Nightlife

I went to dive bars 2 (two) nights in a row this week!

Thursday, I was forced to attend a Yelp "Thirsty Thursday" event as Matt promised to do unspeakable things to my desk if I didn't go. It was an okay function, but as I didn't know anyone but Matt, I didn't really enjoy myself. Some folks have such an easy time of chatting to people they don't know about stuff that doesn't matter...I'm not one of those folks. I don't have the gift of small talk.

On the bright side, my desk is safe. For now.

Last night, Tami (who got my IM via Cat...I love how the internet is all connected that way...even Nick went, although when we had lunch earlier that day I had no idea I'd be going, too) invited me to go to Carriage House for karaoke. I followed Junior there (and a good thing, too, as I'm not sure I'd have found the place on my own) and had a great time spectating the singers.

The difference between the two events is just that last night, I knew quite a few of the folks who were going to be there and could talk with various folks over the course of the evening. Thursday night, I really struggled with overcoming my shyness to talk to a couple of people sitting nearby. At a karaoke bar, you can always talk about how the singer is doing, the song choices, etc... so there are built-in conversation opportunities. Not so much in a bar with nothing but drinking.

And while the Yelpers were all very friendly folks, I don't have anything in common with them, other than we all write little reviews on Yelp. For example, with FlyerTalk events, you know everyone travels so you can talk airlines, locations, airports. I've never had trouble chatting with someone from FT. On the other hand, Yelp reviews cover everthing from doctors to parks to restaurants. In the scheme of things, that's not enough commonality for me to start a conversation.

It's the yin and yan of life for me. I want to meet people, but I don't want to actually talk to any of them.

A Very Bad Parody

Driving home after a steak dinner, part of a song suddenly popped into my head...for no good reason...but it seemed funny at the time and I want to share it before it stops amusing me. It has no basis in reality. Everyone I cyb0r still texts me. ;)

To the tune of "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" by Neil Diamond. Sorry, Neil!

You don't send me IMs.
You don't send me email.
You hardly respond to my calls anymore
When I phone you at home
Or at work every day

I remember when...
You couldn't wait to text me
Used to hate to leave me
Now after cyb0ring late at night
When it's good for you, babe
And you're feeling all right
Well, you just turn your PC off
Without typing "G'nite"

And you don't text my cell phone anymore.

I Hate Tequila

Margaritas are nice; tequila shots are not.

Scott had a BBQ/birthday party last night at his place. It was roastingly, broilingly hot in the house. We clustered by open windows and beneath ceiling fans. We drank refreshing chilled beverages.

And as you can see in the photo, I now have another owl! Cat had bought a pair of stuffed animals and gave one to me! Yay!

Early on, Scott mentioned that he had bought some very expensive tequila because he loved my reaction to the last party I attended at his house wherein tequila shots were consumed and I commented how vile they were.

"I got us the good stuff this time!" Scott crowed. He had a gallon jug of Patron, just waiting for the kill. He lulled me into a false sense of security by allowing a couple of hours to pass between the ceremonial viewing of the jug and the arrival of the enormous red plastic Chalice of Doom.

He swears it was only one shot. To me, it appeared that there was much, much more. I believe he had someone video the drinking thereof...and it was just as awful in its more expensive form as it was in whatever cheaper version we had last time.

Later, I lounged about hoping desperately to not pass out. Emily commented, "You're quite flushed!" and when I mentioned that part of it was that I'm Asian, she knew exactly which gene I was missing to cause such a reaction. She has a degree in biological mishaps, if I remember correctly.

Clearly, I was suffering from such a mishap. Noel graciously brought me a hot dog. Emily and Junior brought me iced water. Thankfully, I neither passed out nor regurgitated anything. In sympathy, Noel let me run my fingers through his hair :) He has such lovely hair AND currently has an almost velvet scalp thing going near the nape of his neck. I adore velvet scalp and encouraged Emily to fondle Noel's hair, too.

We'd have fondled Junior's scalp, but it was so hot that he was uncomfortably sweaty, which makes the experience less pleasurable. As an expert in velvet scalp, I know these things! :)

In this languorous mood, I played my first game of Guitar Hero. This is very obviously a game one needs to play alone at home for many hours before attempting to do so in public. Fun, but needless to say, I was not very good at it.

I hope Scott recovers from the burns he sustained when a hot pan seared right through the oven mitt to his hand. If he'd burnt himself after the tequila shots, though, I might not have had so much sympathy for the devil!