I talk to strangers.
Every now and then, you get the chance to really immerse yourself deeply in some environment which speaks to a particular aspect of your personality -- someplace where you can really roll around in the mud of your chosen pigsty with abandon, be yourself, be free, and really wallow in the pure joy of that experience. Last night I thoroughly enjoyed one such occasion. Ian and I were the guests of his former classmate from The Guildhall, Tom, who recently moved to Boulder, at his office holiday party for Backflip Studios. This company went all out on what must have been a $100,000 party! They rented a small theatre in Boulder -- open bar all night, passed hors d'oeuvres, a couple of food stations, and musicians imported from New Orleans by name of the Rebirth Brass Band. What a party! We knew only Tom, who has only been at the company for 10 days and himself knows very few people. Every employee could invite ten people to join them, so the party was filled with a large amount of those who didn't know anyone else, and who'd lost their host in the crowd somewhere. I kicked into outgoing extrovert high gear, and wandered around making conversation with strangers. I introduced strangers I'd just met to each other, to my friends, helped bridge conversations. Then the band kicked in, and it was AMAZING! At first I was content to chair dance a bit, then dance in front of my chair -- by the end of the night, I was bouncing around, dancing with other random women who were also just dancing in front of their chairs, getting an impromptu sort of line dance of ridiculousness going! I was completely in my element, absolutely turbo-charged on the energy of getting to my outgoing self in an environment which welcomed cheerful conversation with someone you've never met, and the random girl getting you out of your chair to rock out. What a great night!!
That was actually night #2 of free parties in a row for me. On Wednesday night, a girlfriend from work and I went to a local Westin hotel for its customer appreciation holiday event. We figured it'd be a 20-minute visit for a roast beef carving station and some cheese and crackers. Not so! There were like five hot stations with chefs there, a full roast pig, an acre of desserts, servers passing around double shot glasses with the most delicious beer-cheese soup I've ever tasted, a fancy Starbucks coffee station, open bar with top shelf liquors. The Westin spared no expense for this soirée! My girlfriend and I hooked up with people we knew from our travel agency, and stayed about two-and-a-half hours. This hotel is right across the street from our favorite movie theatre. I think we'll have to check out their weekend brunch, and $15 bottomless mimosas out on their gorgeous patio sometime. There are tons of outdoor heaters and fireplaces, and these cool sofas made of fabric meant to absorb the heat so they seem like they're self-heating like car seats. Whoa! I can imagine sitting out there with falling snow, a clear winter night, and just totally snuggly and happy enjoying a nice cocktail before a movie sometime this winter....
I told Ian last night that, "I wish we could do a 'Freaky Friday' switch but without the awkward part of having to pee with different parts" so he could feel what it's like to be me at a great party like that. Then some quiet winter evening with no plans, I'd love to know what it feels like to be inside his head to enjoy the quiet and solitude. That charm admittedly wears off pretty quickly for me.
Gotta think of something to make with chicken for dinner tonight for Mac & John coming over to play Aberrant. Got a date with Kristen tomorrow afternoon for lunch at a favored local place, then she and I are finally going to see Twilight. (Haters keep hatin' - I've got a fun date with a great friend planned!) We have no specific plans the rest of the weekend other than heading out to see "The Hobbit" sometime -- could be breakfast tomorrow, or Sunday. Decorate the mantelpiece. Wrap some presents. Oh, go to CostCo Sunday to buy my mother's Christmas gift, and probably a bonus Christmas stocking there (if they have them -- surely, they must, right?) for my friend Darrin who will spend Christmas with us. Should be a relaxed, happy December weekend!
Trace
That was actually night #2 of free parties in a row for me. On Wednesday night, a girlfriend from work and I went to a local Westin hotel for its customer appreciation holiday event. We figured it'd be a 20-minute visit for a roast beef carving station and some cheese and crackers. Not so! There were like five hot stations with chefs there, a full roast pig, an acre of desserts, servers passing around double shot glasses with the most delicious beer-cheese soup I've ever tasted, a fancy Starbucks coffee station, open bar with top shelf liquors. The Westin spared no expense for this soirée! My girlfriend and I hooked up with people we knew from our travel agency, and stayed about two-and-a-half hours. This hotel is right across the street from our favorite movie theatre. I think we'll have to check out their weekend brunch, and $15 bottomless mimosas out on their gorgeous patio sometime. There are tons of outdoor heaters and fireplaces, and these cool sofas made of fabric meant to absorb the heat so they seem like they're self-heating like car seats. Whoa! I can imagine sitting out there with falling snow, a clear winter night, and just totally snuggly and happy enjoying a nice cocktail before a movie sometime this winter....
I told Ian last night that, "I wish we could do a 'Freaky Friday' switch but without the awkward part of having to pee with different parts" so he could feel what it's like to be me at a great party like that. Then some quiet winter evening with no plans, I'd love to know what it feels like to be inside his head to enjoy the quiet and solitude. That charm admittedly wears off pretty quickly for me.
Gotta think of something to make with chicken for dinner tonight for Mac & John coming over to play Aberrant. Got a date with Kristen tomorrow afternoon for lunch at a favored local place, then she and I are finally going to see Twilight. (Haters keep hatin' - I've got a fun date with a great friend planned!) We have no specific plans the rest of the weekend other than heading out to see "The Hobbit" sometime -- could be breakfast tomorrow, or Sunday. Decorate the mantelpiece. Wrap some presents. Oh, go to CostCo Sunday to buy my mother's Christmas gift, and probably a bonus Christmas stocking there (if they have them -- surely, they must, right?) for my friend Darrin who will spend Christmas with us. Should be a relaxed, happy December weekend!
Trace