Along with John Michael Greer's Dreamwidth blog, I've been reading Violet Cabra's. She's an often commentator on Ecosophia, whose posts I always find highly stimulating. This recent post caught my eye, and I thought it highly relevant to one key skill a believe a Green Wizard will need as society slowly collapse. The skill of rebuilding a sense of community.

The Power of Parties

"Always around Halloween everyone seems to get super excited about the possibility of parties. Halloween which remains many adults favorite holiday. Personally I find Halloween parties to be the most hit or miss of parties categories in general, and much more frequently than not they are a resounding miss. Awhile ago I began to recount my entire experience of parties In general with a friend, and that got me thinking on the basic premise of what makes a good party what makes a tedious party and what makes train wrecks and trip disasters.

The thing is that I love a good party, and I love parties of every flavor and variety. I’ve enjoyed myself dancing at dorky indie rock bands and in a friends basement dressed as a mathematical superhero. I have moshed and drunk whisky around a campfire and laughed. I’ve been to orgies and I’ve discussed literature and I’ve taken magic mushrooms and heard the earth speak to me. I’ve been to farmer's parties, actor’s parties, druggy parties and punk parties. I’ve enjoyed falling in love as much as smashing glass bottles with a golf club.

All of these parties had very little in common. Some of them have been birthday parties, Halloween parties and the like. But many of them have been really fun and wonderful and even magical.

What separates the parties the that reliably rock versus those that reliably flop? What are the major differences? Where lies the chasm?"

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Having a party can be a good way to build common ground within a group of people but the skill needed to throw a good party is sadly lacking now a day. Think back to your last company party. Was that an experience which got you and your co-workers a better team, or was it a awkward situation that everyone wanted to leave as soon as they could?

Take a few moments to read over Violets post.

What do you think makes a good party?