You Asked, Partyphile Answers

Writing a weekly newspaper column may become quite tasking. Sometimes, I run out of things to talk about or share with my readers and find it extra difficult to wring out what’s left of my creative mind. You can’t blame me though; by now, most of my brain is filled with alcohol and it is not humanly possible to be on point all the time. The good news is, when I start to feel like I’m in a writing rut, I go online, ask my Social Network friends to ask me their questions, answer them the best I can, and compile them all in one article…just like this one. This works well for everybody because 1.) it saves me the time and effort to think about new party-related topics to help you with, and 2.) I actually answer questions that real people are curious about. So here goes another round of “You Asked, Partyphile Answers”

Question: When somebody comes up to you in a bar and asks for your number, how can you handle that situation without looking “easy”?

Answer: Alright, I am assuming that you are a girl, so my answer would probably work well only if you are female (but males are willing to try it then). When somebody asks for your number it means one thing: he is interested. That is a given. You have got him inside your bag. Now, all you have to prove is how interested he is, again, without looking easy. Here is what I think you should do:

Dare the guy to do something (like take four shots of Tequila without Lemons or Salt) in exchange for your number. If he declines, then he isn’t really that into you and isn’t worth giving your number to. If he accepts the challenge, then he’s really into you, and that is, of course, a good sign. So, when he accomplishes the task you gave him (of course, adjust the difficulty of the task to how much you like the guy as well) you will seem “forced” to give him your number as he earned it fair and square. You won’t seem easy, and you will get his number. Of course, if you don’t like him and he accomplishes the task, you could always give out a fake number.

Question: When do you think you’ve partied too much?

Answer: Now, this is one of the tougher questions to answer because it is a very relative topic. But here is the deal: no matter how much you love partying, there should be a point in time where you actually draw the line. For me, there are three things you should watch out for.

1.) When your health starts to suffer, you are partying too much

2.) When you forego all your other responsibilities, you are partying too much. Skipping school, skipping work, neglecting your children, or your loved ones are the worst tell-tale signs of too much partying

3.) When you put shame upon yourself, your family, the company you represent, and your group of friends in a way that you would definitely not if you were sober, then you are partying too much.

Partying is a celebration of life; it is supposed to inspire you... not to destroy all other aspects of it.

Qestion: Aside from socializing and drinking, why do partyphiles party?

Obviously, I can not speak for the rest of the partyphile populace, but I really think that partying or clubbing is just another past time. Much like watching a movie or grabbing some coffee, it is simply something some people enjoy doing. Nobody goes around and asks people why they watch moves or have coffee in posh cafes because we all know that it can be entertaining and satisfying. Partying is no different.

Obviously, in some instances in life, partying is more than just a form of entertainment. Some people party to get connected or expand their network. Some people party to be seen and heard; or to create a presence in society. Still others choose to party because being part of a crowd that is willing to let their hair down is comforting especially during those times when you have a lot on your mind. For me though, it serves as a perfect distraction to prevent me from thinking about work, problems, and other stress-triggers. Of course, partying means a different thing to different people at different times in their lives but the bottom line is partyphiles party because it serves them some other purpose that isn’t usually obvious at face value but definitely makes a difference in the involved person’s life.

Question: What exactly is a potluck party? What am I expected to bring?

A potluck party is a type of celebration wherein the guests all agree to bring some food for everyone to share during the party. Usually this happens when the occasion worth celebrating is shared by everybody else instead of a personal occasion like a Wedding or a Birthday.

The concept of the party seems simple, but there always seems to be a problem with variety when it comes to potlucks. As I see it, there are two major problems:

1.) Not enough variety: Most people do not cook or plan ahead for potluck parties. Thus, most people rely on purchasing the most convenient food stuff they can get their hands on. This is probably the reason why most potluck parties in middle-class Philippines feature a spread of donuts, cakes, lechon manok, and more lechon manok. Why is this a problem? Because everybody is getting tired of the same old food. And yes, that even goes for your own “secret” Spaghetti recipe. For potluck parties, bring something exciting and new to the table.

2.) Too much variety: I don’t know about you but I certainly do not enjoy eating Pancit with Pizza and Afritada. This is another example of a pot luck party gone bad. Here is the deal: if you want to be sure that all the foodstuff people will be bringing will taste good together, you may either assign different people to bring specific foodstuff or create a theme. For example, you can require everybody to bring Filipino dishes, or Japanese dishes. You can also require them to bring Pizzas, Pasta, and nothing else. This way, even if your guests would bring food from different restaurants, your food will go well with each other.

Catch Confessions of a Partyphile’s (The Radio Show) this Wednesday (August 31, 2011) from 6 to 9 PM on 105.9 Mix FM or www.mixfm1059.com. For comments, suggestions, and more confessions, log on to http://party.i.ph or follow the columnist on twitter.com/zhaun