(Gonna lighten things up with this post- enough about the meatheads running our city- )

I’m going to a “Sweet Sixteen” party in July.

It’s for my kid sister.

And a few things come to mind-

1. I can’t believe my kid sister is going to be sixteen.

2. I can’t believe I’m thirty one now.

3. My kid sister apparently watches too much MTV.

Have you seen that MTV show? The one about rich kids throwing absurdly lavish parties for their turning sixteen?

I’d like to know what the big deal is. You can’t DO anything when you’re sixteen.

Can’t vote. Can’t drive. Can’t (legally) drink. And most sixteen year olds are still battling puberty.

So what’s the big deal?

I can recall being a sophomore in High School and going to all of the Sweet Sixteen parties…but back then, they were at the local VFW or Pioneer Club halls.

Cheap DJ, come-as-you-are attire and most often a six foot sub from the local pizzeria was the dinner fare.

But things are different in 2007.

You see, this party has a DRESS CODE.

I have to wear something “black and white”.

I own plenty of black tee shirts.

My socks are kind of white…or they were when I first bought them.

But for this event- my sisters sweet sixteen- I’ve apparently got to “dress up”.

Picture day.

I normally wear my jeans til I can smell them.

I rotate the same five or six tee shirts through each week.

And I buy a new hat every couple of months…whenever the most recent one gets too sweaty.

But for my kid sister, I’ll play along. I’ll dress up in something black and white.

See, times like this a girlfriend would be nice to help me find something that makes me look kinda cool in front of all those kids.

Not that it really matters, but neither does turning sixteen, right?

I have to admit- I’m sort of concerned about this ‘dress up’ thing.

But it’s not as bad as it sounds. It’ll be fun.