The End of the Birthday Bash

For the past four years, I threw myself a birthday party. Nothing fancy: a house party with good food and an excuse to get together, hang out, and play video games and party games. It started, in its initial year, because I was having a hard time adjusting to post-grad life - I missed having my friends as my roommates or a five-minute walk away on campus. So, I put the call out and by some magical stroke of luck, everyone from my college group of friends was able to make it.

After that, it became a tradition. 'Hostess' is my default setting, so it made sense for me to throw myself a party. I made arrangements for food, usually making some of it myself, and did a little decorating. It satisfied my need to party plan and also to see all of my friends; it made for a nice birthday present to myself.

This year, I decided it was time to retire the idea. Getting everyone together is becoming more and more difficult and I didn't want to be disappointed. Instead, I'm working on making plans to do all sorts of fun things (ice skating, seeing Saving Mr. Banks, playing Just Dance, getting a manicure) with each of my friends on their own schedules, which will ensure I see (almost) everyone.

The birthday parties were nice while they lasted, though.

2010

(Note the Super Mario 3 start screen in the background.)

2011

(When Erik played Just Dance and proved to everyone: hey, I really like this girl.)

2012

(My college girls, minus one.) 

2013

(WINE IN A WATERBOTTLE. While playing beer pong with Lyndsay. And wearing a purple boa. I was never going to top that, anyway.)