Why it’s not so bad to drink alone. Sometimes. Maybe.
Originally published 3/22/11
“I’ll see you at ____________ at 7:00” she says.
Great. I’ll be arriving around 6:30 then.
Some say drinking alone is a sign that you’ve got a problem. I’d argue that the inability to be by yourself with only your own thoughts for company, all while responsibly enjoying an adult beverage, is more worthy of concern.
There are two major Rubicons that are crossed on the way to full adulthood:
1. You stop doing your laundry at a laundromat*
Eventually you obtain access to a washer & dryer which aren’t next to a sink where homeless guys wash their hair.
2. You stop looking at alcohol as a path to intoxication.
Some never saw alcohol as a path to intoxication, but… you get my drift.
If you’re not drinking to get drunk, then why is having a drink by yourself so bad? It’s noisy out there. Having a bourbon or a pint with no one at all is one way to muffle that din. Yes meditation is most surely better for you. But it’s not as tasty. Here’s a few more guidelines for pulling this off the right way:
- Go somewhere familiar.
- No cell activity. Disconnect even if it’s for a few minutes.
- Don’t talk the bartenders ear off.
- Actually enjoy your drink. Pay attention to it.
- Keep it to one drink. And drink it slow.
- Take a note card and a pen. You never know what you’ll come up with and want to write down.
- Do this right before something (like meeting your date) or right after (a long hike)
It can be strangely enjoyable. Just you, your beer, and that’s it. It’s extra enjoyable if you know you’ve got someone you like quite a bit on the way. Going from just you, to a better form of you because you’re with them, ain’t a bad way to wrap up a day. A shared dessert of course, will make it all the better.
..
*Not always the case. Especially if you live in a huge city