aroraborealis

When you're throwing a party, what makes it feel successful to you? Unsuccessful? What are the things you feel like you have control over to improve your chances of success? What is out of your control?

When you are attending a party, what makes it feel successful/unsuccessful to you? Do you feel like there are things you have control over about that?

Before it began, I thought about participating in #reverb10: one prompt a day for the month of December to reflect on the past year and manifest the next, but I've found most of the prompts far too personal for me to engage with in this context, although I'm enjoying thinking about them for myself. Today's prompt, though, is a great and fun one: Prompt: Party. What social gathering rocked your socks off in 2010? Describe the people, music, food, drink, clothes, shenanigans.

I threw and attended a whole slew of great parties this year, but my highlight party was for my birthday last summer. It didn't involve every person I might have wished could be there, and it wasn't a huge party that reached deep into my social circle to include every last person whose company I enjoy, and it wasn't the surprise party I sometimes fantasize about having, but it was, nonetheless, a highlight evening of my year.

fennel and metagnat generously opened their home for me to throw the party there, and we did, if I may say so, a magical job decorating and lighting the place. spike put together a fantastically danceable and upbeat playlist. I got to snuggle and talk with lots of people, and had some incredibly affirming conversations, and saw so many of my friends doing the same. I ALSO got an awesome surprise cupcake and a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday".

It was basically a perfect party for me: everyone had a good time, there was no drama, all sorts of different kinds of fun were had, people wound up sitting on the kitchen floor for intense conversations, there was music, and dancing, and tasty treats. Thinking about it months later still makes me smile.