Party Planning for the broke and lazy

If college students were rich, party throwing would be easy- call the planner and the caterer and write a couple checks. Actually, broke students could do that too, but it does nasty things to the probably already crappy credit rating.

So instead, a bit of creativity is required.

Music is easy- I dare anyone out there to find a group of ten or twenty with no ipod or other music storage toy. Drinks are easy- provide plastic, ice, and mixers- let them bring their own if they want more.

Food- now food is where it gets interesting. You can do the ever popular pot luck, which is no fun. Or you can have the rotating party, where one person (or group) provides the food, then you swap out. You get more parties that way too. And it doesn't have to be expensive either. Spanish rice, bean burritos (homemade tortillas if you're someplace like NZ where they're 50 cents each), chips and salsa, maybe some fajita fixings or tamales if you're feeling rich/ motivated, and you have a yummy kinda mexican inspired party. Baked ziti, home made pizza, cheap antipasta, and you got a kinda italian fooded party. And until you try it, don't tell me that sushi's tough. Not good for cancelling out boozy extravagence, but if you have four or five people rolling, it doesn't take long to get *a lot* done. And if you leave out most (or all) of the fish, it's pretty cheap too.

Entertainment, of course, depends on when you hold the party. And who you invite. Some people are happy with no more than a kiddie pool and some beach toys. Others want activities. My favorites for activities (and both can be played outside in the depths of winter with some modifications) are soda bottle bowling and street golf. Which are pretty much what they sound like.

For soda bottle bowling you need-

• At least 10 empty soda bottles- all the same size and brand
• masking tape indoors, chalk outside
• a long, straight, flat surface
• One ball of moderate weight and firmness per 10 bottles

I like nerf balls, the basketball ones- about the size of a kids head. You set the bottles up in nice shiny triangles, each the same distance from anything next to it. You know, like at the bowling alley. mark where to put them on the floor, so you can reset faster. and mark the spot you have to throw from. Then run it like normal bowling. easy and fun. Or you can use a heavier ball and put some water or sand in the bottles. If you wanna play outside in the snow, make sure there's enough water to keep the bottles from floating on the snow, and you probably want it frozen, too- just for fun.

For street golf you need-

• Golf clubs, at least 2 each.
• Golf balls- at least 1 each
• a cup (or cups)
  
• running shoes
• aim

Pick a route out from your house- or from another location to where you want your party to end- usually your house. Draw it out on a map. Pick a route with friends' places on it, so you can have intermediate holes- one endless hole is just no fun, after all. In palmy I'd pick a rather back route to my house from the square- the main street is just a bit too busy, even at 3 am. Put a cup, as a hole, somewhere in your house. Mark it on the map. Send everyone off, counting (of course) as they play to the last hole. Lowest score wins. As does anyone who doesn't get arrested, break a window, or lose their ball.

I have to thank the students of St. Andrews in scotland for street golf, actually- I never would have thought that up on my own. Maybe with help, but it's tough to find golf minded mischief makers around here.

I'm sure with this start you can now throw at least part of a cheap party. Or at least keep yourself amused (and arrested) for at least a week. Oh, and no wading in Wyoming in october through may without special clearance from the loony bin.

j.