Been eating out a lot in the past few weeks. Maybe it’s springtime: I want to get out of the house more. Trying new places too. Last night A. and I went to Deleece on Clark. Awfully good! A very juicy steak sandwich on buttery, toasted bread with pesto mayo. How could you not like that? My mashed potatoes were a little cold but still delicious. Reasonable beer prices. The place was nearly empty, nice and quiet. We talked about Hyde Park vs. Lakeview, and foods we didn’t like, and the habits of our significant others. It’s so soothing to be in a public place that’s calm. I’ve put my finger on it and I really understand Buñuel more than ever now. It’s an atmosphere where the mind is free to wander and dream.

After dinner it was time to meet up with the crew for Happy Hour at the L & L. Love that place. They had a $3 Kentucky Tavern Bourbon special, which I abundantly partook of, and a solid jukebox. Played Frank, Nancy, Dino, Neil, Jim, Dusty, James, and a few others. There were perhaps a dozen of us there, talking too loudly and making obnoxious comments about Dan Aykroyd’s new crystal skull vodka. Eventually the tamale guy came in, selling 6 for $5. I was still stuffed from dinner but he was doing a brisk business. Time flew by. Somewhat randomly there were several guys in our group who currently work or used to work at SOM and snarky talk freely flowed. "I’ve survived four rounds of layoffs. Can’t quit now!" Eventually someone piped up and said we should throw everyone into a ring and have a "snark to the death."

I felt completely at ease in a way that would have been just a fantasy ten or fifteen years ago, when I always felt awkward and tongue-tied. It wasn’t just the bourbon. It’s getting older, having seen more of life. Doesn’t spook you so much. You begin to see youself as a character with a sizeable backstory. Context.

Came home about 10:30, bobbing and weaving moderately. Andy said, "I can tell you’ve been at a bar because you’re talking too loud." We watched some Me-TV and suddenly it was 11:30. Vitamins, Walproxin, large glass of water. I dreamt about layoffs and Nine to Five and I remember the line, "Because you promoted him instead of yourself, they won’t fire you. It proves you had altruistic motives."