Back in the day, people were always entertaining. My parents were the hosts of numerous bunco parties, dinners, parties, and the like. We'd also go numerous places. When I was little, we had two Munchkins living across the street. I don't mean they were short, I mean they both had played Munchkins in the actual Wizard of Oz.
Today's events reminded me that we don't do that nearly enough anymore, and has caused me to wonder why.
I think people don't want to miss their TV shows.
Yes, it's simplistic, I know. But it seems to me that the more TV people got, the less they hung out at other people's houses. Now, even if you DO visit, the damned TV drones in the background the whole time!
One of my favorite movies is Avalon. If you haven't seen it, do. It's pretty old now, but a beautiful film, and it chronicles the influence television and the suburbanization of American affected one immigrant family.
I saw this a lot in my own family. Unless the get-together was specifically to watch the Big Game, the damned TV was off.
Today, the kids wanted to show their friends that came over the Eye Toy, where they can watch themselves dance on TV with glittery effects and that was almost too much for me. Mostly it stayed closed and dark.
What this world needs are a few more good, old fashioned card parties. Nobody knows how to play bridge or canasta anymore. Let the kids go off and play while the adults sit around the table, talking and snacking.
Today, we had some friends over. I wasn't feeling like running around, so Hubby got a huge spread together: Pot roast, salad, melon, biscuits, pasta with sun-dried tomato, green beans, rice and gravy. I was pretty impressed, actually. Because I like to have adult conversation every once in a great while, and some laughs. The kids played and all went well. It reminded me that I need to do that more. Now that the house is more manageable, I plan to.
Once, I was doing the floor in my bedroom and saw that the neighbor next door was home. It flashed through my mind that I had a full pot of sauce on the stove, and that I should invite her over. But I got onto something else. Well, she happened to knock on the door a few minutes later, I invited her and she stayed, and it was great. Since then, we've been passing this plate back and forth. I've had it for over a week, but I can't return it yet unless I bake something to put on it. Last time, I got back a cake from the Blue Scorcher. I had sent it over with more pasta.
Our parents didn't have the answers on everything. I mean, I personally think it's better that my kids aren't in a cloud of cigarette smoke everywhere they go. When I grew up, man, we were suckin' that stuff down all the time. but perhaps they had some good ideas when it came to connecting with other people. Sure, we all want our space at times, our privacy, and some people are simply not social at all. But most of us could be doing better, I think.
The payoffs are worth it.
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