As I embark on this new decade in my life, I can't help but express how much appreciation I have for everything I've learned here on planet earth these last 40 years. Getting old sucks, yes. But the older you get, the wiser you become, and I think that's pretty cool. So in the next month here, I'm going to share some things with you that I have learned. Memoirs, excerpts, stories, etc. Life lessons, tricks of the trade and relationship advice (just kidding). So anyways, don't take this too seriously. Let's face it, everything I do is basically to get a laugh out of people. So let's begin.
THE FOUR PILARS OF PARTY
In my opinion, every true Party has these four major elements. These are the cornerstones that hold the Party together. The glue. These four things can make or break a Party. And when all four of these things are in a cohesive symbiosis with each other, it's pure magic. It's a science. An art. It takes teamwork and preparation. It takes effort. That's why it's called "Throwing a Party". You throw it. Someone has to exert energy to make the Party happen. Parties don't throw themselves. You need...
1. PEOPLE. Sure you can party by yourself, but let's face it, that's boring. And very lame. Even i don't Party by myself. Never have. No point in that. The whole main idea of a Party is to share the experience with other people. It's a social interaction. A celebration. An experience. My doctor once asked me if I ever drink alone. i said, "No. Usually it's with at least 500 other people."
2. PLACE. Where the Party takes place is a huge factor. And Parties can happen anywhere. The possibilities are endless. Outdoors, indoors. In a club, at a bar. In a house, at the beach. I've Partied in barns, airplanes, buses and recently Partied inside a clock. You can Party in a forest, you can Party in a tree. You get the idea. This is why Burning man and Coachella and Ultra are such epic events. It's the setting.
3. MUSIC. To me, a real proper Party has music. You can have a Party without music yes, but that doesn't sound very fun. Some of you girls have these 'Bachelor Viewing Parties' where you all get together and sip wine and watch reality television. That's not Partying.. And if you are one of these girls, please go find a hammer and immediately hit yourself on the head with it several times. You're welcome. Music creates the vibe. It loosens people up. You know what else loosens people up!? Yep, you guessed it...
4. ALCOHOL. First of all, I'm not condoning the use of alcohol of drugs here (what!?) but a true Party has some form of indulgence. A catalyst. Something that "gets you going". It could be just the music. It could be pizza. Obviously you shouldn't roll up to a 9 year old's Birthday Party with a bottle of Grey Goose and a few joints. Bad idea. And probably illegal in most states. But I remember in 3rd grade we had a Pizza Party once and when the needle hit the record on that Dirty Dancing soundtrack, those bitches got LIT. That's all it took. My parents don't even drink. But they Party. In their own ways. I've seen them at weddings, and they dance and have fun. They love music. My Mom was the musical director/organist at our church growing up. And her at church sharing her music with the people, that was kind of her Partying. You can Party at church!? Yes, I think so. When my Dad would drive me and my sister around in that Ford Escort, he would be blasting oldies (104.3?) singing along all whacked out of his mind on a 2 Liter of Diet Pepsi. It's all relative. Even things like Christmas caroling is a form of Partying. That used to really get us going as kids. "But Jim, the spirit of Christmas IS a drug." -something my Mother would say.
So there you go. Partying goes back as far as mankind has existed. It's primal. It's within us. It's something so simple, yet it's very complex at the same time. We party to forget, to escape, to celebrate. Luckily I have been fortunate enough to figure out a way to make a career out of it. LOTS of people hate their jobs and their boring lives. And they come to Las Vegas or Miami to escape that and it makes them feel better. Many times after just a regular night out to me, someone will say, "Jimmy, that was the greatest night of my life." That's what keeps me going. That's why I do this. To create memories, to connect and touch people's lives. And chances are, if you are reading this, we have probably shared a few moments at a Party or two together. So thank you for being a part of it.
By: Jimmy Greenup
