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.

Updated and bumped for the last time, Thursday 11-1-07.

Update: Okay, folks, it’s time. Let’s gather at McMenamins Kennedy School, Honors Bar, at around 8:00 p.m. Saturday, November 3. Here’s what I look like —————————————>

See you there!

Note: I’ll bump this to the top about once a week until the party.

Let’s all get together. I don’t have a fancy name like Ace-a-Palooza or the Yearly Kops or a fancy location like Karol’s NY blogger parties. What I do have is a decided lack of people I can chat with on even general topics without being afraid they’ll take offense at some opinion of mine. I know there are people all over the blogs that I read who are from Washington or Oregon … so let’s pick a reasonably quiet bar and go hang out.

Upcoming Saturdays are: October 20, October 27, November 3, November 10. Any farther out than that and it won’t be immediate enough to commit to. Possible areas are: Downtown Portland, west-side suburban Portland (Beaverton or Hillsboro), or, if there are more Washingtonians than Oregonians, I’m willing to consider the Vancouver, WA, side of town.

So if this sounds good to you, leave your preferred dates and location ideas in the comments. 1) The more dates you’re open to, the more chance we have of getting the highest number of people; 2) Quiet hangouts preferred! A McMenamin’s in the suburbs is nice and quiet, and yes, I know their service sucks and there’s better beer out there, but quiet enough to talk to each other is my major criteria.

Hope to see you soon!

Update: Probability is running strong for Saturday, November 3, and Portland’s McMenamins Kennedy School, which has the advantage of also being a hotel in case any out-of-towners need to crash instead of driving home. Leave comments about the advisability of the plan. And spread the word!

Update: Saturday, November 3, Kennedy School, 8 p.m. A. Weasel suggests either the Detention bar or the Honors bar. Anybody else got an opinion on that score?

My parents are in town, so blogging’s a bit light following last night’s excursion around the neighborhood with a handsome, Super Bowl-winning quarterback. He’s just as cute in person. A bit shorter, though.

In the lack of more substantive posts, enjoy the Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain performing “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.”

“All right, my lover?”