There is nothing quite like the quiet pleasure of a pint of Guinness and a BLT at the Phoenix Grad Pub at McMaster University. I particularly like going there, after a long evening of work, deliciously exhausted, and settle into an hour of the fragrant caramels of the Dublin brew accompanied by the tasty crunch of well-toasted rye bread and extra-crispy bacon. At tables around me, students speak quickly in excited tones to one another – their eyes bright and engaged with each other’s faces. They feel that they have so much to hear and share, and so little time. I sit quietly, concentrated and content, enjoying my oasis of solitude amidst the din. A sip of porter followed by an explosion of crispy bacon and ever-so-slightly burnt crust in my mouth. Bliss.
exactly.