It's one big Bakersfield Party!!

First of all, I would like to thank all of you that read this blog. I don’t know who you are, but by the looks of the counter on the bottom, someone is reading. That’s nice, thank you.

Ok, since we are in a downtime for Bakersfield Condors hockey, I thought I would take a minute and tell you about my holiday season so far.

I haven’t yet gone out to C.A.L.M., which has become a Christmas time tradition for me over the last few years. Nor have I taken the slow trip through all the Oaks communities to look at all the lights. I really haven’t done much that says Christmas.

The one thing I have done, however, is attended too many Christmas parties.

Now, I like the next guy love a good party. The atmosphere, the food, the friends, the music the booze and all the other things that make Christmas parties special. But this year seems to be different.

The party thrown from the HR department from my employer (See about me) was at best a disappointment. For as large as our firm is, I guess I expected more. Yes the atmosphere was good, the food was great, and the time with friends was welcomed. But the event was DRY. Yes my friends, NO ALCOHOL. This made for a bit of a disruption as employee after employee went to the bar down the hall to get a drink.

Now I can understand the importance of keeping an event dry. The company doesn’t want the liability of the aftermath of booze. This I can understand to an extent but with 200+ partygoers, a bit of the bubbly would be nice.

I also feel that the lack of sparkly suds keeps the party short. This one was just less than two hours. People seem to socialize more when the taps are flowing, they dance more, they laugh more and seem to have a good time. Without the sweet nectar, you can’t laugh at Larry from downstairs for his "Cussing out the boss" routine.

In no way will I say that I didn’t have a good time. I did, and I’m glad I went. But an event with drink tickets would have been nice.

Of course this wasn’t the only party I had to go to. Try to relate to this. You have your party from work and so does your "significant other." I have a party from my part time job (no, not with the team,) and the close teammates I work with also want to have a get-together. The entire sales staff has their own party and then the neighbors at the apartment complex want to have a celebration of sorts. That’s six parties.

Now imagine if you have to take a gift to any or all of these parties. Six gifts. You have to dress up. Six changes of clothes. You have to purchase tickets to any of the events. Six tickets.

See where I’m going? Don’t get me wrong, I love parties, but now imagine that they don’t have any booze! That’s it. I’m partied out.
So I offer a solution to all.

Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night (hockey permitted,) we open up Centennial Garden. Pick the night you want to go party. Show up dressed up, bring a gift to put on the table, pay $6 for a drink, and see all the people that are there. No more company parties, just a month long community party. Come every open night if you want. Don’t come at all if you don’t want. When you’re done, grab a gift from the table and leave. Dance, drink, and see people that you don’t know, see other people look like idiots, or act like one yourself. Who cares?

Ok, so it may never replace the company Christmas party, but it could easy a bit of the "Partied out Syndrome." Or maybe it’s just me and I need mental help.

I wish all of you and yours a happy and safe holiday season. Whatever you celebrate, be safe and have a good time. Take a minute in the busy season to remember why we go through the celebration year after year. Take in a holiday party or two. It is these times that draw us together for a minute or two. It is, after all, the Christmas season.