drinking revelation

As I sit in front of this computer on Saint Patrick's Day (drinking a stout, of course because green beer is only for people who have vaginas) I realize I am an adult. Why? Because I have a full time job (partly)? But mostly because I have no desire to go out and drink tonight. There are a few reasons for it:

1.)There are no good pubs here in Wichita. Downtown is just littered with the typical bars that are by now populated by the frat boys and sorority skanks that make me not want to go out. There are two places that have a traditional 'pub feeling' to them. The smoke lingers from years past and only the locals go there, and they are sitting at the bar by one o'clock in the afternoon. One place is the Shamrock. One of the smokiest bars I've ever really been to, which is saying a lot. and the other is the Artichoke. Both of them have that great pub feeling. Very small, very dark. The bar staffs at both of those places are top notch. Everyone knows the type: the late thirty/early forty year old woman who could throw you out by herself. And also the owner who is hanging out at the corner of the bar drinking with everyone else. But both of them get very populated today, which I'm not a huge fan of. The other reason I don't frequent them is that A doesn't like all the smoke, and rightfully so. Wichita is looking to pass some smoke free laws here pretty soon. They are going to be mainly for non-bars right now: mostly restaurants. Which I understand. No one wants to bring their kids out for a dinner and have to deal with smoke. Hopefully it will gain momentum and a law will pass where bars will be smoke free. I would like that.

2.)I have no desire to go to a bar that isn't playing Irish music today. And with college kids out, they just want to get shit faced and grind on each other. Not how I roll. I want there to be music I can sing and clap to. Or music that is there just for background while a conversation takes place. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy drinking heavily from time to time after a bad day or two at work. But to drink that much just because isn't the right reason (but is there a right reason?). If you celebrate Erin's Isle and her patron saint (who died today in the 400s [and that is why we celebrate St. Patricks Day, if you didn't know]) there has to be Irish music. I don't care if it is live (which is better) or off a CD...it's a must.