(no subject)

[rosiedoes]

So, I'm watching a programme about houses - people relocating from the city to the country - and all the woman who's hosting it can think of is alcohol.

"Perfect for a G&T in the evening!"

"Loads of space for wine storage!"

"Excellent built in wine rack!"

"Just down the road from the country's largest wine cellar!"

I hate that. It feels like sometimes this country runs and is driven by alcohol, and the single-minded urge to get as trolleyed as possible all the time. In this country, if you say you don't drink, people look at you like you've just told them you have a predilection for zoophilia. Most people don't even understand the concept of straight edge - even once you've explained it to them. We have programmes specifically studying binge-drinking culture in the UK and enough material for them to run series' called things like "Binge Britain".

Yes, I understand that in our past we lived on mead and ales because the water wasn't safe to drink, but fucking hell. It's the 21st century! We need to move on, now.

It's fucking embarrassing to be British, sometimes.

Comments

[nikitaquincy.livejournal.com]

It's the same mentality here in Newfoundland. Drinking is the provincial pastime, and the "cool" thing to do in St. John's, where I live, is to go down to George Street (the club district) and get as shitfaced as possible. Hell, even the "initiation" to Newfoundland for outsiders, which is called getting screeched in, involves having to consume this really vile Newfoundland rum called screech.

When I tell people I don't drink (I had to give it up due to my stroke), they look at me like I have two heads. Even if I could afford to imbibe regularly, I wouldn't. Those days are long behind me. I liked having a drink or two every now and then when I actually could drink, but my days of coming home plastered and not remembering it the next day ended in my early 20s.

[rosiedoes.livejournal.com]

So what if you don't drink? How are you initiated?

[nikitaquincy.livejournal.com]

My guess is that you aren't. I've never been screeched in. I absolutely refuse to participate in any activity involving rum (which I hate) and kissing a fish.

"Screeching" someone visiting Newfoundland for the first time is a longtime custom of many older bars in Newfoundland, in which the person is to drink a shot glass filled with Screech, kiss a codfish on the mouth, and recite the phrase "long may your big jib draw." After which they receive an official 'Screechers' certificate. Bars most famous for this initiation are found along the George Street entertainment district of downtown St. John's, Newfoundland.

[returntosender.livejournal.com]

Well, maybe after you've hemmed yourself in with a ridiculous mortgage you need to self-medicate to forget your huge colossal money worries. Or something. I guess as a nation, we really don't like ourselves :(

[likethepaint.livejournal.com]

Oh man. I absolutely hate that. It's like, you're an alien if you don't drink. I've given up trying to explain being straight edge to people because either they throw it off with "but you drink secretly, right?" or think it's some fad diet to loose weight. Or my personal favourite "oh, I get it, you're waiting until you're 18 so you don't get into trouble. You're such a good girl." People naturally assume that the second I turn 18 I'm gonna just abandon this and start drinking/taking as many drugs as I can get my hands on.

The binge drinking is pretty much one of the only things that makes me seriously think about moving out of Britain.

[rosiedoes.livejournal.com]

Me too, dude.

I actually kind of like the idea of living in a dry county.

[likethepaint.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I wouldn't even mind living in a country where people could drink so much if it wasn't for the binge drinking and the fact that you can't just go out and have a good time with your mates without some form of alcohol being involved.

[nikitaquincy.livejournal.com]

You could always move to Utah :)

[bigger-tigers.livejournal.com]

In this country, if you say you don't drink, people look at you like you've just told them you have a predilection for zoophilia.

LOL! People do the same thing in the US! When I tell people I don't drink, they always assume that I'm waiting until I'm 21.