less work; more booze?

[brett]

Two days into a 750ml bottle of Argentine Malbec. About 40 percent left. It will last another day and a bit. Unless DW decides to cook with it. Plus a beer twice this week after a long hike on a hot day. It went down a treat!

That is about my average. A bottle lasts anywhere from 3-4 days.

Is it toxic? Don't know, don't care. Ditto for high test coffee.

Probably less toxic that some of the processed foods and diet drinks that others stuff down their throats with alarming regularity.

My father drank the same amout of red wine every day as I do in retirement from age 59 until his passing 15 years ago at age 88. Claimed it was good for his heart.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Two days into a 750ml bottle of Argentine Malbec. About 40 percent left. It will last another day and a bit. Unless DW decides to cook with it. Plus a beer twice this week after a long hike on a hot day. It went down a treat!

That is about my average. A bottle lasts anywhere from 3-4 days.

Is it toxic? Don't know, don't care. Ditto for high test coffee.

Probably less toxic that some of the processed foods and diet drinks that others stuff down their throats with alarming regularity.

My father drank the same amout of red wine every day as I do in retirement from age 59 until his passing 15 years ago at age 88. Claimed it was good for his heart.

You definitely don’t drink enough to be harmful. Twice a week I have a small piece of cake with ice cream. Definitely not healthy but it’s a treat I look forward to. I don’t have a weight problem or diabetes so going to treat myself occasionally.

 

[Koolau]

Right! None of us get out of here alive, so - in moderation - we need to enjoy the ride. (Heh, heh, name your poison. Mine is diet soda but YMMV.)

 

[reneeh63]

I've always been more into cocktails than beer or wine but I don't drink often and am really a lightweight. I think it might be fun to look into fancy "mocktails" that are interesting flavors but have no alcohol. I suppose it would be easy enough to add vodka or a liqueur but otherwise very minimal impact. When out socially it seems like a good way to take part without imbibing.

 

[twirler]

As I mentioned in another thread, I am retiring at the end of 2024, but I am not working very much this year ... coasting into full retirement. One thing I have noticed, as I work less, is that I seem to be drinking more alcohol. Not drinking excessively (or at least not what I consider excessively), and never getting drunk, but a bit more than in the past. I guess now something like 10-15 drinks per week. I was talking yesterday, after pickleball, with a guy who retired a few years ago, and he mentioned that after his retirement, he started drinking more -- and had to make a conscious effort to cut back. He said he just had more free time, and so when it was 5:30 pm and he had nothing pressing to do, might as well pour a drink. And then a glass of wine -- or two -- with dinner -- and before you know it, you are at 3 drinks per day. I don't have a history of addiction -- and every once in a while I have no drinks for a week -- just to show myself that I can. So I am not too concerned about this. But I wonder whether others here found that when your work disappeared, your drinking increased?

I’ll get philosophical with you.

I’ve always held to the maxim that a person who lacks purpose distracts themselves with pleasure.

There’s nothing wrong with pleasure. Id make the argument that denying yourself something is greater evidence that it has a hold over you than indulging once and awhile.

So, the question becomes how much and when?

I personally say drink for the flavor. Want a tasty beverage have one. Don’t enjoy the flavor; then why are you drinking it?

When should you stop? When enough is enough. The point of imbibing is to enjoy your drink, when it becomes about being intoxicated then you are enjoying it for the wrong reason.

Now if intoxication is a happy side effect from having a drink that’s all well an good, but it certainly shouldn’t be the goal.

All these opinions are shared knowing some people are easily addicted to things. If you know that’s who you are than do yourself a favor… never pick it up to begin with. The same thing could be said for gambling, merryjane, sex(without the explicit purpose of having children or bonding with your spouse,) or for that matter anything else of an elicit nature.

 

[FindingForward]

I've always been more into cocktails than beer or wine but I don't drink often and am really a lightweight. I think it might be fun to look into fancy "mocktails" that are interesting flavors but have no alcohol. I suppose it would be easy enough to add vodka or a liqueur but otherwise very minimal impact. When out socially it seems like a good way to take part without imbibing.

I'd love to order mocktails, but I've found almost all have a lot of added sugar from the processed commercial mixes they use....just as bad as the alcohol.

If they made them with only fresh ingredients and no added sugar, I bet it would be awesome.

 

[rembrandt]

One Drink Is Too Many and a Thousand Never Enough.​

 

[Koogie]

Some people enjoy beer, wine and spirits. Others don't.

Because you don't like alcohol, can't handle it or know others who have a problem with it isn't really a good reason to denigrate it or those of us who enjoy it.

Chacun a son gout

 

[Koolau]

Some people enjoy beer, wine and spirits. Others don't.

Because you don't like alcohol, can't handle it or know others who have a problem with it isn't really a good reason to denigrate it or those of us who enjoy it.

Chacun a son gout

Agreed. Do you own thing and let others do their thing (heh, heh, just don't drink and drive, please.)

 

[Jeffman52]

So maybe we should be trying 10mg THC gummies instead of the alcohol. Live your life the way you want and accept the consequences without remorse.

Trying a 10mg seltzer tonight. Gonna drink half wait an hour and finish it. Smoked pot from age 16 until about 30, outside of getting stoned when a friend would bring one when fishing. I quit when I got a job that did tests amd kept that job until retirement. So its been a while. But looking forward to some of the new options now that its finally legal here.

 

[Helen]

THC use is directly linked to heart failures.

I have had horrible insomnia since hormone changes began 20 years ago. About a month ago I took a couple of hits off a joint after dinner with a friend. I slept like a baby. I did it again the next night with the same result. Again the next night and I slept for 10 hours straight!!!

My nightly routine is now to take a couple of tokes around 6pm the eat 1/2 a THC/CBD/CBN gummy an hour later. I have consistently been sleeping well. I have no doubt being severely sleep deprived is much worse for my body and mind than whatever effects the pot has. The only drawback for me is that I can't drive after using so I plan around it.

I had tried gummies before, but I ate it right before bed and I would be awake giggling all night. The key for me was giving it four hours to mellow me out before going to bed.

 

[rembrandt]

Since I cannot drink alcohol anymore, I tried to smoke a joint instead. Big mistake! It gave me a major anxiety attack. It took about 3 hours to wear off.

 

[Shanky]

This thread really hits home, so I thought I should chime in. I have a younger brother, in his mid-50’s who now needs a new liver. His drinking was functional while he was working, but picked up during down periods. He is a “quite” drunk, so it was hard to tell unless you paid attention.

About 6 months ago, his abdomen swelled up, he gained 40+ pounds and he started feeling really poorly. We talked him in to going to the doctor. They ran a bunch of tests. He had Acites, esophageal varices, high Bilirubin & Liver enzymes. After some ultrasounds, draining, liver biopsy etc along with nearly 2 weeks in the hospital, he told us he has a failing liver due to Alcoholic Cirrosis. He is now connected with a transplant team, but his MELD score is low 20’s, not enough to move to the top of a transplant list. He is back home, medically stable but total liver failure without a transplant is nearly inevitable.

This story is not to put a downer on things, but it is a cautionary tale. Even if you are “functional” and outwardly healthy, you could be further down the road to liver failure than you realize. Yes, my brother did drink too much. But he held high paying jobs, never appeared to be out of control etc. At the end of the day, the body can only handle so much. (This is probably more for the 21+ drinks a week crowd as opposed to a couple glasses of wine a couple nights a week.

Update,

Unfortunately my brother has been hospitalized a half dozen times since July. Liver is worse, his MELD score is near 30 now. He has high ammonia levels along with the other cirrhosis related issues. Sunday, the doctor suggested he get his affairs in order and a Priest has been called. He turned years 57 years old in September.

Everyone can choose the live their lives on their terms. Unfortunately those choices can impact others who are close to them in unforeseen ways. He has no more money, his medical issues, late night emergency room visits and associated costs are now on his siblings, in laws and elderly parents. He intended none of this, but it is what it is.

Just consider this a cautionary tale if you have a problem, and your liver is starting to be impacted. At that point, you really cannot gauge when you will pass the point of no return. If my brother had stopped drinking before his cirrhosis became uncompensated, he could have recovered. Now his fate is up to getting a new liver before he is too sick to benefit. Things do not look good at this point.

 

[twirler]

Update,

Unfortunately my brother has been hospitalized a half dozen times since July. Liver is worse, his MELD score is near 30 now. He has high ammonia levels along with the other cirrhosis related issues. Sunday, the doctor suggested he get his affairs in order and a Priest has been called. He turned years 57 years old in September.

Everyone can choose the live their lives on their terms. Unfortunately those choices can impact others who are close to them in unforeseen ways. He has no more money, his medical issues, late night emergency room visits and associated costs are now on his siblings, in laws and elderly parents. He intended none of this, but it is what it is.

Just consider this a cautionary tale if you have a problem, and your liver is starting to be impacted. At that point, you really cannot gauge when you will pass the point of no return. If my brother had stopped drinking before his cirrhosis became uncompensated, he could have recovered. Now his fate is up to getting a new liver before he is too sick to benefit. Things do not look good at this point.

This is the sort of thing that I find horrifyingly conflicting, because on one level, the 20 year old libratarian in my says “do what makes you happy so long as you don’t hurt someone else.” Then, the 40 year old father in me says, “ what’s wrong with you not only do people love you, but you are part of a society; be more responsible!”

Life is complicated.

 

[Out of Steam]

Since I cannot drink alcohol anymore, I tried to smoke a joint instead. Big mistake! It gave me a major anxiety attack. It took about 3 hours to wear off.

Weed never agreed with me as a teen. After smoking it more times than I should have, probably 20 or more, I stopped because I was anxious and too much inside my own head, which I didn't need a drug to feel.

I have no interest in trying it again.

 

[Jeffman52]

Trying a 10mg seltzer tonight. Gonna drink half wait an hour and finish it. Smoked pot from age 16 until about 30, outside of getting stoned when a friend would bring one when fishing. I quit when I got a job that did tests and kept that job until retirement. So its been a while. But looking forward to some of the new options now that its finally legal here.

So, I meant to update this. 10mg was a bit much for someone with low tolerance. I was more stoned than I expected. I became very self aware including being very aware of my tinnitus, and I had cottonmouth like mad. But outside of that, its not much fun being that stoned when you are the only one stoned. I have since tried some 2.5mg and 5mg. The 2.5 is the best for me for just relaxing and getting a good nights sleep. 5mg isn't bad if I want to get a good buzz.

 

[brett]

I am a huge fan of MYOB.

Never had much time for busybodies!

 

[RetiredHappy]

Update,

Unfortunately my brother has been hospitalized a half dozen times since July. Liver is worse, his MELD score is near 30 now. He has high ammonia levels along with the other cirrhosis related issues. Sunday, the doctor suggested he get his affairs in order and a Priest has been called. He turned years 57 years old in September.

Everyone can choose the live their lives on their terms. Unfortunately those choices can impact others who are close to them in unforeseen ways. He has no more money, his medical issues, late night emergency room visits and associated costs are now on his siblings, in laws and elderly parents. He intended none of this, but it is what it is.

Just consider this a cautionary tale if you have a problem, and your liver is starting to be impacted. At that point, you really cannot gauge when you will pass the point of no return. If my brother had stopped drinking before his cirrhosis became uncompensated, he could have recovered. Now his fate is up to getting a new liver before he is too sick to benefit. Things do not look good at this point.

Thank you for sharing. I haven't consumed alcohol for more than 20 years when I had a couple of binge drinking sessions and the last one just turned me off alcohol entirely. We have a close friend who is an alcholic and he denies it. He goes through 2 bottles of wine every evening and another couple of glasses of wine for lunch. His liver and kidney numbers are not good and he declares that they were caused by statins and painkillers for his gout. He said only those who are on hard liquor cause organ damage. His wife just lets him do whatever. His doctor told him that he should get on kidney dialysis and he denied that his kidneys were that damaged.

 

[Sunset]

Thank you for sharing. I haven't consumed alcohol for more than 20 years when I had a couple of binge drinking sessions and the last one just turned me off alcohol entirely. We have a close friend who is an alcholic and he denies it. He goes through 2 bottles of wine every evening and another couple of glasses of wine for lunch. His liver and kidney numbers are not good and he declares that they were caused by statins and painkillers for his gout. He said only those who are on hard liquor cause organ damage. His wife just lets him do whatever. His doctor told him that he should get on kidney dialysis and he denied that his kidneys were that damaged.

Sounds a lot like my Cousin who died years ago ~ age 60.
He always laughed at people who "couldn't hold their booze" and acted drunk.
He was proud he didn't seem drunk when drinking. Of course he had a few car accidents and couldn't hold a "real" job.

 

[Out of Steam]

Less than a drink per day.

Over 30 years ago, I was advised by someone who was a recovering alcoholic that an average of one drink a day was a good limit for safe drinking. A few years later, I actually started following that limit, and have drank that or less since.

 

[Scuba]

We drink less than we did pre-retirement. Partly this is due to health reasons and weight management. Also, more than 1-2 drinks used to not be that unusual over the course of an evening, but now that I’ve cut back, I find I don’t feel as energetic the next day even if I only have a couple of drinks the night before. DH has completely stopped all alcohol consumption, which also impacts my desire for it.

 

[Shanky]

Update,

Unfortunately my brother has been hospitalized a half dozen times since July. Liver is worse, his MELD score is near 30 now. He has high ammonia levels along with the other cirrhosis related issues. Sunday, the doctor suggested he get his affairs in order and a Priest has been called. He turned years 57 years old in September.

Everyone can choose the live their lives on their terms. Unfortunately those choices can impact others who are close to them in unforeseen ways. He has no more money, his medical issues, late night emergency room visits and associated costs are now on his siblings, in laws and elderly parents. He intended none of this, but it is what it is.

Just consider this a cautionary tale if you have a problem, and your liver is starting to be impacted. At that point, you really cannot gauge when you will pass the point of no return. If my brother had stopped drinking before his cirrhosis became uncompensated, he could have recovered. Now his fate is up to getting a new liver before he is too sick to benefit. Things do not look good at this point.

Unfortunately, my youngest brother passed earlier this week. His suffering is done. He was in the process of attempting to get on the transplant list. On Monday his Doctors determined he was too sick to survive a transplant surgery. Tuesday he was transferred to Hospice and he passed early AM Wednesday. I know this is a bummer to have a stranger share this. If one person who has a drinking problem decides to get help, this is worth it. You don’t need to be a “skid row” bum to die of cirrhosis. It does happen to otherwise successful people, who do not get “falling down drunk”. No one knew he was sick until his cirrhosis became uncompensated earlier this year.

 

[brett]

I never drank alcohol at company events. When entertaining clients I would only have one drink.

I saw a few too many embarassing situations at company events and worse still client entertainment.

Worst clients I ever had were alcoholics. I remember being in an elevator with one client and his boss. Client gets out the elevator. We keep going down....his boss, who I had an excellent relationship with, turns to me and says so and so always smells of two things. Stale booze or fresh booze. He was packaged out the following week.

 

[Calico]

Unfortunately, my youngest brother passed earlier this week. His suffering is done. He was in the process of attempting to get on the transplant list. On Monday his Doctors determined he was too sick to survive a transplant surgery. Tuesday he was transferred to Hospice and he passed early AM Wednesday. I know this is a bummer to have a stranger share this. If one person who has a drinking problem decides to get help, this is worth it. You don’t need to be a “skid row” bum to die of cirrhosis. It does happen to otherwise successful people, who do not get “falling down drunk”. No one knew he was sick until his cirrhosis became uncompensated earlier this year.

I am sorry for your loss. It would be difficult at any time, but I can only imagine how hard it is for you and your family to have it happen one week before Christmas.