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2-3 beers = in the zone
Old 03-19-2009, 09:12 PM   #1
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2-3 beers = in the zone

Curious if this is common among you fine people, so I'll open this topic that probably makes me sound much more pathetic than it should.

There are various activities that (for me at least) lend themselves very well to some minor alcohol consumption. It's a fine line mind you, too little doesn't work and too much you've blown it. I can give a few examples off the top of my head:

1. Public speaking. Sober I'm nervous and it shows, drunk I'm an idiot, but give me 2-3 beers and I'm comfortable yet lucid enough to do fine as first man at the wedding, etc.

2. Sports that aren't really sports. Bowling, golf, darts, pool, stuff like that. No nervousness just smooth flowing muscle memory and instinct.

3. Video games. Probably belongs in category #2 above, and way more applicable 8-10 years ago when I played a lot more. If I had a few but not too much I was a machine in Unreal Tournament, would get in an unbelievable zone.

4. Foreign language. I can respond using a language I've learned much smoother with a couple in me, not sure why.

Sure there are obvious exceptions, like the general rule that I'm always a better dancer the more I drink with no limit but forget heart disease I promote moderate drinking at the path to excellent performance for certain tasks.

Carry on.
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Old 03-19-2009, 09:15 PM   #2
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Im better at sex with a few drinks in me.


Or at least I think so...badadada bump! bing
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Old 03-19-2009, 09:17 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by tiuxiu View Post
Curious if this is common among you fine people, so I'll open this topic that probably makes me sound much more pathetic than it should.

There are various activities that (for me at least) lend themselves very well to some minor alcohol consumption. It's a fine line mind you, too little doesn't work and too much you've blown it. I can give a few examples off the top of my head:

1. Public speaking. Sober I'm nervous and it shows, drunk I'm an idiot, but give me 2-3 beers and I'm comfortable yet lucid enough to do fine as first man at the wedding, etc.

2. Sports that aren't really sports. Bowling, golf, darts, pool, stuff like that. No nervousness just smooth flowing muscle memory and instinct.

3. Video games. Probably belongs in category #2 above, and way more applicable 8-10 years ago when I played a lot more. If I had a few but not too much I was a machine in Unreal Tournament, would get in an unbelievable zone.

4. Foreign language. I can respond using a language I've learned much smoother with a couple in me, not sure why.

Sure there are obvious exceptions, like the general rule that I'm always a better dancer the more I drink with no limit but forget heart disease I promote moderate drinking at the path to excellent performance for certain tasks.

Carry on.
I find that alcohol does not make me more effective at anything.. However, a drink or two can make some things more enjoyable.
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Old 03-19-2009, 09:26 PM   #4
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1) socializing. I am a pretty shy person and a few drinks loosen me up enough to help me come out of my shell.

2) flying. I am a nervous flyer so a few drinks, especially on those long intercontinental flights, help to calm me down.

3) foreign language too! That's a weird one but it's true, a few drinks help me get more...hum... fluent!
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Old 03-19-2009, 09:34 PM   #5
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Carry on.
Are these your perceptions or other people's?
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Old 03-19-2009, 10:57 PM   #6
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2) flying. I am a nervous flyer so a few drinks, especially on those long intercontinental flights, help to calm me down.
Do the nice flight attendants bring your drinks to the cockpit?
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Old 03-20-2009, 04:48 AM   #7
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Im better at sex with a few drinks in me.


Or at least I think so...badadada bump! bing
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Old 03-20-2009, 06:47 AM   #8
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Old 03-20-2009, 07:07 AM   #9
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I dance much better with a few beers. However, I cannot pole dance under the influence, because I would likely kill myself.
I am a great (hula) hooper with some beers in me.
Not having a foreign language, I cannot tell you if it would improve my communications beyond: dos cervezas por favor.
All of my public speaking experiences have been stone cold sober--I don't think I could manage otherwise.
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Old 03-20-2009, 07:12 AM   #10
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Historically, the two activities for me where 2-3 beers is the "sweet spot" would be bowling and shooting pool. But after about three beers, performance in both takes a rather quick dive.
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Old 03-20-2009, 07:48 AM   #11
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Are these your perceptions or other people's?
Exactly.

People seem to think they are a whole lot better at things (and just a whole lot cooler in general) than they really are, once they have a couple of drinks in them.
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Old 03-20-2009, 08:27 AM   #12
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I'm younger and better looking after a few, irresistible to women half my age

Or so I apparently believe.

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Old 03-20-2009, 08:29 AM   #13
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I'm younger and better looking after a few, irresistible to women half my age

Or so I apparently believe.
As the saying goes, beer makes a '2' at 10 look like a '10' at 2...
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Old 03-20-2009, 08:40 AM   #14
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As the saying goes, beer makes a '2' at 10 look like a '10' at 2...
Also known as coyote love.....
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Old 03-20-2009, 08:48 AM   #15
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Also known as coyote love.....
And then there's the marketing slogan: "Beer. Helping ugly people get some action since 1852."
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"Hey, for every ten dollars, that's another hour that I have to be in the work place. That's an hour of my life. And my life is a very finite thing. I have only 'x' number of hours left before I'm dead. So how do I want to use these hours of my life? Do I want to use them just spending it on more crap and more stuff, or do I want to start getting a handle on it and using my life more intelligently?" -- Joe Dominguez (1938 - 1997)
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Old 03-20-2009, 08:59 AM   #16
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I don't believe it's a perception thing, unless you believe I can't read a better golf or bowling score after a couple beers. Same with foreign language I've had people tell me I'm sounding better and asking if I've been hitting the books only to regress to stuttering long pause mode later in a more sober moment.

The "sports that aren't really sports" deal is probably just because you don't think as much so the instinct with muscle memory makes your performance roll without nervousness/excitement interfering. Probably same with video games.

Public speaking probably just calms nerves that would make delivery more awkward.

Like other poster said there is definitely a limit and it's not linear, you pass it and you're a mess. It also doesn't work with things like basketball where you really have to move athletically.
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Old 03-20-2009, 09:01 AM   #17
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"Beer. Helping ugly people get some action since 1852."
Beer. Helping white guys dance since 1842.
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Old 03-20-2009, 09:10 AM   #18
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Beer. Helping white guys dance since 1842.
It's been a lot longer than that

And to the OP, I agree with you that beer does make me better at some things. Magically it also makes me not care if that is just my perception.
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Old 03-20-2009, 09:47 AM   #19
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If I have two or three beers, everyone else seems to have more talent....
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Old 03-20-2009, 10:01 AM   #20
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Couple beverages definately helps the golf swing ... couple more and it all goes down hill, thou
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