Birthday part 2:

Before moving to Washington, ALL of my experiences with oysters have been ... negative.

... and I am still a person that has to be "in the mood for seafood", or I wretch.

Unless it's "Long John Silvers", I have to have REALLY fresh seafood, to stomach it.
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One of joys of living where I do is that there are about 4 distinct species of oyster that live, literally, within a few miles of my house.

Depending on the local restaurant I have been in, the oyster in question has been out of the water for, at most, 8 hours ... but it has been kept alive all that time. (That is important. The oyster should be alive, until it is "shucked".) evening items to wear of the sexy pattern
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In general, I prefer oysters to be cooked, in some way.

However, I have learned to enjoy the "oyster shooter".

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The best "oyster shooter" is basically:

take a glass, about the size of a shot glass,

shuck a live oyster into it, while pouring the liquid in the shell into it (known as the "oyster liquor")

put some cocktail sauce on it, add a slice of lemon

put a bottle of tabasco sauce on the side for a person to season "to taste"
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An "oyster shooter" when done right is an "amuse-bouche" .... the perfect bite.

It's briny, salty, chewy, acidic, tomatoey, tart, "earthy", and, in the end, spicy. ... all in one taste, from a shot glass.