Christmas Lunch with Co-Workers = Awkward...

So, I’ve been at the new place of employment a month now.  I thought it would be fair to get to know my co-workers a little better before I started passing judgment on them and making fun of their behavior. 

Well, like I said – it’s been a month….and I don’t really have much to report.  There is a huge age difference and for once in a long time, I’m one the youngest people in the group.  This normally isn’t weird for me, but in this case it is.  I don’t know what it is, but I’m attributing it to the fact that I have nothing in common with these people, no common interests in the same hobbies, sports, music, lifestyle or decade, etc.

Yesterday was our Christmas lunch and it was a perfect time get to know these people outside of the office.  A little wine and great food should have led to stimulating conversation.  Ummm, not so much.   The awkward silences were deafening and I swear I could hear the ice cubes in the water glasses melting.

I can’t stand awkward silence, so I tend to ramble on like a crazy person – with or without alcohol.  I can babble with the best of them and babble is just what I did.  I babbled about the fireplace in the room, the table linens, the upcoming holidays, dogs (even cats), baking, kids and of course the weather. 

I’m not giving up hope that we’ll find some common ground.  We have to or I’ll go insane.  I’m a social person and while I don’t believe in spending my entire day socializing, it’s nice to know that when I’m at the water cooler with a co-worker, I’ll have something more riveting to say than “nice weather we’re having”.