Poll of the Day > Should I stay or should I go? (Read the first post plz)

(+) Yeah! (+)

A friend of mine and his wife are having a birthday dinner at a local thai restaurant. They're gonna order the hot pot.* They're paying for the dinner. They gave me a casual invitation, along with several other friends.

The arrival time is 5:30.

My problem is that I don't eat that early. I have dinner around 8:00 or 8:30. I can imagine getting myself to eat at 7, possibly. But anything before that is out of the question for me. I won't be hungry, and forcing myself to eat would be likely to make me physically ill. I can't ask them to eat later; I'd never even consider doing that...

I know I'm strange. Most people eat earlier. I get that. Having said that, should I:

A) Make up some excuse, and skip the dinner? I'll miss time with some good friends. But at least I won't be the weirdo siting at a table, and watching people eat in front of him. I'd probably have to explain myself several times and garner an implied sense of judgement from them. (Even though I know they'd never actually feel that way.)

B) Just go. Maybe it's not as weird as it sounds to sit at a dinner table without eating? Plus I'd get to spend an evening with friends, laughing and telling stories.

*(For those who don't know, at this restaurant, you're able to order the hot pot. That's literally a large pot they set down at your table, complete with a gas-powered burner below it. You order raw meat, along with uncooked noodles and veggies. Then you're given little tools to dip the food into the pot. You get to watch it cook right before you eyes, and take it out whenever you want. It's not my favorite way to eat, but it tastes good and it's kind of fun! I've done it a couple times before.)
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Hoe have you made it to this point in your life while being this socially awkward?

You could just go and have a drink, assuming you wanted to hang out with these people. Who knows, if it lasts a while you may get hungry after all.

I don't think it's that most people eat earlier. Most people, when they know they are going to dinner, don't eat before that. Like, you could have skipped lunch to make sure you were hungry for the dinner with them. Most people don't like to go out too late because other people have families. Sometimes, families who they will eat with again. Or who need to also eat. Or kids who can't be up too late. Or because people want to spend more time with friends. You probably should have skipped out on food earlier.

Either way, I would just go. Even if you don't eat, you can hang out with friends. Maybe order just a drink like water or lemonade or something. Or just dessert. Or even eat a little or something and say you didn't really bring a big appetite. Idk. But I would probably go... Depending on the situation, it might go on until 8:00. Or the smell of food will make you hungry...
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Zangulus posted...

If you go there will be trouble.

But if he stays it will be double.
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Just go and have a good time. I honestly don't think anyone will care that you're not eating, but if you don't feel comfortable explaining, just tell them you got queasy at the last minute and don't feel like eating.
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LinkPizza wrote:

Like, you could have skipped lunch to make sure you were hungry for the dinner with them.

I agree ^.^
Skip lunch, and then consider this to be a late lunch instead of an early dinner.
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I've gone out to dinner before with friends and not really eaten, either because I wasn't hungry, or because the food was something I didn't like, or whatever. Because - especially as you get older - the opportunities to socialize with friends start to get rarer and rarer, so you should probably take the chances you have to have a good time with the people you enjoy hanging out with, even if that means all you're going to do is nibble on a couple things and not eat much. Or not eat at all.

Worst case scenario, you can always grab some food somewhere on the way home afterward.


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LinkPizza posted...

don't think it's that most people eat earlier. Most people, when they know they are going to dinner, don't eat before that. Like, you could have skipped lunch to make sure you were hungry for the dinner with them.

This was all that needed to be said.

What Link said. I can't eat "normal" sized portions at restaurants so when I know I'm going out to dinner I skip lunch or just have a small snack in place of it, so I'll be hungry for dinner. That's pretty normal...
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if you have to ask, then probably no

Am I the only person that can't be hungry if they don't eat within an hour of being hungry?
(I'm just wondering because people saying skip lunch.)

I think it kinda depends on the dynamic. Do you think they'd want you there regardless? Do you think they'd rather feed you than you just be there? Don't really know anything about their personalities or your interactions. Like some people I'd go regardless, and others I'd explain and apologize.

But then again I literally can't eat on someone else's schedule. Trying that results more in not being able to eat at all for me.

ChaosAzeroth posted...

Am I the only person that can't be hungry if they don't eat within an hour of being hungry?
(I'm just wondering because people saying skip lunch.)

Just curious, but how many meals have you ever skipped in a row?

You should go. Even if you don't normally eat that early, it's only 2 hours. It isn't anything drastic by any means so it won't throw off your routine.

cute_fan posted...

LinkPizza wrote:

Like, you could have skipped lunch to make sure you were hungry for the dinner with them.

I agree ^.^
Skip lunch, and then consider this to be a late lunch instead of an early dinner.

Can't do that. I don't eat breakfast, either. If I didnt eat lunch, I would feel faint and probably pass out. Couldn't function properly.
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This indecision's bugging me

I didn't read any comment in the topic, but no you should not do whatever thing you are asking.
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ChaosAzeroth posted...

I think it kinda depends on the dynamic. Do you think they'd want you there regardless? Do you think they'd rather feed you than you just be there?

Nah. They'd definitely be happy just for me showing up.

Don't really know anything about their personalities or your interactions. Like some people I'd go regardless, and others I'd explain and apologize.

They've got great personalities. They probably wouldn't care that much. I might be worries more about my own awkwardness than theirs. Lol!
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JCvgluvr posted...

cute_fan posted...

LinkPizza wrote:

Like, you could have skipped lunch to make sure you were hungry for the dinner with them.

I agree ^.^
Skip lunch, and then consider this to be a late lunch instead of an early dinner.

Can't do that. I don't eat breakfast, either. If I didnt eat lunch, I would feel faint and probably pass out. Couldn't function properly.

So... maybe just eat breakfast for once?
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Trialia posted...

JCvgluvr posted...

cute_fan posted...

LinkPizza wrote:

Like, you could have skipped lunch to make sure you were hungry for the dinner with them.

I agree ^.^
Skip lunch, and then consider this to be a late lunch instead of an early dinner.

Can't do that. I don't eat breakfast, either. If I didnt eat lunch, I would feel faint and probably pass out. Couldn't function properly.

So... maybe just eat breakfast for once?

Yeah. Would hurt to have breakfast once so you can eat with friends. Even if its just a little. A bowl of cereal, or a banana, or something...
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Unless you're eating lunch at like 4, I can't imagine you'll have that much difficulty eating at 6 instead of 8.

Eating food before noon makes me nauseous.
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JCvgluvr posted...

Eating food before noon makes me nauseous.

Would you prefer to faint?

(I eat while nauseous pretty well all the time. Some of us don't have much choice!)
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It's always me, me, me!
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i didn't read, but just go, ok?
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You have a very sensitive stomach, it seems. You get nauseous if you eat before noon, but still need to eat before 5:30. Maybe if you snack a little around a little afternoon (like right after noon, or around 1:00pm), that should keep you from fainting, but not so early that you get nauseous.

If you cant do that, then just still go. Might as well hang out with friends. But if you want to eat with them, you have to be flexible somewhere...
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I've tried stuff like that before, Link. Sometimes it works. It's tough being this inflexible...

I think I'll brave the awkwardness. The poll is pretty unanimous.
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Yeah. I agree to just go. Shouldn't be too awkward. Ive been to gatherings where not everybody ate...
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Today went well. I shouldn't have been worried. Barely anyone talked about it.

Don't overthink things, folks. Just go do stuff and have a nice time!
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JCvgluvr posted...

My problem is that I don't eat that early. I have dinner around 8:00 or 8:30. I can imagine getting myself to eat at 7, possibly. But anything before that is out of the question for me. I won't be hungry, and forcing myself to eat would be likely to make me physically ill. I can't ask them to eat later; I'd never even consider doing that...

This is one of the weirder things I've seen on this board. Do you have a medical condition? Because I legitimately can't understand your problem here.

After reading the entire topic, especially your excuses to some common sense suggestions, you seem to be pretty ridiculous. You should stay away and leave them to enjoy their meal without having to deal with this weirdness.


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Mead posted...

Zangulus posted...

If you go there will be trouble.

But if he stays it will be double.

Come on and let him know
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