Aaah Bach!

So I was having this conversation with someone I know that went something like this:

Her:We just got back from Napa Valley.It was heaven!We did the wine tasting bit and toured the wineries and drank some more way-too-expensive wine.

Me:Errr....sounds good...The Other Half(M) and I do drink(read consume alcohol) occasionally but its just not wine.We are not "wine people".

Her: GASP....Louder GASP

And this has pretty much been the general reaction when I confess my disregard for wine.In this part of the world,you are branded pariahs/outlaws if you do not:
A]Endorse wine and declare yourself to be a "connoisseur of the spirit"
B]Display at home,at least a couple-a-bottles on those specially made wine stands
C]Know the names of the different varieties of wine and their what characterizes each of them
D]At least pretend to do [C]

So basically, it is blasphemous to express your point of view unless and until it conforms to the general mode of thinking!Pretend to like western classical music and wine and you are in!Much like Radar's predicament in one of the episodes of M*A*S*H,where hes trying to woo this very classy nurse and goes to Hawkeye for help.And Hawk in turn advises Radar to sigh loudly and just say"Aaaaaah Bach" at random, if the nurse brought up topics like classical music and poetry! Classic episode!

Its just so hard to be able to say and do whats exactly on your mind.Everything thats said or done has another dimension to it;like a juxtaposition of opposing points of view.And most of the times,I am the only one who is unable to see or fathom the rationale behind the "other" dimension.I constantly crib to M about how I am forced to do things that I am not inclined towards.So finally M lost it and said to me ,"You know what,everyone goes through this at some point, so toughen up.You either do what you want to or not.Do not claim that you will never do something ever again but then promptly end up doing it because it is expected out of you ".and mind you,it does take a lot to ruffle M's feathers and get him to make such statements and I mean,a lot!

It would probably make more sense if I explained the context.So X is in town on a short vacation and is staying with Y.And not to mention,I am expected to invite X over to our home and entertain her.I do not particularly care about whether she visits us or not but then I do have to send in weekly reports back home.So there,you get the picture now!The thing is every weekend that I invite her over,there seems to be something that comes up at the last moment and she asks us to come over to Y's house instead.So I am fed up of this invitation game and declare every weekend that this is the absolute last time that I ever invite her home.But come Friday evening and I find myself making that call yet again!

So whats with this vicious phenomenon of social obligation?And why does it become all the more vicious when you are married as opposed to when you were single?You are still related to all of them in the same way,and that does not change either ways now,does it?!So what does and why?Someone please enlighten me....

I like my margaritas better so sue me...