Choosing to Choose

Today's Topic: Choices

I want to take an opportunity to point something out. If you are reading this right now, you are functioning as a human. You have made a choice, for whatever reason, to visit the Sitdown page, probably while sitting down. Let me also say that you have made a good choice by deciding to read this week's post. But since you have chosen to sit down, chose to read, chose to go on the computer or phone in the first place, chosen to come to this site, you have made several choices in the last few minutes. Amazing, huh?

We all have the power to choose to be a success or a failure. They say (and more recently I have said quite a bit) that life is defined by moments. I have more so discovered that life is defined by choices. Every day, we make hundreds of choices. You have your general choices; what to eat, what to wear, what to do and where to go. Our brains function in a pattern of repetitive choices and we get so caught up in making choices all the time that we sometimes forget why we do the things we do. What makes us want a hamburger? Or a salad? How do we decide between the two? People will say "you just know". Hmmm, you sure about that? I'm really going to try to look deeper into this.

The human brain is an amazing thing, there is no doubt. A miracle that we can walk, and talk, laugh, make people laugh, and be laughed at. All choices. We get in our cars and drive, we need to close the door, turn on the AC or heat, roll down the windows or leave them up. Step on the gas or the brakes. Run the yellow light? Look at that hottie running. Shit, I need gas. This song is awesome. Turn up the volume. ALL MORE CHOICES. How do we do all this and not work our brain into overdrive? It's no wonder why we spend almost half of our life sleeping. It's no wonder we all die. We all just become exhausted! We do this same routine, every single day without fail because we have decided this is how we live.

Think about that concept for a second. You are a living specimen on this earth. A walking, talking, eating, choice maker that drinks, laughs, cries, plays, and drives. I think about how many choices we make even when we do something. Go to Starbucks, what coffee do I get, how do I order it, how much is it, what do I pay with, where do I stand to wait, how long will it take to get it. I absolutely realize we can't possibly think about every single choice we make. But one choice affects another. While I have sat here writing this, I've already thought about sex, how I'm hungry, what movie I should watch after this, and how many people will read this.

How do we know how to think? How do we decide? How?

Last night, I chose to drink alcohol. A lot of alcohol. I decided that I needed to let loose, finally just give in and make the choice to party hard. This is something I've done many times before and we have all done that at least once in our life. And if you haven't, honestly, get with it. Not because you need to party and get silly, not because it's the cool thing to do but because it's a part of life. And you have to, and I mean this, HAVE TO try new things. A club, a food, a mall, a trip, a pet, a new friend, a job. Get out and get with it.

I remember the first time I saw The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and I remember first of all thinking, what a great choice I had made to watch this movie. There's a part in the movie when Brad Pitt says it's never too late to be who want to be and do what you want to do. Without regret. I thought to myself....yes. It's that simple. I want to make great choices in my life and be happy at what I'm doing. I don't want to limit my choices. Ever. Even when I'm sick or even when I'm old. The most rewarding thing about life is that we all get the power to choose. My thanks go out to whoever created human existence. Why be mean? Why not choose to be happy? Why not choose to let loose? Why not choose to be nice to at least one person a day.

My parents bought me a picture that hangs up in my house. I call it the life tree picture and it describes, in the simplest of terms, how to live life. And every time I look at it, I think about the meanings in what it says and how to CHOOSE. Choosing to make a handshake mean more then a pen and paper and choosing to count your blessings and thank the powers that be. To look at what you have instead of what you don't have. To smile and to search for you purpose as best as you can. Awesome stuff.

The greatest documentary I have seen in awhile was called Lucky, a story about people who became overnight millionaires from playing the lottery. I thought about all the choices they would have had to make and all of the things that would have had to have gone perfectly, in a ideal scripted sort of way, in order for them to hit it big. The time they got the ticket, the people they passed gripping the same hope in a piece of paper with numbers, the store they went to and the complete RANDOMNESS of it all. The odds stacked against them and for some, choosing the numbers to play. And them comes the choice of what to do with all that money once you have it. Wow. Just wow.

Choosing to choose is the greatest gift of all. In some way, shape or form, I am absolutely floored with how the brain works and how we decide. It really just depends on like...so, many, things. Choices occur every second. Everywhere. What choice will you make next? Will it be a good one? Or a bad one? What will that choice lead to? How will your script go? I can tell you that this writer is amazed and baffled by it all. Thinking about choices has made me think twice about the choices I make everyday. Deeper thought processes that ignite conversation; it really is what life is all about.

The Charlie Sheen Effect

Today's Topic: Two Epic Meltdowns

I remember when I watched a shaggy, out of work, bearded fellow on David Letterman a few years back who appeared to have completely lost his mind. The entire gullible audience bought it. Joaquin Phoenix had slipped into insanity. What was this all about? It couldn't be a prank, could it? He played it so well, it seemed so real. No one thought that it could be possible, to act this strange out of no where. It's what he wanted you to think. Somewhere under that beard and those dark shades, Joaquin was smiling a "gotcha" grin. He Charlie Sheened the audience.

Joaquin Phoenix and Casey Affleck simply did it for kicks to make a mockumentary movie about the whole celebrity meltdown phenonmenon. There is a speech in the movie unoffcially titled the Mountain Top Water Speech which Affleck wrote and Edward James Olmos performed. Below is the excerpt of the speech:

"That's you, drops of water and you're on top of the mountain of success. But one day you start sliding down the mountain and you think wait a minute; I'm a mountain top water drop. I don't belong in this valley, this river, this low dark ocean with all these drops of water. And you're confused. Then one day, it gets hot and you slowly evaporate into air, way up, higher than any mountain top, all the way to the heavens. Then you understand that it was at your lowest that you were closest to God. Life's a journey that goes round and round and the end is closest to the beginning. So if it's change you need, relish the journey."

Fancy metaphors really draw this picture of a sort of inmortality, as if celebrities are a different kind of lifeform in general or a seperate identity from people in groups. I have been able to draw many similarities in this speech to what Charlie Sheen is putting us through right now. He's a celebrity who rose to fame and became the highest paid per show actor in television history. And now he has arguably become the most highly paid actor turned lunatic in history.

Clearly like the mountain top water drop metaphor says, Sheen needs a change and he is in fact relishing the journey he is on. In present day, we now gaze at the former star of two and half men and listen to his rants on YouTube entitled "Sheen's Korner." It's this sort of drug we have become addicted to. A case of the Sheens if you will. The recent rantings about winning and tiger blood are arguably part of a larger issue on the table. But is it insanity? Or is it genius? I'd like to think that the years of substance abuse have finally caught up with the star and like all stars, something goes of in their head where they just snap. And luckily (or unluckily) for the TMZ society we live in today, everyone is there to capture the latest breaking updates.

As for Sheen? Call it a project if you will. Capture an audience by sitting down with 60 minutes, calling in to Howard Stern, making videos on YouTube that seem to exceed high intellect levels, proposing that the audience must first believe that everyone else on this earth is the enemy. Then comes the merchandise. The coffee mugs people take into work, the t-shirts that you wear on the streets, showing off your Sheen pride, the facebook updates, the profile picture changes, the twitter updates...it takes the world by storm. When he finally tipped over the boiling pot, Sheen ripped through social networks like an F5 tornado ripping through a path to ultimate destruction. The fact that you can completely lose your mind, do drugs, party like a rockstar, make ridiculous videos, and then go on a world tour and sell tickets to a show where people can witness your meltdown live...it absolutely blows me away. Bravo Mr. Sheen. Bravo indeed. You did what few celebrities dare to ever do; have a public meltdown and get rich off it. I have to hand it to the man; he knows what people want and what they want to hear.

As some point, I think we need to ask ourselves if we can be held partly responsible for the ripple effects of this meltdown. If we had responded to Sheen with tired yawns, would he have pursued the tour? Did his manager realize that what he was doing seemed like a stroke of genius because we are all just a bunch of numbskulls? Whether it's real or not is still debatable. I'm sure cameras are rolling somewhere, capturing all the Sheen antics that have come thus far. A "Winning" movie is likely in the works and tigers will soon become an endangerged species because of the demand for their blood. Until then, I continue to applaud a celebrity like Sheen who defies the critics, rises above the banter and haters, and gains momementum in an otherwise need-to-know society hanging on to his every word. Perhaps we are looking at this the wrong way and maybe he has us all fooled like Joaquin did. Until I hear the word gotcha come out of his mouth, I'm classifying this case under the sheer brilliance file and part of me is sort of jealous.

Rolling Up Hope

Today's Topic: Winning "Free" Stuff

I love getting free stuff. Or what seems like "free" stuff. No matter what anyone ever tells you, there is always a catch to getting something free. Nothing, especially in this economic state, is free anymore. You have to spend something to make anything, even if it means spending your time. More times then not, anything that you get for free, comes with a string attached to it, an obligation or a responsibility. But the fact that it's "free," gets our attention 100% of the time. At least when I throw myself at the "free"stuff only to be rejected, I'm asked to "please play again." Isn't that nice?

You really have to hand it to the fine folks at Tim Horton's. Roll up the Rim could possibly be the best marketing strategy any restaurant chain has ever come up with. I would imagine that coffee sales skyrocket for the six-eight weeks the roll up the rim contest takes place. A 1 in 6 chance of winning seem like okay odds. However, technically speaking, your chances are much worse then that, especially the longer the contest continues. How many of us go in to Tim Horton's year after year without even winning so much as a donut? The strategy of roll up the rim is almost to get as many people into the coffee shops as possible, getting regulars to bring their friends for the excitement of rolling up a cup, with the hopes and pipe dreams of winning a new BBQ or car. I would like to know one thing though...if someone buys you a coffee, and you win a prize, who ultimately should get the prize? Do you count it as a "gift"? Does whomever made the transaction take credit for the prize? I remember reading about two best friends fighting over a coffee cup that rolled up a car. Oh yes, it went to the courts. Outcome went to the individual who drank the coffee, thus making it her property, and the other had to plea that the coffee "was intended as a gesture and token of good faith." Really? I bet those two are still friends (sarcasm).

I often wonder how fate determines who walking among us gets the stroke of good luck. Lottery winners, coffee drinkers, fast food eaters, gamblers and just ordinary everyday citizens; life can turn around and change for you in a split second. One night you go to bed broke, and the next you could wake up, wondering if today is the day you make it big. So many people hold onto hope like a last resource of life, clutching a lottery ticket like it's made of pure gold or sipping a roll up the rim coffee, wondering if you're one sip closer to making life "easier" for yourself and those around you. Even McDonald's gets in on the free stuff giveaway, by proclaiming that eating their food is more socially acceptable when the Monopoly sweepstakes is taking place. Of course, they make it seem like the million is in reach, by giving every average joe the "Park Place" piece. Oh wow! If I could just find Boardwalk, I would be a millionaire. The reality? There is one game piece world wide. Your odds of winning it are literally in the hundreds of millions. I hate the people that stuff their face and say to me, "You can't win if you don't play!" Actually, I can win if I don't play. By not stuffing fat ingested piles of lard and reprocessed Grade D beef into my body just for the hope that I "might" find the winning game piece, I am winning.

Free stuff is never free. You don't ever win a "free" coffee during roll up the rim. You pay to win a "free" coffee. Ironic right? You don't ever win money when you gamble. You pay money in the hopes that you will win a prize. The word "free" has become the perfect marketing tool to get our attention, in the hope that one day we too can become the person on the television saying "Tim Horton's changed my life." I mean by all means, spend the money, but do it for the right reason (if there is one).

I manage Sidney Crosby. No big deal.

Today's Topic: The Fantasy Sports Arena

If you're a true sports fan and really enjoy watching fast paced games in HD or live in the arena, sports fans like this have at some point asked themselves "I wonder what it would be like to manage a professional sports team." Thanks to Yahoo!, every sports fans gets that opportunity to be a GM. To run the show. To decide whether to play Tom Brady or Brett Favre. To bench Sidney Crosby or put him in your lineup. And the cost? Not a cent.

I've been playing fantasy sports on Yahoo for almost four years now. I've been the GM of a top tier basketball team, fearless hockey squads and even a football team. Through all the up and downs that a sports season brings, I feel like I have learned so much more about the ins and outs of sports with fantasy teams. It dedicates you to the game, following every night of the season on who to start and who to sit. I've always been a huge sports guy, watching all the big games on all the big nights. Yahoo has developed an incredible empire by putting users in the driver's seat of a professional sport. From drafting, to trading, to starting guys day in and day out, working the waiver wire and picking up free agents; the only thing a person can't do is sit down and talk to his players after a great or poor performance. For me, it's almost like a therapy for what seems like a pipe dream and the possibility that I will ever own a sports franchise.

I am in a hockey league with my friends from school and it has become the best way to keep in touch with all of my close friends from my university days. If you want to know how a guy is doing, just check the fantasy league and drop a message on the board. I feel like if it wasn't for this league, it would be almost impossible to stay in touch with 10 of my closest buddies from the college days. This league has become so big for us now that we are now entering into keeper status, meaning we keep some of the players we drafted last year. Yep, we are essentially building our own fantasy franchises. And it is awesome. There's something very empowering about being in control of a sports team. It's highly addictive and it's highly entertaining. Girlfriends don't get it. They don't get why we get excited when Ovechkin gets a hat trick or Carey Price gets a shutout. And you know what? It doesn't have to make sense to anyone but us. When I'm checking my stats or making moves, I'm in my own little fantasy world, hence the name Fantasy Sports. It's a dream to have all the best NFL, NHL or NBA players all under one roof. You become your own legend, your own coach, your own general manager and your own boss. Wins become rewarding, and losses...well, they still sting the same as real life. Bragging rights are huge in fantasy sports, and maybe that's why chicks don't get it either. It goes back to the whole "dominant male of the tribe" mentality and a ruthless battle for a higher position.

If you're a sports fan and you've never tried managing a team, trust me when I say it is a must that you manage at least one. Once you manage one, you'll want to manage two. And once you manage two, you'll be hooked. Join the literally millions of other fans out there who become the most epic managers of their time. Where else can you make the decision on who will be the best fit for your team and who will help you win the sought after fantasy cup. Real players, real rules. Yes, it's just players in a lineup and you don't win thousands of dollars. But, you call the shots. And you can't put a price on that.

Just Be

Today's Topic: Living Life

I've learned to not give up on life. Even when the darkest clouds have been cast upon me, what seems permanent is usually only temporary. Pain is not forever and nothing is infinite. Except maybe wisdom. The best answer for any life experience is to take a lesson from it. Yes, you can label today's sitdown under the "slice of life" category.

In the last few months, I've really gone through some deep thought processes. I've talked to a lot of people, young and old. I've watched a lot of movies, listened to a lot of music and even traveled to different parts of North America. Through all of this, I've discovered that "living life" is really the only option anyone ever has. When I say living life, I mean just...live. Enjoying all the simple, yet awesome, things life has to offer. The simplicity of singing a song when no one is listening, eating chocolate, a perfect fitting shirt, your hair just the way you like it, a good meal that has more fat content then what you're "suppose" to intake, a really good piece of fruit, a simple text from a friend and the best parking spot in the place. Yep, all the simplicities make for a great day.

A friend of mine often jokes about "just living your life." It became a running joke thanks to the song "Live your life," but I do know that deep down he means it and I understand what he means when he says it. Some people just have a natural zest for the life they live and the people they interact with. Some people, when you say their name, people just laugh or smile. You know why? Because they live their life. And I think maybe deep down, that's what living your life is. It's so easy to get caught up in the negative things in life, so easy to fall in a hole or a rut and be stubborn and refuse to move on. But life doesn't stop. Ever. The sun rises and the sun falls, and you live your life in between those hours, defining your character and human existence.

I'm reading a book right now called "How We Decide," which a fellow blogger and friend of mine posted about in his blog awhile back. His blog inspired me to pick up this book, as he did a good job selling it in the words he wrote and it seemed like the perfect therapeutic type of book I needed to read. The book talks about the choices we make everyday, and what it would be like if we couldn't make a simple choice. How praise works on children and depending on how we word things, how that affects our choices that we make. The average person makes hundreds of choices everyday, from the very moment of whether we decide we are going to get out of bed or not. And how funny that our choices end in completing the circle, when one of the last decisions we make for the night is when we are going to close our eyes and fall asleep. Choices define us, and make us who we are.

No one ever wants to make a bad choice. It's human nature to want to be happy all the time, to strive for perfection and the pursuit of happiness. Somewhere along those lines, we hurt people. maybe not intentionally, but we are human, and it happens. It takes a bigger person to realize a mistake when they make one, and it takes an even bigger person to apologize for hurting someone down to their core. Bad choices are the result of a person saying "Hey, I'm human." Emotions run high when we make choices, but they seem to run even higher when we are affected by a negative one.

Regardless, good or bad, everyday you live becomes a memory. There is no going back in time and changing what has been done. Everything that you have done rests up to this moment in time. Every minute that you have lived brings you one day, one minute and one second closer to your destiny, your calling, your empire and your legacy. We all become but memories in the world, a name on a stone, a thought in the wind. Nothing is left behind, only the sound of our voice and the "remember when" stories that people tell from time to time.

Ask yourself, are you really, living life? Are you getting the most out of everyday and every year that passes by? Can you say that underneath all the stress and misery that people go through, you can still smile at the end of the day, knowing that you lived the day out? The best you could? I hope for your sake, that answer is yes. I hope that you can look back on all the days that pass you by, and remember that you didn't let a moment slip when you didn't at least learn something new, something exciting or something challenging; even if it was about yourself.

You are the legacy you leave behind. Choose well. Choose often. Choose to live. Life is what you make it.

Puff Puff

Today's Topic: The Smokers Culture

Who knew that a little white rolled up stick of tobacco inhaled by millions everyday could have control over people's lives. Cigarettes and tobacco has been around for centuries but has had a complete revolution of cool. It used to be a sign of awesome, all the actors in the movies smoked and all the icons of the world would be more than willing to pose with a cigarette in their mouth. Everyone needed to do it. But at some point, the clouds of smoke made things hazy and someone decided that smoking was no longer cool. It was on that day that Joe Camel became Joe Chemo. The cigarette became the sin stick. The surgeon general stepped in and plastered the packages with horrific images and sad looking children. All at once, smoking was no longer cool. Everyone needed to butt out.

That cloud that the smokers culture puffed out everyday was viewed as an outcast, a taboo and a "dirty little habit." Some smokers say it's just the habit of having something in your hand. It's the motion of smoking that gets you addicted, not the ingredients in the cigarettes themselves. Others will argue that it's the stereotypical 9-5 'ers who need that smoking break to escape the office and cubicles they work in. Some would say that they do it to fit in, that smoking still can be cool depending on the people you are around. Others just don't care. And when someone says, "Didn't you know that smoking can kill you?" their response would be something along the lines of "So can getting hit by a bus" or "We're all going to die anyway."

Myself, I'm interested in the generation divide, how people young and old are still picking up cigarettes. For some, it starts in high school, kids sneaking cigarettes from their parents or getting their older siblings to buy them from the corner store. If you grow up in a house filled with smoke or your parents are smokers, chances are that it becomes more socially acceptable for you to join in. I often wonder when people buy cigarettes if they ever do look at the labels and think about just exactly what they are inhaling into their bodies. I'm curious if smokers ACTUALLY like what they are inhaling. Does it taste good? Is it that calming to your nerves? I think I need a smoker in the culture to explain this to me. Is it more addiction that anything? But if you don't like it, and it doesn't "taste" good, then why do it? Is it that impossible to quit? Is it actually that soothing? By no means am I trying to be rude, I'm just ignorant to the fact that I just don't understand it.

Tobacco is still a billion dollar industry and people still make a living being tobacco farmers worldwide. It's an industry just like any other, creating jobs for people to support one another. The tobacco farmers have their devoted smokers to thank for giving them such deep pockets. Does it not seem ludicrous to then turn around and plaster warnings on packages to warn people about the dangers of smoking? Yes, science has proven that cigarettes kill people and yes science has proven that cigarettes can cause cancer. But alcohol causes death, where are the warnings on those bottles? Does it not seem just as plausible to post pictures of wrecked cars from people who drank too much whiskey, decided to then drive a car after that and ruin their lives or the lives of others? What about fresh produce? Does it not seem just as plausible to make posters in groceries stores that say, "Just so you know shoppers, these heads of lettuce might have been sprayed by cancer causing chemicals to make sure there are no bugs in your food. Eat at your own risk." I really don't think I'm being irrational. Hopefully you can see where I'm going with this.

Maybe smoking gets such a bad rep because it's not convenient. When it's -25 outside in blowing winds, you can still see the cool puff of cigarettes going on around you and you look at the people and think one of two things: 1. That is just crazy or 2. Those people are so sad. I don't smoke cigarettes. I have smoked cigars but I've never puffed on anything else. So my question is simple, why does smoking get so much negative attention compared to any other habit that human beings have? Why so much hate? Is it because of all the lethal ingredients that are found in the sin sticks? Is it because when you tell someone they "shouldn't do something" that they are more likely to do it anyway, thus creating more wealth for cigarette companies worldwide?

I can't find a reasoning for some of this logic. But I guess talking about at least gets me thinking that smokers really are shunned by a lot of people in society. Personally, I will tell you one thing that drives me absolutely insane about smokers. I find it incredibly annoying when two people are standing outside, they approach me and ask if I have a lighter. Just a thought, but if you have habit like smoking, and you are spending that much money on cigarettes, wouldn't it just make SENSE to put a lighter in your pocket or purse, knowing that at some point you are going to light up a cigarette? Instead of relying on the general population to help feed you your habit? Matches are free at a lot of restaurants folks and are pretty much readily available at every gas station in the world. And after I say no I don't have a lighter, don't re-question me by saying, "Are you sure you don't?" Ridiculous.

There are many things I won't ever understand about people who smoke, but there are just as many arguments that support my reasoing to make me think that smokers get an unnecessary amount of negative attention towards them. Don't try to read into it people. Don't pass judgment. And to all the experts on offering your suggestion on how to quit smoking, honestly, just let them be. People quit things on their own terms, not because they need to be forced to do something. Remember, it's a habit, a culture and a way of life for many.

Pour me another

Today's Topic: Alcohol Culture

The pint, the bubbly, the fizz, the booze. Getting tipsy, getting hammered, getting tanked, getting wasted, getting annihilated, getting sh*tfaced, getting f*cked, getting drunk. The most common denominator of all social gatherings. As Homer Simpson once put it, Alcohol can be the cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems. Yes, getting that liquid courage at the bar to talk to that cute girl is an ego booster. Some say that Jack Daniels real name is actually John...if you know him well enough. The wine-os in the crowd will tell you that class is the mask underneath the bottle.

We all experience it, especially in this day and age. There are so many emotions mixed into the culture of alcohol. Anger, sadness, happiness, love, depression and a sense of self worth. All of these emotions play to our personality and the slip of our tongue. It's true what they say, you really find out a person's core when you get a few pints or shots into them. We all have our so called "kryptonite" in alcohol that makes us go wild and lose all intuition. For some, it's the gin or the rye. Maybe it's the wine or martini. Maybe even that golden tequila. Some types of alcohol just have our number. I find it fascinating to be a sober person at a bar or pub and watch how people interact with a drink in their hand. The stereotypical jock picking up the hottie, the loud girl who hasn't had "girls night" in months, the one dude who has more drink on his shirt then in his glass, and the play it cool bar star who knows everyone.

It's almost as if you take on a new identity when you take a drink. People everywhere have their reason for drinking. Some say that alcohol becomes the ice breaker in getting to know your surroundings. It is the most frequently asked question: "Can I get you a drink?" A simple sign of courtesy. Who says no to that? Give me one good reason. If someone is polite enough to ask you, SAY YES. Even if the drink is just the water. Let me get you a drink is code for I want to have a conversation with you. Very rarely will someone just get someone a drink and then say "Okay... well, see ya!" The stories I could tell from the days at the bar would have you rolling on the floor laughing. We all have them. I love to get into some shenanigans and tom foolery when I get a few into me. Nothing extreme (usually) but those who know me, know I love to go out and party with two drinks in my hand. I don't do it often, but when I do, I do it like anything else in my life-all the way.

Our culture lives in a unique situation with alcohol. Unique in the fact that you have to be nineteen to do it legally and twenty-one in the united states. I remember so many people always arguing about the legal age, why it is so high. The answer- we punish ourselves with alcohol. Nine times out of ten, we don't drink just for the sake of drinking. We drink to drink. We drink to party. We drink to take the edge off. No matter how you look at it, it is dangerous in what we are doing to our bodies. In a place like Europe, the legal drinking age is in the teens. It's a whole different world across the sea. Most people don't get why you can buy a beer out of a vending machine. It's because people over there are brought up on alcohol. Parents sit down, have a glass of wine with their kids and enjoy food with their beverage. Sip vodka and eat bread. Sip vodka and eat handfuls of almonds and nuts. For North Americans, most would just love to have an intervenes tube hooked into us, as to not delay the inevitable of being drunk. Now I'm not saying ALL people go out and get completely wasted ALL the time. Even I don't do that. Some people just love to go out and dance or listen to live music, sipping on a beer or as the party animals put it "nursing" their drink. You know what, nothing wrong with that. Some people enjoy the gin and tonic with a good conversation. One or two is sufficient enough. Regardless of the drink, people always want the "cheap drink." In my opinion, I think that's mainly because we don't have a strong appreciation for alcohol. We don't care about the process, we just want the product. And we want it for as cheap as we can get it. Just remember that someone serving you is a cost in itself. Include that in the drink next time you order. Remember that alcohol is a service being rendered. I am currently taking my bar tending course to get my mixology degree and I am amazed at my new found appreciation for alcohol. Bartenders who get schooling on this stuff discover not only what mixes well with what, but why it does. Learning the fine art of alcohol is pretty invigorating. When you learn about what alcohol actually is and why we consume it, it becomes a whole new game to play.

It's everywhere. On every street corner, in every home, on the radio, the billboards, the t.v, you can't deny or hide from it. I think the important thing to keep in mind with alcohol is that yes, it is a drug. Know the limit of how much you put into your system. Also, try not to drink alone. It's just common sense that beer tastes so much better when you have someone to drink it with. We all have that memory (or lack of) of that one night when it got the best of us. Or we look back on the best times with friends to the nights we don't remember. The poison just tastes so good, that we do it all over again.

Raise your glass and propose a toast.