Wesley, man! Breast exam on Channel 9!
“… and the Dave Matthews Band doesn’t rock!”
I usually come up with an interesting idea related to politics, an idea for a short story, an invention or something of that sort while drunk. I usually go “huh, that’d be a cool idea to try out!” then an hour later… poof its gone. I only rarely remember to write the idea down, but the few such ideas I have written down I thought were pretty good and might use in the future.
We must have the same goals. Although the outlook of them is different.
Money
I attribute this to my fathers financial situation, and financial pain he has endured his entire life. He started getting into debt when he was 21. He got out of debt 27 years later. It took him that long, only to lose his job, and he used all of his severance to pay it off. Finally right?. Now he makes less then half of what he used to, and is back in debt 2 years later, again. I promised myself at the age of 13 to save early, and to NEVER keep a balance because of his example. Saving and buying is so much better then, “I’ll just pay the minimum next month”. That is financial suicide, IMO. And for this, people think I’m a cheapskate. I then tell them my fathers story. But I’m still the cheapskate because I don’t live the AppleBee’s lifestyle every other day on a Visa. Or if I don’t by a new car, I’m cheap too. So I endure a little social backlash, but not nearly as much pain as I would living on credit for most of my life. Maybe some people are fine with it, but it has made my father depressed, and that’s what I witnessed in my young life, and still do. Therefore, financial security is one of my major goals to avoid that kind of negativity.
This is where the point of it comes in…
You’re actively trying to make sure that finances and other things won’t cause you stress or pain in the future. That is a positive thing! While it’s hard work now, it won’t be later. 
That is where alcohol makes your thoughts an illusion. Alcohol effects judgment (yes, even while buzzed). While you understand that everything you do is for a reason, you’re viewpoint of them isn’t too great. Ever hear a drunk say he can drive drunk? How about the same person say the same thing while sober? uh huh… Yes, logically, you can drive drunk… but really, it’s not a good viewpoint to have.
My little story/analogy might be a little stupid. But I can positively say that to have goals that will net you a peace of mind in the future, is a positive thing. As long as you don’t push people down while doing so…
My situation is a little different though, but we ended up in the same place.
My dad is a pharmacist so he currently makes about $45 an hour and he worked a 60 hour week when I was growing up. he would get up at 530 or six, prepare for work, leave at 830, work from 9am-9pm, get home about 945 and go to sleep at 11 or so. He made good money but he just pissed it away on power tools he never used and cars he didn’t drive (my parents own 4 cars and only drive 2 of them). He had no life outside of a job he hated and my mom spent the day alone at home watching TV and we barely saw the guy growing up. Hardly a life. People harass and insult me for being cheap too. But me and both my brothers are cheap and well (my younger brother gets by fine on $600/month somehow and my older brother, while he and his wife made $1600/month post-taxes when he was in grad school saved almost $4000 in 6 month on that salary, this was with health insurance for both of them, food, cable tv, internet and 2 cars) all want to retire early in some form and to only work 20 hours a week or so. I bet my parents never expected that but that is how we ended up.
What sucks is that it seems like I don’t have any positive goals. I just want to avoid pain and shame and stress, I don’t desire to accomplish anything great or make an impact or have a legacy. Actually I do, but I don’t know what kind or how. A life of peace of mind is a positive thing, but its only positive since you are removing something negative. It still laudable but it isn’t really positive per se.
And for the record, yeah what I thought about when drunk still applies to my life, its just more hazy now that i’m sober.
I’ve had some really good thoughts while buzzed. I get the same effect from lack of sleep or melatonin.
Look - there’s nothing wrong if all you want is to keep from screwing up. It’s at least prudent.
I figure that after a year or two of being in a comfortable position, you’ll get bored and want to do more with your life. Something random will strike your fancy, and you’ll find something you can really dedicate yourself to.
But be honest with yourself. Even the greatest men are not known by all.
- Profit!
You know, there is a reason why we have that little voice in our head that says “I wouldn’t do that shit”.
Then again there is an old saying “in vino veritas” (~ In wine there is truth). But I think this basically manifests itself in real life as a lot of sentimental babbling and punching people because you don’t like/do like their face.
Try this - Go to a crowded bar dead sober at closing, wait for the lights to come on and tell me if you think alchohol gives you clarity.
And can someone tell me what the “Applebee’s” lifestyle? Are you talking about the chain-restaurant?