My misguided efforts in party planning..

The true test of this will be after this weekend, after my Holiday party has swept through Des Moines, leaving people in blaze of Holiday spirit, and a few without their dignity. wink.

(I am listening to the Garden State soundtrack- as I have been for the past few months... it it like a fine wine..... mmmm) By the way- I wouldn't know fine wine if you threw a bottle a me. I live in iowa where Boone's and Mad Dog 20/20 are considered to be classy. (Boone's for red meat, Mad Dog for poultry and fish)

Holiday party: Good Intentions. I am having a party this Saturday night and anyone who reads this is welcome to come. Thus far I have 40 people invited... a live band and several bottles of wine and spirits. The idea for me was to have a massive party where I could bring all the peeps of my worlds together and we could celebrate for one evening for the greater good. I have asked my guests to bring non-perishable food items and Men's size Large clothing for a family the we are sponsoring. This makes me feel good about the Holidays... otherwise it seems to be a greed fest and a guilt trip. bitter- perhaps, but I can't say that rich traditions have left me with much. I wanted to make it my own this season, real tree, big party, the whole thing. I have a band playing, friends of mine, called the Matyrs of Maudlin. They will have website soon and I have heard their demo and i was delighted. I was actually relieved that I liked it so much, it would really suck to not like it and then pretend that you do like it.... especially with friendship involved.

Home Improvement, a Special Girl. I will have to say that I am a bit special, or impaired rather, when it comes to painting a room. case in point. my kitchen. The previous residents of this house has composed a cluster fuck of country green with a border of puffe -type painted vines.... for those of you that know me wwill unerstand that this isn't my style. So I get a wild one and decided to repaint. Cupboards and one wall in bright white and backsplash and remaining walls in a bright color caled YAM. I can compose nearly anything on a canvas, but the confines of taped walls throw me into a disorganized state, ultimately removing any sort of skill or method. Thank you for my friend Kelli who is the complete opposite. If she has lines and boundaries, she is a meticulous painting Nazi. I was banned from painting Yam early on, after I got a bit too carried away with the paint roller, creating more work and necessitating two additional coats to cover my haphazard spasms of color on the wall. So I went to work on the white... easy enough- I can't really mess this up can I? well.... imagine that.. after covering myself in enough paint by leaning into previously painted areas, and painting windows and doors shut, I have been removed from the kitchen entirely. I have moved on to other rooms, organizing and setting up spaces for the slew of guests this weekend. But it still baffles me. I try to ignore my creative impulses when painting: to no avail. I am also looking at new flooring for the kitchen and while at Lowes I almost lost Kelli's involvement in the entire process. Why you ask? We had a task of investigating flooring and after my sixth "How do I look in this bathtub/shower and my impromtu skits on the display toilets, she nearly bailed on me. That and my facsination with covering her with stick-on floor tiles while she was not looking... I had crossed the line. apparently. Not to worry, we are back in the kitchen tonight, and everything should be done.

Sidenote: Every place I go in the Des Moines area I run into someone I went to school with that results in an incredible effort of small talk and a lingering uncomfortable silence.
While at Lowes this guy was psuedo following us, he worked there so we thought he wanted to sell us something.

Him: what's your name? (in a weirdly demanding way, not just inquisitive)
Me: Claire (frantically scanning my inner files to place the face)
Him: You don't remember me DO YOU?
Me: Nope. (I probably would have said something?)
Him: You really don't remember me? (accusing tone)
Me: Uh... No. (uncomfortable.... do I explain my ("experiemental" drug use in my early twenties?)
Him: Matt Sash
Me: Oh! Hi, how are you? (still drawing a blank... WAIT- I went to elementary with this guy- Jesus!)
Him: Good. (offering NO further conversation options)
Me: So - do you live around here- just working at Lowes??...... (super uncomfortable)
Him: Well, I got laid off from Maytag.
Me: that's too bad- yeah they laid off a bunch of people..... (SILENCE)
Him: My brother, you probably don't remeber him either, (why the guilt?) he works for Nike in Portland.
Me: Cool. Good for him.

this goes on like this for 5 more minutes before I decide I need an out. I tell him that I really have to get going, take care, t was nice to see him?

Point is... please don't so this to people. If you are curious about someone and how they have been, just ask, drop the guessing game and all that. Implementing guilt on someone you haven't seen in ten years will do nothing but irritate the questioned and gap the distance even further.

I am really looking forward to the party this weekend. My friend Mike Magnus is flying in from Chicage, Cody, Mitchell, Victor, Tony, Cy, Tanner are coming as well as about 35 other favored patrons. Jim can't make it, something about being in South Korea and a 17 hour flight. excuses, excuses. Chris Kilgore can't make it either...family Christmas and a trip to see the future in-laws.... eugh.

Allison and I have talked twice in the past week and I am so glad about that. It is great to hear her voice.

I am out the next two days to prep for the greatest party of the year so I will update on Monday after the fun has been....

Ooh- did anyone watch Class Reunion on the WB last night. Awesome. That crazy bitch Jamie (the psycho Ex) is going to knock somebody OUT!!! Love it. Any Laguna Beach is over BUT THERE IS A SECOND SEASON!!! reall, I don't need any gifts for christmas, I have my wish.

Have a wonderful weekend.

cheers.
c