On holiday

I've always been the party planner.

On any given Wednesday in high school, I'd have this conversation with Julie and Mrs. F:

Julie: Are we going to Rollerama on Friday or Saturday?

Me: Saturday. The Matts* are going to show up around 10.**

Mrs. F: What are we doing Friday?

Me: Mall.

Julie: Rotterdam Square or Crossgates?

Me: Rotterdam Square.

On any given Friday in college, I'd have this conversation with the roommates:

Michelle: What are we doing tonight?

Me: Reservoir Square is playing at Cactus at 10. If it sucks post-show, we'll go to Rennies. If not, we'll stay and then hit Night Cap on the way home.

Robin: What are the guys doing?

Me: They don't want to go to the show. They'll be at Rennies and then probably Night Cap.

It's not that I know where all the hot spots and the cool parties are, because I don't. And it's not that I'm cool and everyone wants to hang out with me, because I'm not and they don't. It's because I am organized. I know what time the show starts. I know how long it will take us to get there. I know how many Jell-O shots we need to make if 50 people show up to our party. I know which friend's ex-boyfriend we need to avoid, and where he's likely to hang out. I take care of things. It's why, when I was unemployed and temping, I got the sweet gigs babysitting executives instead of answering phones. Coordinating? Organizing? That shit runs through my veins.

Lately? I've stopped. I don't ask anyone to hang out. I call up My Sharona on Saturday afternoons and ask her what time I need to show up, and if Jean and Summer are coming. I call people on the way and ask annoying questions like, "Where is this place?" And you know what? It's awesome. If someone invites me out, I either go or I don't. If no one does, I stay home. I've discovered a laid-back-ness about hanging out that I've never had before, and I love it.

Now, I know I'm also being incredibly lazy, and I haven't seen people that are also lazy planners in awhile. There's a middle ground, and I'll find it at some point. Until then, though? Email me which subways I need to take, because I can't be bothered with Citysearch.

* Three guys named Matt who had no business hanging out with high school girls, but hey, it was the glam metal era, and high school girls were in.

** We'd go to Rollerama around 7, skate for a few hours and then hang out in the parking lot and get drunk, courtesy of whichever too-old boys wanted to hang out with us.