T. Paine, A. Weasel and his wife who is not Mrs. A. Weasel, cardeblu and her husband, and I gathered for a drink or three or five at McMenamins. Memo to anybody wanting to go to Kennedy School in the future: The Honors and Detention Bars are small. They are not classrooms; at most they used to be the nurse’s office. Or maybe a janitor’s closet. We waited till around nine to see if anybody else would join us and then moved over to the patio off the Cypress Room. The outdoor fireplace was lovely.

I can’t tell you how nice it was to sit down in the heart of Portland and have an easygoing, free-flowing conversation about politics that didn’t involve nodding politely while secretly disagreeing with every word spoken or trying to figure out a pleasant way to totally rip somebody’s argument to shreds. The horrors of the public educational system, the laughingstock that is Al Gore, the ins and outs of blog communication and meeting internet acquaintances in person, how to get out of jury duty, Oregon’s rather nutty DUI law–these were among the topics canvassed.

If you missed it, it’s too bad. It was a good time and one that I hope can be repeated. I was the first to leave because I turn into a pumpkin too darn early these days, but it was a pleasure to meet you all.