The Art(s & Crafts) of Partying

Maybe now isn't the time to go into this considering I just spent the past four hours tie-dyeing. But...I've been thinking about partying a lot since the epic beer bong bro-fest this weekend and I've decided to stop telling people I quit partying. Because, well, goddamnit. I haven't.

Partying is 80% attitude, 20% consumption. It is a fully demonstrative act. It's an attitude, a mindset. Consumption makes it a hell of a lot easier and last a lot longer, but it isn't necessary. Partying is a social interaction based on a series of physical signifiers such as (but not limited to) high-fives, chest-bumping, ass-slapping, dance-floor taking over, fist-bumping, summoning, surging, slaying, and a personal favorite, grapes of wrathing (if you don't know the basic rocking out gestures and stances you'd better learn them if you want to keep reading this blog.) Basically partying is all about the right combination and translation of gestures.

It may come across here that as a retired drinker I have something to prove and it's true. I mean, does having something to prove always have to be a negative thing? I am sick of hearing how much fun I used to be. I don't mind hearing people reminisce about how wild I used to be because I don't mind letting go of that part of myself because it was more part of my persona than my personality. I am happy to switch roles from instigator to enabler too. However, I don't want to say I quit "partying" because I don't think partying is necessarily synonymous with drinking and doing blow. Yeah, rumor has it I got kicked out a thrash band for partying too hard and even though that is actually an extreme simplification of things (admitted by all involved) I still get a kick out of telling people that. It's like a badge of honor (although a shameful one.) I'd rather say I reprioritized my partying than quit it altogether.

This weekend I was part of a human pyramid, took over several livingroom dancefloors, did a non-alcoholic beer bong, was kissed, ate more meat than any lady should, dug into a cake that looked like a hamburger with my bare hands, stayed out til 5 am every night, epically bikeroad, made friends, made enemies (only lame ones), successfully replaced high-fives with low-fives, and participated in various other deviations. I think I am still able to celebrate the spirit of party without blacking out and accidentally waking up somewhere other than my own bed. There are far less bruises and a few less regrets.

Things are, of course, different. My edit-function is always on and I have to try really hard to act without my filters. I have to know whether I want to do something before I do it instead of deciding that it was a good thing to do . Instead of letting chance or impulse take the reigns I am more calculated. Initially people don't think the things I do are crazy, but when they find out I am sober they do. It's as though my sobriety makes all my risks taken as threatening which is so not fair. I don't always have the upper hand although dudes treat me like I should. Just because I remember things doesn't mean they are any more easy for me...trust me.

But seriously, how fun is life without bad decisions? And who am I without risks and an artillery of potential mistakes?

Regardless...this is how I partied tonight (if it hadn't been for the pictures from this weekend this would totally undo everything I just said)

Tie-dyed shorts and Brendan Donnelly shirt (you can't tell the shirt but it is pale green and yellow)




More goods


Angela's Charles Manson tie-dye...amazing...so jealous.