Business dinner- inappropriate or not?

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  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,932 Member
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    Honestly, you also need to think about what you're doing to the young woman's career in throwing a fit about your husband having dinner with her. Depending on the profession, those moments away from the office to make personal connections can be critical to career development. Congratulations on adding a pane to the glass ceiling, OP.
  • dwh77tx
    dwh77tx Posts: 513 Member
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    Honestly, you also need to think about what you're doing to the young woman's career in throwing a fit about your husband having dinner with her. Depending on the profession, those moments away from the office to make personal connections can be critical to career development. Congratulations on adding a pane to the glass ceiling, OP.

    Oh please- give me a break! I'm just saying no more candle lit dinners!
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    Honestly, you also need to think about what you're doing to the young woman's career in throwing a fit about your husband having dinner with her. Depending on the profession, those moments away from the office to make personal connections can be critical to career development. Congratulations on adding a pane to the glass ceiling, OP.

    Oh please- give me a break! I'm just saying no more candle lit dinners!

    Candle lit dinner?

    Where did they go?
  • tiptoethruthetulips
    tiptoethruthetulips Posts: 3,360 Member
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    Didn't see any mention of a candle lit dinner before now? Is that how you imagined their work related dinner to be or was it actual fact?
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,932 Member
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    Honestly, you also need to think about what you're doing to the young woman's career in throwing a fit about your husband having dinner with her. Depending on the profession, those moments away from the office to make personal connections can be critical to career development. Congratulations on adding a pane to the glass ceiling, OP.

    Oh please- give me a break! I'm just saying no more candle lit dinners!

    Either you have a right to be upset or he does. Time for a divorce attorney either way.
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,932 Member
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    Thanks for all the replies. I work as well, but I don't travel for work, yet...maybe I'll see it differently some day. Or maybe I'm just irritable because that particular night (Wednesday), I was scrubbing dog vomit out of the carpet before feeding my kids leftovers which weren't all that great.

    Dog vomit and leftovers would make me stabby, and totally jealous of a dinner out with real napkins. Both your reaction is normal, and the fact that he went to a nice restaurant with his colleague on the company's dime.

    Thank you! At least I am not alone in my feelings.

    Yep. There is more than one insanely jealous woman in the world. I remember how my wife's old boss had to put up with this when they'd travel together. All I could think was yea, not happening. I loved the PGA tickets he'd give her though. lol
  • katmix
    katmix Posts: 296 Member
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    Honestly, you also need to think about what you're doing to the young woman's career in throwing a fit about your husband having dinner with her. Depending on the profession, those moments away from the office to make personal connections can be critical to career development. Congratulations on adding a pane to the glass ceiling, OP.

    Oh please- give me a break! I'm just saying no more candle lit dinners!

    I've got to be honest...I hadn't seen anything earlier about a candlelight dinner (do guys even NOTICE candlelight at dinners?!)... Having been married close to 30 years, gonna give a little advice (you did ask!)...take this conversation off MFP (and away from people who don't know you/situation) and sit down and converse with your hubby. It is starting to sound a bit like the game of telephone...things are getting added, and no one but you and hubby knows what was really said.

    Lastly, if my hubby had clung to me so tightly as to make me account for every second of my life and didn't trust me to respect my vows, we'd never have made it this long... Just saying.
  • MystikPixie
    MystikPixie Posts: 342 Member
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    It's all about trust, either you do or you don't. If you don't then maybe you need to think about finding someone else in this world you can trust. Otherwise the relationship is already doomed to fail. If he's innocent and you're always harping on him about the things he has to do for work, he'll leave because you don't respect him enough to trust him. If he's guilty, then there's your answer, he can't be faithful, he's not worth your time.

    90% of the people in this world in relationships are already doomed, simply because people are stupid and get with others as well as stay with others not because they make them happy but because of other dumb reasons. "I don't like having sex with my husband/wife so we have an open marriage and swing with other couples just as unhappy as we are" STUPID. "Oooh well my SO keeps me in the lifestyle I've grown accustomed too" STUPID. "He knocked me up." STUPID. "I knocked her up" STUPID. "They treat me like crap but I can't do any better" STUPID. "He goes on dinner dates with work colleagues and I don't like it because I don't trust that he wont stick it to her the first chance he gets." STUPID.
  • GertrudeHorse
    GertrudeHorse Posts: 646 Member
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    Let me clarify, I have no problem with them eating together- it was the nature of the dinner. It sounded like a "date" to me, which irritated me. How about a more casual place, not somewhere with bread baskets, appetizers, and desserts. I guess this was my real issue.

    Bread basket?!?!?


    *kitten*!!

    I award you twelve internets. Seriously best comment on this whole thread.

    Also candlelight =/= affair.
  • moosegt35
    moosegt35 Posts: 1,296 Member
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    Honestly, you also need to think about what you're doing to the young woman's career in throwing a fit about your husband having dinner with her. Depending on the profession, those moments away from the office to make personal connections can be critical to career development. Congratulations on adding a pane to the glass ceiling, OP.

    Oh please- give me a break! I'm just saying no more candle lit dinners!

    Candle lit dinner?

    Where did they go?

    It was a battery operated candle in a mason jar at the Texas Roadouse. They even had bread. Just break up.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,229 Member
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    OP, when I first started my current relationship I told him that I am not a jealous woman until he gives me a reason to be, and if he gives me a reason to be, then we shouldn't be together.

    If your husband having dinner with a co-worker makes you jealous... well....
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    Thanks for all the replies. I work as well, but I don't travel for work, yet...maybe I'll see it differently some day. Or maybe I'm just irritable because that particular night (Wednesday), I was scrubbing dog vomit out of the carpet before feeding my kids leftovers which weren't all that great.

    Dog vomit and leftovers would make me stabby, and totally jealous of a dinner out with real napkins. Both your reaction is normal, and the fact that he went to a nice restaurant with his colleague on the company's dime.

    Thank you! At least I am not alone in my feelings.

    So the real issue is you resent that he travels for work, which is totally understandable. It's also understandable that you "accidentally" directed your anger at the circumstances of the dinner. This happens often, but I think it's important to recognize and realize where the true issue lies. Talk to your husband about it. See if you can work in a girls night out, or a pedicure or something away from the kids when he is home in order to relieve some of your resentment.
  • fbmandy55
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
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    As a professional who travels from time to time. I can tell you dinner is often late. Sometimes even 10 or 11pm at night. Also, you don't get to pick the age and gender of your co-workers. Especially to please a jealous spouse.

    Get over it or just break up. :noway:
  • Jade0529
    Jade0529 Posts: 213 Member
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    I am sure your husband would much rather be with his family than having to travel for work.

    It can't be fun to eat dinner alone, missing you. He decided to have dinner with a colleague, it's hardly a red flag unless there have been others that signal something

    In either case talk to him and communicate with him how it makes you feel. Maybe you can Skype after his day so you can feel more connected
  • Orion782
    Orion782 Posts: 391
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    I have been married for 15 years. My husband has traveled for work all during our marriage and had many business dinners out, in groups, alone with another female colleague, etc, but his recent trip bothered me. He went out of town and did a presentation with his new subordinate and they had a late dinner together. I told him that I think this is inappropriate. She is single, about 15 years younger than him. No, I don't feel threatened, I have seen a picture and I know I don't have anything to worry about. I just think that this seems like a "dinner date". I am fine with him traveling with her otherwise, sharing cabs, plane, lunches, etc. Just the dinner thing bothers me. Opinions?

    He already said he was sorry and that he won't do anymore dinners with her alone.

    Why do opinions matter? He said he won't do it anymore, because it bothered you. That's all that matters; he respects your input. It only becomes an issue if he breaches that trust.
  • EllieB_5
    EllieB_5 Posts: 247 Member
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    I really don't understand why you are bothered now and never were before. Has your husband given you reason to be concerned about this particular woman? Does she act inappropriately towards him? If not, from my own experience, you really shouldn't be concerned/annoyed/worried about that dinner.

    Yes. If you're suddenly worried about a particular person when you have never been concerned before, perhaps you should trust your instincts and figure out why you're concerned.
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,022 Member
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    Honestly, you also need to think about what you're doing to the young woman's career in throwing a fit about your husband having dinner with her. Depending on the profession, those moments away from the office to make personal connections can be critical to career development. Congratulations on adding a pane to the glass ceiling, OP.

    Winner
  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
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    I guess I don't know the entire circumstances of what went on OP, but I do travel regularly for work to work trade shows. I am married and my coworker that I travel with is male and he's married. The only time we eat alone together is when we are on the same flight and have a layover. Sometimes he has to eat with clients, but I don't, so I use that time to eat in my room and have some time to myself. Sometimes he doesn't have to eat with clients and when that happens, he tends to eat in his room and have time to himself.

    Maybe it's because we are both introverts, so we are exhausted by having to be "on" during the trade shows, but the last thing we want to have to do is make small talk while we are eating dinner after a long day.

    I will say, we don't need to talk about business after the show is over for the day. We also don't have to entertain clients the way some companies do, so there's really no reason for us to eat together at night. Now, if my husband travels with me on some of these trips, we may get together with my coworker and other coworkers for dinner, but again, that's more because my husband thrives on interacting with others. If I had my way, we'd just stay in our hotel room and chill. LOL

    So I think it really depends on the type of business trip it is and whether or not they had unfinished business to discuss while they were eating dinner. Or if they ran extra late on their meeting and they were starving so they decided to grab a bite.
  • salladeve
    salladeve Posts: 1,053 Member
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    " She is single, about 15 years younger than him. No, I don't feel threatened, I have seen a picture and I know I don't have anything to worry about."


    The quote above explains the problem the best. The OP is insecure, and a little petty (the looks comment), which makes her jealous. She really needs to work on herself and not project her insecurities to her husband, it is her problem not his.
  • PRMinx
    PRMinx Posts: 4,585 Member
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    Honestly, you also need to think about what you're doing to the young woman's career in throwing a fit about your husband having dinner with her. Depending on the profession, those moments away from the office to make personal connections can be critical to career development. Congratulations on adding a pane to the glass ceiling, OP.

    Winner

    Yes, yes, yes....a thousand times yes. Dinners and drinks with colleagues are where the business conversations happen and it's the best way for young employees to learn. You are being incredibly selfish by taking your insecurities out on this young woman. I remember my first dinners out in business. It was so exciting - and NOT because I was trying to get with my boss. Since then I've been on countless trips, at countless dinners (yes, sometimes that steak place has candles...the horror!), in countless towns and, sometimes, with countless drinks. Never once have I ever even considered hitting on a colleague because, believe it or not, I value my professional career too much to do anything stupid.

    I feel sorry for your husband. How awkward for him. All you've done is put him in a lose-lose situation. He either bails on work colleagues because of your issues or he lies to you. I imagine he'll choose the latter.