Ripping Off the Bears

Played D&D with my friends back east on Saturday. We were supposed to start at 4 pst, which is an hour earlier than our usual time, but because this was the post-holiday gift-giving session, we didn't get started to 6! After writing an email to the group and asking if we could play more, I wasn't too surprised when we ended up playing less. Typical. I also had written a synopsis of our previous session so we wouldn't spend half an hour trying to remember where we were and what we were doing, but turned out that half the group didn't even read it. Ugh! If I didn't like playing so much, I might determine that the frustration doesn't match the enjoyment and quit. As it is, though, I'll put up with the crap just so I can play. It is a good group, after all.

After D&D ended, Partner and I got showered and changed for the Bearacuda bear dance at Rotture (sp?). We first met our friend at the Fox for a couple of drinks and to catch up, but he brought/met a friend there, and he spent most of his time flirting. Oh well. Before we left, we found out that one of the waiters is leaving, so now I'm thinking that I might like to work there part time. I called the owner this morning and am waiting to hear back.

Anyway, after the Fox, we went to the dance. Turned out to be in the warehouse district of SE Portland, in a long, dark second-floor space. After paying our $5 cover charge (rip off!), we made it past the small, loud dance floor and discovered that the "bar" was actually several low tables. Actually, I'm only guessing that that's what they were, since it was impossible to see past the swarms of people trying to get a drink. There were four bartenders, which probably could've been enough, except that there was almost no order to waiting in line; there could've been four lines of people, but there could just as easily have been eight. In any case, it took a long time for Partner to wait and get his drinks. While he was doing that, I was walking one end of the room to the other saying hello to all the guys I knew. Unfortunately, because the music was so loud, about all I could do was say hello.

After Partner got the drinks, we went to the front of the room - technically behind the stage where the DJ was standing - and found an empty space which was probably the official "back-stage area" for the bands that played there. Luckily, not only was the space empty but it was also relatively quiet. We talked and had our drinks, but no one else followed us back there, and we really weren't in the mood to try and mingle in the noisy, crowded space. Finally, we decided we'd had enough and left. From our point of view, the dance was a total bust.

I suppose it would've been better for us if we were in the mood to dance (if the DJ had played anything from the 70's or 80's I probably would have) or if the music hadn't been so loud. Then we could've at least tried to chat with people. More importantly, if they had had a better system for getting drinks (organized queues, more bartenders), we would've wanted to stay longer and have another round. There's a reason why the Double XX dance is the most popular event of the month, and that's because CC Slaughters is a gay bar which knows how to throw a party.