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Let's talk about... Alcohol.
12 years ago
I've been meditating on this matter a lot lately. It began about a month ago when, in order to "celebrate" passing all of my swim quals and the "Helo Dunker," I made the regrettable decision to overdrink on a Friday night. Apparently the physical water still sloshing around in my head from the dunker wasn't enough. Here's what was on my "menu," in order:
1. Magic Hat #9
2. Some beer I don't recall
3. " "
4. " "
5. Gummi Bear shot (x2)
6. Kamikaze (x2)
7. More beer
Doesn't sound like much? This was consumed in the span of about an hour and a half. With no water or food. After yakking in the head at the e-club, I yakked four more times back at the barracks. (Thankfully, "nature" didn't call as I checked in on the quarterdeck). Saturday morning rolled in and breakfast was lost twice. Thus, half my weekend was gone. I've had two beers and two glasses of wine since then. The whole episode made me re-examine my views on drinking. We've all seen the drunken-Sailor shows and movies. We laugh at the guy who pisses himself and the guy who ends up naked hugging a palm tree. I've had some good times under the influence, I will not lie. Alcohol related incidents not only here in Pensacola, but all throughout the fleet, have career and life-ending consequences. Alcohol can turn us into victims, aggressors, and helpless bystanders. Much of this results not only from a lack of poor planning and one's inability to control themselves, but the failure of shipmates to say "You've had enough. You need to stop." (My drunken adventure was MY fault, and mine only. Booze had us all under the spell that night). Just today at the beach I ran into two good friends. They met us at a restaurant because they wanted to escape the drunken escapades of my other friends, who had commenced drinking first thing in the morning. (I need to have a talk with some of these guys).
My point? We, as a society need to be more cognizant of alcohol's collective effect on us. We need to do a better job of looking out for each other. If you're in the military, you know how often mando alcohol training periods are lectures are shoved down our throats. What counts on the dance floor, bar, beach, etc. is friends looking out for each other. I realized that the moments I enjoyed most with alcohol were sipping a Corona with my Dad in the summer while cooking on the grill, having a nice Guinness with a steak, or a glass of wine with my Mom. Not drinking to the point of oblivion.
1. Magic Hat #9
2. Some beer I don't recall
3. " "
4. " "
5. Gummi Bear shot (x2)
6. Kamikaze (x2)
7. More beer
Doesn't sound like much? This was consumed in the span of about an hour and a half. With no water or food. After yakking in the head at the e-club, I yakked four more times back at the barracks. (Thankfully, "nature" didn't call as I checked in on the quarterdeck). Saturday morning rolled in and breakfast was lost twice. Thus, half my weekend was gone. I've had two beers and two glasses of wine since then. The whole episode made me re-examine my views on drinking. We've all seen the drunken-Sailor shows and movies. We laugh at the guy who pisses himself and the guy who ends up naked hugging a palm tree. I've had some good times under the influence, I will not lie. Alcohol related incidents not only here in Pensacola, but all throughout the fleet, have career and life-ending consequences. Alcohol can turn us into victims, aggressors, and helpless bystanders. Much of this results not only from a lack of poor planning and one's inability to control themselves, but the failure of shipmates to say "You've had enough. You need to stop." (My drunken adventure was MY fault, and mine only. Booze had us all under the spell that night). Just today at the beach I ran into two good friends. They met us at a restaurant because they wanted to escape the drunken escapades of my other friends, who had commenced drinking first thing in the morning. (I need to have a talk with some of these guys).
My point? We, as a society need to be more cognizant of alcohol's collective effect on us. We need to do a better job of looking out for each other. If you're in the military, you know how often mando alcohol training periods are lectures are shoved down our throats. What counts on the dance floor, bar, beach, etc. is friends looking out for each other. I realized that the moments I enjoyed most with alcohol were sipping a Corona with my Dad in the summer while cooking on the grill, having a nice Guinness with a steak, or a glass of wine with my Mom. Not drinking to the point of oblivion.
