Kid's birthday parties suck. They are organized to keep the little munchkins have a most unique experience of activity and fun but the surreptitious focus is on the organizer's skill. How innovative can that person be in coming up with a new theme, fun activities that are also education? Create the most perfect thank-you gift? And of course, yummy food without breaking the bank?
I have done my share of putting up these shindigs and because I get easily carried away, I have had a lot of fun at my children and other kids' birthday parties. Don't get me wrong, the food is still crappy. I mean, how many carrot sticks can one eat? Pizza is fine by me but its baaad for the kids. So bring on the celery sticks and fruit plate and banish the coke and pizza! Plus there are all these parents standing in the room who scarcely know each other, trying to make awkward conversation as the honored guests romp around the room.
Well, this is not the point. The point is, after years of throwing and attending parties that are a variation on the same theme, I finally found a theme that just got my goat. Also the goats of several other attending adults. For my son's seventh birthday, we had an astronomy themed party where the kids got to make icecream using liquid nitrogen.
Yup. Liquid nitrogen!! I'm not kidding. The first time the lady at the science museum mentioned I did a double-take. Are you fucking serious?!! It sounds preposterous. Is it safe? Are there safety goggles? Will there be a helper or we just going to go nuts with wart-removing medicine??!!
Turns out that yes, there's helper who does everythung, yes there are safety goggles and yes, the milk instantly hardened (or is it coalesced?) into icecream. Thanks to my son's genius idea, the icecream was blue. I have never been this excited at a party where there were no margaritas or boys dancing on a table!
I know I will eventually talk of other things and the memories of that day will fade. But to the parent whose party is next line I say "beat that, suckers!".
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