Awkward Wealth

[eta2020]

"Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.”


― Ernest Hemingway

And this guy (papa) knew how to drink

 

[NW-Bound]

Beethoven´s Best Friend/The wine that Beethoven loved so much/History

Intelligent people like wine. It is not easy to be intelligent..........

And I like Cognac, distilled from wine to a concentration of 80 proof, and then aged for a decade until it is so smooooth...

Actually, spirits can be as high as 140 proof after distilling. This allows for alcohol loss by seepage through the casks, ending up at 80 proof when it is bottled.

"Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.”
― Ernest Hemingway

And this guy (papa) knew how to drink

So, they drink to a stupor, reducing their intelligence till the point of happiness. Yes, we all have seen that often, even in people without surplus intelligence when still sober.

Corollary: The dumber you get, the happier you are.

 

[CaliforniaMan]

And I like Cognac, distilled from wine to a concentration of 80 proof, and then aged for a decade until it is so smooooth...

So, they drink to a stupor, reducing their intelligence till the point of happiness. Yes, we all have seen that often, even in people without surplus intelligence when still sober.

Corollary: The dumber you get, the happier you are.

And they say alcohol is a depressant!

 

[eta2020]

Yes there is a correlation between intelligence and alcohol consumption. (I am not sure about happiness). That is to say fact that Beethoven or Hemingway were alcoholics is not overly surprising to me (given my age and acceptance of things)

Why Intelligent People Drink More Alcohol | Psychology Today

But Hemingway's depression was in the way hereditary disease that plagued his family...probably not related to his intelligence.

 

[NW-Bound]

And they say alcohol is a depressant!

It surely depresses! We are still talking about intelligence here, aren't we?

But it makes people do this.

 

[NW-Bound]

Yes there is a correlation between intelligence and alcohol consumption. (I am not sure about happiness). That is to say fact that Beethoven or Hemingway were alcoholics is not overly surprising to me (given my age and acceptance of things)

Why Intelligent People Drink More Alcohol | Psychology Today

But Hemingway's depression was in the way hereditary disease that plagued his family...probably not related to his intelligence.

I did not know these bums sleeping on sidewalk were all former Mensa members. Learn something everyday.

 

[CaliforniaMan]

It surely depresses! We are still talking about intelligence here, aren't we?

But it makes people do this.

Okay, got it, depresses intelligence stimulating happiness. Now if I could only decide what I need more and when.

 

[eta2020]

I did not know these bums sleeping on sidewalk were all former Mensa members. Learn something everyday.

it could be.....

 

[NW-Bound]

Okay, got it, depresses intelligence stimulating happiness. Now if I could only decide what I need more and when.

Well, remember the phrase "fat, dumb, and happy"? Folk wisdom...

So, you need to eat more bacon too.

 

[Walt34]

I did not know these bums sleeping on sidewalk were all former Mensa members. Learn something everyday.

That's why I enjoy this forum.

 

[eta2020]

"You, Mr Churchill, are drunk."

"And you, Lady Astor, are ugly. But I shall be sober in the morning."

 

[CaliforniaMan]

What is happiness worth anyway, it can't buy you money.

 

[Chuckanut]

Silly me! For a while I thought fortified wine referred to a plan to put vitamins into wine so as to improve the nutrition of the [-]bums[/-] street people.

 

[NW-Bound]

What is happiness worth anyway, it can't buy you money.

But it lets you forget you don't have it?

Well, you still need $3 for a bottle of Night Train, but I think that with an investment of a cardboard sign, you can get enough for a fix in less than 1 hour, if you choose the right intersection.

 

[Amethyst]

Reminds me of a coffee cup I saw on someone's desk: "Yeah, I'm Fat. But You're Ugly, and I Can Diet." .

Amethyst

"You, Mr Churchill, are drunk."

"And you, Lady Astor, are ugly. But I shall be sober in the morning."

 

[HFWR]

A bottle of Everclear, a spirit that is almost pure grain alcohol at 151 proof can be purchased for $18 at Bevmo, and used mostly to mix drink. The price works out to $32/liter of ethanol.

Everclear can also be had at 190 proof. Useful for trash-can punch...

 

[Sarah in SC]

Ah, HFWR, that reminded me of a central feature in my and DH's early courtship...the consumption of a copious amount of something romantically called "Gator Spit", which contained in roughly equal portions: questionably cheap vodka, Cheerwine, and Hawaiian Punch.
Ah, good times.

 

[MichaelB]

the consumption of a copious amount of something romantically called "Gator Spit", which contained in roughly equal portions: questionably cheap vodka, Cheerwine, and Hawaiian Punch.
Ah, good times.

Ugh. That stuff sounds disgusting. Strangely, though, I can see how consuming it early on can lead to a long lasting, close and tender relationship.

 

[HFWR]

Ah, HFWR, that reminded me of a central feature in my and DH's early courtship...the consumption of a copious amount of something romantically called "Gator Spit", which contained in roughly equal portions: questionably cheap vodka, Cheerwine, and Hawaiian Punch.
Ah, good times.

Our usual concoction of Everclear (or, alternatively, Golden Grain) and HP "Tropical Fruit Punch" was nicknamed "Purple Jesus".

Ugh. That stuff sounds disgusting. Strangely, though, I can see how consuming it early on can lead to a long lasting, close and tender relationship.

(Apologies for any "commercial" ads...)

 

[FUEGO]

Ah, HFWR, that reminded me of a central feature in my and DH's early courtship...the consumption of a copious amount of something romantically called "Gator Spit", which contained in roughly equal portions: questionably cheap vodka, Cheerwine, and Hawaiian Punch.
Ah, good times.

That might actually be cheaper per unit than Night Train, Boone's Farm, and the other maladies listed here. $14 for six liters of gator spit at a 13.3% alcohol concentration versus $3-4 per 3/4 liter for the fortified wines. Gator spit = $1.75 per 750 mL (or "fifth" as many call it).

 

[FUEGO]

But it lets you forget you don't have it?

Well, you still need $3 for a bottle of Night Train, but I think that with an investment of a cardboard sign, you can get enough for a fix in less than 1 hour, if you choose the right intersection.

This would be a great marketing campaign for the homeless demographic. "$3 for Night Train; cheaper than a blanket but still keeps you warm at night"

 

[Amethyst]

Thus bringing us back nicely to the thread topic. Gator Spit probably promotes awkward behavior, but it's cheap, so it also promotes wealth!

Amethyst

That might actually be cheaper per unit than Night Train, Boone's Farm, and the other maladies listed here. $14 for six liters of gator spit at a 13.3% alcohol concentration versus $3-4 per 3/4 liter for the fortified wines. Gator spit = $1.75 per 750 mL (or "fifth" as many call it).

 

[steelyman]

Ah, HFWR, that reminded me of a central feature in my and DH's early courtship...the consumption of a copious amount of something romantically called "Gator Spit", which contained in roughly equal portions: questionably cheap vodka, Cheerwine, and Hawaiian Punch.
Ah, good times.

That is funny! We use names for each other (Night Train is one, but not mine), I don't know if anyone wants to be Gator Spit.

 

[NW-Bound]

Thanks to the Internet (and an inquisitive mind), I have caught up in the knowledge of bum wines after decades of ignorance in a sheltered life, once I invested a few hours surfing and googling.

The thing I have not done is to taste [-]them[/-] one myself. Except for Boone's Farm, which is quite tame and not really a bum wine, I have not seen the infamous 5 in the earlier lineup for sale anywhere. Perhaps I simply was not paying attention. I also want to check the prices, as some sites say the going price of some can be a lot lower than the $3 I saw.

But then, as I saw that I might have to go to stores like the one below to acquire a bottle, I changed my mind. From all the Web reviews, I can have a close fascimile by lacing my cherry-flavored cough syrup to 18 proof. And I can even imagine the taste, and save the trouble (would be kind of hard to explain to DW what I was trying to concoct).

 

[Sarah in SC]

That might actually be cheaper per unit than Night Train, Boone's Farm, and the other maladies listed here. $14 for six liters of gator spit at a 13.3% alcohol concentration versus $3-4 per 3/4 liter for the fortified wines. Gator spit = $1.75 per 750 mL (or "fifth" as many call it).

That DH was always a frugal rascal when it came to such. And remember, considering I was technically underage (sshhhhh, don't tell anyone), I was quite easily (though not actually easy, mind you) impressed by such inventive drinks mixing.

Must have worked, it has been 25 years since then. Though I've been known to plug a watermelon with a bottle of cheap rum a time or two. That's a whole 'nother kinda madness.