My first year, May 4th also coincided with a launch party I had a hand in planning at my job, so I coopted a small section of the party and created the Mos Eisley Cantina, complete with my little Sphere BB-8 and a Photo Booth with masks:
That night, I attended a Paint & Sip party with my friend Jenny, where we got tipsy, created lightsaber paintings under the guidance of a guy dressed like Han Solo, and generally had too much fun.
In 2018, I was SUPER stoked: I had just started a new job at an incredible place, and wanted to treat all of my new coworkers with a full on feast… and they LOVED it.
Before I could even get it all set up, people were calling friends from other departments to come and see the “party” I had created.
I took a risk in showing my “true” self to these folks and they ate it up – literally and figuratively. Really, there was like no food left by 10:30am.
In fact, I made such an impression that HR saw fit to include a recap of the party on the office-wide TV screens for more than a week after the fact:
After the office party, I had my heart set on another Paint & Sip event after having such a great experience the year before. Unfortunately, the only one near by was about an hour away, and I don’t know about you but paying $40 for a Paint & Sip night and only painting and not sipping because I have to drive is kind of lame.
But the picture was sooooo pretty!!!
Luckily, I have VERY talented friends, and after I lamented not getting to paint this gorgeous thing, my friend (who happens to live across the street from me) invited me over for our own local Paint & Sip and we did a pretty stinking good job if I do say so myself:
Jess Runs Happy 
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