The holiday party at my work doesn't include spouses. And I'm pretty sure my wife's former office job didn't have a holiday party that I attended.

So it's been a while since we went to a company party together.

But that's exactly what we'll be doing tonight.

As I write this I'm reminded that one of my earliest interactions with my wife - before we were even dating - revolved around a company party.

It was during our time at Channel 7 - and maybe she switched weekends so that she could attend the company party? I don't remember exactly. Anyhow, we ended up working a weekend together, and I remember working up the courage to talk to her. I think she criticized what I was eating for dinner. I ate some pretty unhealthy stuff back then.

We did not spend any time together at that company party - I don't think I ranked high enough in the company to even be invited. (And I'm pretty sure that was the last one ever - I worked there for three more years and there never was another holiday party.)

But, I'll be honest, I probably wouldn't have enjoyed it. I didn't know enough people, and that's not the type of social scene I have enjoyed for most of my life.

So you might think I'm dreading tonight - a party with a bunch of people who my wife knows and I've never met.

But I don't care. I really don't.

I've decided I'll dress nicely and be an adult. I've found I'm often no longer the youngest person in the room, which I had felt was the case for a long time. Tonight I'll just be another adult there. People will either want to talk with me because I'm their equal and they'll want to hear what I have to say, or they won't, and I'll be fine with it.

I'm just going to enjoy a night out with my wife.

If that happens to come with a little extra socializing, I'm at a stage in my life where I'm ready to handle that.