# Beer is my buddy, wine my woman, but today, just for today, I must stay away **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 11, 2007, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beer-is-my-buddy-wine-my-woman-but-today-just-for-today-i-must-stay-away/418750 "2007-09-11T04:50:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2007, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beer-is-my-buddy-wine-my-woman-but-today-just-for-today-i-must-stay-away/418750/21 "2007-09-12T03:06:47Z")
[QUOTE=Way Too Happy] When the thought of “a” drink comes upon me, I’m reminded to “Play the tape to the end”. Thinking not of just the first few beers, but the drinking after that ('cuz I know I’m not going to be able to stop). I know from experience that good things are not going to happen, and I’ll be damn lucky if bad things don’t. I didn’t get in ‘trouble’ every time I drank, but every time I found trouble I’d been drinking. I love my life _now_. You can enjoy yours too! 4 years [/QUOTE] That you very much for this great advice. Your words about ‘trouble’ are exactly what happens to me. Fortunately, I’ve got a great wife who is helping me now. My sister can’t stop once she starts drinking, and controls it only by not having alcohol in the house. I did that too, but I’m out more, and have more oportunities to drink. Someone said how hard it would be to not drink in Tokyo, and that goes double for me, since I’m a salesman. Still, must better to rearrange my life than to continue down that path. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2007, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beer-is-my-buddy-wine-my-woman-but-today-just-for-today-i-must-stay-away/418750/22 "2007-09-12T04:32:52Z")
Good luck, **Player**. It’s not hard once you get good at it, no worry. ---
**Author:** ![Kuboydal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecb155/32.png) [@Kuboydal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kuboydal)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2007, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beer-is-my-buddy-wine-my-woman-but-today-just-for-today-i-must-stay-away/418750/23 "2007-09-12T21:03:59Z")
As to the salesman aspect, I like to remind myself (and others prone to overimbibition) that we are generally much more charming when not schnockered. Evidence of this may be easily found by going out with the usual friends but sticking to a ginger ale only diet. You may indeed become the life of the party just by retaining a grasp of the situation and a fully functioning mind. I tend to switch to the ginger ales quickly myself. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beer-is-my-buddy-wine-my-woman-but-today-just-for-today-i-must-stay-away/418750/24 "2007-09-13T02:08:43Z")
Also, if you have _something_ in your hand, people who are drinking will never notice that you aren’t drinking too. This works especially well in a “mingling” type event like a cocktail reception. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beer-is-my-buddy-wine-my-woman-but-today-just-for-today-i-must-stay-away/418750.md?page=1)