I don't like "Birthday Parties". 

I like going to them for other people, but I don't like them when they are for me. It has always seemed like a waste of time to celebrate my getting older. Kind of like celebrating something that will happen no matter what, like Wind or Grocery Bagging. Not special.

But this year, for my 53rd, I decided to put out a note to a random bunch of people from different walks in my world and tell them where I would be from what time to what time and tell them to come have a beer with me at a craft brew place that I like. My favorite taco truck was going to be there. Come. Buy your own beer, tuck in to some El Pastor. Simple. And If it was just me there, I'd be fine and if a bunch of people came, I'd be fine too. No cake. No cards. No gifts, Just Beers and Friends.

I always wonder what my Turfhead and Non-Turfhead friends will talk about or think of each other.  And I try really hard to keep my grass conversations to a limited level when in company with civilians. I think I am better at it than they are, actually because often golf or grass is brought up by interlopers. I'm also really careful around wives and significant others in keeping the Turfhead spench to a desirable level. What person of a person really wants to hear about Cinchbugs, Manganese and Nitrogen? Yeah. Exactly.

And If it was just me there, I'd be fine and if a bunch of people came, I'd be fine too.

On a Sunday afternoon, Living the Dream Brewing was getting busy. And in true Colorado style, dogs, kids, dreads and guitars started to fill the place. So cool. And then, to my surprise, people who actually knew me started to show up and suddenly we had a whole table. I couldn't put away the smile. Enhanced by a nice ESB, the smile grew. 

And the conversation? So cool. On one side, wedding plans. On another side, the grafting of plans for another get together. In the middle the comparison of notes between the 1985 PGA Championship and the 2011 Senior Open. The inevitable weather discussion. Broncos. Snow. Skiing. Avalanches. Beer. Tacos. Tacos. Beer and Tacos. Pumpstations. Long Hours. 

And Grass. But our grass talks are so much fun. Because they envelop our small business but they contain references from all around the world. At a Brewery in Colorado we can talk about our friends in St Andrews and Abu Dhabi. And Iowa and California. We might even text them or tweet about them. I find it fascinating. And I think the non-turfers do too. But at the same time we all have dogs and kids and houses and food to talk about too. 

At a brewery in Colorado we can talk about our friends in St Andrews and Abu Dhabi. And Iowa and California.

Why am I writing all this? As usual I have a point! And my point is this: We often make getting together with others too hard and too much work. And as most of us come into the busy seasons, we miss these opportunities. We can't. We humans are built for interaction and for face to face time. And while it may seem like a complete pain in the ass to make a meet up happen. We have to. We do. It can't be optional. And I really think that we can invite the Civilians... the Significant Others and the Non-Turfheads like us. They really do!

I am really glad that I put the word out where I would be having a beer. And again, I wasn't attached to any outcome. I just let everyone know and I went. Simple as that. Had I been alone, I likely would have met someone new, learned something I didn't know. I didn't feel obligated to serve everyone or provide the entertainment or the experience. The experience was in the people around me. And I in them. A few hours of fun and smiles all around. Pretty awesome.

We humans are built for interaction and for face to face time. And while it may seem like a complete pain in the ass to make a meet up happen. We have to. We do. It can't be optional. 

So here is my Craft Beer Wisdom to you... Take a moment as you start into the season and gather some people you like or even ones you don't know and have some simple easy hang time.  Invite people from different walks of life. Bring your dogs and your kids and your cats if you so desire. Smile. Tell stories. Laugh. Eat. Be Human. 

And thanks for all the birthday wishes! What a wonderful thing.