You're all invited to FUNDAY XV, June 20 in Saginaw

[5thGenDemocrat]

Every year it happens, and every year is greater than the year before!!
John's annual FUNDAY party is coming up in Saginaw on June 20, just six weeks from today! The beer, food and music are all provided -- all you have to do is get here! This is the fifteenth edition, and we're looking forward to making it the best one ever.
"How," you ask?
Just one example: We're introducing Tippy's DOG CITY Bar and Grille -- the most wonderful and unique dog kennel/outdoor bar anywhere in the country, and it's a thing of beauty, I tells ya! DU veterans of FUNDAY over the years would, I'd hope, tell you how great a party this is -- but maybe you'd better come see for yourself! Did I mention it's free, and that we have an outside bar?
Now, FUNDAY is designed for my local friends, even though I toss this invite out to all DUers, so it isn't a day for politics. Our motto is "Leave the Attitude at the Door."
But you'll get a chance to meet Andy the Right Wing Republican (who doesn't want to be called a Republican any more), right after we load him up with Xanax. And just maybe, if you're as lucky as Davsand here, he'll ever let you borrow his bitchin' Camaro. You'll meet Mike B, destined to be the last GM employee in Saginaw. And, certainly, you'll meet ME -- so this is a chance to find out if I'm as big an ass as I seem on the internet (I'm not -- nobody could be).
So, that's FUNDAY, and it's free and it's coming this June 20!
Comments and questions? Fire away!!
John (and Polly)
"Since 1995, if you've gotta party -- you've gotta getta FUNDAY!!"

[IdaBriggs]

1. Sounds like fun - what prompted the beginnings of this party?

Please share some stories, so potential new folks can share in some of the history of this event! :)

[5thGenDemocrat]

2. Well, we were going through a down time in 1995

When my now ex-wife, Michelle said "We have enough Unfundays -- we need a Funday." We put the first party together in a few days, and everyone had such a good time that we decided to do it again the following year. That was 14 years ago.
Now, we plan the year's yard and house improvements around what we can have done by mid-June. Since last year's party, I've redone the upstairs here (all three rooms), effectively adding a bedroom and walk-in closet, building a completely new set of bookshelves for my 3000 books (which is why I was down to one bedroom -- the books had taken over everywhere) and put up new paint throughout.
Outside, we've regraveled the pathway through the yard, added a dog kennel/outside bar ("Tippy's DOG CITY Bar and Grill"), relandscaped the backyard) and we'll be adding a small greenhouse right after the party.
There's also the usual painting and repairing that most people do around their house. Anyhow, the place is looking great and we still have just under five weeks until all the guests arrive.
My childhood friend, Paul P, schedules his family visit from Tulsa, Oklahoma each year so he can make the party, but the record anyone's traveled just to make FUNDAY was Liz B's excursion from Tempe, Arizona back at FUNDAY VII in 2001. I've had DUers (Davsand) come all the way from Illinois and even our late, much-lamented Khephra (who lived in Indianapolis) made two of the parties before he passed away so suddenly. We've had two friends, Ray and Laura, meet and get married because of this little event.
In fourteen years, we've never had a fight and we've never had the cops called (this is why a good host ALWAYS makes it a point to invite the neighbors).
I'll try to remember some stories suitable for passing along -- this is a party for adults (at 52, my dorm party days are behind me), but you can't hold one or several of these events without somebody doing something we all talk about for the next ten years.
I could tell you about the time Scott ate two earthworms because someone bet him five dollars he wouldn't, or the time we were doing post-party cleanup around two in the morning and found a guest curled up sleeping in an overturned yard waste can -- but those kind of anecdotes leave the uninitiated thinking this is Animal House -- which it isn't.
Mostly, it's just a get-together to catch up with all the people you only see once a year. And it's a real good time to meet a few of the DUers I chat with (I'd guess I've had at least a dozen or so come up here over the years -- but, you know, as soon as I start naming them, I'm going to forget somebody so I'll just leave it at that).
<a href="" target="_blank"><img src="" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Here's the locally-famous Andy the Right Wing Republican and me a couple of years ago. I'll let you guess who is who.
I'll share some more about FUNDAY as we go along. It's nearly 3 am here in Saginaw and I've got another busy day ahead of me tomorrow. Please consider showing up -- everyone has a great time and you might just get to meet some unforgettable characters. Failing that, there's always Polly and me. More on this as we go...
John
Whose internal clock is right on time -- if I lived in Calcutta.

[sarcasmo]

3. I just realized, today is funday.