Partners at your Xmas function is weird IMO..they have nothing to do with your career and you have to awkwardly introduce them to a bunch of people who they will never meet again.
And for the record..it did sound like the fact that the Doctor was a pretentious twat.
Partners have lots to do with your career.
Whilst they may not be out there with each of us as we tend to the sick / teach / build houses / program computers / run our own business / put the pieces of fried chicken into the box, they have input into your career in other ways..
They are a sounding board for ideas, they help us wind down after a long day, they give up their time with us when we have to work back late and they provide inspiration for actually going to work (sometimes it's inspiration knowing you're earning money for them, other times it's inspiration to get the hell out of the house when she's in one of those moods)..
You spend a hell of a lot of time with your work colleagues and your partner hears about these people, only fair she / he (or both, if you're in that kind of relationship) gets to put faces to these names..
