Everything is an excuse to drink, and most people are alcoholics: my recent conclusion

Mashmont

Diamond Member
Jan 17, 2022
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1. My wife, son, and I attended a college football game at the former Fedex Field near Washington, DC, home of the Redskins. We got moderate-priced tickets; not the cheapest, not the most expensive. I didn't enjoy the game, because I couldn't see it, because people never sat down. But as the game wore on, people started yelling loudly and incoherently. Many around us were extremely drunk. As we were leaving the game, my ears still ringing, I noticed a lot more inebriated people.

2. My wife and I went on an international trip with a tour group. Dinner was part of the package. So after a day of intense tourning, we arrived at our hotel each evening for dinner. Wife and I were pretty beat, and we often caught a ten-minute snooze before eating. Every night when we arrived at the dining room, the majority of the bus patrons had been at the bar getting drinks, which they brought to the dinner table. Some of them had a lot to drink, and after dinner, they returned to the bar.

3. We have a columnist at our local paper. All he can talk about in his column are reunions with friends at bars, what bars he goes to, what booze he likes to drink with his meals.. It's all under the guise of being a fun-loving guy and having a good time, but alcohol is always the common denominator.

4. I joined a men's group 20 years ago. They were searching for a good restaurant in which to hold the annual Christmas dinner. I suggested a great popular buffet restaurant. Somebody whispered to me "They don't serve alcohol" as if I should have known that would negate it.

5. I have a friend who runs an art museum. Their big fundraiser is a whiskey tasting. Vendors come to the museum annually and dispense their products. 300 people attend, paying $75 for the privilege. It's sold out every year. My friend says the patrons get more generous as the evening goes on. Quite a few are drunk at the end of the night. Now granted this one is different, because people go there to drink.

6. I dated a girl decades ago, Today she and her husband go on an annual cruise with another couple. The men are childhood friends. She posts on facebook photos of the drunken men on the golf course, patrons at the lounge, or the group at dinner, a big glass of wine at each plate. Booze is the common denominator. I never knew people attended cruises to drink.

I must be naive, because I have always taken most things at face value: Golf, cruises, college football games, tailgating, group trips. I thought many people enjoyed these activities for their own merit. But those things for many people are excuses to drink and get drunk.

There is a truth that whatever someone talks about most of the time is where their heart is. And many people are obsessed with alcohol. They talk about it, know about it, expound about it. I went to a cookout with some friends, and the 40-something men, all they could talk about was craft beer; making it, drinking it. It went on and on. I concluded that those guys were alcoholics.

I rarely drink, and have never been drunk, but I never thought of myself an anomaly. I don't abstain because of moral reasons; I just don't like the stuff. As I go to more and more events, though, I encounter more and more people who are drunks. It seems like the country is full of alcoholics.

Is this anyone else's experience?
 
I disagree. Drinking is only part of being an alcoholic, one also has to attend meetings.

A friend of mine who has since deceased, got pinched for DUI a number of years ago. He was convicted, even though it was a miscarriage of justice, and the judge sentenced him, giving him the choice of 30 days in jail or condemned to attend 30 AA meetings.
 
I used to drink heavily and then a couple of years ago I scaled way back. It's amazing how many friends you lose once you don't want to drink all the time. Even friends we still have we don't see as often as we used to. There is a couple we've been friends with for years who whenever we go out with them or go over to their house they're always having a couple of drinks, then they open a bottle of wine and sometimes a second. We've gotten better about politely refusing after two drinks, but sometimes we fail at it. I notice when I have more than two drinks I don't sleep as well and I'll feel a little off the next day even when I'm not hungover. Unfortunately, this has caused us to come up with excuses to not be able to see them as often when they invite us over. It's not the lifestyle we want anymore and while they've taken notice and have been more conscientious about it, they still sometimes pressure us a bit to have more with them.
 
1. My wife, son, and I attended a college football game at the former Fedex Field near Washington, DC, home of the Redskins. We got moderate-priced tickets; not the cheapest, not the most expensive. I didn't enjoy the game, because I couldn't see it, because people never sat down. But as the game wore on, people started yelling loudly and incoherently. Many around us were extremely drunk. As we were leaving the game, my ears still ringing, I noticed a lot more inebriated people.

2. My wife and I went on an international trip with a tour group. Dinner was part of the package. So after a day of intense tourning, we arrived at our hotel each evening for dinner. Wife and I were pretty beat, and we often caught a ten-minute snooze before eating. Every night when we arrived at the dining room, the majority of the bus patrons had been at the bar getting drinks, which they brought to the dinner table. Some of them had a lot to drink, and after dinner, they returned to the bar.

3. We have a columnist at our local paper. All he can talk about in his column are reunions with friends at bars, what bars he goes to, what booze he likes to drink with his meals.. It's all under the guise of being a fun-loving guy and having a good time, but alcohol is always the common denominator.

4. I joined a men's group 20 years ago. They were searching for a good restaurant in which to hold the annual Christmas dinner. I suggested a great popular buffet restaurant. Somebody whispered to me "They don't serve alcohol" as if I should have known that would negate it.

5. I have a friend who runs an art museum. Their big fundraiser is a whiskey tasting. Vendors come to the museum annually and dispense their products. 300 people attend, paying $75 for the privilege. It's sold out every year. My friend says the patrons get more generous as the evening goes on. Quite a few are drunk at the end of the night. Now granted this one is different, because people go there to drink.

6. I dated a girl decades ago, Today she and her husband go on an annual cruise with another couple. The men are childhood friends. She posts on facebook photos of the drunken men on the golf course, patrons at the lounge, or the group at dinner, a big glass of wine at each plate. Booze is the common denominator. I never knew people attended cruises to drink.

I must be naive, because I have always taken most things at face value: Golf, cruises, college football games, tailgating, group trips. I thought many people enjoyed these activities for their own merit. But those things for many people are excuses to drink and get drunk.

There is a truth that whatever someone talks about most of the time is where their heart is. And many people are obsessed with alcohol. They talk about it, know about it, expound about it. I went to a cookout with some friends, and the 40-something men, all they could talk about was craft beer; making it, drinking it. It went on and on. I concluded that those guys were alcoholics.

I rarely drink, and have never been drunk, but I never thought of myself an anomaly. I don't abstain because of moral reasons; I just don't like the stuff. As I go to more and more events, though, I encounter more and more people who are drunks. It seems like the country is full of alcoholics.

Is this anyone else's experience?
.

Happy to say that the only alcohol I have consumed in about 25 years is sacramental wine, aka Blood Of Christ.

I used to drink as a normal adult. Have really tied one on a couple of times. If I don't have a social reason to drink, I don't drink.

Have had siblings who were alcoholics and I don't know how some of us escaped the alcoholism gene.


.
 
1. My wife, son, and I attended a college football game at the former Fedex Field near Washington, DC, home of the Redskins. We got moderate-priced tickets; not the cheapest, not the most expensive. I didn't enjoy the game, because I couldn't see it, because people never sat down. But as the game wore on, people started yelling loudly and incoherently. Many around us were extremely drunk. As we were leaving the game, my ears still ringing, I noticed a lot more inebriated people.

2. My wife and I went on an international trip with a tour group. Dinner was part of the package. So after a day of intense tourning, we arrived at our hotel each evening for dinner. Wife and I were pretty beat, and we often caught a ten-minute snooze before eating. Every night when we arrived at the dining room, the majority of the bus patrons had been at the bar getting drinks, which they brought to the dinner table. Some of them had a lot to drink, and after dinner, they returned to the bar.

3. We have a columnist at our local paper. All he can talk about in his column are reunions with friends at bars, what bars he goes to, what booze he likes to drink with his meals.. It's all under the guise of being a fun-loving guy and having a good time, but alcohol is always the common denominator.

4. I joined a men's group 20 years ago. They were searching for a good restaurant in which to hold the annual Christmas dinner. I suggested a great popular buffet restaurant. Somebody whispered to me "They don't serve alcohol" as if I should have known that would negate it.

5. I have a friend who runs an art museum. Their big fundraiser is a whiskey tasting. Vendors come to the museum annually and dispense their products. 300 people attend, paying $75 for the privilege. It's sold out every year. My friend says the patrons get more generous as the evening goes on. Quite a few are drunk at the end of the night. Now granted this one is different, because people go there to drink.

6. I dated a girl decades ago, Today she and her husband go on an annual cruise with another couple. The men are childhood friends. She posts on facebook photos of the drunken men on the golf course, patrons at the lounge, or the group at dinner, a big glass of wine at each plate. Booze is the common denominator. I never knew people attended cruises to drink.

I must be naive, because I have always taken most things at face value: Golf, cruises, college football games, tailgating, group trips. I thought many people enjoyed these activities for their own merit. But those things for many people are excuses to drink and get drunk.

There is a truth that whatever someone talks about most of the time is where their heart is. And many people are obsessed with alcohol. They talk about it, know about it, expound about it. I went to a cookout with some friends, and the 40-something men, all they could talk about was craft beer; making it, drinking it. It went on and on. I concluded that those guys were alcoholics.

I rarely drink, and have never been drunk, but I never thought of myself an anomaly. I don't abstain because of moral reasons; I just don't like the stuff. As I go to more and more events, though, I encounter more and more people who are drunks. It seems like the country is full of alcoholics.

Is this anyone else's experience?
You need to find a different crowd to hang out with.
 
I was drunk one time, drinking Southern Comfort. The smell of that stuff makes me gag now. I hate being the only sober person in a room full of drunks. I provide good weed at get togethers at my place but people just bring the devil juice with em.
 
I was drunk one time, drinking Southern Comfort. The smell of that stuff makes me gag now. I hate being the only sober person in a room full of drunks. I provide good weed at get togethers at my place but people just bring the devil juice with em.
.

Yep.

HATE being sober in a room full of drunks, but I hate weed as much, so I just stay with the non-imbibers.

After losing my husband, I lost all social tendency anyway. Happy to be on my own.


.
 
1. My wife, son, and I attended a college football game at the former Fedex Field near Washington, DC, home of the Redskins. We got moderate-priced tickets; not the cheapest, not the most expensive. I didn't enjoy the game, because I couldn't see it, because people never sat down. But as the game wore on, people started yelling loudly and incoherently. Many around us were extremely drunk. As we were leaving the game, my ears still ringing, I noticed a lot more inebriated people.

2. My wife and I went on an international trip with a tour group. Dinner was part of the package. So after a day of intense tourning, we arrived at our hotel each evening for dinner. Wife and I were pretty beat, and we often caught a ten-minute snooze before eating. Every night when we arrived at the dining room, the majority of the bus patrons had been at the bar getting drinks, which they brought to the dinner table. Some of them had a lot to drink, and after dinner, they returned to the bar.

3. We have a columnist at our local paper. All he can talk about in his column are reunions with friends at bars, what bars he goes to, what booze he likes to drink with his meals.. It's all under the guise of being a fun-loving guy and having a good time, but alcohol is always the common denominator.

4. I joined a men's group 20 years ago. They were searching for a good restaurant in which to hold the annual Christmas dinner. I suggested a great popular buffet restaurant. Somebody whispered to me "They don't serve alcohol" as if I should have known that would negate it.

5. I have a friend who runs an art museum. Their big fundraiser is a whiskey tasting. Vendors come to the museum annually and dispense their products. 300 people attend, paying $75 for the privilege. It's sold out every year. My friend says the patrons get more generous as the evening goes on. Quite a few are drunk at the end of the night. Now granted this one is different, because people go there to drink.

6. I dated a girl decades ago, Today she and her husband go on an annual cruise with another couple. The men are childhood friends. She posts on facebook photos of the drunken men on the golf course, patrons at the lounge, or the group at dinner, a big glass of wine at each plate. Booze is the common denominator. I never knew people attended cruises to drink.

I must be naive, because I have always taken most things at face value: Golf, cruises, college football games, tailgating, group trips. I thought many people enjoyed these activities for their own merit. But those things for many people are excuses to drink and get drunk.

There is a truth that whatever someone talks about most of the time is where their heart is. And many people are obsessed with alcohol. They talk about it, know about it, expound about it. I went to a cookout with some friends, and the 40-something men, all they could talk about was craft beer; making it, drinking it. It went on and on. I concluded that those guys were alcoholics.

I rarely drink, and have never been drunk, but I never thought of myself an anomaly. I don't abstain because of moral reasons; I just don't like the stuff. As I go to more and more events, though, I encounter more and more people who are drunks. It seems like the country is full of alcoholics.

Is this anyone else's experience?

I think drinking is one of those things that is SO common and "normal" in society, to the point where it seems that many people don't even give it much thought. What I mean is, when one is at the age when people start drinking, pretty much everyone does it, so young people start drinking without even questioning it overall. Or maybe that's just my experience, I don't want to speak for others. When I was in high school, I lived in San Diego, and the US / Mexico border was only about 15 minutes away, and at that time a lot of high school and college kids went to TJ to go drinking, since they didn't card there. So I think I was 16 or 17 when my friends and I started going to TJ and we used to have a blast, drinking margaritas and tequila poppers, etc. At that time, I didn't even think about whether or not drinking was a good idea. I just did it, because it was so normal.

But years later (and a few years after becoming a Christian) I finally realized, it doesn't matter if everyone does it, I don't need or want alcohol, at all, and I quit completely, and haven't had a drop of alcohol since. (God had to teach me, and I learned.) I've mentioned this before, but that was tied for second best decision I ever made in my life. After I quit, I remember going out with some friends and I was having fun without drinking and I remember thinking to myself "Why didn't I do this years earlier???" lol
 
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Yep.

HATE being sober in a room full of drunks, but I hate weed as much, so I just stay with the non-imbibers.

After losing my husband, I lost all social tendency anyway. Happy to be on my own.


.
I don't mind if someone has a beer or a Margarita but most don't stop until they are hammered. Like I said, that one time cured me.
 
I don't mind if someone has a beer or a Margarita but most don't stop until they are hammered. Like I said, that one time cured me.
.

I had a go-round like that with Christian Brothers brandy.

Never again.

But I do keep liquor in my home because it's necessary for the creation of some herbal medicines.


.
 
.

I had a go-round like that with Christian Brothers brandy.

Never again.

But I do keep liquor in my home because it's necessary for the creation of some herbal medicines.


.
Just being worried about what I might do or say keeps me away from that stuff. A friend of mine got so drunk one time and I never felt the same about her ever since.
 
There's alot of pressure on people. Our minds aren't designed to deal with it. No other way to view it. People need more than wake up, go to work, go home wash rinse repeat. We've done it to ourselves.
 
I think drinking is one of those things that is SO common and "normal" in society, to the point where it seems that many people don't even give it much thought. What I mean is, when one is at the age when people start drinking, pretty much everyone does it, so young people start drinking without even questioning it overall. Or maybe that's just my experience, I don't want to speak for others. When I was in high school, I lived in San Diego, and the US / Mexico border was only about 15 minutes away, and at that time a lot of high school and college kids went to TJ to go drinking, since they didn't card there. So I think I was 16 or 17 when my friends and I started going to TJ and we used to have a blast, drinking margaritas and tequila poppers, etc. At that time, I didn't even think about whether or not drinking was a good idea. I just did it, because it was so normal.

But years later (and a few years after becoming a Christian) I finally realized, it doesn't matter if everyone does it, I don't need or want alcohol, at all, and I quit completely, and haven't had a drop of alcohol since. (God had to teach me, and I learned.) I've mentioned this before, but that was tied for second best decision I ever made in my life. After I quit, I remember going out with some friends and I was having fun without drinking and I remember thinking to myself "Why didn't I do this years earlier???" lol
I NEVER took up the alcohol habit. I grew up with an alcoholic father and older brother. They were an embarrassment. So I just never drank. I never wanted to be like them
 
I don't drink anymore.. i partied hard for twenty years, so i know a good time, but find if i drink i end up wanting to smoke cigarettes or if i drink a lot, my mind will race to other things, so it became easier not to drink at all. Suits me perfectly. I do struggle being around really annoying, drunk people. Tedious conversations.
 
I NEVER took up the alcohol habit. I grew up with an alcoholic father and older brother. They were an embarrassment. So I just never drank. I never wanted to be like them
The 50s, so called a great time here, was a time of rampant alcoholism. My father was an alcoholic also. He went to work every dang day and his only break was a bunch of drinks after a long day. He had a lousy 3 weeks off which was truly pathetic. What an awful rotten time in this so called great nation. Keep putting pressure on people and calling it a dream.
 
I drank a lot in my single years, lots of bars, lots of parties. I like to have a beer or wine in the evening but I rarely drink hard stuff anymore. There is a big difference between enjoying a couple drinks and being an alcoholic which is inability to control your drinking.
 

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