103 replies to this topic

[Mitchfork]

Everclear is the best. don't drink it unless you are a superhero like I am.

Sorry, I'll stay away from the rubbing alcohol, haha.

[Shane]

What if you make friends with a serial killer?

Um, I doubt it.

... was that directed at me? Of course you can say a game isn't fun - you're playing the game! But if you've never experienced playing games then you can't say whether or not you enjoy playing games. Why is this so hard to understand?

Just so you know that part was referring to Sheik91.

[ShadowTiger]

I've had tequila. Wasn't too bad. It was like drinking disgustingly thick hot air. Then I put some in a milkshake, and regretted it. But no real effect from it aside from a vast increase in body heat. Yet another thing I can't stand. ... ... haha, the sweat smily. Cute. Yes, very accurate indeed.

Schwa - I actually feel very, very awkward having any sort of attention drawn to myself for any particular reason other than conversational. If the conversation is masked by, well, a mask, it's still awkward. Besides, why spend money to have a conversation when we could just have a conversation? I can be as abnormal or unusual as I want, but I don't want undue attention. Oh and I also wouldn't be caught dead in a fursuit, because I might get so hot I would probably die in the fursuit. Not that that's the only reason.

[Sheik]

So if I find a game completely boring, I'm not aloud to say it isn't fun? So if I'm playing a game of basketball witch people are ruining for others, I'm not aloud to say it isn't fun?
So I'm taking it if I make a game in ZC witch is bad overall people are not aloud to say it isn't fun when really it isn't?

Never said that. You can enjoy whatever you darn well please, but you cannot decide what fun is. "Fun" has a definition by which the term should be used. I doubt (and that's my opinion, though supported with lots of empiristic research) that any definition will get any righter than the definition of fun which brain research offers. Neuroscience is so accurate, it's scary at times.

Edit: Also, making friends with a serial killer is very much possible. Every human is theoretically capable of murder (it's got a lot to do with the circumstances under which the evolution of our brain took place and greater parts of the urge to murder aren't concious or concioussly controlable by the way) so everbody is a potential serial killer. That's not a "bad thing" or whatever, but a simple truth.

Another simple truth is that alcohol (and other drugs) are fun, because they activate and support such brain activity patterns that lead to the emotional state of "fun". I don't get why people insinst on ignoring/denying that fact. It's not like it's any less true just because you were taught and/or believe it's a bad thing. Of course everybody is a little different but our brains work very much the same in case of mentally healthy people and as such most people's brains are "designed" to take enjoyment in "sex, drugs, food and rock 'n' roll". It may be risky to mess with brain activity, but if you are a resposible person, you will be able to control it.
Heck, there's people that consume heroine with such self-control that they can regulary consume without getting addicted to the substance (though I don't recommand it, because heronie makes your brain so happy-crazy that it will over time F*** up the way your brain feels and creates happiness until you cannot feel "quality" happiness without the substance anymore. Also, it's such an amazing feeling that you can get addicted on first consumation in fact).

Edited by Sheik91, 19 October 2011 - 02:13 PM.

[Radien]

I didn't reply because I agree with you for the most part, but a few things I'd like to comment on:

That's good to know. *reads on*

I wouldn't be so quick to jump to that conclusion. That's one possibility, sure, but remember that we're only hearing one (Dawnlight's) side of the argument. Taking into account Dawnlight's posts on this thread - many of which containing irrational fears of drinking (I'm not saying drinking is without risk, I'm just saying it's not nearly as risky as he seems to perceive it) - the "brainwashed" comment might not be that far from the truth. Not that he was "brainwashed" to not engage in common social/recreational activities, but "brainwashed" into thinking alcohol is more dangerous than it is. I'm not saying this is the case - perhaps Dawnlight is just naturally paranoid and overly focus on the negatives, for example - but it's a possibility.

Okay. You have a point. I may have been projecting on Dawnlight's cousin an experience I have had many times. Tthat Dawnlight's cousin might be trying to verify their own drinking is quite possible, perhaps even likely; but not a certainty.

I understand about the "brainwashed" idea, although usually it's a matter of being "scared away" from it. But either way we agree that fear is a problem. It's kinda like fearing knives. Yeah, they can be used to hurt or even kill, but they're just great when used responsibly.

I only nag people when they've already pre-judged something without trying it. I remember an example when I was a kid - I'd just discovered mangoes and fell in love with them. I offered them to my little sister but she refused to try them, claiming "I don't like them!" even though she'd never tasted one before. She just didn't like "fruit". Later on, our grandma offered us some icecreams - mango icecreams. My sister jumped at the opportunity, because she liked ice cream. She didn't care that it was mango flavour, and she "didn't like" mango - it was freaking ice cream! As it turned out, she loved the ice cream, which convinced her to try the fruit, which she also loved. If only she'd been open-minded enough to try something new back when I first offered it to her she could have discovered she liked mangoes much earlier.

Well, trying to get your sister to stop being hypocritical is a good reason to suggest they try something, but when I say "nag" I mean pushing the topic beyond the realm of reason.

For instance, I used to go to a chat network where they knew I wasn't fond of Link to the Past. It got to the point where when I joined, people would frequently say "RADIEN! Play Link to the Past!!" ...even though I'd already played and completed the entire game. This is why I understand how my sister feels when people repeatedly tell her "try this drink! You might like it!!" while offering her drinks she has already tried before (and didn't like).

But anyway, what constitutes "nagging" IS a judgment call, so I can't really say without knowing the person.

Lol! You haven't lived until you've had a night on tequila! XD That's a pretty good rule of thumb though - especially if you're new to alcohol. Now I don't drink tequila outside of cocktails, mainly because it tastes like death Give me a nice bourbon or rum instead!

Well, I WILL admit that I have heard that "tequila is a harsh mistress," and if you drink any tequila, avoid other drinks for the night. Many of the people who have been "taken out" by tequila probably had other drinks as well. The problem is that I LIKE mixed drinks, so if tequila "tastes like death," I think I had better avoid it. Why drink something you hate when you have other drinks that you enjoy the taste of?

It only causes you grief if 1) you drink WAY too much, and 2) you don't drink enough water. I can't remember the last time I had a hangover, but I've certainly "chug[ged] down" a ton of drinks since then (well, I very rarely "chug", I "drink". It's not high school anymore ).

Yeah. Or sip, even. There is never a good reason to chug.

I know you're inexperienced on the subject (which you should be at your age), but there's a huge difference between "tipsy" (aka "buzzed") and "s***-faced".

Yep. In fact, you might even say there's a significant difference between "tipsy" and "buzzed," depending on how you use those words. Buzzed, to me, implies just *barely* affected enough to feel good, while "tipsy" says "I'm having a little bit of trouble keeping balance."

But in any case, "drunk" means "heavily affected," and "s***-faced" means vomiting and severe hangovers will probably soon follow.

When I was a kid I didn't like beer at all. It's bitter and gross. Later in life I grew to enjoy it, and it's actually really refreshing (I can remember many times when I was hot and sweaty and just dying for a cold beer). I don't drink beer much these days, I prefer spirits and cider, but I still enjoy it. Hate wine though. Never got into it.

I'm going to have to agree, except I STILL don't like beer. I've had people who told me "you just haven't had a good beer," and gave me a "good beer." So I took a sip, and said "yep, I can tell. That's good beer. And I still hate it."

I haven't gotten into wine, either, but the smell can be quite nice, and it is FANTASTIC in food. So yeah, I think wine belongs in cooking.

A good rule of thumb: Drink two full glasses of water before you go to bed on a night you've been drinking. Trust me, you'll be grateful in the morning! Only problem is, often times I forget to drink the water before I pass out.

Yeah, that's a very good idea (although it's a very large amount of water ). The only problem, of course, is that you will wake up once or twice needing to go to the bathroom. But this is a common occurrence (the "drunken stumble to the bathroom" is an age-old tradition), and it'll probably happen anyway since alcohol makes you pee. So you might as well replace that water you're losing.

Everclear is the best. don't drink it unless you are a superhero like I am.

So your superpower is drinking cleaning agents? That's a crappy superpower.

I call Everclear "cheating." If someone mixes a tasty drink, but decides it's not strong enough, they add Everclear to "cheat."

A GOOD brewer (or drink mixer) can create a drink that tastes pretty good AND has a high alcohol content WITHOUT resorting to cheating with Everclear. The end result can be far superior to what you'd get by using shortcuts.

[Geoffrey]

For people worried about hangovers, not everyone gets them. I for one, can testify to that. I've woken up in the morning without a single memory of the past night and felt near-fine.

[Radien]

For people worried about hangovers, not everyone gets them. I for one, can testify to that. I've woken up in the morning without a single memory of the past night and felt near-fine.

Did you throw up?

I have never gotten drunk enough to forget large portions of the evening without first getting sick. Which should also show that different people have memory loss at different points. If I ever get to the point where I fully lose memory of a certain period, that means I went waaaaaay overboard.

[NoeL]

Um, I doubt it.

And I doubt you'll kill someone by getting drunk. What now?

Another simple truth is that alcohol (and other drugs) are fun, because they activate and support such brain activity patterns that lead to the emotional state of "fun". I don't get why people insinst on ignoring/denying that fact.

I don't agree with that. I'd still argue "fun" is a subjective term, and different people find different things fun. I'd like to see your sources for claiming alcohol directly makes fun, because I don't buy it. I think alcohol is good for enabling or facilitating fun, but if you're sitting alone in an empty room it's going to take more than just getting drunk before you have any fun.

Well, trying to get your sister to stop being hypocritical is a good reason to suggest they try something, but when I say "nag" I mean pushing the topic beyond the realm of reason.

For instance, I used to go to a chat network where they knew I wasn't fond of Link to the Past. It got to the point where when I joined, people would frequently say "RADIEN! Play Link to the Past!!" ...even though I'd already played and completed the entire game.

Yeah, that's silly.

if tequila "tastes like death," I think I had better avoid it. Why drink something you hate when you have other drinks that you enjoy the taste of?

Something different. Special occasion. Because it's more challenging. Just because it tastes horrible doesn't mean you can't have fun drinking it. To use another example, let's say you were playing truth or dare and someone dared you to drink a cup of your own piss. Sure it's not something you'd normally do (I assume), and you might not enjoy the actual drinking of it, but it's fun to overcome that challenge. How boring that game would be if people only did dares they enjoyed

it is FANTASTIC in food. So yeah, I think wine belongs in cooking.

Agreed. Only red wine though. I don't really like white wine in food. But red wine in pasta sauces or marinades and stuff is the bomb.

Yeah, that's a very good idea (although it's a very large amount of water ). The only problem, of course, is that you will wake up once or twice needing to go to the bathroom.

Not if you pass out Instead you'll wake up at dawn feeling like your bladder is about to burst.

A GOOD brewer (or drink mixer) can create a drink that tastes pretty good AND has a high alcohol content WITHOUT resorting to cheating with Everclear. The end result can be far superior to what you'd get by using shortcuts.

I have no idea what Everclear is, but I agree with this. The trick to making a good cocktail is to mask the alcohol flavour and bring out the fruit or liqueur flavour (or whatever you're trying to emphasise). Sugar is incredibly effective at neutralising the alcohol flavour - I've had cocktails that are half vodka and don't taste like metho!


RE: Memory loss, the only time I've had serious memory loss was my 21st birthday. I don't think I threw up (which is weird... maybe I just forgot that bit) but I can only remember bits and pieces after we left the bowling club and hit the nightclubs. I remember having a cocktail at one club, and tripping up the stairs at another. The rest of that night is a blank

Edited by NoeL, 19 October 2011 - 08:26 PM.

[Yapollo]

I cannot stand smoking or alcohol at all. I've known people to have attended such get-togethers and they have regretted it. Since I can't even stand the stuff, I would most likely cough unstoppably for several minutes then leave. Such events have zero interest to me, and they only lead to worse memories (sometimes deaths) for those who do attend.

[Sheik]

I don't agree with that. I'd still argue "fun" is a subjective term, and different people find different things fun. I'd like to see your sources for claiming alcohol directly makes fun, because I don't buy it. I think alcohol is good for enabling or facilitating fun, but if you're sitting alone in an empty room it's going to take more than just getting drunk before you have any fun.
Yeah, that's silly.

Good point. I will have to read into this, but I agree on this. I assume it has something to do with the chemicals the drug is made off, so alcohol is fun mostly because it slows your metabolism down (thusly fear and depressive thoughts and emotions get rarely noticed anymore among other effects) which in return makes get-togethers much more enjoyable, whereas marihuana for instance works sort of "directly" over the THC the drug contains (which will in one way or another mess with serotonine and dopamine, I don't have the exact mechanic at the top of my head right now). Though I am quite certain that there's some kind of direct "happy-effect" to alcohol, too, just in another way. Have to look into it.

[NoeL]

I've known people to have attended such get-togethers and they have regretted it.

I've known people to have attended such get-togethers and they have enjoyed it - and I'm sure you do too.

So you know some people enjoy it, some people don't. What now?

[Lemon]

Alcohol is "fun" because for many people it strips away that immediate voice that says "hey, this is a bad idea". For hanging out with friends, this is almost always awesome because you get to see new sides of them, and often times it ends in a cuddle puddle of drunken bliss.

At parties the same is true. Whereas people might be "hm... he's cute, but I don't have the nerve to talk to him" usually, with booze they'll be swing dancing in no time.

This can also be bad, but that really depends on who you drink with. If you're smart about your buddies, you can probably safely drink. Also, don't be a hedonist. Moderation is always the way to go.

Edited by Timothy McCorgi, 20 October 2011 - 11:55 AM.

[Twilight Knight]

I can't speak for ravers, but I can try to type for junkies and recreational drug users. life is complicated and sad. our planet is dying and the powerful seem to be in a contest of who can further that disaster the most. they have intricate systems of law that attempt to deny us the basic right to control our own intakes. they want you to consume their dairy wastes but they don't want you to experience the parts of your brain that you don't notice the use of in sober life. they don't want you to be critical thinkers. you are to sit back and take it. drugs? how about alcohol and cigarettes? other partial poisons that may open you up to expansive thought? no! jail! it's a great system where they profit from the criminality of actions taken against yourself. it is unconstitutional and immoral to arbitrarily (not through personal understanding) restrict another person's consumption. crimes against oneself are not real crimes. but these unjust laws keep you scared of things that may make you a happier or more thoughtful person. insight is dangerous. complacency and control are ideal for the powerful. when you step out of line, men come and take you away. alcohol makes us uninhibited and reckless. marijuana makes us creative and curious. cocaine/speed makes us energetic and attentive. LSD/LSA makes us control the parts of our brains that are usually on autopilot. opiates/opioids make us free from pain and worry. cigarettes make us dead. the main dangers of drugs come from ignorance and intolerance. keeping it illegal to be happy makes a system by which they can imprison dissenters and agitators, while profiting. cops and judges and lawyers and jailors do not want you to be free to party as you see fit, but they must maintain a supply system, or there will be no criminality to punish. ask Ron Paul. it's all about controlling the masses.

I wish you used capital letters more so it would've been easier to read, but it was a good read nonetheless. Besides what you said, things I agree on 100%, don't forget that the job markets etc. are getting smaller why populations are growing bigger. Modern technology allows for optimal work efficiency, so less jobs are needed. More people jobless and eventually homeless. Drugs and alcohol are a good escape from problems, albeit a temporary escape.

[Radien]

Something different. Special occasion. Because it's more challenging. Just because it tastes horrible doesn't mean you can't have fun drinking it. To use another example, let's say you were playing truth or dare and someone dared you to drink a cup of your own piss. Sure it's not something you'd normally do (I assume), and you might not enjoy the actual drinking of it, but it's fun to overcome that challenge. How boring that game would be if people only did dares they enjoyed

...Yep, that analogy isn't working for me. There is no situation in which I can imagine drinking my own piss to be "fun." Even the events surrounding it. I guess my thing is that I can think of SO many drinks I enjoy the taste of, that I don't see a reason to try to drink something I hate. The same goes for non-alcoholic beverages, too. I like mocha, I like green tea. I don't like most other kinds of coffee and tea. I'm not adverse to trying *different* kinds of coffee and tea that I haven't tried, but if I've tried something and don't like it, why have it again? There are plenty of kinds to choose from that I do enjoy.

Agreed. Only red wine though. I don't really like white wine in food. But red wine in pasta sauces or marinades and stuff is the bomb.

...Hmmm. I've never really though about which kind of wine it was. I wouldn't be surprised if it was always red wine. Now that you mention that, I'm going to have to try to think of some non-wine types of alcohol that taste good in food...

• Well, have you ever had Jack Daniels spicy mustard? That's some good stuff, and apparently it has whiskey or something in it.
• I'd mention beer-battered foods or beer cheese soup, but to be honest I never thought the beer added much to the flavor.
• I love putting Irish Creme on my ice cream. It is soooo tasty.

...That's all I can think of. I need more alky-hol in my foods. (For the record: in case any of you didn't know, most or all of the actual alcohol evaporates during cooking.)

Not if you pass out Instead you'll wake up at dawn feeling like your bladder is about to burst.

Okay. I've never been knocked out that thoroughly. But either is better than waking up feeling damp. (No, I don't have experience with that, either, thank god.)

I have no idea what Everclear is, but I agree with this. The trick to making a good cocktail is to mask the alcohol flavour and bring out the fruit or liqueur flavour (or whatever you're trying to emphasise). Sugar is incredibly effective at neutralising the alcohol flavour - I've had cocktails that are half vodka and don't taste like metho!
RE: Memory loss, the only time I've had serious memory loss was my 21st birthday. I don't think I threw up (which is weird... maybe I just forgot that bit) but I can only remember bits and pieces after we left the bowling club and hit the nightclubs. I remember having a cocktail at one club, and tripping up the stairs at another. The rest of that night is a blank

I'm not exactly sure WHAT Everclear is made from -- or more specifically, how it is distilled -- but I've been told that it is 100% alcohol. Basically, it's what people use to spike punch. It is often used to instantly increase the potency of a drink. It doesn't taste very good at all, but the taste is just weak enough that the flavor can be masked (at least, somewhat). For me, anytime I drink something with Everclear, it feels as though the quality of the drink has gone down. Also, the quality of the buzz it gives you is inferior, and as I said before, it causes worse (and quicker) hangovers. But even if it didn't cause worse hangovers, I would still call it "cheating."

From all the anecdotes we've collected, I think I can say with certainty that memory loss, getting sick, and passing out are all vary from person to person, not just in when they happen, but the order in which they happen. Regardless, though: in my book, if I get sick, the party's over for me. I can't imagine coming back from that and resuming having a good time.

I cannot stand smoking or alcohol at all. I've known people to have attended such get-togethers and they have regretted it. Since I can't even stand the stuff, I would most likely cough unstoppably for several minutes then leave.

I'm not QUITE that sensitive, but I agree about the smoking. I don't like the smell, and it tends to have a lingering effect on me: if I'm around smoke too much, I continue coughing the rest of the evening, even after completely leaving the area.

If smoke didn't cause so much coughing for me, and if it wasn't so harmful, I could learn to tolerate the smell. But as it stands, I don't want to be around it. And unfiltered cigarettes are the worst. Even if I'm just standing around people who have just come in from smoking them, who never smoked in my presence, merely their breath alone smells bad enough that my clothes and hair stink until I wash both of them. Pot is very nearly as bad. (I'm sorry, pot-smokers: marijuana stinks. Yeah, it smells more natural. Like a skunk.)

Alcohol is "fun" because for many people it strips away that immediate voice that says "hey, this is a bad idea". For hanging out with friends, this is almost always awesome because you get to see new sides of them, and often times it ends in a cuddle puddle of drunken bliss.

...I have to agree, that's a best-case scenario, and a very fun one. You just have to be careful.

Certain people have stronger inhibitions than others...and different inhibitions, for that matter. Some inhibitions are ones that confine a person in ways that aren't healthy. Other inhibitions protect that person's integrity and well-being.

I guess a lot of it has to do with environment. Putting yourself in a situation where softening your inhibitions will make things more enjoyable without damaging anything; that's the best way. The most famous situation is dancing. Drink doesn't give you dancing skills, but a hesitant dancer is a bad dancer. Taking small risks is okay, and some people need coaxing; that's why drink is notoriously portrayed as being capable of loosening uptight people in movies.

[trudatman]

mmm... skunk...

here, kitty kitty.

purr.

Everclear is 95% (190 proof) cleanly distilled from grain. it is alcohol. you might want to dilute it. keep it away from sources of ignition. if you lack a moderation gauge, it will kill you. it's essentially triple vodka. I use it for efficiency. I can't drink a whole bottle of wine, I don't have the bladder space for such beating around the proverbial bush. beer is for pussies.

here, kitty kitty.