Live data from Hacker News

On why I gave up drinking in my early twenties

oscargws.substack.com

91–100 of 170 posts

Re: On why I gave up drinking in my early twenties

#91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What were in these cocktails? Gold and gemstones? The (really good, fairly pricey, good service) cocktail bars that I have gone to in SF and NYC charge less than $17 for their normal cocktails (and the only one I've seen that had a $30 price tag was because it used Remy Martin XO)

gone to in 2010

I literally can't find anything on a menu of any bay area cocktail bars that is more than $17. Trick dog, true laurel, pagan idol, smugglers cove, house of shields, etc. Most are $15 or less.

I can find the occasional $18 drink in Manhattan.

Re: On why I gave up drinking in my early twenties

#92

Tracking my sleep (via Apple Watch + AutoSleep app) has helped me drink a lot less. It's very noticeable if I have more than one drink.

I noticed the same, and seeing the calander with red yellow and green days makes it easy to see how well I’m doing (plus drinking or not getting a good nights sleep is super important)

Re: On why I gave up drinking in my early twenties

#94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

gone to in 2010

I literally can't find anything on a menu of any bay area cocktail bars that is more than $17. Trick dog, true laurel, pagan idol, smugglers cove, house of shields, etc. Most are $15 or less. I can find the occasional $18 drink in Manhattan.

15-16-18, does it really matter? You were all "gold and gemstones" Anyway, you're going to tip, right?

Re: On why I gave up drinking in my early twenties

#95
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can say it helped me in my early 20's. I was "in my shell" up until I started going to bars and dance clubs once I hit about 21 to 22. Having just enough alcohol in me to not be shy helped build a social group, but it was still fun to go out even on nights that I would stick to soda or water. However depending on the bar I went to, some of them were more pleasant if I was drinking. When I was sober, I really couldn…

Absolutely helped me in my 20’s. I was severely repressed, and alcohol in moderation felt like it basically “unlocked” me. I actually have a pet theory that the people who evolved to tolerate alcohol (and not die from it or misadventure via it) actually depend on it to “fully be themselves” because the cost of this is being LESS daring etc. (basically having an overabundance of self control) while sober. I’m a softwa…

I thought alcohol was helping me in my 20’s - just like I thought I was a high functioning alcoholic by the end of said 20’s.

In actuality, my consumption had slowly (but dramatically) lowered my standards on _everything_. My daily routines had all but evaporated. I was in a constant rush, phoning in virtually everything in my life - all while planning for the next drink.

Took 30 days of sobriety to realize the sauce had robbed me of 15 years of my life. I can count on one hand the number of events in hindsight actually _better_ due to alcohol’s presence. Turns out most gatherings begin awkward - with or without alcohol.

Alcohol is a scourge. It suffocated my values and turned me into someone I was not. Unsurprising [0]”Criminal activity is more closely linked to the use of alcohol than any other drug.”

Fascinating “Pet Theory” that would surely electrify a room of bev alc marketers.

[0] Esser, M., Sherk, A., Liu, Y., Naimi, T.S., Stockwell, T., Stahre, M., Kanny, D., Landen, M., Saitz, R., and Brewer, R.D. (2020). Deaths and years of potential life lost from excessive alcohol use-United States, 2011-2015. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep, 69 (30): 981-987.

Re: On why I gave up drinking in my early twenties

#96
post #60

I never tried alcohol and never felt compelled to. As a kid I wondered what's happening with those drunk people I had a chance to see. So I read some books in library about alcohol (my mother was librarian, so that was my internet back then). It all just made sense and I decided that don't want to even try. I was asked to try alcohol by parents and relatives, I was ridiculed and insulted by classmates (drinking someh…

Where are you from and where do you live?

My impression is the USA has the worst drinking culture. Many other places in the world have much better ones. UK pubs, Japanese izakayas.

I had a pretty negative view of drinking growing up in the USA with MADD's messaging etc. Even though my parents drank socially it just seemed not worth.

Then I moved abroad and my outlook changed

Here's an interesting talk on some of the possible benefits to society of drinking

https://longnow.org/ideas/drinking-10000-years-intoxication-...

note: I am not suggesting you should go drink. Rather, I'm only passing on my experience. I didn't drink until I moved abroad in my mid 30s. I still generally don't drink in the USA but I've had some great times drinking abroad.

I experienced those "benefits" outside the USA but rarely inside.

Re: On why I gave up drinking in my early twenties

#99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I literally can't find anything on a menu of any bay area cocktail bars that is more than $17. Trick dog, true laurel, pagan idol, smugglers cove, house of shields, etc. Most are $15 or less. I can find the occasional $18 drink in Manhattan.

15-16-18, does it really matter? You were all "gold and gemstones" Anyway, you're going to tip, right?

I mean until they're $17 pre-tip, your drink is under $20.

And yeah, most good cocktail bars except the absolute fanciest (like, nationally known) are running at half the price this person was saying. It's in incredible exaggeration.

Re: On why I gave up drinking in my early twenties

#100
post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your not drinking enough. There all the same eventually. Although, I'll pay that the severity hangover can differ pretty widely.

Obviously in terms of the overall contents they are not the same - even eventually. Alcohol contents can be the same but the rest of the drink can not be discarded from the equation. For example, my body react poorly to high amounts of sugar, so drinking a sugary cocktail is vastly different from a shot of tequila. Beer instantly makes me feel bloated, so if I drink 2 pints of beer to match a glass of scotch, I will…

Like I said, your not drinking enough.
Post reply on HN