Another night out with the boys

Now that I'm not travelling nearly as much as I used to I'm finding it easy to catch up with Vern[^] and Guy[^].

We got together again tonight for some beer and yack. This time it was I who sent out the emails to get the ball rolling and, since Vern's a country music loving redneck liberal and Guy is Guy I suggested a venue. It just happened to be the same venue where I met Vern and LaMont more than a year ago.

What I didn't know is that it had changed hands in the intervening year and a bit.

Arrived at the bar I was pleased to see Vern's van parked outside (yeah yeah Vern, I know, you call it a truck but for me it's a van). Parked around the back and took the back entrance.

Beer poured and enjoyed, as much as one *can* enjoy Budweiser, we started in on the yacking. Introduced to the guy on my other side; nice guy going by the nickname of AJ.

The conversation turned on the usual staples of male bonding; Nascar (whatever that is), gadgets, sports and significant others. Gradually I became aware that AJ was gay. Perhaps the fact that the TV's were tuned to programs discussing the gay/lesbian lifestyle rather than ESPN should have tipped me off but I only remembered that detail as I write this. Sometimes I can be so unobservant!

A little later, after AJ had left, we adjourned to the outside tables and Guy arrived. By this time I was wondering if this was a gay bar and Vern asked me if I had noticed the rainbow flag outside. No, I had not. Indeed, I still haven't seen it. And, to be honest, had I noticed it I'd probably have been puzzled; why a rainbow flag? Certainly the fact that it was a gay bar bothered me not one whit.

We were joined, a little later, by Harold, a Microsoft blogger who specialises in Exchange. Vern was heard more than once to admit that he's a Microsoft Whore. I wonder when that product will be released :-)

He and Vern geeked away in a manner to warm the cockles of the heart. It was a hundred after sunset so the cockles really didn't need warming. There are few sadder sights than two techno geeks comparing PDA's!

Thus to a discussion of the merits of Starbucks as an alternate venue. I'm cool with that though I think we should keep tonights bar on the backburner; I did enjoy the disco mixes they played at something less than earsplitting volume!