Pubbin' on the Weekend

So, I went to a pub this weekend with some friends from grad school.

>Short pause to allow people to pick their jaws up off the floor/restart their hearts/begin respiration again<

It was for a good cause.  Really!  Some people in my department, including my friend M from 503 last semester, are going to El Salvador next month to build houses with Habitat for Humanity.  So they held a fundraiser at Hudson's On Campus, which is a pub down the block from the ed building.

I admit, I didn't want to go.  Not because I'm afraid that once I enter a pub I'll suddenly turn into a raging boozer, but because, well, I've never been to a pub before - I wasn't really sure what to expect.

But, part of being up here is about the new experiences, right?  I figured I could look at it as an anthropology experiment - sort of like trekking out on the savannah to observe the behavior of African animals around a watering hole.

Plus, as I said before, M is my friend, she invited me, and J was going as well, so Friday night I put on my big-girl boots, prettied myself up as much as possible, and made my way to Hudson's.

The night almost ended before it began, thanks to the stupid dually truck parked on the side of the road where NO ONE is supposed to park, because of the SNOW, IDIOTS!!  I ended up clipping the truck with my mirror; the truck took exception to this, and pimp-slapped my mirror so hard it shattered.  Not a scratch on the truck (thankfully), but I have yet ANOTHER thing to pay for on my car.  (I guess I should be grateful that only the actual mirror came off, and the casing is fine - cracked, but fine - but I'm still stuck in angry mode right now - stupid dually truck!)

Anyways, I made it up to Hudson's without further incident.

Once there, I had to run down and beggar toonies off people, because I had to pay for parking in the parkade, and I had only bills, which the meter wouldn't take.  Yay for understanding friends willing to loan you money in a pinch.  (I paid them back after I broke a bill.)

Hanging out at a pub - okay, maybe I'm missing something, but what is the point?  Besides knocking back a cold one, or whatever the accepted parlance for drinking alcohol.  I had a Diet Coke that cost me three dollars, and I was so warm I sucked it down in less than five minutes.  Nothing relaxing about it.

To socialize?  Because it was really hard to converse with my colleagues and their S.O.s when the music was cranked to 11.  I could understand the loud music if there was a dance floor - but there wasn't. 

To eat food?  I hear the food at Hudson's is great, but I got there about 10pm, so I didn't have any.  Also, how can people eat when the bass is thumping enough to give you a stomach ache? 

I watched other people, and it seemed to me that everyone (including me) was doing variations on a theme, i.e. Friendly Conversations Masquerading as Shouting Matches:

"SO YOU'RE FROM CALIFORNIA, RIGHT?  HOW ARE YOU LIKING IT HERE SO FAR?"

"OH, I LIKE IT JUST FINE, EXCEPT FOR THE SNOW.  I COULD DO WITHOUT THE SNOW."

"YEAH, SO COULD MOST CANADIANS.  IT'S OKAY, YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HATES IT!"

"JUST DON'T TELL ME IT HASN'T BEEN TOO BAD THIS YEAR!"

"HA HA HA!  BUT IT HASN'T!  SO WHAT ARE YOU DOING THIS SEMSTER..."

And so on, and so forth.  Half the time, I couldn't hear what the other person was saying, so there were times when, if after a repetition (or five) I still couldn't hear, I had to take my cues from their facial expressions.  I also got the opportunity to practice my lip reading skillz - which are not good, not good at all.

But overall, it was fine.  Honestly, wouldn't put it on my top ten list of awesome nights, but neither would I put it on my bottom ten list of horrid nights.  I got out of the house, saw some acquaintences and friends for a bit, and got to scream my voice away - not too bad for one night.