I rarely drink.  I like a good wine with a special meal, maybe a port or brandy afterwards, and maybe a fine scotch three or four times a year.  But, but and large, I don't drink.

When my late wife and I were in a pipe band, consisting primarily of Scottish and Irish men and women, almost everyone drank -- many drank heavily.  On days when our band attended a competition, usually in the heat of the Summer, our band's area was so full of beer-laden coolers, one could walk from one side to the other without touching the ground.  My cooler, however, was filled with Gatorade.  Of course, it was assumed that I didn't drink, and that I was a recovering alcoholic.  I'll never forget the look of shock one evening when some band members and we had dinner, and I ordered wine.

One thing I HAVE noticed, though, is that I get much less -- in fact, almost no -- pressure from others to drink.  I also find that more and more people are opting to either drink less, or to not drink at all.

One thing I'm happy about, is my son has picked up on my lack of interest in drinking, and he, too, usually takes a pass.

Funny thing about assumptions. My mother is a non-drinker due to her strict, fundamentalist upbringing. So guess what I assumed when I would meet non-drinkers?

I don't drink any more

and I don't drink any less.
Cheers!
and while we are on the subject....

A huge muscular man walks into a bar and orders a beer. The bartender hands him the beer and says, "You know, I'm not gay but I want to compliment you on your physique, it really is phenomenal! I have a question though, why is your head so small?"

The big guy nods slowly. He's obviously fielded this question many times. "One day," he begins, "I was hunting when I got lost in the woods. I heard someone crying for help and finally realized that it was coming from a frog sitting next to a stream.

So I picked up the frog and it said, "Kiss me. Kiss me and I will turn into a genie and grant you 3 wishes." So I looked around to make sure I was alone and gave the frog a kiss. POOF! The frog turned into a beautiful, voluptuous, naked woman.

She said, "You now have 3 wishes." I looked down at my scrawny 115 pound body and said, "I want a body like Arnold Schwarzenneger." She nodded, whispered a spell, and POOF! there I was, so huge that I ripped out of my clothes and was standing there naked!

She then asked, "What will be your second wish?" I looked hungrily at her beautiful body and replied, "I want to make sensuous love with you here by this stream." She nodded, laid down, and beckoned to me. "We then made love for hours!"

Later, as we lay there next to each other, sweating from our glorious lovemaking, she whispered into my ear, "You know, you do have one more wish. What will it be?"

I looked at her and replied, "How about a little head?"

It's a common thing for people to attach the drinking "problem" to someone who does not drink. Funny how we don't say a non-smoker must have had a smoking problem. Still, experience tells us that a lot of people who don't drink probably did once have some problems with the juice. It's a common thread amoung people and it shoudn't carry such a stigma, yet it does.

I saw a lot of that when I was in the service back in the 70's.  Official squadron beer bust's sponsored by the commander and the officers.  Before I got out they realized they had a problem.  A lot of people were alcoholic's. They were covering up for a lot of the old timers that were a year away from retirement.  So they started drug/alcohol classes usually taught by reformed alcoholic's.  Also, if you had a drinking problem they gave you two options.  Go to rehab or get booted out.  It took care of a lot of their problems.

As me me I don't drink that much at all.  But a glass of champange or wine, soft music and dancing with interesting woman is a lot of fun.  I guess I'm just a hopeless romantic.

I could care less if someone doesn't drink or smoke by simple preference, but sometimes the "ex-types" drive you crazy.

Once, while on a first date, the waiter handed my date the wine list. My date explained he didn't drink anymore because of a drinking problem from the past.

I told him congratulations for overcoming his problem; I then ordered a glass of wine for myself when the waiter came back.

My date gave me such an offended look, and I realized that he was one of those fanatical ex-drinking types I've met before, those who are still obsessed about anyone drinking.

Sometimes ex-smokers act just like that too and start lecturing if someone lights up around them.

Everyone knows it's not healthy to drink to excess or to smoke. I don't ever point this out to smokers or to alcoholics because it's plain rude; but for some reason some "ex-types" think they must pass the message along because they've been "saved".

I'm pretty much a non-drinker, and it's not by choice.  I think I'm just allergic to alcohol (or certain types) where I just go straight to hangover (and skip getting a buzz or anything pleasurable).  My face gets flush and sometimes it gets hard to breathe.

Sometimes it get so frigging uncomfortable hanging around people I know who drink (and they know I don't drink), is that when they get drunk, the teasing and prodding increases expontially (where they think it's other reason why you don't drink).  Then the floodgates open up where they divulge everything they're annoyed about you.  It's really hard to reason with a drunk person.

I have been a non drinker by choice for many years. I guess I am jusy naive, but I dont remember all that many times when I have been questioned when I order a juice or a coke when everyone else is ordering alcohol. I just really dislike the loss of personal control, and prefer to keep my wits about me.

I suspect that many non drinkers will join me in a pet peeve. I do get miffed when those I am with(or not with, for that matter) assume that since they have a non drinker along, it is a license to get sloshed because I will take care of things if they cant. It wasnt long ago that a freind? got really angry when he found himself in the custody of local LE in the morning after aparently losing himself to wanton abandon after I had gone home. He called me and chewed me out for "not taking him home when he was losing control". Just because I choose not to drink does not mean that I am a recovering alcoholic, a baby sitter for drunks, or a full time designated driver. I'll help when I can, but personal responsibility is where its at.

Jon

It's interesting the reactions you get. I was never much of a drinker to begin with and when I found out I was diabetic it cut it to zero. You will rarely see me drink anything but water and sometimes the reactions I get do run into weird assumptions. Since I don't usually hang out with people and go to places that there would be much drinking I found that when I first changed my drinking preference the first place I got reactions were from strip clubs. The dancers themselves seemed a little surprised to find someone sitting there with only water. I occasionally get the same reaction from coworkers when I do wind up at a function and I still order water. I don't know about the assumption that I was an alcoholic, but sometimes I do get the feeling that I'm being seen as anti-social. I often explain why I don't drink and I get an Ahhh I see reaction.
Whatever, just my 2 cents worth

ShuadChaun