trey wrote: Wed Apr 12, 2023 6:52 pm I've always enjoyed dining alone. Any time I ever went to Popeye's, I think I was alone. It might be a little sad to go get fajitas by yourself though.

Fajitas are only sad if they come out sizzling. If they’re quiet lunch fajitas, they’re meant to be eaten alone.

Not sad! Used to do it when traveling for conferences. No biggie. Pleasant, relaxing. Good to challenge yourself to a mindful experience (not so good when minding not great food).

I do enjoy take out in my car quite a bit. Adjunct teaching and other freelance work makes this common. Also road travel. Knowing a good peaceful place to park and roll down the window in town is helpful. If it’s really nice I’ll sit on my tailgate.

I’m pretty contemplative, so it’s easy to enjoy that. I would love to combine reading and meals, just for the convenience of timing, but how do you all eat with a book out? It feels clumsy. If I have my portable office set up with me I can put my phone or iPad in it’s desk stand and read from it at a good angle with minimal holding, but I’m not bringing that shit to eat in.

This goes for bars during the day also. I used to enjoy grading papers in bars. Even nicer in a group, but it keeps the task from feeling too dour.

Not sad!

Holy shit can someone start a “drinking in a pub/bar alone” thread. Also not sad. Actually this is how I end up buying all of my expensive audio gear. Drunk in a bar on my own, thinking “Hey this is handmade in Denmark and the soldering alone is a work of art. This is absolutely not financially irresponsible at all. Do they have a PayPal link? Oh look, they do! Hahaha, wheeeeeeee….”

seby wrote: Sat Apr 15, 2023 2:01 am Holy shit can someone start a “drinking in a pub/bar alone” thread. Also not sad.

Oof.

I’ve done my fair share of drinking alone at a bar, mostly while traveling. I often enjoy it, but there have definitely been times when it has crossed into “sad” territory, unfortunately.

I've done it a handful of times and usually enjoyed it. I don't know where these standards for what you're not supposed to do alone came from, but I don't think anyone really cares. Going to the movies, to a bar. It's definitely different, but sometimes different in a good way.

Dining out alone is Not Crap, assuming my peace of mind won't get trampled there, too.

Solitude is not crap. And maybe you'll get better service if they think you're a restaurant critic?