But an argument could be made that there is a distinction between the female instinct to acquire the people needed to attend their parties, practically with the ease of acquiring things, along with the obsession to "keep up with the Joneses". The former suggests quantity. The latter implies a "be-like-everybody-else", in quest of the lack of intimacy and pursuit of happiness, that keeping up requires.
The serious party host may tell you that a successful party is like the feeling of being lost in a perfect and lovely people-populated daydream or like when their guests arrive - the feeling that they get of their adrenaline pumping, when their party's started and it's all happening - because they've just entered into their "party zone".
Don't get it twisted. Food caterers and event planners - most of whom, in a definite sense, party for a living - are just as guilty and are just as electrified by the idea of having a party and being in the "party zone" as their clients are. Don't expect some of them to admit that. Two reasons that I can think of right off the bat: Because of ego... Some party professionals don't want to, and because most have no intention of admitting to mentally transforming their personal lives into what might look like a permanent party mill.
Rather, for the most part, what it's really all about is that the best of us get off on that there's nothing like good old-fashioned good service. Here, here! While parties are typically our springboard for the desires of your heart as our inspiration, we try to not only give you great service but we also want to give you the latest, greatest and the best of what's new in the culinary world and party scene. When we're not trendsetting, the dedicated pro party maven is keeping tabs on what's new.
So, as we've come out of the party trenches and our mental and physical party combat perspiration dries, at the end of every party we think, "I've never worked so hard in my life". That is, until the next party comes along. Understand that we've just been embedded into working in the world of your party so deeply that our hands are numb and our feet are sore before we even begin the days of prep and nights of worry that we have, wondering if we will actually pull everything off just right.
One catering company owner was down on her knees measuring and marking off exactly where each food station buffet table was to be placed; another die hard party professional anticipated a regular client's every need before the client had: Forgot to stop by the local wine store to pick up their special wine? Forgot to place a napkin in their lap?
No wonder most clients are in awe of party professionals.
Interestingly, loyal party customers, who clearly appreciate the magic that is made and the service that is provided, sometimes wish they could "forget" when it comes to going to the cash register. Which is a phenomenon almost as old as parties themselves. Except for men...
Caterers and party planners find that women clients versus men clients squirrel party money away over time to blow on their party, while most men who are just as dead set on hosting a party, their Super Bowl party - mind you, decide to do so and will write a check to an unknown party service provider like it's nothing.
What do you think? Maybe we should all pool our money together, go see a good therapist and try to get a grip on these things called parties, huh?
Image source: Nelson Wu
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