The Ultimate Party Pooper? You Decide.

Alright, there seems to be some controversy brewing about the extents of my alleged "Party Poopery". Now if you have been reading my blog and my son Donald's and the various comments we make to one another you may have noticed that there are a few disagreements about the extent of my poopiness. So in an effort to be honest and look at the matter objectively,

I have decided to come clean.

Yes, I admit that maybe I wasn't totally above- board with my admission of guilt by a tiny smidgen. I am willing to admit that there (perhaps) have been times when I have failed to deliver.

I do of course have excuses.

Now I probably won't be able to remember as many instances as Donald, but I suppose the wronged will always be able to bring up a list of their injuries much quicker than the wronger.
So in the spirit of full disclosure I will submit these times when I may possibly have been considered to have pooped on the party.

"Chicago"

Okay, I will admit that I really dropped the ball on this one, but (as I usually do) I have good reasons.
When the movie "Chicago" came out, Lisa (my DIL in case you haven't been paying attention) and I really wanted to see it. Did Donald want to see it? NO. Hmmm, do I smell a little bit of poop on Donald's foot? My husband Don didn't want to see it either, but since he has never accused me of PPing I will leave him alone. Now Lisa and I really had to see this movie so we went to see it together. It was such a magical movie and we loved every second of it. I loved the music so much that I bought the CD of it's soundtrack And for Christmas (or it could have been her birthday) I bought a copy of it for Lisa too.

Side note: Do you have any idea how hard it is to go into any store that sells CD's and ask for the Chicago CD? They always will steer you towards the group "Chicago" which had plenty of really good songs in the seventy's and a few iffy ones after that. But seeing as how most home entertainment sections are staffed by guys and since most guys (unless he is a sensible gay guy) have not only never seen the movie "Chicago" they have never even heard of it. Just a little bit of useful information there. If you want to buy the CD, you are on your own.

Back to our Story;

Fast forward maybe two years. Lisa and I discover that there will be a stage show of Chicago (a local production true, but still) We decide that we simply must. The time to buy tickets arrives and Lisa happens to be the one to go to procure them. She calls me to confer on what seats sound good to me.

Oh oh, time for an explanation.

I am very short. About five foot one. I have a problem with a lot of shows where the seating doesn't get higher the further back you go. Have you ever tried to watch something with some six foot three guy's big fat head right there in your field of vision? And he will probably have an equally tall date. Just try and see around THAT.

Well it sounds as if most of the good seats are taken and I start having visions of seeing only the chorus girls and not one shot of Roxie, Velma or even Billy Flynn. I start to grow uneasy. I start to question just how good a local production of Chicago could even be. I start to change my mind about really wanting to see it. I start to realize that I might be leaving my sweet daughter in law in the lurch. I do a despicable thing. Oh this is so hard to admit to. I tell Lisa that maybe I don't want to go after all. Yes, yes I know. Really awful of me.

Call me queen of all Party Poopers.

Of course Karma came after me in a big fat hurry. Lisa went without me. Lisa loved every minute of it. Lisa tells me the next day how great it was. And to twist the knife (because face it I really did deserve it) She tells me that, THERE WAS NO ONE TALL IN FRONT OF HER OR WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN MY SEAT!!!!
I felt bad. And I knew it was all my own fault. And Donald this one I give to you.

I truly was a Big Fat Party Pooper here.

That was the really big one that I have NO defense for. (Well maybe a tiny defense)

Now I am having to stretch my brain to come up with other examples where there may have been some legitimacy to these PPing claims.

Oh here is a pretty good one. (pretty good, because I don't look so bad in it) Last year they started showing free outdoor movies on a big blow up screen down in Columbia Park. A little notice about it came in my cell phone bill.

Side note #2: No that isn't as weird and random as it sounds. My cell phone co. was one of the sponsors of the movies and so they were doing a little bit of advertising via the good old cell phone bill. And apparently it worked! I knew about it before Lisa did, who didn't get a cell phone bill.

I called Lisa when I got the bill and told her all about the Movie in the Park thing. I was thinking how much fun it would be to all go to the park, lay out some blankets and pillows, set up some chairs and enjoy a late movie. Now I think the only thing that really got me in trouble here was my early enthusiasm. Is it really fair to hold someones enthusiasm against them? I think not. In fact I think it is extremely unfair. To make this short here are the necessary details.

#1 We planned to go together.

#2 The night of the movie came.

#3 I found out that Don didn't appreciate me signing him up for an activity I may possibly have
forgotten to tell him about until that evening when he was already relaxed, sitting down, watching TV, and in his mind settled in for the evening.

#4 I realized that it was kinda late myself.

#5 I realized that all I really felt like doing was getting into my PJ's and watching TV with Don.

#6 They went without me anyway, and had a great time (even without little o me)

I think it also must be remembered that I was at the time 50. Yes 50, just five years away from the senior's menu at Denny's. So I think it is most understandable that I suddenly felt that a late night movie at the park, with kids and grandkids was not as attractive of an idea as it had been at 2:30 in the afternoon the week before when I told Lisa about it. I was of course called a party pooper. I still contend that this was not a case of said poopery, just a tired old lady not wanting a really late evening.

These are the only two advents that I can clearly remember. I do admit to a few failed attendances at mushroom pool , and water park dates, but sometimes it happens that when you have just said "why yes, that sounds really fun", that ten minutes later you realize that you were just caught up in the moment and suddenly it's not quite so fun sounding. And there may even have been a few times when I have called Donald and Lisa up and said "lets do this!" With every intention of following through. To suddenly realize that I don't want to do it so much afterwards.

I prefer to think of this as a charmingly eccentric personality trait, more than any alleged party poopery that I am so frequently accused of.

So I leave it to you my readers. My loving, adoring, non- judgemental and super understanding readers to decide. Does Donald have a case or am I

CLEARED OF ALL CHARGES?

Please respond. I want to show Donald that a jury of my peers has found me INNOCENT.