Here's looking at you kid.

Bars are a pretty unique thing... They're really amazing when you think about it. It's one building... one building where, because the government allows them to, they sell one product that brings hundreds of people together at a time for one cause. You hear that kind of stuff a lot in society, but it usually has to do with a cause, an event, tragedy, or something significant. Not this... this is something special... this is a bar.

Fuck MySpace, Facebook, twitter, flickr, or any other 'social network.' Bars, restaurants, clubs, these are the original social network. For no reason, hundreds of people from different backgrounds, places, families religions, everything, come together for some common reason; booze. We go out, we get all hammered up, we have fun, and WE MEET PEOPLE. It happens in real life, with real words. Whether its hitting on someone, or just random conversation, we meet people, we get their numbers or e-mail, and we add them to our 'friend list.' It happened hundreds of years ago, it happened before prohibition, it happened during prohibition, and it happens now. Which brings me to another term. Alcohol, is a 'social lubricant.' It looses us up, gets us irrational, gives us liquid courage or liquid confidence. It is this social lubricant that created this original social networking. Never let it die, continue to add friends!

A bartender is subjected to a whole new society. As I mentioned before, bartenders are more than just servers; were shrinks, were detectives, were doctors, were listeners. It's because of this that we lead 2 lives. Our normal life, and our bar life. At the bar, I have friends, I have regulars. People who come to see me, talk with me, and share with me. I know things about these people. I know their jobs, their family, their problems. These people are my friends... at the bar. Sometimes, these people are my friends outside of the bar, sometimes the bar friendship progresses beyond while just being at work. Whether it be a girl you meet, or someone you start hanging out with, it happens. A majority of the time however, these people remain only a friend of yours while your behind the bar. You continue to learn, share, and develop, but while only at work. That is exactly what Facebook is too right? We all add people we barely talk to, people who aren't really our close friends. So you have friends, and you have Facebook friends... I tell ya, its the ultimate social network

So, I love my social network. I would take it over Facebook any day. I meet soo many people, have real conversations, with real words, in real time. Bars are way better than Facebook or anything else! So whether it's someone who is my friend Friday and Saturday nights, or someone who said he'll teach me how to use word press.... They're all my friends and I hope I continue to make 'em.

Anyway... I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.


Rule #5 - Buying someone a drink is five times better than a handshake.

Peace