We started theme parties with food. We'd pick a country (for example, Greece) or a style (like grilled cheese sandwiches), and have a potluck with people keeping to the theme. Then came my mom's night to host a monthly Star Trek party that she attends (a potluck involving watching 3-4 episodes and not dressing up) and she asked if she could have it at my house - I have more room and a wet bar. I really did that party up - printed and laminated drink menus (with such classics as Romulan Ale, Klingon Martinis, and Slug-o-Cola), hung a "Quark's" sign over the bar, and made Quadriticale Bread, Hasperat, and my own take on Gladt (dolmas). Everyone laughed at the effort I put in, but ultimately had a blast. Since then, we've hosted a circus night and a Super Mario night and I have realized that most people see these themes to be an under ten kid thing. So here's how to throw a themed party geared towards an older crowd:
Consider your guests - what are their interests? Do they have any food or drink allergies? It's important to pick a theme everyone can enjoy and to make sure that there is at least something that celiac friend of yours can eat.
Pick your theme - have a lot of friends been expressing a craving for Italian? Pull up some classic Italian recipes, encourage others to make their favorites, watch a classic Italian movie. Do you have a friend who's joining the circus? An adult take on corn dogs (corn brats or sausages with extra spice in the batter), smoked turkey legs, alcoholic sno-cones, cotton candy martinis, find some unique card games. Has your husband been constantly playing classic video games? One-up jello shots, gorgonzola stuffed gumbas, and firepower poppers make an excellent accent to a video game tournament.
Discuss your ideas with guests. Unless it's a surprise party, you should keep it from the person of honor. I've found that people are always willing to contribute ideas and get ideas of what they'd like to bring in turn.
Really run with your theme. Not necessarily with costumes, unless that's you're thing. A little research online will turn up numerous ideas for food, drink, and games. And get creative. Get a keg for Greek night (frat parties - get it?). Don't be afraid to "alter" Star Trek recipes to make Earth food.
Truth be told, if your friends are anything like mine, they enjoy any reason to get together and eat. They'll have fun and will start coming to you, suggesting a Thai night, a Martini night, or a Texas Hold 'Em night. And the themes will never stop. Who said theme parties were just for kids?
Monday, April 18, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
buying a house young
One of my first paying jobs was helping my father clean and fix up his rental property whenever renters moved out. I learned a lot about the nature of people in rental agreements - most of them see a damage deposit as a free pass to do whatever they want to the place. In my experience, this included tearing up the venetian blinds, not bothering to house train (or clean up after) pets, and even a half-assed and utterly confusing attempt at taking down an interior wall. So I figured I knew what to expect my father decided he wanted to sell the house and I convinced him to sell it to me. We hammered out the details over dinner - he'd put my name on the mortgage along with his so I could keep the 2.8% fixed rate, he wouldn't help me financially with paying the mortgage or making repairs, and he would let me have the house for the remainder of the mortgage. His exact words, after we sealed the deal with a handshake and a hug, were "That house is your problem now."
I moved in November of '07 at the age of 22, armed to the teeth with cleaning supplies and air fresheners, with some money set aside to start on all the renovations I wanted to make. A month of cleaning and airing the place out, and I was ready to start those renovations. Then the pipes in the attic froze and burst - three times, until we finally found a good, honest plumber. Shortly after that, I ran out of propane and needed to fill the 300 gallon tank (turns out, that's much more expensive in the winter). Then the septic tank overflowed and needed pumping. Then the pump to the well broke. Then I learned the term "property tax" and finally accepted that I was not prepared for what I had undertaken.
Since that rocky start, I have become extremely organized. I fill up the propane tank every July and keep my eye on the gauge throughout the year and I have a date in 2012 to pump the septic tank (turns out it only needs it every 5 years). I've started a "shit happens" savings account. I even got a filing cabinet. And, despite his desire to see me deal with the house problems on my own, I am very grateful to my dad for answering every stupid question I've had and giving me a heads up on the property tax thing - even if he still makes fun of me for sputtering out the words "Property tax? Doesn't the government know how much money I've spent on this place already?"
Of course, if you're not the type that thoroughly enjoys learning by trial and error, I recommend doing research before committing yourself to buying a home. And here is what I wished someone would have told me prior to getting my house:
Get a non-romanticized view of the home. In other words, before getting caught up in what you can do, understand what needs to be done.
- Are there foundation cracks or leaky windows? (In my case, the plumbing/propane/septic issues drained what I had saved for the fun stuff.)
- Are the heaters and stove electric or propane? Is it running on a well or city water? It makes a difference with how you budget.
- When was the last time the pipes or water heater were replaced? Is this an expense you should be prepared to cover?
- Can you deal with the ugly tile in the bathroom until you can definitely afford to renovate?
Look into the area.
- What are the property taxes in the area?
- How much are utilities and what's available in the area? (We are still waiting for super high speed internet.)
- How's the neighborhood? Will the neighbors dog chase after you barking when you go on your morning jog? Do they have loud parties?
- Is there a home owner's association? If so, what are their rules and regulations?
And, for your own sanity, start up a "shit happens" fund.
I moved in November of '07 at the age of 22, armed to the teeth with cleaning supplies and air fresheners, with some money set aside to start on all the renovations I wanted to make. A month of cleaning and airing the place out, and I was ready to start those renovations. Then the pipes in the attic froze and burst - three times, until we finally found a good, honest plumber. Shortly after that, I ran out of propane and needed to fill the 300 gallon tank (turns out, that's much more expensive in the winter). Then the septic tank overflowed and needed pumping. Then the pump to the well broke. Then I learned the term "property tax" and finally accepted that I was not prepared for what I had undertaken.
Since that rocky start, I have become extremely organized. I fill up the propane tank every July and keep my eye on the gauge throughout the year and I have a date in 2012 to pump the septic tank (turns out it only needs it every 5 years). I've started a "shit happens" savings account. I even got a filing cabinet. And, despite his desire to see me deal with the house problems on my own, I am very grateful to my dad for answering every stupid question I've had and giving me a heads up on the property tax thing - even if he still makes fun of me for sputtering out the words "Property tax? Doesn't the government know how much money I've spent on this place already?"
Of course, if you're not the type that thoroughly enjoys learning by trial and error, I recommend doing research before committing yourself to buying a home. And here is what I wished someone would have told me prior to getting my house:
Get a non-romanticized view of the home. In other words, before getting caught up in what you can do, understand what needs to be done.
- Are there foundation cracks or leaky windows? (In my case, the plumbing/propane/septic issues drained what I had saved for the fun stuff.)
- Are the heaters and stove electric or propane? Is it running on a well or city water? It makes a difference with how you budget.
- When was the last time the pipes or water heater were replaced? Is this an expense you should be prepared to cover?
- Can you deal with the ugly tile in the bathroom until you can definitely afford to renovate?
Look into the area.
- What are the property taxes in the area?
- How much are utilities and what's available in the area? (We are still waiting for super high speed internet.)
- How's the neighborhood? Will the neighbors dog chase after you barking when you go on your morning jog? Do they have loud parties?
- Is there a home owner's association? If so, what are their rules and regulations?
And, for your own sanity, start up a "shit happens" fund.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
I live in a three bedroom house with five other adults, two nomadic cats, and a needy dog. And it's not nearly as chaotic as it sounds. As with everything, it has it's good and it's bad aspects...
On the dark side:
-- We only have one working shower. Pair that with four long-haired (and one long-bearded) individuals, and the fact that I was astoundingly brilliant in avoiding all other cleaning responsibilities by declaring the bathrooms "my space", leads to daily straightening of the bathroom and weekly "hair babies" out of the shower drain. Thankfully, other people have taken on the dishes, which I hate even more.
-- We all keep different schedules. But we're respectful of the noise level.
But, on the bright side:
-- Everyone here loves to cook. Someone is cooking something delicious every night of the week.
-- Each person is only responsible for 1/6th of the rent and utilities, and saving money is always nice.
-- Everyone is willing to help in some way if someone needs something (be it a bit of help with bills, a lot of help with home improvement projects, or a partner to work out with).
So how do we make it work? The easiest answer is that we managed to pick roommates with similar tastes and values. We all like and respect each other and we're extremely open with communication - if you let a little annoyance go without talking about it, it will fester and grow into a large problem. We started a shared Dropbox, linked through everyone's computers and phones, where we put our shopping list and update once something is in the cart (it took ending up with two gallons of yogurt, five gallons of milk, and more chicken breasts than I care to admit thanks to three of us unknowingly shopping at the same time to reach this revelation, but it was definitely necessary). We also have a whiteboard near the door, where we write whatever everyone owes on bills as they come in and general communication.
It's not perfect. We don't always get to shower when we want and occasionally someone will let the dishes pile up. And we all have our bad days. But, for the most part, we've managed to find a rhythm with each other. I get a good amount of me time, but I'm never lonely.
On the dark side:
-- We only have one working shower. Pair that with four long-haired (and one long-bearded) individuals, and the fact that I was astoundingly brilliant in avoiding all other cleaning responsibilities by declaring the bathrooms "my space", leads to daily straightening of the bathroom and weekly "hair babies" out of the shower drain. Thankfully, other people have taken on the dishes, which I hate even more.
-- We all keep different schedules. But we're respectful of the noise level.
But, on the bright side:
-- Everyone here loves to cook. Someone is cooking something delicious every night of the week.
-- Each person is only responsible for 1/6th of the rent and utilities, and saving money is always nice.
-- Everyone is willing to help in some way if someone needs something (be it a bit of help with bills, a lot of help with home improvement projects, or a partner to work out with).
So how do we make it work? The easiest answer is that we managed to pick roommates with similar tastes and values. We all like and respect each other and we're extremely open with communication - if you let a little annoyance go without talking about it, it will fester and grow into a large problem. We started a shared Dropbox, linked through everyone's computers and phones, where we put our shopping list and update once something is in the cart (it took ending up with two gallons of yogurt, five gallons of milk, and more chicken breasts than I care to admit thanks to three of us unknowingly shopping at the same time to reach this revelation, but it was definitely necessary). We also have a whiteboard near the door, where we write whatever everyone owes on bills as they come in and general communication.
It's not perfect. We don't always get to shower when we want and occasionally someone will let the dishes pile up. And we all have our bad days. But, for the most part, we've managed to find a rhythm with each other. I get a good amount of me time, but I'm never lonely.
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