Returning to the Bay, Part I: The Graduation Party

So I'm back in Los Angeles, not having updated in a week, but certainly not because the week wasn't eventful. This past week was probably one of the most memorable trips back home, and reminded me why I'm so fond of the Bay Area, and why I'd want to move back and raise a family there.

As easy as it would to do a simple blow-by-blow, laundry list of all the wonderful things I did, I won't. No offense to those that do, but I don't get too thrilled reading "what-I-did-this-week" entries. Instead, I'll try to focus more on a single event, person, or emotion. After all, that's what's important, right?

So to begin this series, I'll start with the event that brought me back home in the first place: the graduation party. Another take on the party can be read on my sister's blog.

There are only a few, signature events that motivate all the different people who have affected your life together, past and present. Really, there are only three: graduations, weddings, and funerals. For girls, there's also the coming-of-age birthday (Debut, Quincenera...). Sadly, my breasts weren't big enough to warrant a Debut. Instead, I got a car for my 17th. Nice consolation prize.

Anyway, I didn't really think about how big this shindig would be until, Friday night, just as I got home from the long drive up, and stepped into the kitchen. It was clear; my mom had been saving up for this.

For those who know me, I'm a pescatarian (a vegetarian who also eats fish), but it was clear that for a week, that philosophy was going to go on hold. It really was a sight to see. Marinated chicken, tri-tip steaks, Alaskan salmon, shrimp, pork, noodles, rice; it was quite a sight. I could go on and on about the food, but my sister describes the cooking situation well. All I need to add is that the day before, we had to call two of my cousins, two aunts, an uncle, and my granduncle and grandaunt to help with the food preparation.

Now if I were running the show, I probably would've been lazy and just had the whole thing catered. But my parents are far wiser and harder-working than me, thank God, and went the longer, harder route. Thing is, they're used to it. Whenever some big event comes around, my parents enter this new gear and just go wild. Christmas parties and my sisters' graduation parties come to mind. They break out the food trays, the cooler, the folding chairs, the canopies, and they cook, grill, stew, barbecue, steam, set up, and clean for a good 48 hours. I think it's insane, but I think they love it. I think it's part of the reason why they're so successful; when it comes to their friends, they put their best face forward, and they do the grunt work to back it up. I sit in awe just thinking about them.

The day itself went really well. It started at 1. By 2:30, the house was filled to capacity. Aunts, uncles, cousins, 2nd cousins and their families, my mom's officemates, my dad's officemates, my UCLA friends from LA, even my high school English teacher and three of her grandkids from Montana were there! They were cute; they got me this cute present, a little sheriff's set w/badge & six-shooter, but they said I could only have it if I could create a scene, using the present as props. Looks like that LCC training came in handy. Only folks who weren't represented were my high school friends, but a lot of them either had work or were out of town. It sucked, but then again, I don't know where we could've put them, so it probably worked out for the best.

By 5:30, most of the guests were gone, but my UCLA friends were still around. We avoided the commotion downstairs by relaxing in my room, and I got to divulge more about my past. They ended up browsing through my old yearbooks. Now, THAT was interesting. They were reading all the old messages there, trying to decipher the me before they knew me. They would giggle with glee whenever they read one that suggested that I might have been "dishin' some game"! Ha ha, I swear, I thought I had absolutely NO game in high school. Thought I was too nerdy, too intellectual, and too busy to go steady with anyone. By the time I got to UCLA, I eliminated the first two excuses, but the third stuck pretty well until I graduated. Now the excuse has evolved from "too busy" to "not busy enough"! Ha ha, oh Randy... But really, it was really cool to see all of them that day. James, John, Zara, Lara, Richard, Jonathan, I'd be hard-pressed to find better friends than y'all!

By the time the UCLA crew left to make their trek back down, one family had remained: my father's cousin's family, and they were conversing with my sister and her fiance. They talked about everything: marriage, messed up stuff they did when they were kids, embarrassing their OWN kids, college, etc. I hadn't seen them in years, but they were as happy and engaging as ever. Only further proof that good relationships don't die over time, and that the right people will always be there when you need them.

By midnight, it was only my parents and I who were up, and I asked if I could help put away any of the dishes, but my mom said that I couldn't until she put the leftovers away. They insisted I go to bed and rest, since I was still recovering from a cold the week before. And so I did, which concluded one of the best weekends of my life.