There’s something about learning over a drink that makes it feel a little less like a lecture and a little more like an adventure.
I’m always looking for little ways to break out of my usual routine, and this time it led me to a night in the city with one of my forever friends, a drink in hand, and a lesson on the Greek Muses that I definitely wasn’t expecting to be this interested in.
It wasn’t the typical kind of night out. We laughed, we learned, we listened, and somewhere between happy hour and getting my book signed by the speaker, I realized this is exactly the kind of experience I want more of doing something different simply because I can.
Turns out, sometimes you can leave happy hour with more than a buzz. You can leave a little smarter, too.
Once I got to New York, I got lost as usual. In true Stephanie fashion, I basically walked all over the Lower East Side trying to find the Lecture on Tap location. It was okay, though. I was way too early anyway, so apparently I had time to get lost. 😂
When I finally found the location, I had to wait outside for a little while. I started talking to someone in line, and she told me her sister had been to one of the lectures before and loved it. Hearing that made me even more excited to see what the night was going to be like.
Before the speaker came out, they did a Q&A about creativity and had people in the audience answer. Then Dr. Moiya McTier came out and talked about her book, Mothers of Invention, and the history of creativity through the Greek Muses.
She explained that there were twelve Greek Muses and talked about how some of them can help us with our own creativity. She went through her book in about thirty minutes, explaining the Muses, their stories, and how they connect to the ways we create.
I honestly didn’t expect to be as interested as I was.
The way she talked about her book made Greek mythology and creativity feel less like something from a history lesson and more like something you could actually apply to your own life. And as someone who is constantly writing, creating, taking pictures, and figuring out what I want to make next, that part stuck with me.
After another Q&A, I knew I had to get my book signed.
And somewhere between wandering around the Lower East Side, having a drink with one of my forever friends, learning about the Greek Muses, and leaving with a signed book, I realized how much I love nights like this.
Not every adventure has to be huge. Sometimes breaking your routine can be as simple as going somewhere you’ve never been, listening to someone talk about something you know almost nothing about, and letting yourself be curious.
I went into the night expecting happy hour and a lecture.
I left with a signed book, a few new things to think about, and another reminder that there are so many ways to experience this city and so many things I still want to learn.
Turns out, sometimes you really can leave happy hour a little smarter.
