Don Beyer, former Lt. Gov., spoke at my graduation from Piedmont Virginia Community College in 1996. I was star-struck and inspired by the speech, the setting and the occasion. The setting is stunning, sunset on the hill outside PVCC, steamy, spring evening. But I digress. The Lt. Gov at the time spoke about never turning down an invitation. He told the story of how he met his future wife at an event he did not want to attend- so his lesson was learned, no matter what, you should attend events you have been invited.
At that time, and really to the present, I live by that idea. However, this evening, David’s 4th birthday, I have opted to blog out of an event. I am still tired from the campaign, never mind the busy-ness of this week. The event is a party- a house party, with food, music, fun and adult beverages- something that even as late as this morning I looked forward to attending. Then it rained…
Here are my excuses not related to the weather:
1. What does a 35 year old mom of two boys and wife do at a house party?
The reason I ask this- I remember the college house parties and the parties after college with my college friends- but now with people I like and enjoy their company- but parties to me are for flirting and meeting potential mates/hook-ups- something I am not looking for.
2. What do I have to say?
“I am doing great- I am feeling real good about the campaign I ran” Nowadays I feel like I am dull- City politics, motherhood, current events generally- nothing too exciting.
3. Live Music?
Will it be too loud? I really have not been interested in live music since I first heard Boyd playing the fiddle and saw Dave’s eyebrow 15 years ago at Trax. Don’t get me wrong, I love music, Friday’s After 5, the radio, Cd’s, even live music at Cabell or the Paramount or JPJ.
Actually one of the best parties I ever went to was shortly before I got married- I worked with the migrant farm workers all summer and we had a fiesta at the lead lawyer’s house. We had all sorts of instruments and the interns (me and two other chicas) made up a song in Spanish to the “Aye Aye Aye” song (which may be a Spanish song). We all just enjoyed each other’s company and laughed a lot- but we had been on the Eastern Shore of Virginia all summer together. We had seen each other at our worse-think 100 degree days, limited Spanish, crazy hair, dirty clothes, tears after hearing horror stories of young children far away from home exposed to pesticides and really bad singing- so this was merely culmination of a summer of fun. How does one get that comfortable with people at my age?
4. Um…I don’t actually drink.
It was fun working at Maartens and not drinking. I mean I was working. Even now I don’t mind be designated driver or hanging out with people who drink (seriously). Now I have no way of letting the guard down, I will not likely dance or say silly things (and isn’t the fun at a party just being silly). I do mind being around drugs, I find a pot-smoking crowd duller than me and not worth the risk.
Our good friends are moving back to cville soon- now we can have some parties. What kind of parties do you attend? Should I have gone anyway to wipe away the anxieties and open up a whole new world?
David turned 4, I didn’t go to a party- I think I am either maturing or giving in-
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