debrief

The Labor Day Par-tay went off without a hitch, not counting the blazing heat that had 30 people huddled in the last scrap of shade for a while, until the sun went behind a building. Phew, STL is still a-blazin'. 96 degrees or more today.

It was a great mix of people at this shin-dig. My favorite thing about having these get-togethers is taking people from the different parts of my life and throwing them all together in one room (yard) to see what happens. It really tells you a lot about people. Some of my favorite people have been rooted out this way-- I already had my suspicions that they were cool, then I stranded them with other friends they didn't know, and they all got along smashingly. Good peeps attract good peeps.
Sure, some folks are shy and reserved no matter what, and I don't fault them for that. Even my most reserved favorite-people can still be counted on to be chill and cordial and even a bit witty, even in the presence of strangers.
On the flip side, these events also expose the people who will only talk to their established friends and acquaintances. And while I understand that parties are a nice chance to catch up with people you know and haven't seen in a while, if you spend the entire time holed up with the same group of people that you go drinking with twice a week.... well, that's your loss, I guess. Because my friends are great, and really, you should get to know them.