General Musings

[Walter Sobchak]

In my weaker moments over the past fifteen months of Acey Jnr's life, I would've killed for two hours' worth of solo sitting with a coffee/beer in a piazza of any major European city.

[Roger H. Sterling]

You've never ordered food by yourself before?

You need someone to hold your hand?

Nah I've never walked into a restaurant, asked for a table for 1, then had a waiter come over and take my one and only order, to then sit and eat alone. Maybe for lunch at work I guess I have, but not an evening meal or that.

[Grooto Toure]

Done it a few times when away with work so doesn't bother me but not something I'd do if I wasn't traveling 

Been to the cinema on my tod loads of times, Mrs Groot and my stepdaughter are talkers during films asking questions on the most basic plot points or not waiting for things to develop so going on my own is the preferred option

[The Great Chilavert]

Had to eat alone when on training courses for work etc and don't really mind it tbh.

Solo pints are great btw. Agreed about not sitting getting smashed or that, but a few pints

[CritchSmile]

Yeah living abroad and also being about for work, there's lots of situations where this was done. I can't imagine someone going through life not having had to do that. Do folk call their mates up if they find themselves in that situation in case they feel alone?

[Karl Urbenoit]

Only done the cinema solo once but not something that would bother me if I wanted to see something and there was nobody to go with. The wife generally enjoys similar movies to me and if not usually give Groot a shout

[1500 Dollars a Day]

Used to care what people would think if they seen me on my todd but when you need to do it for work you end up realising no one cares what you're up to and it can be enjoyable.

Doesn't really happen often but wouldn't avoid doing it if I wanted to go out and nae one fancied it.

[Mikey]

Used to enjoy a pint by myself after work before heading home. Nice place to shift gears. Couldn't sit and get smashed by myself though, that's pretty sad. A proper sit down meal or the cinema by yourself is pretty is a line I've never crossed and hopefully never will.

Sitting getting wasted would be shite like but few pints last night was decent.

Been to the cinema a couple of times on my jack jones. Quite good.

[Roger H. Sterling]

Yeah living abroad and also being about for work, there's lots of situations where this was done. I can't imagine someone going through life not having had to do that. Do folk call their mates up if they find themselves in that situation in case they feel alone?

Why are you trying to shift it to be something people are afraid of? Personally it's something I've never chosen to do because I didn't want to or need to. If I was in a situation where I had to go to a restaurant to eat alone because otherwise I couldn't eat, of course I'd do. Folk doing it for work reasons, fine. There's a difference between finding yourself in a situation and putting yourself in one. You know that.

Would I eat alone if I had to? Sure. Would I choose to? No.

[Roger H. Sterling]

Used to care what people would think if they seen me on my todd but when you need to do it for work you end up realising no one cares what you're up to and it can be enjoyable.

Doesn't really happen often but wouldn't avoid doing it if I wanted to go out and nae one fancied it.

Same as above I guess. If you're really keen on eating alone but are worried about what people think then you should probably just do it because no one actually cares. I'd guess most people haven't done it because the idea of going to a restaurant by yourself isn't overly appealing.

Cinema is different I guess. What does it matter who's sat next to you to watch a film. Personally, it's quite a social thing and there's never been a film I'd want to see badly enough that I'd go to the cinema myself to see it. Know quite a few folk who have unlimited cards and frequently go themselves. Each to their own.

[Herzog]

Wouldnt get ready on a Friday/Saturday night to go up town on my own 

But when i've been out and about day time in town doing stuff i've popped in for a pint before heading home. 

Dont mind going to the cinema on my own but seldom do.

Would never eat in a restaurant on my own in the evening. Wouldnt even eat in a restaurant on my own during the day. Strangely, i'd eat in a Burger King daytime on my own though,  if in town.

[Snake Plissken]

I ate alone quite often in South Korea, there was a wee place I used to go to that sold great food for the equivalent of £4 and I must have gone in 2-3 times a week minimum. There was a wee old lady there who thought a foreign guy ordering duruchigi multiple times a week was the funniest thing ever. Made me feel oddly welcome

[Socko]

Been to the cinema alone loads of times. Always during a weekday when I've got a day off work like, wouldn't go myself on a Friday or Saturday night.

[CritchSmile]

I agree that cinema is a social thing and I love seeing social movies for that (the new star wars etc...) but the last movie I went to alone was to see Bladerunner 2049 and just really wanted to concentrate on the film and take it all in.

Not been to movies recently because busy/covid restrictions but the last movie I saw with folk was Parasite and that was good fun and some good discussion aftwerwards. I'm considering seeing that Belfast on my own - prob because I want to absorb the story and its likely ill have a wee greet at the end from what i've heard.

[Herzog]

I ate alone quite often in South Korea, there was a wee place I used to go to that sold great food for the equivalent of £4 and I must have gone in 2-3 times a week minimum. There was a wee old lady there who thought a foreign guy ordering duruchigi multiple times a week was the funniest thing ever. Made me feel oddly welcome

Same with me in NY. In a wee cafe that an old Greek lady used to run. She used to make a fuss over me when i came in. And insisted on putting my napkin/towel round my neck when she brought the food. I was absolutely wiggo'ing when she first done it and i turned around to see if anybody was looking at me. One fat guy on his own just looking at me with a napkin round his neck. 

His face was 

By my second visit i was literally willing her to do it  

[CritchSmile]

Why are you trying to shift it to be something people are afraid of? Personally it's something I've never chosen to do because I didn't want to or need to. If I was in a situation where I had to go to a restaurant to eat alone because otherwise I couldn't eat, of course I'd do.

Previously you said eating alone in a restaurant is "a line I will never cross and hopefully never will". So you made it sound like almost a phobia thing or something disdainful. Like you would be anxious/panicy if you found yourself in a situation where you had to eat without people.

Fair enough if I read it incorrectly tho. I agree a candelit dinner by yourself in a restuarant isn't something I or many people would ever do. So maybe you were viewing it through that lens.

[CritchSmile]

Same with me in NY. In a wee cafe that an old Greek lady used to run. She used to make a fuss over me when i came in. And insisted on putting my napkin/towel round my neck when she brought the food. I was absolutely wiggo'ing when she first done it and i turned around to see if anybody was looking at me. One fat guy on his own just looking at me with a napkin round his neck. 

His face was 

By my second visit i was literally willing her to do it  

You used to live in NY? I never knew that. Or just visiting?

[Herzog]

You used to live in NY?  I never knew that. Or just visiting?

Dunno if your doing the whole sarcastic thing but i'll bite anyway. Lived there almost 2 years.

[The Great Chilavert]

Dunno if your doing the whole sarcastic thing but i'll bite anyway. Lived there almost 2 years.

I don't think he was but I read it like that too

[CritchSmile]

Dunno if your doing the whole sarcastic thing but i'll bite anyway. Lived there almost 2 years.

Was a serious question.