I apologize for the brevity of today’s post. As I’m sure I told you in prior posts, I usually write this ahead of time, and schedule it for publication in the wee hours of Monday. Alas, I’m a bit under the weather, and it has interrupted what concentration I have. I’m sure I’ll be fine in a day or two, however…

Daniel Craig certainly stirred the Conversation Pot this week, didn’t he? And, ya know what? I see his point of view. When I took my first and only cruise a few years back with my friend and travel partner Jan, she introduced me to the gay bar onboard the ship. I asked how she knew it was gay before we got there, and she explained that Friends of Dorothy was for LGBTQ and Friends of Bill was for recovering alcoholics. We spent a few nights in the gay bars, having a drink, sitting at a table, and enjoying a conversation. The music was quiet, people danced, they talked without yelling to be heard, and it was pleasant. I would have no qualms going into a gay bar, especially if I was in a strange city.

But I can also see the other side of that coin. There aren’t too many places members of that community can go and feel welcome and accepted. The bars really are theirs. It’s where they can go, and just be themselves. They don’t need straight people in there cluttering the place up. And they surely don’t need straight gawkers coming in to watch the “show.”

I think a few straight bars can take a lesson or two. Tone it down, have music at a reasonable decibel level, encourage civility (OMG, what a concept!) and leave the biker bars for those who need to prove they’re the strongest of the strong, the meanest of the mean. Know what I mean, Jelly Bean?

There used to be a bar in downtown Portland that catered to businessmen and women. A woman could go into the bar alone, and not be hit on, she could sit, have a drink or two, and enjoy. Even at night, they kept that ambience. If anyone got drunk and disorderly, they were quietly taken care of. (The bar was in a hotel, so maybe they disorderly one got a room put on his tab? I dunno, I never saw anyone get kicked out.)

There’s a tavern where I live that I used to meet my gal pals when they got off work. It’s what my daddy would call a working man’s tavern. Most of the guys who come in are laborers, and the women work in the shops. It’s a blue jeans and steel toed boot kind of place. Families come in. It’s amazing how small children can keep the civility at a reasonable level. The music is seldom loud, and the food is good as long as you want pub food. I have gone in alone and felt quite comfortable.  The owners opened an upscale place a couple miles away. I never go there. Too hoity toity, and the Reubens suck bilgewater.

So, if you are ever on a cruise ship and want a quiet drink, check out Friends of Dorothy. Especially if you’re female and just want to be alone. But then, why are you on a cruise? Oh, well, we all need some down time, alone, yes?

The books haven’t changed, neither has the tv watching. And that’s it for this week. See you next week.