Comfort Carbs

After a bad day (or three) at work, a couple of beers and a big plate of pasta can do amazing things for your mood. The downside is that if things don't change at work I am gonna need a new (larger) wardrobe.

Just an ordinary Thursday night...

... but sometimes the ordinary can be very, very satisfying.

This thought occurred to me as I was sipping wine and listening to a local duo sing "Into the Mystic". I was sitting next to the man I love. Our friend Boomer was tending bar. We talked to the owner for a few minutes; he is also friend of ours. We had full bellies after a good meal. I had the lobster ravioli. PDM had his old standby - fish and chips with beer. Laughing and talking easily, we were watching the Braves game on a big screen TV while listening to the live music. The place was full, but not crowded. The musicians, Mike and Barry, have a long-standing regular gig at this place on Thursdays. They play the kind of old rock and roll that is always welcome and never goes out of style, and enjoy an easy back and forth with the crowd during their performances. They're regular guys in jeans and tee shirts, just like most of the patrons. And as we listened to them play, that's when it hit me out of the blue: it doesn't get much better than this. Nothing fancy, just good.

At the end of the evening, something on the check made us smile. Boomer had been running our bar tab as "PDM+WIFY".

More Blue Law Blues

The bill that would allow local jurisdictions in Georgia to vote on whether to allow retail sales of alcohol on Sundays is dead, through legislative inaction. Those 'blue laws' I was bitching about back in January are here to stay. I knew it! In spite of widespread public support, a small minority of religious conservatives has managed (once again) to impose their will on the majority. The future of the bill was uncertain, even if voted on. The governor, who is a teetotaler, had darkly hinted of a veto in the unlikely event the law passed both legislative houses.

It wasn't as if this was a bill that stipulated alcohol *must* be sold on Sundays. It would have allowed local communities to decide for themselves. All those Christians in rural Georgia that were so outraged needn't have worried - no doubt the Sunday sales option would be voted down in their areas. (Or WOULD it? Maybe they were afraid to put it to popular vote?) At any rate, it is a moot point for now. Maybe forever in this backward state.

It's damned inconvenient and arbitrary if you ask me. I'm not an evil, bad person. I'm a regular citizen who works hard and is busy during the week, and I want to enjoy my downtime on the weekends without unreasonable restrictions. This would include buying a six pack or a bottle of wine on Sunday. The blue laws skirt awfully close to government officially sanctioning religion. But since we are stuck with it, I think I'll buy myself a case of three buck Chuck and keep it in the basement for all those times I forget (or it isn't convenient) to plan ahead. But I shouldn't have to.

Blue Law Blues

Our state legislature is in session and once again, a bill to change Georgia’s “blue laws” has been introduced. The bill, if enacted, would allow local jurisdictions to let voters decide whether or not beer and wine can be sold on Sundays. I purchase beer and wine, and don’t have any problem with drinking it on Sundays, so naturally this is of interest to me. Currently, the statewide rule is that on Sundays, Georgians can only purchase beer and wine at restaurants, and they must consume the beverage on the premises. If you want to drink alcohol in your home on Sunday, you must have the foresight to purchase it before midnight on Saturday night (or you can drive to another state and get it, if that floats your boat). We are one of only three states with this restriction. This particular state law is intended to force people to conform to the religious idea of Sunday as a “day of rest” or some such. I don’t know about you, but I sometimes want to rest with a tall, cold one or a nice glass of shiraz. And some days, having to get cleaned up and go out to a restaurant to get one is not particularly restful. Plus there is the whole driving home afterward thing to deal with…

I don’t give this bill much of a chance for survival, even though a majority of Georgians are for it. Heck, in the metro Atlanta area a whopping 80% of citizens in a recent poll were in favor of letting voters decide. The bill doesn’t force a change on anyone, it merely allows local people to arrange things to the satisfaction of the majority of voters. I’m sure some communities would keep the ban. I haven’t heard any completely rational arguments for why we need blue laws. Most of the arguments center on religion, not rationality. I believe that if respecting the Lord’s Day is important to you, then you are free to do that on any day of your choosing. What you should not be free to do is to demand compliance from others. People can do just about anything on Sunday that is legal to do on any other day of the week. It makes no sense to arbitrarily restrict this one thing. And yet, every time an attempt is made to change the law, it fails. This time will be no different. Even if the bill manages to make it past the legislature, the governor has already not-so-subtly hinted that he’ll veto it. Clearly, in this case he feels that his opinion trumps the will of the people who elected him.

Why am I ranting about this? It isn’t very important in the grand scheme of things. It isn’t a total ban, but is more of an inconvenient limitation. It isn’t a rule that I spend much time thinking about, and if I want a drink on a Sunday, I find a way to legally get one. Basically, I am ranting because in this case, our representative government is failing its citizens. Clearly, the majority of people want the blue laws to change, and the government continues to stifle their wishes in order to please a small minority. It is frustrating and wrong. And kind of stupid.