mardi 20 janvier 2009

It's going to be one of those years

I have things to organise this year. Official things, important things.

Well, I have a stag weekend to arrange for my Lovely London Friend - LLF has misguidedly selected me to be his best man, and so it falls upon these beautiful shoulders to organise his stag do.

And I also have a birthday party to organise this year. For myself. It's a landmark year, and I'm so not sure about how to celebrate it.

The stag weekend seems to be easy enough - we have dates, we have commitment from attendees, I just need to to organise accommodation, strippers, cocaine, etc. Or maybe just book a table in a fancy restaurant. That sounds more like it.

The birthday is something else, however. This morning I realised that I've double booked myself already - I agreed to celebrate separately with two groups of friends. One of them we had booked concert tickets and planned a weekend of drunken debauchery; with the others I'm heading off for two weeks of sun and sun. I totally screwed up on my dates and booked the weekend away for slap bang in the middle of the two week holiday. Stupid.

So, this morning I've cancelled the weekend trip and I'm waiting to hear back as to whether I'm forgiven or not. I feel so stupid - I never double book.

Anyway, my major dilemma is what to do about the official party. Family want a big event, in the UK, with everyone present - family and friends. I'm kind of ok with this, but it'll be expensive and I'd rather spend the money on champagne at a nice Paris bar with my friends.

It's all a bit much really - and I feel like I'll end up doing what other people want to do to celebrate my birthday. It'll end up being just another event that I go to. This is how I feel about all family parties, so the fact that this one is for me will make little or no difference.

My mother told me she didn't mind what I did as long as the family were all (and she means ALL) invited. This means the lumpen Aunt, the cousin with the gastric band and the topless model. The sailor, the anorexic and the perpetually drunk.

My brother said he didn't mind what I did as long as his kids could go and as long as they could get a taxi home afterwards (thus limiting the geographic zone).

And then the thought of the various groups of friends and family all meeting just sends me into a tailspin.

So, no pressure then....I feel a little bit sick just writing this.

God help me, I think I'm going to run away.

Oh, I already did that....

28 commentaires:

Anonyme a dit…

I am so looking forward to your 50th birthday bash - wherever it'll be. can't wait ;-)

Lola a dit…

You can't be 50 yet, so it must be... 25! Who'd have thought you'd done so much, so young!

Frankly, the whole family thing sounds astonishing - the likelihood of you actually enjoying any of it seems vanishingly small.

I suggest that you delegate the arrangements to your mother, who can arrange what she likes. Your part of the agreement is to turn up for an hour, maybe two at the most, say gracious hello's to everyone, make a speech, toasts, and then go away again, leaving them to celebrate your glorious day.

You can have various pictures of you projected as a slideshow on a screen if they need to be reminded whom their party is all about.

travelling, but not in love a dit…

Big C, you are so dead for that.

I AM NOT 50!!!

Lola, that sounds ideal. Now will you please suggest it to my mother for me - I'm a bit of a coward....

Anonyme a dit…

wait, I thought the idea of it being your own party meant you get to choose. You get to decide, and everyone has to jump through the hoops, and also organise it for you!?!

You mean it's not like that? Bummer.

50 eh? You look good for your age; anyone ever tell you that?

travelling, but not in love a dit…

Alan, stop yourself too.

I AM NOT 50!!!

Conor is in so much trouble.

But I know how he can pay me back...company parties and all that, he he.

Brit-Chick Writing Brit-Flick a dit…

Why just spend it with the one person you like most in the world -and see every else either side?? Works for me x

travelling, but not in love a dit…

Daisy, you know how to rub it in don't you?

I'm hoping my birthday present will be that special someone...

Anonyme a dit…

Hmmm.. can't you just celebrate it the way you want to? I mean, it's your birthday, your party. You could ask your mum to plan and pay for a day-type party if she insists so much on you celebrating your birthday with family, and then you can really celebrate it your way with friends.

travelling, but not in love a dit…

Marjolein, that's where the conversation is heading, but it has to get worse before it gets better, I fear...

cb a dit…

Celebrate your birthday how YOU want to. It's the one day of the year when it's perfectly okay to be selfish!! I say, write your family and tell them where to send the cards and well wishes

travelling, but not in love a dit…

CB - he he, if only life was that simple. As a family, they love parties. It's only really me that doesn't enjoy them. Well, I like a party, just not a family party so much.

I'm thinking friday for friends, saturday for family.

But telling them where to send the cards also sounds good!

Daryl a dit…

Run here ... I will hide you

travelling, but not in love a dit…

cheers D!

aims a dit…

Why don't you do what I'm famous for?

I leave. I go away. I'm not around for birthdays. I hate them as it is - don't care about mine at all and would rather be laying on a beach somewhere - and not with family.

It's far better than a party and since I can't eat cake - much easier just to have my toes in the sand and the sun on my face.

You know - afterwards - everyone just says - oh! Happy birthday - sorry I missed it - hope you had fun. No party? Oh well.

Anonyme a dit…

I'm with you on this one. I love parties but I hate family parties with a passion! Try to be strong.

Anonyme a dit…

It might be your party, but all you get to do is cry if you want to.

Swearing Mother a dit…

Can I come with you? I've got a similar problem in that I too have a BIG birthday coming up and don't know how to celebrate it. Want to do something COOL and MEMORABLE, preferably not in Brum because that's where I always am.

Come on Travelling, if you can't come up with something fantastic, no one can.

Tony a dit…

50? Wow! :p

I always love when you talk about your family ... it makes me feel so much better about mine :-)

Anonyme a dit…

well,what I did for my last big one,was what I wanted.you cannot please everyone ,all the time
So it was a hotel ,big room ,buffet ,good music, live act
Ni kids - if they care they will get baby sitters.It was my do ,so my rules.
It was 8 till late and then I took off to 4 days away ,so not there to hear the family moans.
a good mate had an open house 2-12
That was great,come when u want and go when u want
Food and drink was according to the time u went and no kids after 8pm
sorted

travelling, but not in love a dit…

Aims, if I go away for my birthday, they'll want to do something before I go...it's a lose/lose situation...

12oti - I agree, parties are great, family parties are just a great deal of tension...

Rob - and cry I will!

travelling, but not in love a dit…

Sweary - you know the answer? Come to Paris! he he.

Anthony - thanks. Glad to be of service.

and I AM NOT 50!!!

VM - sounds great - the kids thing worries me, frankly.

Tony a dit…

Well no, you're not 50 YET. But isn't that what the planning is for? COnortje can't be wrong .....

travelling, but not in love a dit…

LaTanya, you're too witty you know. But you are right, Conortje is never ever wrong....at least that's what he tells me.

Victor a dit…

I'm turning 60 in June and several friends are plotting what to do with my birthday.

I love celebrating the birthdays of others but am hopeless as the birthday subject.

travelling, but not in love a dit…

Victor - good luck with that....sounds like we are both going to have to go with the flow this year...

Louise a dit…

Make the family party at a different time. Do what YOU want on your birthday.

My 40th was a blast. I made dinner myself and had only two friends over. It needs to be fun and what you want. Go fun and sun and do the UK think later.

Don't make it about everyone else. They are well-meaning, but it's YOUR birthday.

travelling, but not in love a dit…

Louise, true, but I'm kind of touched that they want to celebrate with me too....

Louise a dit…

You're just a softie!