super awesome christmas party

aka BMI Winter Holiday Party (Dec 14). For the first time we tried to have it at the Tabaret Hall (the oldest and the nicest hall at the university) with catering. Previously we have had it at the restorants and pubs.

It went so well! Lots of positive comments from a representative cross section of the crowd (we had a bit over 100 in total). I'm very pleased!

I had to be over there at 2 pm to make sure all the tables and etc are in order. And then the caterers came. And then alcohol people. And then our decorations team.
It was so cool to see how the big empty room transformed, little by little to this beautiful party room with tables ready for dinner. All this was topped of by people arriving at 6 pm.

I have to admit that somewhere before 2 pm I had a "give me valium" moment (Kullionu, maletad Liis Allikut meie esimeselt kommersilt? Kui ta nõudis: Andke mulle vaaliumit.). But it passed quick enough.

And then, at 7 pm onwards we had a nice dinner, and raffle prizes, awards, guess this song-game. Leslie and I had asked for the list of awardees before, and realized that we are not getting any. So I concocted a little plan (by scavenging through my liqueur cabinet) to give Leslie the best copilot award. And at the same time she was preparing a gift for me. It was super nice of her! Appreciation goes a long way. I still need to pot the flower:)
And also we had thought of the award for Sujeeve. I found an appropriate gift and all, and then Tara asked me what award is this. I couldn't come up with nothing else than "the freshest PhD". She seemed confused. To me it didn't sound too peculiar, but it turned out that English speakers don't speak like that. But it was funny.

The song game went well too. Except that the songs were too easy. I should have chosen Estonian songs. At the same time though the game went fast. And that's always good. To my total surprise no-one knew The Great Big Sea "Feel it Turn". And it's very well known canadian group.

And later there was dancing.
It was my last social event organized. And it was a great success:)

At midnight I was at home! And I couldn't fall asleep, due to overdose of adrenaline, I think.
And - if my PhD won't give me bread in the future, then I will go into party-organizing business. I will specialize to science-parties :)

And this is how the key to this historic site looked like (I was expecting big, ancient looking key, but I still felt special to have this key over the weekend):