Turning (No, Not Turing)

This past weekend I celebrated my naissance by throwing a party for someone else. AHC got hired by the boss/friend of a friend to do a fancy dinner and I went along to help him out because a) it was a Saturday night and being out without the kids is almost a date b) the business is 50% mine so all of my control-freak instincts are completely reasonable and c) AHC is really in his element in this type of setting and I rather enjoy watching him practice his craft and supporting him when I can.

In spite of not really partying for myself, there was undeniable satisfaction in the work. I spent my time making stemware sparkle, setting the table (when in doubt, Emily Post), preparing party favours (AHC's balsamic reduction in little jars for the guests), doing dishes (yes, dishes), helping plate to courses and serve them, and occasionally giving presentation advice (I saved him from making an error in judgment on the Roma tomato & boconcini salad).

What I was doing was labour, an interesting fact given the recent work Trixie and I did on slavery and technology and higher pursuits versus lower pursuits. It's a nice change from school, which, at its worst, is not much more than intellectual wanking. At its best, it's something really interesting and worthwhile, but I have alluded in my recent posts to my sense it's just been a lot of wanking this year. (My perspective changed recently after the presentation Zen I experienced with Trix a week ago. I'm feeling a lot more energetic about the thoughtful pursuits these days). Intellectual fatigue is something much different than the physical fatigue that hits after you've been on your feet for 7 hours labouring. Helping AHC on a few occasions these past few weeks has provided a nice counterpoint to my other life.

So there it is. I turned 30 in someone else's kitchen doing something that we both like to do. (I even have my own whites, which make me feel slightly like a poseur, but AHC assures me I'm just fine.) I'm not one of those people who freaks out about getting older. I still believe that the farther I get away from my adolescence, the better. I will, however, look forward to a time in my life when my birthday won't fall at the end of the semester (no one is in the mood to have fun!).