Christmas party weekend

This weekend Andrew and I attended two Christmas parties. For us that makes for quite a busy weekend. They were also two very different Christmas parties. The first was for the library school students (which took place at the school) and it was a potluck. It was nice. I brought an enormous cheesecake, which received some high praises (including that it was "orgasmic" cheesecake). The spread of food was quite excellent and the company enjoyable. After dinner most of us eventually crowded into a room with an overhead projector and played Rock Band.


Chocolate-mint marble cheesecake.

The second party was held by one of the professors from the mechanical engineering department. The party included a mix of some of the younger professors from the department, grad students and I think at least one staff member. We also had a good time there. The host's condo was new and quite attractive, with hardwood floors and a granite counter top in the kitchen. They offered the guests and excellent spread of deserts and drinks. I had a fairly substantial amount of white wine, but was surprisingly feeling fine at the end of the night (perhaps all of the Bree and crackers soaked up the alcohol). Discussion filled most of the evening.

We had a great time at both parties, but it struck me how different they both were--not just because one party was full of librarians and the other of engineers. The library party was very low budget. This was fine and I was actually surprised to hear that some students were disappointed that something more lavish (such as a dinner in a restaurant) and therefore more expensive, was not organized. The engineering party was also low budget (for us), but it was held in an attractive apartment, were it was obvious that the inhabitants had a comfortable income.

Sometimes I feel a little uncomfortable in the fact that amongst many of my friends, Andrew and I are the most well off. It helps a great deal that there are two of us, of course. But, I think some of it is because we tend not to be as extravagant in our spending as some people our age. I don't want to go on a wild rant about this, so I think I'll leave it there. All there.

Ciao,

Andrea