Answer Me This

[u2roolz]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpOcerNyc-A

 

Where The Hell Is He?!!!??!?!

Did he drunkenly stumble into the boiler room?!

 

[cryptique]

I agree with everything you posted except this (which isn't to say that I disagree that you think this ). I certainly feel bad when I see people making stupid decisions with alcohol, but too many people have an inability to control their intake for me to really want to pass judgement on them.

Well, that's part of why I get scornful. I've know far too many people, some of them very close to me, who are serious alcoholics, and have ruined their lives with alcohol. Such people are virtually everywhere -- and you'd think that with a ubiquitous gallery of cautionary examples, others might take a hint and moderate their intake ... but they don't. Nobody thinks it will happen to them.

 

This is part of why I wish I could be more accepting (or should I say less judgmental). There's a fine line between being someone who has made a decision to drink too much and a person who no longer has any real power to make that decision. I guess I'm scornful of the people who still have the ability to make that decision. Once they cross that line to alcoholism, I just want to find them some help. Of course, with people I don't know, I have no idea which side of the line they're on, but I usually assume that they're still making conscious decisions to drink to excess. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt, except that I'm not ... if that makes any sense.

[Guest Speed Racer]

Well, that's part of why I get scornful. I've know far too many people, some of them very close to me, who are serious alcoholics, and have ruined their lives with alcohol. Such people are virtually everywhere -- and you'd think that with a ubiquitous gallery of cautionary examples, others might take a hint and moderate their intake ... but they don't. Nobody thinks it will happen to them.

 

This assumes that an intentional lack of moderation is what leads to alcoholism, or that moderation can curb its onset, which is not always the case. In my experience, alcoholic drinking is a lot like going from the top floor of a building to the basement - there are a million ways to get there, including straight down the elevator shaft.

 

Of course, with people I don't know, I have no idea which side of the line they're on, but I usually assume that they're still making conscious decisions to drink to excess. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt, except that I'm not ... if that makes any sense.

 

No, I get that. You're scornful toward them in the hope that they still have the ability to control themselves, and are simply exercising irresponsibility. I feel that way about the bulk of whippersnappers in my zip code, but over the age of 25 or so and I start feeling bad for them instead.

[bjorn_skurj]

I would like to just say a word in defense of the responsible drinking of alcoholic beverages.

[Guest Speed Racer]

I'll raise my (coffee) mug to that!

[u2roolz]

With some of the people that I know it seems that they drink regularly because it is habitual, out of depression and usually in packs amongst other people. Of course, the great irony to me is that they are depressed of their current situation (job/personal life & decisions), but fail to see the downward spiral of drinking and choose to see it as more of a celebratory thing to do. I think that they are consciously aware of this irony but choose to ignore it because they feel that their current situation is insurmountable. And I'm talking about a dozen of people that I know (but don't hang out with or see regularly..sadly, I know all of this from Facebook posts) that all hang out together and drink at every social event (movies, sports game, karaoke, house party, billiards, & work) Edit: In fact, every post out of this group on Facebook is "My Job Sucks!!!", "I can't wait to leave work to go drink!!", & "I wish that I didn't drink last night, but fuck it...I can't remember anything anyways!" It's like (nope it IS) a vicious cycle that is never going to break until someone dies. But then they'd probably drink from the natural depression that that brings. Edit: (Part Deux) Actually, the thing is that their job that they hate helps propagate their behavior. If they had any other type of job they'd probably all be fired by now. These people work at movie theaters where the hours are always changing and when they get out late (much like someone working at a restaurant or retail store, I suppose) there isn't much to do, but drink.

[The High Heat]

Bottom line: It may not be the best idea to seek meaningful advice about a personal issue on a message board for a rock and roll band.

I'm completely with you on the alcohol deal. I've never understood the obsession with it in our culture, especially the redundant chatter about it. I suppose it's peer pressure, but that's something else I don't understand either.

[bjorn_skurj]

I really could use a drink right now.

[sonicshoulder]

Barb's first sentence of this thread has all the answers to Barb's question. "I recently turned 40...". Done, enough said. At 40 you should have no problem telling your friends to re-schedule or get f#*cked. You should also have no problem going out and cutting yourself off. You should also have no problem going and getting tanked, having a blast and taking care of business the next day with a hangover. You're 40, do whatever the hell you want. I personally would probably do the latter because most of my friends and myself have children now and opportunities to get loose with good friends have almost dissapeared. Sometimes the physical damage from a night out can be out weighed by the mental positives of having fun. A hangover is not an acceptable excuse for missing work or engagements or being late so if you don't think you can fight thru it or don't want to, don't go out. If you can't guilt yourself into getting out of bed with a headache, guilt yourself into hittin the Diet Cokes all night.

 

P.S. I stand by my remarks in behives relationship advice request. You're family is an extension of you. If your partner can't deal with it you're only prolonging the inevitable. Sometimes the truth stings a little. Not trying to instigate just speaking up for the realists who are getting beaten up on a little here.

[LouieB]

 

 

P.S. I stand by my remarks in behives relationship advice request. You're family is an extension of you. If your partner can't deal with it you're only prolonging the inevitable. Sometimes the truth stings a little. Not trying to instigate just speaking up for the realists who are getting beaten up on a little here.

Don't taze me bro.....

 

DTMFA is advice that Dan Savage gives all the time. Of course he gets paid tons to give that advice, which is different than us scumbags here at VC.

 

LouieB

[Atticus]

I really could use a drink right now.

 

denial is not just a river in somalia