i could slap a bitch...
I breifly mentioned planning a 60th birthday party for my parents this year. This is seriously giving me a huge nervous breakdown...here's why.
1st week of January - I e-mail my brother and sister and say "Mom & Dad are turning 60. What do you want to do for them. I think we should throw a big combined party." My sister e-mails back and says that since there is some tension in the family and only their children are important to them that we should just pay for them to have a weekend in NYC with us. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?! #1. Buying train tickets for my parents. #2. Buying train tickets for Kyle & I. #3. Buying a hotel room for my parents. #4. Finding someone to watch my parents dog AND our dog. #5. Having my parents lug medical equipment to NYC for one night because my dad isn't well. and finally #6. Having both of my parents turning 60 and not acknowledging it with some sort of party. I didn't think it was a good idea, but my sister is kind of a diva so I thought she'd fight to have a NYC getaway. Finally we decided on a party. They asked if I would be able to HANDLE IT since I live in NH and would have to do a lot of it on my own. HELLO?! Didn't I just plan a wedding? Is part of my job organizing Focus Groups across the US? Am I 26 years old?! I think I can handle throwing a 60th birthday.
#2. We all decided we wanted a "nice meal, a private room, a kick ass cake, and champagne." I set out on a hunt to find information....
#3. My friend is starting a cake making business, she makes AWESOME cakes. I call her and go over what we want and she gives me a RIDICULOUSLY CHEAP price. I say that sounds wonderful. I tell my brother and sister. My sister wants to get 60 mini cannolies. The party is in Manchester on a Saturday Morning, the cannolies are in Lawrence. I say this won't be easy for me to do since I'll have to set up for the party alone (since its a surprise and my parents will think they're going to meet us with my siblings for brunch in Manchester). I get a cannoli guilt trip. I exlpain I got a good price on a cake that I can pick up 3 houses down from my house. My sister wants cannolis. My sister ALSO doesn't drive or have a car. So finally my brother agrees to pick them up that morning and bring them to me. Then she says she wants to put a "60" candle in the middle of a cannoli tray. THATS NOT TACKY AT ALL RIGHT?! I said I'd pay to get a small cake because I don't want to see my parents blowing out a candle on a cannoli tray!!
#4. I find a venue, after much research. I show them the menu SEVERAL times and they give me an OK. I get it booked (after calling three times to change the date) and they send a contract. The NIGHT before I have to sign the contract and send a deposit my brother calls and wants to change the venue. He said he thought the venue I picked didn't have as good of a selection. He wanted to go to another place that has brunch. We'd get our own space, but we'd have to share brunch with the regular restaurant people. DOES THIS SOUND LIKE A FUN PARTY TO YOU? Imagine 30-35 people merging into a buffet line in a busy restaurant!? Does this sound relaxing and intimate!? Also - it will cost about $250 more and we're already spending about $600. I am not made of money...that is almost $300 each between my brother, sister, and I. So I guess this is what we are doing now, I voiced my opinion and they don't seem to care.
DONT ASK ME TO PLAN A PARTY and when I do what you ask me to do say you don't want that. It makes me look like an asshole to the people I've spent time talking to and getting information and booking things to call back and say "JUST KIDDING!"
I'm so friggin aggravated! I pretty much told them to get the info and tell me where to show up and let me know if I can help with anything because I'm done wasting my time now.
So what do you think of a birthday party for 2 60 year olds where they're going to blow out candles on a cannoli tray and the guests AND the birthday boy/girl have to stand in line with strangers at a busy brunch to get their food??
1st week of January - I e-mail my brother and sister and say "Mom & Dad are turning 60. What do you want to do for them. I think we should throw a big combined party." My sister e-mails back and says that since there is some tension in the family and only their children are important to them that we should just pay for them to have a weekend in NYC with us. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?! #1. Buying train tickets for my parents. #2. Buying train tickets for Kyle & I. #3. Buying a hotel room for my parents. #4. Finding someone to watch my parents dog AND our dog. #5. Having my parents lug medical equipment to NYC for one night because my dad isn't well. and finally #6. Having both of my parents turning 60 and not acknowledging it with some sort of party. I didn't think it was a good idea, but my sister is kind of a diva so I thought she'd fight to have a NYC getaway. Finally we decided on a party. They asked if I would be able to HANDLE IT since I live in NH and would have to do a lot of it on my own. HELLO?! Didn't I just plan a wedding? Is part of my job organizing Focus Groups across the US? Am I 26 years old?! I think I can handle throwing a 60th birthday.
#2. We all decided we wanted a "nice meal, a private room, a kick ass cake, and champagne." I set out on a hunt to find information....
#3. My friend is starting a cake making business, she makes AWESOME cakes. I call her and go over what we want and she gives me a RIDICULOUSLY CHEAP price. I say that sounds wonderful. I tell my brother and sister. My sister wants to get 60 mini cannolies. The party is in Manchester on a Saturday Morning, the cannolies are in Lawrence. I say this won't be easy for me to do since I'll have to set up for the party alone (since its a surprise and my parents will think they're going to meet us with my siblings for brunch in Manchester). I get a cannoli guilt trip. I exlpain I got a good price on a cake that I can pick up 3 houses down from my house. My sister wants cannolis. My sister ALSO doesn't drive or have a car. So finally my brother agrees to pick them up that morning and bring them to me. Then she says she wants to put a "60" candle in the middle of a cannoli tray. THATS NOT TACKY AT ALL RIGHT?! I said I'd pay to get a small cake because I don't want to see my parents blowing out a candle on a cannoli tray!!
#4. I find a venue, after much research. I show them the menu SEVERAL times and they give me an OK. I get it booked (after calling three times to change the date) and they send a contract. The NIGHT before I have to sign the contract and send a deposit my brother calls and wants to change the venue. He said he thought the venue I picked didn't have as good of a selection. He wanted to go to another place that has brunch. We'd get our own space, but we'd have to share brunch with the regular restaurant people. DOES THIS SOUND LIKE A FUN PARTY TO YOU? Imagine 30-35 people merging into a buffet line in a busy restaurant!? Does this sound relaxing and intimate!? Also - it will cost about $250 more and we're already spending about $600. I am not made of money...that is almost $300 each between my brother, sister, and I. So I guess this is what we are doing now, I voiced my opinion and they don't seem to care.
DONT ASK ME TO PLAN A PARTY and when I do what you ask me to do say you don't want that. It makes me look like an asshole to the people I've spent time talking to and getting information and booking things to call back and say "JUST KIDDING!"
I'm so friggin aggravated! I pretty much told them to get the info and tell me where to show up and let me know if I can help with anything because I'm done wasting my time now.
So what do you think of a birthday party for 2 60 year olds where they're going to blow out candles on a cannoli tray and the guests AND the birthday boy/girl have to stand in line with strangers at a busy brunch to get their food??