This whole party analogy is starting to make sense... and that is frightening me!

I have been to parties where guests have been asked by the host to work as "bouncers" - helping to keep the peace and keep the party flowing. While they have been given a role to play, they are also going to enjoy the party to the fullest. The host is ultimately responsible for the success or failure of the event, and he or she will make adjustments as the evening progresses to make sure everyone has a good time and a safe time.

The rules have to bend.   The spinach dip may start on the coffeetable in the living room and and be moved to an end table in the end before someone picks it up and moves it back again. No one will get upset, except for the one guest who was sitting on the couch in the living room expecting to be in front of the dip. You can't please everyone.

Some guests may get out of line, start fights, needlessly pick on another guest, or talk about their grandchildren or try to sell insurance. It is hard to get away from the latter.   Does the host tell offensive guest to pack up their snapshots and hit the road? Of course not. The host MIGHT explain that people are bored with the endless shots of grandson Jimmy getting his diaper changed, or the host might choose to ignore it. Let the part flow as it needs to and let the guests work it out for themselves.

You might also have a guest who thinks that the party belongs to them and that they are the owners of the house. They start tending bar, take over the grill duties, or decide that it is time for the limbo contest. The host may have had other plans, and they will either put a stop to the actions or just let the party flow.

At the end of the evening, everyone who is still able to grabs their carkeys and drives home.   The ride home might consist of the spouse berating their partner for the actions that they indulged in at the party, or a lot of gossiping about what went on. Usually, they will keep their opinions to themselves.   Sometimes they will start to tell others what they thought - and that is when the trouble begins.

So what is my boring description of the local get together proving? Absolutely nothing. The host might tweak the invitation list next time they throw a shindig so that more people have a good time, or they might keep inviting the same guests that set others on edge.   

For those of us who receive an invitation, we have a choice to make. Do we go and start a fight? Do we go knowing that someone is going to pick a fight with us? Do we go and try to have the party run according to our schedule and plans? Do we ignore the invitation and sit at home and lope the mule?   Whatever our decision is, there is a reason we do the things we do.   We all have to decide for ourselves.