Family style

I’m feeling rough. I miss the first session and don’t feel great during the second. At lunchtime, Matt drags me to Monell’s in Germantown.

Family style is a new experience for me. We get sat at a table with another ten people. Devices are outlawed, so were expected to talk among ourselves - and there’s quite a mix of folk at the table.

Then they just start bringing food. Chicken, brisket, ribs, meat loaf, various veg, salad. My stomach refuses the cucumber salad, but the fried chicken seems to settle fine. The food is passed round the table and, whenever a dish empties, they bring another one.

Eventually we’re all done. Individually, we pay at the door - a bargain $18.50 each. Matt buys a T-shirt too. Then it’s back to the conference, where the final session of the day is a panel about the environmental indices of software development.

I’m feeling better, which is just as well, because it’s the conference party tonight. They bus us downtown to a three storey party house. There’s loads more bbq, free drink tokens to redeem, and lots of line dancing (see extras).

After the party closes, a posse of us (led by Melissa) head out looking for more fun. Inevitably (because Melissa is queen of karaoke) we end up in another karaoke bar (extras). Until closing time. But at least I stay clear off the spirits