party like it's 1999

I'm pathetically behind on completing a half dozen barely started posts, but hopefully it's nothing a weekend at home can't fix.


A few weeks back, one of my best friends celebrated her birthday and when it comes to birthdays, this friend is a true kid at heart. In fact, I question whether there could be a kid out there who loves celebrating a birthday as much as she does. There's a sort of shameless self-promotion that goes on display in letting everyone know that it's her birthday, she's throwing a party, and you're invited.

Knowing work would keep me from attending her Saturday afternoon scavenger hunt b-day bash, which happened to fall two weeks after her birthday, I decided to throw her a little surprise party the weekend beforehand. A mutual friend and former roommate of ours would be in town and several friends with obligations the weekend of her bash would also be able to attend the surprise fling, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to celebrate. Besides, what's more fun than one birthday party if not two (actually, I think she ended up having 4 or 5 if you include the ones at work).

And so, things took off from there. Guests were invited, the house cleaned, plans made for the dinner, cake, balloons, etc., salsa music selected for a little dancin', cover story laid upon the b-day girl, and other party details arranged. Then comes the week of the party. Rumors began to reach my ears that my friend was also realizing what a great opportunity it would be to celebrate her birthday the night of surprise party because of our out of town friend being among us and since a few other friends who couldn't make it to her original party would also be able to attend. And thus, she began to plan a second b-day party for herself at the same time and place as her surprise one that I had been planning for a week plus.

Naturally some were slightly confused as to why she was inviting them to a party I had already invited them to and claimed to be a surprise. Amusing too was that in all her planning she forgot to mention anything about it to me, especially considering it was at my place. As the week proceeded, I could see more and more how any hope at a surprise was doomed to fail. After all, she was now expecting to show up to a b-day party. So by Thursday or Friday I left her know just how hard it was to plan a surprise party for someone who was so determined to throw a party for herself. Then came her confusion. Why was I trying to throw her a surprise party when I knew she was already having a party for herself at my place that very night? Could be because she failed to mention it to me, though I had heard about it through the grapevine from my planning cohorts. How was I to know she'd seize every opportunity available to celebrate her b-day the whole month long! Needless to say, she was disappointed. She had always wanted a surprise party but her b-day zeal had taken control and spoiled the hope of a surprise this time around.

The element of surprise may have gone up in flames but what arose from the ashes was a mockery party that was surely more fun than a single celebratory occasion could have been. When I told the out of town friend that the surprise was no longer a surprise, she decided that if our friend could declare the evening to be a b-day party for herself, then she (the out of town friend) was just as entitled to declare the evening a Bon Voyage party for herself. After all, it was likely to be the last time we'd get to see her before she leaves for 2 months at sea volunteering aboard the Doulos. The conversation that followed flowed like this:

K: okay, whatever. the surprise b-day party was just a cover. it was really a surprise going away party party for you but now you've gone and blown that

K: just kidding

K: or am I?

K: guess you'll never know now

E: Does this mean Becky's jumping out of a ship-shaped cake for me?

(We had a running joke all week that she'd be jumping out of a birthday cake for our friend)

K: maybe you can both jump out of cakes simultaneously

E: Maybe we could also have a pre-engagement party for Rick and Becky

E: And an anniversary party for Dan and Tiff. (which happened to have fallen in like November or December)

E: How about a welcome back party for you?

K: Well, it was my b-day this week on the lunar calendar, so technically, it should be my birthday party too

K: and it's St. Patrick's Day!

E: We are sooo gonna party like it's 1999!!

I met with another friend the day before the blessed occasion and told her how the surprise was off but the party still on, however, the event was evolving into an opportunity for everyone to celebrate whatever they felt like. Her mission over the next 24 hrs was to conjure what she wished to celebrate.

For the party, the out of town friend and I picked up enough helium balloons to fill the trunk and backseat of her car. Everyone was allowed to decorate them w/ black marker declaring their reason to celebrate the day. We had quite a variety of occasions from the expected birthday and St. Paddy's Day to Last Day of Teaching on a Saturday. In the end, it was a night of enchantment for all. Okay, maybe not quite enchantment, but we sure had fun.