Dry January

[A Red]

......We should all be able to socialise without alcohol.

Fuck that

[Rick Sanchez C-137]

I can't speak for your friends about that, but for me, it's a social need rather than an alcohol need. If there are viable alternatives I'll often choose them, but I do enjoy going out and having a laugh. Much more than I would a salsa class or a pottery class. I wouldn't mind a game of badminton or squash, but nobody really plays that on a Saturday evening for example.

 

It is a cultural thing I agree, and I think the next generation don't seem to be into it anywhere near as much as my generation and the generations before were.

 

If it's just a social thing, why the alcohol? Why don't we (as a nation) all just go out and do the exact same thing, only with no alcohol? I've been to a few places in England, and the culture seems to be pretty similar to Ireland. The majority of people (myself included) go out and get so drunk they can't remember much, spend a fortune and feel like shit for days after.

 

I was in my local on xmas eve and had 5 pints, went home at half 12 and had a great night.

 

I went out on saturday and drank a bathful of captain morgans and Guinness, made a fucking tit out of myself and died for about 3 days. (I am the second coming of Christ, yes)

 

If i trusted myself to stick to 5 pints, I'd be out every weekend. Unfortunately when I reach the point of no return, bad things happen. I say this as I see that that is not a healthy relationship with alcohol, but its all too common IMO.

 

Feeling drunk is great. For me though, there's just too much lost to justify doing it every weekend. I'd rather just do something fun that doesn't involve booze.

 

Anyway, believe it or not, I didn't come on here to lecture people about alcohol so i'll stop now.

 

Have a good one whatever you do.

[Spy Bee]

No I know where you are coming from - it is deeply socially engrained to have a drink.

 

I am 35 now and my days of going out for the sake of getting smashed are over. I like going out for a social drink. Occasionally I get a little carried away, but less and less. Fact is though, that that is where my friends and the kind of people I get on with gather socially.

[Trumo]

It is a cultural thing in this country but I much prefer the approach to drinking on the continent where it's seen as OK to go out and have a few drinks and something to eat rather than going out merely to get pissed (and deal with the aftermath). I've just never seen the point in getting shitfaced and I speak as somebody who likes a few drams of a good whiskey every now and then.

[Section_31]

Was gonna put this in the rant thread actually. Stoptober, Movember, Dry January, fuck off, even altruism is trendified now.

[Rick Sanchez C-137]

It is a cultural thing in this country but I much prefer the approach to drinking on the continent where it's seen as OK to go out and have a few drinks and something to eat rather than going out merely to get pissed (and deal with the aftermath). I've just never seen the point in getting shitfaced and I speak as somebody who likes a few drams of a good whiskey every now and then.

 

As I said, I enjoyed sitting over 5 pints of good Guinness and having a catch up on xmas eve more than the 24 hour clusterfuck of session that happened on saturday. I also hate the feeling of losing control of myself. Drunk me makes ridiculously bad decisions haha.

[Rico1304]

Drink used to make me make bad decisions.

 

It also used to make fit birds make bad decisions.

 

It was a risk I was prepared to take.

[Elite]

I have that much Ale in the house, it will be difficult to resist. So no, will I fuck being doing the latest fad.

[RoboRiise]

Very valid points about many people's relationship with alcohol in this thread.

 

In my case, in the last three jobs I've had which covers the last 20 years, people have thought I'm stand-offish socially because when they organise nights out and stuff I either don't go or slope off early.  The thing is, the usual stuff that gets organised starts with 'OK book a half day off and we can get out for 12pm'.  They can't get their heads round the fact that I don't have any interest in going out on a 12 hour session and getting falling down shitfaced drunk, because that's the way they drink - it has to be all or nothing.  If anybody suggested just going for a few pints, a bite to eat and a chinwag after work I'd be all over it, I just don't want to go out when it's solely a mission to get pissed, I grew out of that when I was about 22.

[Chip Butty]

Wankers this lot.

 

Stop trying to be 'in' just cos some other shallow uninteresting shitehawk you know, did some other 'zany' thing, to raise money for some charity this year, or last year, by not bevvying. You're not mad or, interesting.

 

 

Just get 200 notes out of your arse pocket, and donate it to any charity and just stay on the ale - for every fucking month this year.

 

Zany, or what!?

[Spy Bee]

I'm not doing this for charity by the way. I am doing it because I want to and I think it's good to do things differently every now and then so that you don't get stuck in a rut.

[Dr Nowt]

Dunno about Dry January or anything organised in that way, but this last year has been a real slog, starting in October 2013, so as I am (subject to snapping myself tonight) entering the New Year all well and good, I'm intending to start a healthy regime of diet, fitness and the rest as of next week, to put a credit balance on for once.

[clangers]

Nice to see themed morality is in full swing. 

[Rico1304]

Lizzie, you met me in 2014, 2015 is only ever going to be an anticlimax.

[Dr Nowt]

Lizzie, you met me in 2014, 2015 is only ever going to be an anticlimax.

I prefer to see it as post-climax mate.

[Jairzinho]

You've never been to Wrexham have you dude?

Can't say I have, mate. But then to be fair I'm not exactly living in Barcelona myself.

 

Will be next year though.

 

*Spunks everywhere*

[RedKnight]

I've gone off the ol' drink in the last 5 months. I haven't stopped intentionally, nor have I started to dislike the taste, I just haven't bothered. Since July I've drunk twice - once in London for the NFL in September and at our Christmas party a few weeks ago, both times it was real ale/craft beer and I didn't have a sniff of a hangover. Last time I went off booze I was off it for four years, no idea why I go through these phases.

[Adebisi]

I was going to give it a go, but work was a rough one so I bought 4 Henry Westons on the way home. Cheers. 

[PestiRed]

Start on Monday along with increased swimming regime. Don't know why Dry January works but like to take advantage of it

[Paulie Dangerously]

Was gone do this but then remembered I'm going to France and am I shite not drinking wine

[Juniper]

Dry January? Nah, you're alright.

[Section_31]

I've gone off the ol' drink in the last 5 months. I haven't stopped intentionally, nor have I started to dislike the taste, I just haven't bothered. Since July I've drunk twice - once in London for the NFL in September and at our Christmas party a few weeks ago, both times it was real ale/craft beer and I didn't have a sniff of a hangover. Last time I went off booze I was off it for four years, no idea why I go through these phases.

Yeah similar. I drink for the taste now too or when it's warm rather than as simply part of a night out, there's still few things better than a cold bottle of suds on a hot day.

[rubble-rouser]

Did it last year. I felt much better about 10 days in - calmer, sharper etc. not in the right head place to do it at the moment, but I'm not drinking beet for at least a month - wine and/or gin & slim

[Spy Bee]

Woke up rough as fuck. Bring it on!

[stringvest]

Sticking to the spirits for January.