Drunk Me

Socializing is one of my favourite things to do…actually maybe it’s my ABSOLUTE favourite thing to do. Socializing with good friends over a couple adult beverages and having some good laughs. Now just a disclaimer, I do consider myself to have a healthy relationship with alcohol and I think my loved ones could agree. I promise. But I have been known to ‘tie one on’ ...on more than one occasion. Honestly though, what can we complain about having drinks with friends while playing yard games at a lakeside cottage? Or catching up with people you haven’t seen in years at a stag and doe at the local arena while you dance the night away? Maybe you don’t NEED alcohol to do any of this, but I personally prefer to!

I am a happy drunk - you can ask my friends - I’m not the type to get angry when I’ve had a few too many. We all have that friend that is an angry drunk on whiskey. Yea, I am talking about you Sass-bucket Amy and Drunk Deborah. I’m just there for the party. It could be a party for 2 or a party of 50. My definition of a good party… anything that makes me laugh is a party. And these are the people I like to surround myself with...the funny ones. I often invite myself places, like walking into good friend Nic’s and his dad saying ‘Who invited you?’ Nobody did, I invited myself. There might only be five of us, but we are laughin’ …so it’s a party!

Laughs and alcohol go hand-in-hand. Laughs are at an all-time high when I’ve been drinking. Now I’m no expert but I’m going to go ahead and say it has something to do with the alcohol. Not sure in which way, maybe it’s some kind of chemical reaction or just plain simple it makes us do stupid shit. Scientists, give me a shout.

I think it is safe to say that I am not alone in saying that when I’ve had a couple beverages, not only do beer goggles exist but the beer cloak does too. That cloak makes you more courageous, clearly invincible and obviously a stranger to no one. Hi, I am Kate let’s be friends. AND LET’S HOPE I REMEMBER THAT WE ARE FRIENDS IN THE MORNING. Why is it easier to talk to someone that you have never met after 3 drinks? Why do we need precisely 6 drinks before we give a speech at our sibling’s wedding? (I’ve never had to do this and I'm pretty sure I won’t have too ;). Why after a bottle of wine do you think that you can beat a friend at that game you always lose to them at (I am probably referring to Freddy right now). A few more drinks later and you think you can somehow hurdle your body over a seven foot tall hedge. By definition, I actually bounced off the hedge and woke up with scratches everywhere. But do you think I cared at the time? Of course not. We also say things that we probably wouldn’t normally say. You may regret it but you also may forget it. And the storytelling...how is it that everyone becomes a brilliant storyteller? Everyone just snowballs off of each other. Real stories, fake stories, hypothetical stories...and they are obviously all funny, I’m drunk. But what’s also fun are the deep dark paths you somehow get down about something SERIOUS. Finances, politics, religion, it's a free for all. It's when you learn the most about your friends. But sometimes learn too much about strangers. Why do we think it’s a good idea to have these conversations drinking? Let’s be serious, they don’t usually turn out very well.

Do you wake up feeling guilty? I know I do. Thinking to myself ‘why did I do that?” Or maybe your head hurts and the next day is a complete write-off. I’ve done some things I’m not proud of because of my choice to drink alcohol. But it’s a choice I made and I will pay the consequences….usually some Advil and a lazy day on the couch. And overall, the good days of drinking most certainly outweigh the bad days! Okay, for real though the bad days don’t happen too often, not anymore at least. My college days might have been a different story.

I will probably never give it up completely, but I’ve taken some healthy detoxes. The hangovers get harder. And not to mention it’s not a cheap hobby. Is drinking considered a hobby?

I have friends like Holly that have given it up and been sober for nearly two years. Girl, I am so proud of you and what you have accomplished. I will forever support and respect your decision. But for now, I aspire to wake up without thinking “I wish I didn’t do that.” Here’s to drinking responsibly, making good decisions and enjoying those social beverages with friends. On that note, it’s time for a glass of wine.

Quick plug, Amy and I bottle our own wine for the first time ever this winter. Go check out Lakeshore Artisan Wines.

-Kate