People ask me all of the time how long I have been planning parties, and every single time, I know it sounds cliche, but I answer, since I was in the 3rd grade.  I think it sounds cliche because I was so young how could it be true.  But it really is true, I used to have parties in my backyard and invite all of the neighbor children to come over for Kool-Aid and cookies that I would usually swindle my mom into whipping up.  Sometimes they were a hit sometimes they were not, but I would learn from my mistakes to improve upon them all the time.  I continued on my party planning ventures all through high school, this is where my parties got great, but I was always so paranoid that something was going to get ruined in the house so it was difficult for me to enjoy them.  And by the way, something ALWAYS got ruined.  In college I learned how to throw a great party and relax while doing it, usually because I would organize it, but it was never at my house.....When I got married I started planning parties with other peoples money and not at my house, this is when I discovered that party planning was most definitely my calling, I had found it.  This is what I was going to do for a living, something I could wake up everyday and be proud and excited to do.  I am bringing all of this up because I found something in a pile of papers that my mom brought me from home a couple of weekends ago:

Organization is the Key

In planning this fabulous party you have to be totally organized and well prepared.  You have to know who you are going to invite and where it will be.  Then your food and decorations will be another factor.  Last I think you could decide what kind of music and entertainment you will use.

Who you will invite and where it will be is always the biggest problem.  When you make out invitations do not do it alone.  Have some friends over to help you.  Have one person do time, have another do the date, and another do the place.  You write who it's for.  In deciding where it will be, check around with all of the local churches, one of them is bound to have a gym they might rent out to you.

Eventually, you will run into food and decoration problems.  Food is a major problem because you don't know what everyone likes.  All you have to do is order pizza and buy Dr.Peppers  and your set.  To decorate decide on a theme if any and look at the building it will be in.  Carefully plan exactly what you want and where you want it to be.

Finally, music and entertainment.  Plan a movie in one part of the building for the people that do not want to dance.  The best way to handle music is to have everyone bring a favorite cd or tape.

In conclusion, if you follow this way of organization your sure to have a great and exciting party.  Since organizing is so easy I am almost positive it will turn out wonderful.

by: Johnell R. Arnett

8th Grade- January 26th, 1993

There it is folks, the key to a successful party, pizza and Dr.Peppers!!  Now you can truly see my passion for this business and how I have always had a deep appreciation for the art of planning a party!!