Back in school I was always the straight-laced designated driver in the circles of friends I hung out with.

I'm not quite sure how I got from there to reacting to Miracleman's dire warnings about how strong the drinks were at the Old Absinthe House by throwing a sazerac back in one gulp and grousing that it wasn't even 80 proof.

I imagine you do all sorts of things now that you didn't in High School. Hockey players spring to mind...

This was about two years ago at a particularly drink-oriented kind of a house. The DH and I are BY FAR the "dryest" of that group. All good people, but the kind of folks who don't think it's a party without a fully-stocked bar and a never-empty glass.

Happy birthday, Typo Boy!

That's just weird. I would have to figure out what else to do with someone if they didn't want to go to a bar, but I don't care what they do while we're there!

On the weirdness scale, P-C's not drinking is definitely less weird than the guy's response. I'll admit we have some challenges here for work happy hours because one person is a non-drinker who will not set foot in a bar. The couple of other non-drinkers are perfectly happy to tag along and no one gives two craps what they order or don't.

There's a variety of reasons why someone might choose not to drink. Just because is one of them. (And seriously, if it's not a just because scenario, then you're quite possibly diving into some very personal waters there. Health, addiction, religion - all things that should be brought up by the person themselves or not at all. WTF?)

My high school girlfriend used to drink a lot. She sometimes got really mad at me because I didn't drink (which was because I was almost always the driver). She said that by not drinking, I was saying I was better than the drinkers.

Damn, she was crazy.

Happy birthday, Typo Boy!

I'll admit we have some challenges here for work happy hours because one person is a non-drinker who will not set foot in a bar.

I have no problem setting foot in bars, I just...have less to do in them. I drink a lot of water.

She said that by not drinking, I was saying I was better than the drinkers.

This is my mom's argument against atheism (which she does not see as distinct from agnosticism).

Ahhh! P-C's mom is my high school girlfrind!

Oh dear God.

I haven't had more than a couple of drinks in one night since college, and I really never drink at home alone, except for really rare occasions (election night last year) when I broke out the beer for the evening. After I have my surgery, even that little bit of booze is going to go bye-bye, but I don't think I'll be missing it.

IcompletelyON, I took a half-day PTO this afternoon and turned the tv on when I got home. The only thing on was the UK version of Antiques Roadshow on BBCA, so I was having fun listening to the stoic Scots reacting to the antiques' worth (it was filmed at Dumphries House). The final item of the hour was a small glass vase. The low-key woman said that she had been cleaning out her loft and stumbled across it. She was "gonna bin it," but remember that the Roadshow was coming to town and decided to keep it to bring in. She had paid a pound for it when she bought it out a guy's car boot a few years before, and she really bought it for the plant that came inside the vase.

The appraiser said that there was a name on it, which she had never noticed--it was "Lalique." (A name she was not familiar with, but the people standing behind her were gasping in surprise.) Also, it was made from the lost wax process, which meant that it was unique (the process destroys the mold to get to the finished piece), and dated from 1920-1935. He then said that one of the most frequently asked questions he's asked is "What is the most expensive item you've ever appraised on the show?" and said that the item he usually mentions was going to have to change after that day. That 1-pound piece of glass the woman was going to throw away and had bought for the plant? It was worth 25,000 pounds!!! The woman was in shock and stood there with her mouth hanging open, her even-quieter husband was beaming and hugging her, and the people standing around were all applauding her good fortune.

That's quite a return on her unwitting investment!