I have a plan full of love and friendship and all things Valentiney. (And if we’re going to be honest, I also have a fear that this will turn into that party I tried to host where no one RSVP’d and I felt like a total dork.) How would you feel about a Girls’ Night Out of monumental proportions (based solely on the criteria of cool and classy and hopefully that more than 3 of you will come)?? I’m also going to try really hard not to put parenthesis at the end of every sentence I write (Really.).
Here’s the thing. I am a big Jane Austen fan. I think some of you are too. About a month ago, I received an email from BYU Arts — it was just a newsletter mailing; I don’t mean to make it sound like I got some exclusive invitation–, and my eyes focused on the bottom of the page where they announced their upcoming play: Persuasion. Eeeek! I love Persuasion. It is my very favorite Jane Austen novel, and was actually my first introduction to her work when I saw the movie production of Persuasion at BYU’s International Cinema forever a few years ago. And I love plays! And they’re doing a play of it! You’re probably starting to get the idea . . .
Tickets go on sale today. I asked Matt if he would go with me, and he painfully consented, kind of like I would have if he asked me to go see a play of Star Trek or Ghost Hunters. I thought to myself, “This is more of a girlfriend thing.” Then I remembered that despite living here for six months, I don’t really have any girlfriends yet. I posted an open invitation on my neighborhood’s blog, but only one person expressed any interest. (By the way, if you see this Yolanda, you’re totally invited.) So then I started thinking, “why not invite some blog friends? I bet some of them would be interested.” (This whole thing is starting to sound a lot more pathetic and desperate than I intended it to be. Oh good grief. It’s not. I promise.)
So. Here’s what I’m thinking:
Saturday, March 19. 7:30 show. (If tickets are not available, then I’d shoot for the following Saturday.)
Maybe preceded by a fun, chatty dinner, like at 5:30. . . either a restaurant or a potluck (Preference?)
Leave your husbands in charge of the kids or get a sitter.
Come have FUN.
This invitation is open to anyone who can travel to the BYU area. (Unless, of course, you are a 50-year-old creepy guy named Guido who poses as a Mormon mommy blogger just so you can meet the faces behind all these glamorous stories. In that case, you are most certainly NOT invited.) Here are a few reasons that you might be thinking of that could keep you from coming, which I will now immediately debunk with my crafted rebuttals:
“That sounds really fun, but …”
1. “… I’ve never even met Stephanie and it would feel really awkward to just show up as a stranger.” Two things: First of all, who cares? Chances are that there will be several other people in the same boat and we can use this as an excuse to meet each other. Second, I’m sure that the small handful of people who actually have met me in person can testify to this: I am not worth getting intimidated over. I’m pretty normal, and down-to-earth, and I promise I will make you feel welcome, even if you are a “stranger.”
2. “… I feel really self-conscious around people I don’t know very well.” Come anyway. I will wear sweatpants and no make up if that makes you feel better. I’ve done several bloggy get-togethers, usually small-group lunches, etc., and I’m always surprised at how quickly we connect and how easy the conversation is, even though we’ve never stepped into the same room together in our lives. The fact is, we have a lot in common. Besides, half the evening will be spent in a dark theater and you don’t have to talk to anyone if you don’t want to. Oh! And one more idea: bring a friend. 🙂
3. “… This sounds stupid and I have no interest in meeting Stephanie anyway.” Well, in that case, you may want to stay home.
Now that I have alleviated all your fears, let’s talk business. Let me know in the comments if you think you’d be interested. I’ll respond with an email that has more details about ticket prices, how to pay (yes, you will have to pay for your own ticket), etc. I think I’d like to buy the tickets by this Thursday so that I can reserve a large chunk of seats together.
Is there anyway to say “please come so I don’t look like an idiot when my first attempt at girls’ night out turns out to be only me and my grumpy husband” without sounding desperate? If there is, then insert that here.
Diapers and Divinity 
I’m totally in! In fact, I’m so in I already put it in my calendar. Since I am one of the people who has met Steph in person (I was her college roommate) I will tell anyone who us considering coming that it will be a FUN night with lots of laughing and maybe even some new friends:-)
I dont know what Joels workk scedule is like yet. Ill check in later.
i would if i could!
I would totally come if, you know, I was 20 hours closer. That’s OK, though. I’ve organized a GNO for this week- Birthday dinner at Fiesta Cancun for a friend, followed by Enrichment. I’ll just make my own fun! Knowing you in “real life” I can also tell everyone that I know for a fact that it will be loads of fun. (Not to put any additional pressure on you or anything, Stephanie.)
Is it cool if I’m 100% in for dinner but not the play? I hope so. Would be super fun.
Of course! I’d love for you to come to dinner.
I’m in! It sounds like a lot of fun! 🙂
It’s sounds delightful, but unfortunately I am a good 26 hours away. Have a great time!
I wish I could come…I live a little too far away and am due to have a baby a week after that…so I should probably skip, darn it! I will be in UT in July and would love a GNO then!
If they created a package deal — you know, a ticket to see the show along with a ticket to Utah from Oregon — I’d be on the front row!! I actually know the actor that’s playing Captain Wentworth — he was a missionary here in Oregon, and he was voted Mr. BYU last fall: Eliot Wood! If you go, would you be willing to be a geeky fan for me and take him flowers?? 😉
(Or would Matt be weirded out even more by that?)
Of course I would. I’m sure it will become part of the evening fun, when I go give Captain Wentworth flowers!
I would SO be coming… if I lived anywhere near there!!!! 😦
Thanks for the invitation. I hope you all have a blast! 😀
OH MY GOODNESS. I’m cursing the day we moved from Provo to Poland!! PROVO!! WE WERE RIGHT THERE!! 🙂 Seriously, huge bummer, though.
And I dreamed last night that you and your husband did a youth conference/fireside type thing that was at Kimberly Vanderhorst’s house (I really want to go there some day, can you tell!) I didn’t get to meet Kim but I helped prepare things with her husband (?) and you opened the meeting by asking for questions. I asked a kid in the front to ask you some long, weird question about raising children. He asked and you said, “No, really, this conference is for EVERYONE”, I guess addressing my fears that it was weird to be asking a parenting question at a conference for teens (why I would think that was strange, or that I had someone else ask for me, or that I made sure it was the first question, I’m not sure.)
Anyway, so you said that and then just sat there. You didn’t answer the question and everyone was just quiet.
So I’m pretty sure it would be a lot less awkward to meet you in real life. Even if it was totally awkward. 🙂 (it wouldn’t be and I’m going to make sure I meet you when I come to Utah next time!)
Sounds fun! I will check my calendar.
That would be wonderful if I didn’t have a commitment already. I would love to take my girls, we are Jane Austen fans.
GNO are always fun. My favorite is to do it on the night of priesthood meeting and then have a yummy dessert afterward so that men can return and report. Children can run wild and Mommies can talk about how they kept it together throughout the day. It is a brief social moment before Sunday and hitting it hard again.
Would like to come but too far away….
Always up for a GNO! Need to check work schedule.
I would SO love to go to the play, but we are not going to be coming that way for a little while. I would love to see this play, ok now I am bummed.
One more reason why someone might not come–would you accept a non-blogger? 🙂
I can’t make it that day. If you end of changing it to the next weekend, let me know.
Me! Me! Me!! I totally want to come, so get me some more details and I’ll see if I can make it work!
I’m totally there. Either weekend works.
This sounds wonderful! I love Persuasion. I love Jane Austen. I love GNOs. What is not to enjoy? I will have to make sure it will work with the hubby and work, but I will certainly get back with you. And I vote potluck. That is my vote.
I’m proud to be Canadian, but sometimes I really hate living here and missing out on all the fun down there. That sounds FABulous, and totally up my alley to boot.
Faugh.
On a day like today, this post is like an answer to a prayer. Thank you! I will be there FOR SURE. My vote is going out to dinner, since that sounds grown-up and cool. I am nervous, I will admit, but I’ll go out on a limb just this once. Email me.
Ahh…I’m a total fan of living in North Carolina. But it sure is too far to travel even for such a delightful sounding evening!
So wishing I could be there. I love Persuasion as well! Sounds like such a fun evening.
I don’t think you have a rebuttal for why I can’t come! But I would be there in a heartbeat if I lived closer!
Have fun!
This sounds like a perfect GNO. Sigh. Maybe someday . . .
I would love to come as well. I’ve read Jane Austin but I don’t know if I’d be in the “huge fan” category. Can I still come? My husband, who is against all “bonnet movies” makes it difficult to just pop in a Jane Austin movie for movie night. I vote for dinner out. Can’t wait to get to know you better and all your bloggy friends.
Yes, Cathy, come! “Bonnet movies.” That is so funny. 🙂
Envy! This is the terrible feeling this creates in me! How I wish I could go. I hope everyone has a great time.
I am determined that you and I will someday be in the same place at the same time…so email me the particulars, I really wanna make it work!! 🙂
I’m in, barring hubby’s work emergencies, trips to the ER, etc. And I can’t do the show due to a little person who is quite literally attached to me frequently, but dinner would be fun. And I’m about as socially awkward as they come!
I want to come!!! I too have met Steph for lunch when she was visiting in Utah. We had never met before and we hit it off and so will you. We met again after women’ conference with other ladies and all got along wonderfully. I might be coming down next week too, I hope to see you then girlfriend!
Sounds great, count me in!
Ha ha ha! Very funny, “Guido.” Don’t call me, I’ll call you. 🙂
Stephanie, I might be able to come… maybe for just dinner? Our anniversary is on the 16th and we have plans for the weekend of the 11th IF our kids are healthy… if not, we’ll move it to the weekend of the 18th so I wouldn’t be able to. But I LOVE this idea!!! 🙂 The next weekend is better for me (25th) just in case it gets changed.
Count me in too! This sounds fun. I don’t think I’ve read this one before, should I get it read before the play or the other way around?
Count me in, Steph. 🙂
I wish wish wish I could come. My husband is going to be out of town the week before that, and we will be catching up on stuff that weekend. If I lived closer than 3 1/2 hours away, I would be there. And if/when I ever go “up north” again, I would love to get together again. It was fun meeting you!
If I were there, I’d go… although I’m not a mom yet. My V-day was spent a few days early since we’d be separated for the actual day. Sounds like it’ll be fun 🙂
It’s not an exclusive mom-only club! 🙂 Wish you were closer.
I hope you haven’t bought the tickets, yet. I haven’t been on the computer for awhile and just saw this post. I’d love to come but I have to check with Greg first. I just left him a message to call me ASAP. Thanks for organizing this Stephanie!
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Count me in! Capt Wentworth is one of my favorite Regency hunks. I’d love to go & I’m not ashamed to invite myself! I promise I’m not a creepy creeper; although, you may ban me on the basis of Jack’s unruly behavior in nursery.
*le sigh*