In defence of bars

I had my first bona fide 'troll' a little while ago, commenting with some vitriol on my post 'Valuable Drinking Time'. An anti-drinking fanatic. It was bound to happen. I'm sure there will be others.

I do sympathisize with this poor unfortunate - a woman traumatised by the failure of a marriage, an unhappiness she blames on her husband's alcoholism. However, it seems a rather odd form of catharsis to purposefully seek out drinking-themed blogs so that she can heap abuse on their authors in lieu of her errant ex.

I have never been an advocate of anti-social drunkenness - quite the reverse (see my key early post, 'Two Kinds Of Drunk'). However, I do like drinking, and I like bars - and this blog attempts to celebrate some of the better things that can come out of these pastimes of mine (principally, friendship).

One of the troll's pieces of hectoring 'advice' was to remind me that there are "so many better things to do" than hang out in bars.

Well, yes, there are. And I do many other things with my time. I exercise frequently (running mostly, but also occasionally some light weights work; and I'm currently becoming tempted to revisit a childhood interest in martial arts). I enjoy eating out, and cooking for myself. I love the theatre and the cinema (though opportunities to indulge are somewhat limited here in my adopted home; 'topping up' on this is always a major part of any trip back to the UK or the US). I go to see some live music almost every week - sometimes two or three times a week.

But I wouldn't undervalue time spent in a bar either - this also has its delights, its benefits.

Often, there's just not much else to do in the evening around here. I've already done my 10-mile run for the day. I've been writing most of the day for work, so don't feel like doing any more. I'm too tired to read (although I often take a book of poems or short stories to a bar with me, to help pass the time on a slow night). The local TV is abysmal. Yes, I could just surf the Internet for hours or watch some DVDs - but I do rather too much of that anyway.

Going to a bar is an active, sociable option. It gets me out of the house, stops me being a recluse - helps ward off my tendency towards curmudgeonliness and depression. It gives me some decent exercise (I walk almost everywhere - certainly anywhere within 2 or 3 miles of my apartment, and sometimes much further). Above all, it gives me a chance to meet new people, hear new stories. That, for me, is the best of what life is about. And there's nowhere quite like a bar for doing that.