Sober thoughts from the Boulder Cafe

“I work them long nights, long nights to get a pay day” – Big Sean (Mercy)

 

When I tell people that I don’t drink, they often give me a look of horror that’s usually reserved for 12 car pile ups. Occasionally people accept it and move on. Most of the time they ask a simple question. Why?  The answer isn’t particularly easy. I don’t have a religious reason for it, no moral opposition, no allergies to alcohol. I realize I sort of answered it in a previous post but merely using “responsibility” as THE reason I don’t drink isn’t completely intellectually honest. It’s a little more complicated than that.

The main reason I don’t drink is because I didn’t really do it before. I didn’t drink when I was in New York. Generally, no one asked me until I was old enough that I wasn’t interested by it. It also helped that I commuted to and from college and my high school friends weren’t going to force me to drink, because they already knew I didn’t. 
The other main reason is my hearing. I’m hearing impaired, and can’t hear out of my right ear. With that comes some balance issues and directional hearing issues. I live with it and deal with it. I also suffer from migraines. I never thought that drinking would be a good thing to add with those things.

Even though I don’t drink, I still go to bars and clubs, sober. Last week, I ended up going out a couple of nights in a row due to a school obligation, a work obligation, and Saturday for my own benefit. Had a lot of fun all three nights. Great conversations even if some of the content was a direct result of “liquid courage”.

My favorite part of the weekend was Saturday night. Saturday was pretty rough for me so I was ready for the night to bring any positivity. And that it did. A couple of months ago one of my classmates  described me as “in my element” when dancing to certain music. I forgot over the years that I really enjoy dancing. When I was younger I used to dance to every thing (badly). Then as I got older and was concerned about not embarrassing myself I mostly stopped doing it. Then I got back into it in late high school and college due to friends and relationships. Now that I’m in Colorado, and a bit more mature, I don’t care. If I’m motivated, I’ll dance. I don’t think I’m a particularly good dancer, but I’m also not concerned that I might be a bad one.  As long as the music is right, I’m up for the challenge.

Of course I had the problem of the “right” music being followed by music outside of my comfort zone.  But at the end of the night had a really great set of songs ending with “Mercy” and all feelings of ill will towards the DJ ended. I loosened up, left all inhibition at the door and that was that, which I’m sure was entertaining. All without a drink.