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The other day I saw an article on MSNBC, Some sobering advice on drinking with the boss, by Tara Weiss.  It was primarily directed toward new grads with new jobs, but the point is equally applicable to anyone who likes to socialize with colleagues.

Almost anywhere there are office complexes, there are watering holes.  It's common for office workers the world around to cut loose after hours and unwind from the day.  There's absolutely nothing wrong with the practice, as long as unwinding doesn't result in coming apart.

Drinking with the office crowd should be treated about the same as drinking at dinner in a fine, upscale restaurant.  Don't overdo it.  In the first instance, it's better to be singled out as the one who's responsible enough to be promoted; in the second, it might be nice to go back there someday.

Acceptable after-hours socializing isn't a tough thing to figure out.  It boils down to discretion and understanding what kind of behaviour is appropriate in every situation.  A reputation is a fragile and valuable thing.  To re-phrase a cliche, if it don't get broke, it don't need to be fixed.