There are lots of reasons for going to the pub. One of my favourites is cask ale - it's just a bugger to have 72 pints of ale sloshing around at home, and the pub usually does it so much better than I could. I like the sociable aspect of sitting around with friends, drinking beer, inhibitions slowly being worn away, defences slowly lowering. By the end of it, much to my surprise given my misanthropic streak, I feel slightly more human for having spent time with people.But equally, I love the solitary pint or two. For me, the pub is the third place, between work and home, a public house where I can be at home. But I don't think I've ever gone to the pub just to drink. More often it's to make phone calls, to look for inspiration to write, to actually sit there with a netbook, pecking away at the keys, trying to hit a deadline, or trying to turn number crunching into something slightly less dreary.
Sometimes I like to get really comfortable and take my shoes off. I'd never dream of going to the bar without shoes, but there's something incredibly relaxing about slipping off your shoes while you work, Tweet, or just make plans on the phone. It's not something I'd do in company - that would just be weird - but on your own in a pub, with a pint, shoes off, brain zinging away on a project - that's something else.
Sometimes though its nice to zing things around with another like minded soul
ReplyDeleteoh it is, but it's also nice to have a bit of quality solo time
DeleteI always thought for me I'd never be able to do that, I just get distracted too easily to focus on reading let alone writing or other work. In recent weeks though I've started to blog or at least set down the basis of a post via iPhone. I like the immediacy of just picking up the phone & tapping away whilst sipping beer or when an idea is really fresh.
ReplyDeleteIt's not perfect, I do miss spelling & grammar that I probably wouldn't otherwise plus the layout is hit and miss, but I find I enjoy it more and more.
A great pub is defined by how comfortable you feel drinking alone in it.
ReplyDeleteHow do I get on the Session mailing list?
I'm not sure there is a mailing list, Chris - it just seems to happen on the first Friday of every month
DeleteThe pub is my office, have written features in it, come up with ideas, caught up with emails and thought deep thoughts — like you I don’t have a black and white picture of pub life, I like both solitary drinking and shooting the breeze with like minded souls and whoever turns up
ReplyDeleteIf Horses had Handpulls, you may be the beer version of Lady Godiva, doffing items of clothes in the pub :)
ReplyDeleteI like to take a book to the pub and read next to the fire.
ReplyDelete