Prep

As a child, I remember my mother getting ready for holiday dinners. The menu was prepared weeks ahead and much of the food was made and frozen early. On the day before the blessed event, she’d set the table beautifully and on the day of the event, she’d pull together the last minute details. I thought that was the way to go. It was calm and spread that holiday feeling and anticipation out.

In high school, I emulated this behavior and worked hard to have all assignments, reports, projects due early – leaving only the finishing touches for last minute attention. It worked for me. But then I went to college. No longer did I do anything early, but I was also never late. It was stressful, but I had a job at a cool night club and lots of friends in the priority line. And I also had a clean apartment.

So when I grew up, I had a choice. Should I be Susie Homemaker and have all the preparation done and a table to die for? (when I looked up Susie Homemaker, I expected to find a retro site… I am stunned that there is a real & modern Susie!) Surely in my business life I plan ahead, don’t cram on projects. So that must be the way to go. It works. So that is what I did for years. I got compliments on the dinners and there were creative things for the kids to do during the “boring” parts and it was all good.

Tonight is the Passover Seder at our house. We’re having 22 people — it was supposed to be 24, but unfortunately 2 of our loved-ones can’t join us this year. For Seder, you are supposed to invite “outsiders” in. Well ours is really a motley crew – 6 of the people aren’t related to us – and 5 (not totally the same ones) aren’t Jewish. And unlike many family affairs, I really like everyone who is coming (though there is one I’ve never met!). But I digress.

Last week, I called the rental place to order tables, chairs and table linens. Then I did nothing. I mean nothing. I didn’t even know what I was going to serve. On Wednesday night, I wrote a menu. On Thursday I shopped – 4 stores – to get all the ingredients. And yesterday, I made the matzo ball soup, charoset, apple sauce, hot fudge pie, tapenade. And today, I have to do the rest. And it’s a lot.

I still have to set the table, clean the house, make the tenderloin, the chicken, asparagus, tzimmes, prepare the Seder Plate…. And more. The guests will be here at 5:00 pm. It’s already 8:25 am and am I busting ass to get this stuff done? No, actually I’m blogging!

So I can look at this one of three ways. 1) I’ve regressed to my college self. Irresponsible and waiting to the last minute 2) I have realized that compressing the preparation allows for total immersion for greater enjoyment and spirituality, or 3) I have become so efficient and so focused that I am able to do what used to take a week in only 2 days. (And can leap buildings in a single bound.)

You decide. I’m going to the gym.