Posted by Appolyon on September 9, 2001, at 2:56:53
In reply to Re: Bikes and booze., posted by stjames on September 7, 2001, at 14:00:02
> Here are some of my ruses to make this drinking acceptable:
> I have exercised so I deserve a reward
> I am a connoisseur of wine and beer
> I am replacing fluids
> I am functional the next day so what’s the problem
> I never drink during the day
> If you think my drinking is a problem – what about so and so.
>
> Thoughts?
sar,
If you need ruses to make your drinking acceptable, more power to you. I'll drink to that. If they work for you, wunnerful. Hopefully nobody will get killed as a result of your drunken activities in traffic, or you will be more careful in the future. At least your not going around talking people into climbing Mount Everest (one in four chance of death), or racing stock cars, boxing, or umpteen other "acceptable" sport-related vices.If your drinking bothers you, I hope you find a way to control the urge to drink and find another source of pleasure.
Me, I don't need a ruse to justify my medication. If I choose to drink I drink. If someday I choose to drink myself into the gutter, and it breaks somebody's heart, I said exactly what I meant to say with my life. If somebody doesn't like it they can do something to change the world that I responded to by drinking myself out of it, or they can try to manipulate me in an effort to alleviate the inner suffering they feel by watching me suffer. I feel strongly enough about who I am that I don't easily let people mentally batter me by telling me they know better how I should live or die.
Bicycling drunk can be dangerous. Bicyclists are most often the loosers in car/bike run-ins. Driving drunk is very dangerous - legally and mechanically. But I have bicycled intensively for many years - no other mode of transportation, and also worked a very physical job. I rode about 15 miles each way to this grueling job in very severe weather. I occassionally stopped to drink on the way home. I did not need a ruse to justify my activity beyond the fact that there were people I wanted to visit, they were at a bar and I wanted to join them in drinking. I would ride the remaining 10 miles home in the dark - no lights on the bike either, they interfere with night vision, and when drunk drivers see a bicycle light they get confused. I could have hit a skunk or debris in the road, drunk or sober, especially on a dark new moon night. But when cars come my way, I sheild my eyes with my hat brim and get out of the way. Never fell either, at least not when cycling drunk. I've had more trouble bicycling on ice than bicylcling drunk. I know a guy that died racing bicycles - he was sober, except maybe intoxicated with aggression.
>James here
>This is what every alcoholic says.Then I must not be an alcoholic, because that is not what I say. I know lots of very chronically drunken people and many of them never said that, at least not to me. Does a person must say that to be an alcoholic? Does that mean all achoholics can be presumed to say that, that we can presume somebody here knows the workings of the mind of every alcoholic who ever lived, or that we simply do not need to be accurate when an absolute statement would make a strong point? Sometimes absolute statements are absolutely wrong.
poster:Appolyon
thread:10913
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20010901/msgs/11004.html