I got invited to a baby shower of a coworker with whom I barely speak.  The person inviting me is also not a friend, except we share the same office.  As soon as she said "baby shower", I said "no way, I don't do those".  She got pretty animated and tried to lay on the guilt, to which I have none over this.

A baby shower is purely a manufactured occasion to transfer wealth to parents of a new baby.  This is supposed to only involve family and close friends of the new parents, however it seems now nobody is off-limits from receiving an invitation.  At first it seems like a great idea -- help out some parents with some things they might not be able to afford.

However, when you analyze the sitution, it's more of a money transfer from single guys like me, to people with kids.  Since I am not having baby showers for which I will be given gifts, then the net balance of gift giving will be FROM me to them.  The net balance among baby-shower givers to baby-shower givers will be zero.  They only truely benefit from people who are not giving baby showers of their own.

Baby-shower parent:  BSP
No-shower person:  NSP

BSP1 invites only other BSPs, each BSP gives 1 shower and invite only those same BSP's:  Net balance zero.
BSP2 invites BSPs and NSPs, each BSP gives 1 shower and invites everyone else:  BSP's net gain from every NSP.  NSP net loss to every BSP.

What you need to do is go to that baby shower, and bring like 45 goats as your gift, and tell them that its your heritage tradition.

[quote author=jigsaw link=topic=13031.msg130994#msg130994 date=1129308763]
What you need to do is go to that baby shower, and bring like 45 goats as your gift, and tell them that its your heritage tradition.
[/quote]

I wouldn't know how to react to that. :P

Just make up an excuse for not being able to go.

"The reality is...there is no baby"

[quote author=Grok link=topic=13031.msg130993#msg130993 date=1129305834]
No-shower person: NSP
[/quote]

Drity, dirty people those NSP's must be.

I think your response to her was appropriate considering your relationship with her.  It seems to me that she could only have a couple of reasons for inviting you in the first place:
1.  Fairness -  She didn't want you to feel left out and was inviting everybody in your work area.
2.  Greed -  She figured that the more people that showed up, the more phat lewtz she would get.

Considering her reaction, I pick #2.  Baby shower's are NOT a place for single males over the age of 12.  There is no benefit for you to attend because the vast majority of women that will be there are going to be married/attached.  You are much better off staying home and playing WoW.  When you see her on Monday, punch her in the stomache.

My name is Thing and I approve this message.

[quote author=Thing [vL] link=topic=13031.msg131071#msg131071 date=1129383866]
My name is Thing and I approve this message.
[/quote]

Hilarious!

[quote]When you see her on Monday, puch her in the stomache.[/quote]

Haha!

Tell them I cant go - our opinons clash too much and then say "I am not for abortion - but I am for eating babies"

[quote author=jigsaw link=topic=13031.msg130994#msg130994 date=1129308763]
What you need to do is go to that baby shower, and bring like 45 goats as your gift, and tell them that its your heritage tradition.
[/quote]

Hahaha, good one!