Do you drink beer, and why?

[wordwan]

I visited a friend last night and he handed me a bottle of beer. I don't really drink beer and gave it away.

It put me in mind of this: What would you do if you didn't drink beer?

It also put me in mind of this: I DON'T drink, and, to a degree, I feel odd man out when I want to go somewhere after dark. The idea that the only thing to do at night, is either eat donuts, drink coffee or drink beer or alcohol til you're blitzed SUCKs. (And the cost of bar food is slightly ridiculous. Okay, I also want a kitchen I can drop into and make full-scale pizzas. Do it at home, you say. I say, drink BEER at home too--that's not the point.)

Why can't I have just as many options of a place to hang out til three in the a.m. (for example, but not my main beef; I'm talking more about societal focus) as a Carlsburg man, hm?

Heather, who'd love 24/7 gyms (like the one I go to but it isn't open late) or movie theatres, for example. We could take all the supposed homeless people in the world, give them the same stores that are open during the day and they could run them, at night. Lord we waste so many resources.

Heather, being weird.

[Steven]

Frankly, beer disgusts me but I can choke it down in social situations as it's the thing to do. Other than that, I would even go as far as to say I don't drink; I've had quite a few 'bad experiences' so whenever I think about drinking, it's associated with those experiences and I feel physically sick.

I think probably it has to do with the fact that, for a couple years, I used to work early Saturday and Sunday mornings, so whenever I went out with people on Friday or Saturday night and got completely pissed, I would have to open up the store at 6:00 the next morning. Not fun. Talk about wanting to die. So now whenever I hear the word "vodka", it literally sends a shiver down my spine.

I realize all this makes me a complete lame-ass but that's how I feel about the whole thing.

[brian]

Personally, I drink beer but not hard liqour.  I find that hard stuff not only doesn't taste as good, but I've had a couple bad experiences (as evidenced by the half bottle of cheap vodka I haven't touched since high school).

I generally drink beer to socialize, although I hate going to bars.  Whenever I do go, I'm always looking for the door, because generally all I can see around me is loud crappy music, stupid people and expensive beer, of which they generally don't have my brand (I really hate Canad Inns bars... and the one time I went to the OC I wanted to get out about 5 minutes later).  And just try starting a conversation in some of these bars... it's just too loud and you're yelling at someone 3 feet away.

I like to just hang out with friends and family, do some fun stuff together (play cards or Risk, video games, watch a movie, etc.), and have a few beers.  I don't like to have too many though (usually I'll stop around 4) I guess there is the social pressure, and it makes me feel more relaxed in social situations (I can get very nervous in some social situations).  Beer generally makes me feel more relaxed, and stop worrying about all those assignments and crap that I have to do for a little bit.

[wordwan]

This puts me in mind of another issue: noise.

I sat, this afternoon, in the top of the Bulman Centre, snoozing and reading, as it suited me. That place, at times, is lovely and quiet.

I sat in the bus kiosk at Graham and Vaughan this morning, about five a.m. as well. (don't ask. I think I already mentioned somewhere I am weird) and drank in the SUPREME silence.

You should go there sometimes at such an hour and appreciate the fact that the world does NOT always have to be filled with too loud televisions and endlessly played banal music. Eek.

Is it just me or do any of you seek silence at times? It becomes your favorite drink and ergo this brings me back on track for this subject.

Also, I've been wandering in the downtown lately and found a few interesting places and activities. Despite the previously mentioned stupid (and drunk people, older males in particular, who seem to think it's okay within about a five minute conversation to start draping their arms about your shoulders when they talk to you--where do they get off, I say? *grin*) and loud qualities of bars such as, say, the McLaren, if you go on Thursday nights, you can do karaoke.

Anyone here sing? I am most excellent at the subject. Unfortunately, I don't drink and so the added accoutrements of these places wear on my last nerve.

Be prepared to step outside within the first twenty minutes as I did, feeling a strange sensation coming on. I believe they call them headaches. I don't get headaches, so this will come as a warning.

The music in this karaoke is played TOO bloody loud.

But that said, anyone into singing in weird places? Another activity.

Oh and the Regal Beagle in the Marlborough (Man? *grin*) Hotel is a lovely divided-like space. We should go there, as well, and do something intelligent.

Anyone?

Heather, looking for spaces to hang out in.

[brian]

There are a lot of times when I want quiet.  Most of them occur when my sister is listening to the radio 

But seriously, I do enjoy hanging out at the Millenium Library downtown (quiet and lots of stuff to read).  Really, if I can hang out there for a day or so, read some magazines, maybe have lunch at the Mondragon, I find it very relaxing.  I also like to take naps in the arts lounge in Fletcher Argue if I have a lot of time between classes and meetings.  The computer lab in engineering is also not too bad if I want to surf the net, but the one problem is that when the doors don't close all the way (every 5 or 10 minutes) an alarm will start to go off... really makes it hard to concentrate.

I am not a very good singer, but there are some times when I do catch myself in an uncontrollable urge to sing along to certain songs.

[wordwan]

Ah, libraries...did I tell you? I was BORN in a library. *grin*

The tiny outside patch at the Millennium is nice as well. I remember the first time I went outside and sat in a chair, drinking in the fact that I was OUTside, and yet, somehow, inside. It was lovely, ah yes.

Heather

[Steven]

To the book repository!

[trevor]

To the book repository!

I lol'd.


For the record, I'm a big fan of beer, drink it socially and on my own.  Two beers and the evening goes by much faster.  From talking to people, it seems to me that most people attain the taste for beer after going through some manner of ordeal, in which they drink a lot of beer.  From then on they enjoy the taste and calming qualities.  For me, I went through many an ordeal when I lived in Tokyo for a year.  Beer is available cheap at convenience stores, so I tried a bunch, and eventually found one that I actually liked.  Since then, I'm able to enjoy most beer (though obviously some are better than others).

[Steven]

Perhaps I need to go to a country where it's not safe to drink the water so I'll be forced to drink beer. Or maybe somewhere where it's so ubiquitous that it can't be avoided (Ireland)...

Obviously a lot of people develop a taste for booze in high school going to parties and whatnot but, to be honest, I was never a part of that kind of thing.

I have tried quite a few different kinds of beer but it all makes me gag. Coffee as well. So unless there's genuine social pressure to do so, I'm not in the habit of ingesting things that taste like shit to me.

[Steven]

Anyone here sing? I am most excellent at the subject. Unfortunately, I don't drink and so the added accoutrements of these places wear on my last nerve.

Be prepared to step outside within the first twenty minutes as I did, feeling a strange sensation coming on. I believe they call them headaches. I don't get headaches, so this will come as a warning.

The music in this karaoke is played TOO bloody loud.

But that said, anyone into singing in weird places? Another activity.

I sort of play acoustic guitar and sing to accompany myself but there is no chance of me ever singing in public, especially at a karaoke night.

I am not a very good singer, but there are some times when I do catch myself in an uncontrollable urge to sing along to certain songs.

Let me guess....."My Humps"?

It's okay, we've all done it 

[cold]

I brew my own beer. I like beer

[january]

I hate beer. I've tried to like it a million times, and it's just not going to happen. Gin & tonic-- where's it at.

[Jason]

I like beer.  I'm trying not to drink it too much though.