| How often do we find that we are losing track of | | | | resources and spending time in research while |
| friends without enough time to spend together? It | | | | women like the more stores the better, flitting |
| seems easy to say "maybe next month," "when I | | | | from one to the next always in search of the |
| get that promotion," "when the kids are out of | | | | best bargain (very rarely is it the ideal fit or most |
| school," or any other myriad of excuses. The | | | | flattering look and many times it will sit in the |
| bottom line is if we don't make the time to | | | | back of the closet with the tag on, but it will be |
| celebrate our friends we won't have the time | | | | bragged about as the ultimate steal to fellow |
| ever. | | | | bargain hunters!) If children are in tow it can be |
| It is all about committing to connect, and creating | | | | helpful to ensure a stop mid-shopping at a food |
| opportunities to make that happen. Be sure to | | | | and entertainment emporium like Chucky Cheese. |
| involve everyone in the fun by asking them to | | | | Savvy retailers often provide play areas to allow |
| bring a dish or other element. No one likes to | | | | Mom better shopping focus. The key is to know |
| show up at a party empty handed and it is easier | | | | that something as proverbially ordinary as |
| if you specify. | | | | shopping can be a chance to celebrate friends and |
| Here are just a few more ways you can | | | | another pair of eyes is always appreciated to |
| celebrate your friends! | | | | share the virtues of a dress that we might not |
| Halloween Fright Night | | | | otherwise need. |
| Time to spook it up and get back to the reason | | | | Celebrate your friends with outlet therapy! |
| Halloween was created. Let's return to scary for | | | | Goodwill Games (Bunko/Bingo/Bridge/Poker) |
| just a bit. Come as your favorite ghost, ghoul, | | | | I've got a handful of friends that have regularly |
| monster, witch, or werewolf. This isn't about any | | | | scheduled game nights well apart from a supper |
| stuffed shirt party but a chance to make grunge | | | | club or theatre night. The games are most often |
| look good and frightening. | | | | a group of women or men, rarely mixed and |
| You can incorporate trivia here with questions | | | | include bunko, bridge, gin rummy, poker, and even |
| about famous vampires, Dracula, monsters and | | | | bingo. Crowds range from four to ten plus and |
| more (sure Buffy counts!) You may even want | | | | easy eats are provided in the form of sandwiches |
| to create a mini haunted house complete with | | | | and appetizers. |
| ghostly blow ups and spider webs and haunting | | | | Jigsaw puzzles could be added to this mix and |
| music. Have everyone bring their most terrifying | | | | certainly scrabble, monopoly, pig mania (really a |
| treat to share. | | | | blast!), and trivial pursuit. This is a really nice |
| Celebrate your friends with a Halloween Fright | | | | change from the monotony and soloness of |
| Night! | | | | computer games. It is a good social opportunity |
| Broadway Nights | | | | and allows for some of the competitiveness to |
| Girl friends and I got together and bought season | | | | come into play, just no sore losers please! |
| tickets to a local community theatre. We go on a | | | | Celebrate your friends with a goodwill games |
| Saturday night about once a month and all | | | | night! |
| convene for dinner before hand at our favorite | | | | Art for the Ears |
| neighborhood café. It is a lot of fun and | | | | Recently I attended a concert at Atlanta's |
| this particular theatre has never let us down with | | | | Botanical Gardens with friends. It was a beautiful |
| a real variety of plays and great talent playing. I'd | | | | night and though they were very restrictive in not |
| like to do the same with a handful of other | | | | allowing food or drink brought in, they did provide |
| venues as it means we have guaranteed seats | | | | for purchase delicious gourmet fare, beer, and |
| and a night on the calendar to look forward to. | | | | wine by the glass or bottle. It made it very easy |
| I have noticed that there are regular groups of | | | | and the venue was smaller and more intimate |
| couples that get together for the same theatre | | | | than a large concert hall or performing arts |
| shows and even parents with their children and | | | | center. I realized that it wasn't truly important to |
| make it a family cultural outing. It is still a | | | | me who was playing but that it was the |
| celebration of friends! | | | | comradery we enjoyed and the minimal planning |
| Outlet Therapy | | | | since we could buy our feast on site only. |
| I know that most men don't enjoy shopping | | | | Now whether you are game for an outdoor |
| (okay they hate it!) except when it means being | | | | venue and take your chances with weather or |
| left for days at a home improvement center or | | | | prefer the safety of a music center or playhouse |
| auto dealership. So to make sure everyone has | | | | is up to you. Music truly is art for your ears and it |
| fun, the guys need to have guy stores to hang | | | | is another fun way to celebrate friends by |
| out at like Frontgate, Bass Pro Fishing, | | | | creating a regular concert schedule to enjoy |
| Brookstone, Best Buy, Circuit City, Bose or any | | | | together. It can include food, beverage and picnic |
| sporting goods store. Usually there is at least one | | | | style or just grab a bite before or after at a local |
| of these in most of the popular outlet shopping | | | | tavern. The point is to share the experience. |
| centers. Then the ladies can have their | | | | Celebrating time with our friends is one of the |
| occasionally necessary shopping therapy at a | | | | best parts of this life experience. It is up to each |
| discount. | | | | of us to create that time and make the |
| Men are generally quite happy with one or two | | | | commitment to honor those relationships. |