Major fucking dilemma. Not a major dilemma about fucking (as in "which of my harem of super models am I going to do first?" That is a dilemma I am probably never going to face).
No, this is a very real dilemma.
Yesterday I received an invitation to a theatre company's Christmas party. I've written about this company here before. I like what they do a lot and have written some good reviews of their productions. I think I even saw one of my reviews framed last time I was there. I like the people involved on a personal level too, even though I don't know them very well. It's a vibe thing. They seem like good people. But I've always felt a bit thing about getting too friendly with them because I'm a reviewer and I have to remain... I dunno, cold and detatched, not warm and friendly. Something like that.
So on one hand I feel I have to say thanks but no thanks because even if my reviews are objective (I once did give them a bit of a flat review) what if someone like my editor or the other reviewers find out that I hang out with the theatre company? Would a reader trust my review if they knew I got pissed with the theatre company?
One one of the other hands (because there are several hands in this dilemma), what if I pass up this opportunity? They are really cool creative types who will be drinking wine and mucking about in Centennial Park, a favourite haunt of mine, and we might just hit it off. And if other reviewers go it would be fun to meet them too because I don't know any other theatre reviewers.
But what if I am the only reviewer to show up because the others know the importance of maintaining a professional distance?
But what if I am the only reviewer who doesn't show up? Will that be seen as a snub? Maybe it really is a genuine gesture of thanks and not merely an opportunity to manipulate us into always giving favourable reviews.
What do I do?
Add to this the fact that The Dreaded One and I have been working our butts off and had been talking about going to a doof that's being talked about. First quality one in ages. She wants to go straight after work tonight, party all day tomorrow, come back Monday. I've come over all grown up and don't think it's a good idea to arrive at the end of the weekend feeling exhausted when we're both facing another week of long shifts. Besides, there's all this domestic stuff to do that we've been neglecting due to time constraints. Shopping. Cleaning. There are pieces of paper to be dealt with.
Plus I'm a little over that feeling of having to be somewhere I'm currently not.
Plus I'm not sure missing the Christmas party is something I want to do. I'm not a networking type, but one of the theatre company's backers is someone I did some freelance work for a while ago and he'll probably be there. We lost contact, and this could be a good opportunity to re-establish contact in case he needs a freelancer.
But this is looking like a very good doof. Friends who haven't been out all year are making the effort. I know this because a friend just asked me to look up the details of the party and now I know just how much excitement is being generated and I want to go.
What do I do?
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2 comments:
I don't know what the hell a doof is, but when I was in high school, we said that and we meant "food." Because we were weird and we liked to say things backwards so that no one knew what we were talking about. You've got a lot of reasons to NOT attend the doof, and a lot of reasons to stick close to home and go to this theatre thing.
My recommendation? Stay home, get all the paper-things dealt with, go to the theatre party and stay for just a couple of hours, leaving BEFORE you get all schnockered. Do the networking thing. Mingle and get your face in front of these people, and then say your goodbyes before you can't talk anymore and go home and get a good night's rest.
That sounds really boring, though. Maybe you should go to the doof. Whatever the hell that is.
I sometimes forget what a weird word doof is. Originally used to describe the repetitive beat of dance music generally (doof doof doof), it now refers to outdoor psytrance parties, usually held in the bush.
Your advice was very sensible and that was basically what I had planned to do. However, what happened was...
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