture introverts on how they can "stretch and grow".

Get over yourselves.

I stand by what I wrote. If it’s such a minor thing, you should be able to deal and not have this level of anxiety about it. If you don’t want to go, don’t go, but it’s really sad there are so many adults out there who can’t cope and are raising a generation of kids who can’t cope and are socially stunted.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Think about what you would tell your kids in this situation. It’s not the worst thing in the world to sit at a table with some people you don’t know for a few hours. If it were your kids, you’d encourage them to meet new people and work on their social skills, wouldn’t you? You can do the same. Best case scenario you make a new friend or two, worst case you have a meh experience and just end up talking to your spouse.

It’s ok to experience discomfort in life, you know.

OMG this is such a load of crap. This is not an event of importance. It's a frickin fundraiser for a school. If the school gets the money they need from donations, no one NEEDS to attend these stupid events.

There are plenty of times in life when we have to experience discomfort. We don't need to manufacture more so extroverted jerks can lecture introverts on how they can "stretch and grow".

Get over yourselves.

Are you sure you don't need brushing up on your social skills?

Nope. Social skills are fine. Having low tolerance for BS does not mean no social skills. Quite the opposite.

People who say that often have the very worst social skills. It's like saying "No offense, but...."

My life suggests otherwise.

Yep. Mine too!

Those that feel they have to say “social skills are fine” and things like “get over yourself” are actually much worse of than me - an introvert who feels awkward at these events but can navigate them, even though I don’t enjoy them. Now, I just don’t attend.

You would think you could just live and let live rather than freak out and call these "stupid events" and use the word "fricking" like an 8 year old. None of this suggests happy and well adjusted adult. The word choices and excess emotion betray a supposedly wonderful fulfilled life without social difficulties.

I'm agreeing with you, PP, just not the PP above who seems extremely angry.

You've both never figured out that it can be hard to gauge tone from anonymous internet posts or emails, huh? This conversation isn't worthy of anger. Some eyebrow raising at the people who take these galas so seriously maybe. And some disbelief that some of you seem to think you can use galas to provide lessons in social skills.

You are so self important, you online armchair psychologists!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Think about what you would tell your kids in this situation. It’s not the worst thing in the world to sit at a table with some people you don’t know for a few hours. If it were your kids, you’d encourage them to meet new people and work on their social skills, wouldn’t you? You can do the same. Best case scenario you make a new friend or two, worst case you have a meh experience and just end up talking to your spouse.

It’s ok to experience discomfort in life, you know.

OMG this is such a load of crap. This is not an event of importance. It's a frickin fundraiser for a school. If the school gets the money they need from donations, no one NEEDS to attend these stupid events.

There are plenty of times in life when we have to experience discomfort. We don't need to manufacture more so extroverted jerks can lecture introverts on how they can "stretch and grow".

Get over yourselves.

Are you sure you don't need brushing up on your social skills?

Nope. Social skills are fine. Having low tolerance for BS does not mean no social skills. Quite the opposite.

People who say that often have the very worst social skills. It's like saying "No offense, but...."

My life suggests otherwise.

Yep. Mine too!

Those that feel they have to say “social skills are fine” and things like “get over yourself” are actually much worse of than me - an introvert who feels awkward at these events but can navigate them, even though I don’t enjoy them. Now, I just don’t attend.

You would think you could just live and let live rather than freak out and call these "stupid events" and use the word "fricking" like an 8 year old. None of this suggests happy and well adjusted adult. The word choices and excess emotion betray a supposedly wonderful fulfilled life without social difficulties.

I'm agreeing with you, PP, just not the PP above who seems extremely angry.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Think about what you would tell your kids in this situation. It’s not the worst thing in the world to sit at a table with some people you don’t know for a few hours. If it were your kids, you’d encourage them to meet new people and work on their social skills, wouldn’t you? You can do the same. Best case scenario you make a new friend or two, worst case you have a meh experience and just end up talking to your spouse.

It’s ok to experience discomfort in life, you know.

OMG this is such a load of crap. This is not an event of importance. It's a frickin fundraiser for a school. If the school gets the money they need from donations, no one NEEDS to attend these stupid events.

There are plenty of times in life when we have to experience discomfort. We don't need to manufacture more so extroverted jerks can lecture introverts on how they can "stretch and grow".

Get over yourselves.

Are you sure you don't need brushing up on your social skills?

Nope. Social skills are fine. Having low tolerance for BS does not mean no social skills. Quite the opposite.

People who say that often have the very worst social skills. It's like saying "No offense, but...."

My life suggests otherwise.

Yep. Mine too!

Those that feel they have to say “social skills are fine” and things like “get over yourself” are actually much worse of than me - an introvert who feels awkward at these events but can navigate them, even though I don’t enjoy them. Now, I just don’t attend.

You would think you could just live and let live rather than freak out and call these "stupid events" and use the word "fricking" like an 8 year old. None of this suggests happy and well adjusted adult. The word choices and excess emotion betray a supposedly wonderful fulfilled life without social difficulties.

We just bought tickets, sat with the other outliers (literally, our tables were the farthest from the floor), bought something from the silent auction and left after dessert. It's just one night. Lots of people-watching.

Anonymous wrote:I was never happier than when I decided to start skipping them, and all galas for that matter. What a waste of resources, time, food, everything.

+1

We don’t receive financial aid and budget through downtimes in income rather than applying for aid. That’s all the help I can provide reasonably and it’s plenty.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wtf do these people need donations when they charge tuitions comparable to private colleges. I am guessing it's a tax dodging program that's so popular in the US as lobbiests help create a unfair playing field where rich people get more and more head starts and moving goal posts.

They raise money so kids like yours can go too. Apply and find out.

There are a ton of trolling posts on all the threads — likely from a kid — that all misspell lobbyist. I’d suggest not feeding the trolls. I’d bet $1,000 that this is not a parent or even an adult.