Saturday, March 07, 2015

4021 The usual NJ Meetup

Saturday, March 7, 2015

There's a woman who lives about 4 blocks from me who is very active in Meetup.  Back when I first arrived here she was hosting a waterfront walk and lunch  a few times a month that I participated in, but the past long while it's been mostly bar happy hours and so on, which don't interest me.

Yesterday evening she had a party at her house.  That's more my speed, but I didn't RSVP right away because, well, I've become increasingly reclusive lately, and I wanted to see how I felt about it closer to the date.  She had restricted attendance to 40, and the 40 slots filled up quickly.

Yesterday late morning she sent out a broadcast email saying that 15 slots had opened up, so I went to the group website, and sure enough the excuses were pouring in.  Family obligations.  Have to work late.  Sister is coming for the weekend. Worried about ice on the drive home.

This seems to be typical for this area.

The hostess, cheerful as always, said oh well, 25 is a more comfortable number in her small home anyway.

This morning I checked again.  17 people actually showed up, and having seen her counts for some of the walks I'd been on, I know she tends to pad the numbers a bit.  I suspect it was more likely fewer.

Even using her numbers, that means 40 people snapped up the places (to make sure they had something to do on that Friday night in case nothing better turned up), 15 cancelled the DAY of the event, and 8 or more didn't even bother to cancel.

I really don't like the people around here.
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2 comments:

Becs said...

I paid a guy in the middle of the snowstorm to shovel my driveway and he said he'd be back when it stopped to do the rest. Haven't seen him again. Must remember in the future what I already know - never pay up front.

I don't know if Jersey is a weird place or if you were extremely lucky in the country house. Do you think you will ever move back up that way?

~~Silk said...

I'd love to move back, but it isn't going to happen. The Nugget and my deteriorating health are now going to keep me close to Daughter, and for some reason I don't understand, Daughter's feelings for NY state match mine for NJ. I worry that they might move to PA. They've discussed it, and as beautiful as PA is, politically and socially, PA is Alabama.