Chapter 1: Life Beyond the Hustle

It's been a while! I've been incredibly occupied lately. I found a wave of inspiration and dove into writing my memoir, which has taken up most of my time away from Medium. Although I still haven't settled on a prompt theme for July, I aim to finalize it along with August today since I’ll be heading to Alaska at the end of July.

When I haven't been focused on writing, I've been busy coordinating Ethan and Sara's engagement party alongside Paul, Kelly, and Tom. The planning process became significantly easier once Sara's sister stepped back from being a major obstacle due to her religious beliefs.

I almost considered hosting a "Devil's Masquerade" just to make a point about how frustrating that situation was. I respect everyone’s right to their beliefs, but it becomes an issue when someone pushes their views onto others. It’s like personal beliefs should stay private—nobody wants to hear about them constantly.

Moving on, the party is shaping up nicely. Regarding my birthday celebration, everything is nearly in place! We can’t officially place the favor orders until we distribute the invitations and gauge attendance through RSVPs. Most invitees are likely to attend, so we have a rough estimate, but since the favors are personalized, we can't over-order or return extras. They’re designed and ready to go, though!

I’ve already ordered the dance outfits for Jake and me, and I've received the DJ's mash-up of two Taylor Swift songs that I plan to enter singing. I want to familiarize myself with the transitions before our first rehearsal. The DJ cut the songs together three times, but after some feedback, I decided to modify the lyrics to better fit the theme of my party, which is based on the idea of friendship and celebration.

The first video, titled "Decisions Decisions," sheds light on navigating through various choices in life, similar to my journey of planning this party.

Chapter 2: Rehearsals and Reflections

The mash-up will now blend "This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things" and "22," but instead of Taylor’s Version, it’ll be Ruby’s Version. I need to practice because I’m so used to the original lyrics that I might accidentally revert back to them! 😂

As the intro music plays, Paul will welcome everyone on the main floor, humorously noting my lateness. Just as he starts, my mic will turn on from upstairs, and I’ll begin singing, directing the guests' attention toward me.

Here’s a glimpse of the lyrics I’m working with:

It was so nice throwin' big parties,

Jump into the pool from the balcony,

Everyone swimmin' in a champagne sea...

This party is set to be a celebration of joy and freedom, and I can’t wait for everyone to join in the fun. The choreography for my dance with Jake is finalized, and we just need to rehearse repeatedly to ensure everything flows smoothly.

The second video, "Kid Correspondent - Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!" explores the youthful perspective on choices, much like how I’m navigating through my own decisions for this party.

We've selected a simple yet elegant costume that complements the party theme without being too flashy. Jake’s attire is equally straightforward, making it easy for quick changes.

The invitations we settled on perfectly capture the essence of the 1920s theme I envisioned, complete with RSVP options that add a touch of humor.

For party favors, we’re preparing picture frames for the guests, along with T-shirts that humorously commemorate the event. The shirts will read, "I survived Brooklyn in the 1920s on 11–23–2024," which carries a personal meaning for me.

We have finalized the cakes, which will be stunning! One will resemble a stack of books, and the other will look like shoeboxes. The guests will also receive a box of boozy cupcakes to take home, each infused with different flavors.

As my party preparations wrap up, I’m also making strides in my writing. I’ve decided to take a brief break with Paul, where we turned off our electronics and enjoyed a day of relaxation together. We spent time binge-watching a show and ordered takeout, allowing us to simply enjoy each other's company without any party planning stress.

I'm thrilled that my book is taking shape, and I’m eager to brainstorm prompt themes for the upcoming months before Jake arrives for more dance practice.

Busy days ahead, but it's all worth it!