There’s a reason I stopped hosting gatherings and planning events.
I used to live within 20 minutes by car, bus, or train to every single one of my friends. Now the closest one is 35 minutes away. Many of them are parents now, some have second jobs.
Planning changed from a “let’s hang next Friday” to a week-long process of comparing availabilities (usually received after individually bugging people) which results in a planned night 1-2 months out. And often times, something comes up and we have to start over.
I got frustrated with it and started giving them MY availability, telling them to figure it out between themselves and get back to me. But since I’m kind of the linchpin of a disparate friend group, it rarely happens.
My goodness, I have a friend who refuses (REFUSES) to give a bulk availability list, and instead just say “No” to everyone else’s dates that don’t match his. My bro, just give me a list of days for the love of socialism.
Me: I can do X, Y, Z, and AA
Friend1 : I got X, Z, AA, and maybe Y if we go early
Friend2: I got V, Y, N, %, and Left-Field
Friend3 : None of those work for me
Me: What does work for you?
Friend3: I dunno, what dates are you guys open to?
I mean, at that point, don’t discuss it in text, but use a scheduling tool that forces people into a framework. If they refuse, they’re just being a dick, but at that point, at least it’s obvious they’re fucking around.
There’s a reason I stopped hosting gatherings and planning events.
I used to live within 20 minutes by car, bus, or train to every single one of my friends. Now the closest one is 35 minutes away. Many of them are parents now, some have second jobs.
Planning changed from a “let’s hang next Friday” to a week-long process of comparing availabilities (usually received after individually bugging people) which results in a planned night 1-2 months out. And often times, something comes up and we have to start over.
I got frustrated with it and started giving them MY availability, telling them to figure it out between themselves and get back to me. But since I’m kind of the linchpin of a disparate friend group, it rarely happens.
My goodness, I have a friend who refuses (REFUSES) to give a bulk availability list, and instead just say “No” to everyone else’s dates that don’t match his. My bro, just give me a list of days for the love of socialism.
Me: I can do X, Y, Z, and AA
Friend1 : I got X, Z, AA, and maybe Y if we go early
Friend2: I got V, Y, N, %, and Left-Field
Friend3 : None of those work for me
Me: What does work for you?
Friend3: I dunno, what dates are you guys open to?
Me: WE JUST DID THAT
I mean, at that point, don’t discuss it in text, but use a scheduling tool that forces people into a framework. If they refuse, they’re just being a dick, but at that point, at least it’s obvious they’re fucking around.
Mine aren’t that bad and it’s admittedly only one of them who cancels but it’s still frustrating enough for me to call it quits on organizing stuff