Category — Virtual Lushary

It has been over 6 months since the bar was last open.  I didn’t intend for it to get this dusty (all the drink glasses needed to be rewashed) nor to have spider webs spun in the dark corners of the room.

But sometimes places need to close for a bit.

But just as much as it felt right to have the virtual bar closed during the winter and spring (or summer and fall for those in the Southern Hemisphere), it equally feels right to throw open the doors again.  To take a figurative rag to the counter and arrange the bar stools.

So come sit down and fill all of us in on what has been new in your life since last December.  Or if you prefer, what is currently happening in your life this month.

As always, it has been over six months since we met, bitched, cried, comforted, and caught up each other on our cycles and lives. Pull up a seat and I’ll pour you a drink. Let everyone know what is happening in your life. The good, the bad, the ugly. My only request is that if a story catches your eye, you follow it back to the person’s blog and start reading their posts. Give some love, give some support, or laugh with someone until your drink comes out of your nose.

I have a ton of assvice in my back pocket and as a virtual bartender, I will give it to you unless you specifically tell me that this is simply a vent and you do not want to receive anything more than a hug.

So if you have been a lurker for a while (or if this is your first open bar), sit down and tell us about yourself. Remember to provide a link or a way for people to continue reading your story (or if you don’t have a blog — gasp! — you can always leave an email address if you’re looking for advice or support. If not, people can leave messages for that person here in the comments section too). If you’re a regular at the bar, I’ll get out your engraved martini glass while you make yourself comfortable. And anyone new, welcome. I’m glad you found this virtual bar.

For those who have no clue what I’m talking about when I say that the bar is open, click here to catch up and then jump into the conversation back on this current post.

So have an imaginary cocktail and tell us what is up with your life.

Cream-based drinks on special at the virtual bar today: Baileys and Mudslides and … whatever else is milky and sweet because it is the final day to submit a post to the Creme de la Creme and ensure that it’s on the list when it goes up January 1st.

Sure, you could always submit your post on December 16th, and plenty of people do, but I can’t promise those posts will go up in the first round.  They’ll probably be added to the list some time in early January.

So what are you waiting for?

While we all drink and go through our archives and ask the other patrons at the bar what our best post of the year was (and I’m sorry, but everyone has a best post.  Or a best of the worst if you’re going to put yourself down and want to look at it that way), I’d also like to thank you for all the good wishes and book purchases for Life from Scratch.

Even though I’m completely sober (look, I’m pouring drinks with a steady hand), I got very weepy-in-my-beer reading through the comments and seeing the book sale rankings on Amazon.  Thank you.  I really can’t thank you enough.  And I can’t wait to hear what you think.

Deep breath.

It has been almost two months since we met, bitched, cried, comforted, and caught up each other on our cycles and lives. Pull up a seat and I’ll pour you a drink. Let everyone know what is happening in your life. The good, the bad, the ugly. My only request is that if a story catches your eye, you follow it back to the person’s blog and start reading their posts. Give some love, give some support, or laugh with someone until your drink comes out of your nose.

I have a ton of assvice in my back pocket and as a virtual bartender, I will give it to you unless you specifically tell me that this is simply a vent and you do not want to receive anything more than a hug.

So if you have been a lurker for a while (or if this is your first open bar), sit down and tell us about yourself. Remember to provide a link or a way for people to continue reading your story (or if you don’t have a blog–gasp!–you can always leave an email address if you’re looking for advice or support. If not, people can leave messages for that person here in the comments section too). If you’re a regular at the bar, I’ll get out your engraved martini glass while you make yourself comfortable. And anyone new, welcome. I’m glad you found this virtual bar.

For those who have no clue what I’m talking about when I say that the bar is open, click here to catch up and then jump into the conversation back on this current post.

So have an imaginary cocktail and tell us what is up with your life.

Carla Cohen, an icon of Washington, D.C. and the literary world, died yesterday.  She was the co-owner of Politics and Prose, an independent bookstore which was known well outside the confines of the city.  And it was well-loved; I bought a membership because it was the sort of place where you wanted to belong.

Carla gave me my first reading of Navigating the Land of If.  My book is certainly not in the ranks of the other people who usually read at Politics and Prose — just peruse who’s coming this week: Michele Norris, David Grossman, and Condoleezza Rice.  But she knew what the space meant to me, and she had a soft spot for Josh, so she set up the event.  She was one part tough businesswoman, one part erudite life-learner, and one part thoughtful and compassionate mum-to-all.

A long time ago, back when the cafe was under different management, they named a drink after me because I spent pretty much every evening there.  I wrote a large chunk of my translation project down there.  I went on a lot of dates there.  I read a lot of books there.

The drink was a chocolate egg cream, and I’d like to virtually raise one right now to toast her.  She will be greatly missed.

So that was my news this month.

As always, it has been about a month since we met, bitched, cried, comforted, and caught up each other on our cycles and lives. Pull up a seat and I’ll pour you a drink. Let everyone know what is happening in your life. The good, the bad, the ugly. My only request is that if a story catches your eye, you follow it back to the person’s blog and start reading their posts. Give some love, give some support, or laugh with someone until your drink comes out of your nose.

I have a ton of assvice in my back pocket and as a virtual bartender, I will give it to you unless you specifically tell me that this is simply a vent and you do not want to receive anything more than a hug.

So if you have been a lurker for a while (or if this is your first open bar), sit down and tell us about yourself. Remember to provide a link or a way for people to continue reading your story (or if you don’t have a blog–gasp!–you can always leave an email address if you’re looking for advice or support. If not, people can leave messages for that person here in the comments section too). If you’re a regular at the bar, I’ll get out your engraved martini glass while you make yourself comfortable. And anyone new, welcome. I’m glad you found this virtual bar.

For those who have no clue what I’m talking about when I say that the bar is open, click here to catch up and then jump into the conversation back on this current post.

So have an imaginary cocktail and tell us what is up with your life.

There was no Virtual Lushary in August.

For the first time in over three and a half years, we forgot to meet here and catch each other up.  I didn’t remember until September 1st, one day too late to squeak an August meeting under the wire.  And then I let it go until now, wondering how I forgot this ritual.

Was I busy — yes, but there have been plenty of other times when I’ve been busy and noted that the 15th is rolling near and I’d love to touch base and hear how everyone has been.  I was, apparently, at the National Aquarium taking pictures of jellyfish, or I was in Brooklyn, searching for the ghost stroller.

So … hello.  Creakily pushing the door open and hanging out the “please come in” sign on the door.  Who will show and let us know how they’ve been?

As always, it has been about two months since we met, bitched, cried, comforted, and caught up each other on our cycles and lives. Pull up a seat and I’ll pour you a drink. Let everyone know what is happening in your life. The good, the bad, the ugly. My only request is that if a story catches your eye, you follow it back to the person’s blog and start reading their posts. Give some love, give some support, or laugh with someone until your drink comes out of your nose.

I have a ton of assvice in my back pocket and as a virtual bartender, I will give it to you unless you specifically tell me that this is simply a vent and you do not want to receive anything more than a hug.

So if you have been a lurker for a while (or if this is your first open bar), sit down and tell us about yourself. Remember to provide a link or a way for people to continue reading your story (or if you don’t have a blog–gasp!–you can always leave an email address if you’re looking for advice or support. If not, people can leave messages for that person here in the comments section too). If you’re a regular at the bar, I’ll get out your engraved martini glass while you make yourself comfortable. And anyone new, welcome. I’m glad you found this virtual bar.

For those who have no clue what I’m talking about when I say that the bar is open, click here to catch up and then jump into the conversation back on this current post.

So have an imaginary cocktail and tell us what is up with your life.

There was no weekend to my weekend.  Just a blur of work and tasks from the week before blending into the work and tasks of the weekend which is currently blending into the work and tasks of this current week.

And always, like the thumping base that drives dance music, there is the worry: who the hell is planning this Sunday get together in New York?

No, seriously, what are we doing?  Because currently, there is no plan in place.

Though a series of questions have been asked: who is welcome to come?  Obviously, anyone in the ALI community.  Is everyone cool if people bring partners in tow?  I’m assuming yes?  Okay, well, what about kids?  This is the sticky question and there isn’t going to be an answer that works for everyone.  Perhaps someone can take a vote?

And pick a spot that is not dependent on weather, that can accommodate 20+ people, and be inexpensive.  Because the bartender is drowning.

Wait, the other thing, please yank up a chair and tell us how you’ve been this past month.  Especially since not everyone is meeting up in NY this summer.  We can still meet up online right here.

As always, it has been about a month since we met, bitched, cried, comforted, and caught up each other on our cycles and lives. Pull up a seat and I’ll pour you a drink. Let everyone know what is happening in your life. The good, the bad, the ugly. My only request is that if a story catches your eye, you follow it back to the person’s blog and start reading their posts. Give some love, give some support, or laugh with someone until your drink comes out of your nose.

I have a ton of assvice in my back pocket and as a virtual bartender, I will give it to you unless you specifically tell me that this is simply a vent and you do not want to receive anything more than a hug.

So if you have been a lurker for a while (or if this is your first open bar), sit down and tell us about yourself. Remember to provide a link or a way for people to continue reading your story (or if you don’t have a blog–gasp!–you can always leave an email address if you’re looking for advice or support. If not, people can leave messages for that person here in the comments section too). If you’re a regular at the bar, I’ll get out your engraved martini glass while you make yourself comfortable. And anyone new, welcome. I’m glad you found this virtual bar.

For those who have no clue what I’m talking about when I say that the bar is open, click here to catch up and then jump into the conversation back on this current post.

So have an imaginary cocktail and tell us what is up with your life.