How'd it go today?

[CurSedVoyce]

Yeah.. me 2... drank the last beer.
Now mind you I did not make a special trip today for more

 

[treebilly]

Today didn't go so well. Didn't feel the best at 5 am but went to work anyhow. Climbed and rigged out a medium(75'-80') white pine. Was gonna vertical zip the wood down but tied the log off to drop it after getting an uneasy feeling in my stomach. Guys looked at me like I was nuts dancing around getting my gear off and taking off in a dead run into the woods. Been at war with the toilet since. At least I got the hardest part done for them. All bucket work left and it's just deadwooding pines. Hopefully this is a 24 hr flu.

 

[Tucker943]

I had to give up drinking before I was 22 years old. I was going to end up dead. 5 months in the kennel helped me see my problem.

I'm cool with alcohol. I'm around drinkers all the time. Alcohol is not a problem, I am.

 

[treebilly]

Yup. Wish I would off quit a long time ago. I will say that I find it enjoyable to torture the hung over groundie now. Seems that on hangover days there is no easy way to do tree work.

 

[Tucker943]

I look at a hangover now and think that it might kill me. Not a little dry mouth, blurry head sort of deal. I'm talking a REAL hangover. I think it would kill me. I miss the fun side of drinking. I had a lot of good times. I refuse to subject my children to an alcoholic father. It's been ruining childhoods in my family for generations.

 

[Mick!]

Can't you just have a drink? You know a beer on the way home sometimes, glass of wine in the evening. Don't go nuts
I was a PITA at 22 when pissed, who wasn't. But with perseverance and practice plus the help of my friends and family I learnt to drink properly.

 

[treebilly]

Don't miss having hangovers either. Upsetting my 4 year old daughter was what caused me to quit. Decided I didn't want to be that dad at sporting events and gatherings. I want my kids to be proud of me not ashamed.
I don't mind being around it. Seeing others get all messed up is a good way to remind me how bad I was.

 

[treebilly]

Don't possess that ability. Might be able to have one the first time but the next it would be two or three. Moderation isn't my strong point

 

[MasterBlaster]

"One drink is too many and a dozen aren't enough."

 

[Mick!]

Four or five is usually enough though.

 

[Tucker943]

Sure Mick, I believe I can have a beer and be done. I also believe that I might possibly gain a false sense of control over time. One beer is fine. Two was no issue. Three.....

I can't say for sure. It's a 50/50 chance. Those odds won't suffice for the well being of my kids. Historically, my family that I get my strongest genes from, aren't successful at one beer.

The truth is that I've mostly lost my desire to drink. If you give up anything long enough, it fades away in your mind. Give up steak. You'll miss it for awhile. A decade later, you'll hardly remember what you missed. So if I don't crave having a few beers, it serves me no purpose to do so. It's like eating if you aren't hungry.

 

[pete mctree]

A drink a day - perhaps a easy way to mildly subdue the masses ?

 

[HolmenTree]

Makes some sense Pete.
But I think post war Britain, France and Germany are good examples....but in their case not to subdue the masses but to soothe the masses.

 

[Mick!]

No it doesn't make sense, in fact it's nonsense.

Who is subduing the masses?

 

[pete mctree]

The media bullshit storm usually. I may not be the smartest, but I'm not stupid enough to believe what the powers that be tell me

 

[Mick!]

Are they telling you to drink?

 

[Cobleskill]

I remember going to a wedding reception thinking tomorrow is an easy day, I can get kinda trashed. It turned into one of those "if anything can go wrong it will" days. I need a little reminder how that works every once in a while.

 

[BOTS]

Drinking does me no good at all

even one beer makes me fell like crap the next day and the body hurts...its not for me

 

[Jake Andrews]

This has been the first grog iv been able to afford on a Christmas break for 4 years, so I ended up going abit overboard.
4x slabs of beer (24 bottles per slab)
5x bottles of wine
2x bottles of champagne (1 for Christmas, 1 for new year)
1 bottle of whiskey (from the neighbour)
I'm not saying I need a drink to relax but I just really enjoy it, keeps me mellow and stops my mind racing when it shouldn't be. Iv worked hard all year and its a present to me and the wife, plus the weather has something to do with it I feel. Do you guys drink more in the summer than the winter?

 

[cory]

Lol 'kennel'. No doubt there's some stories there...

 

[Tucker943]

A dirty violent shithole that made me do a 180 I'm life and pick a new direction.

 

[Bermy]

The real win here is those who have recognized that alcohol is a no-go for them and have taken steps to eliminate it. Self-evaluation and personal honesty is massive, well done to you all.

Some people either can't tolerate it or just don't want to, some can, recognizing where you fit is a win.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Some people can really contain their habit. A guy that I sometimes do tree work with, has his drinks after dinner, goes to bed at eight, then gets up two hours later to have his glass full again. Every day like that for years and years. A cultural thing. I know other guys too that have to drink every night, but it doesn't seem to affect their lives in a negative way. Maybe their livers? They don't throw you in the tank for being drunk on the street either, and if so incapacitated that your safety is impaired, the cops will assist you in getting to your destination. or at least to a temporary sobering up location.

It's very easy to get drunk if you want to, aided by all the cool places that are around and at your service in that regard. Some are right next door to each other.

 

[gf beranek]

I wish they showed as much compassion here, Jay. Rather than help a person out it's off to the tank.

 

[woodworkingboy]

I totally agree, Jerry, "To protect and to serve". Of course guys getting drunk here is what helps to spur the economy. Probably a notable percentage of the gross national product has alcohol in it.