I can't remember the last time I went out after work for " a few beers." Before last night, that is.

There's a bar catty-corner to where I work, where I joined Monkey, Bruno, Dickie, and two of Monkey's co-workers for pitchers of Brooklyn Lager. It was good old fashioned sudsy fun.

After that M. and I stumbled into Brothers BarBQ for a quick dinner, and then we went to the Living Room to see a co-worker of mine play his bluesy, growly music. He was very good, and I felt happy to be able to tell him, "I enjoyed that!" and not just to be polite.

By the time we got home, it seemed like we'd done all this great stuff, and yet it was only 11:00.

And today we're heading out to NJ to celebrate my sister Sally's birthday.