Small headway today. My coworkers, the ones who want to drink every single night, (not falling down drunk drinking, just, a few drinks with dinner drinking) had me over their hotel suite for dinner tonight. They had seltzer in the fridge for me! And just automatically gave it to me! Then they invited me over to watch the debate tomorrow night. (In the US we have this, um, election happening soon. The two remaining major party candidates are debating tomorrow night on TV. I promise I will not editorialize here even though I really, really, really want to.)
I thought they were joking about playing a debate watch drinking game. They weren't. I told them I'd come watch the debate with them but would pass on the booze, and they looked confused. "Oh, we won't be playing a debate drinking game with actual booze. Do you know how drunk you'd get? No, we were going to drink, you know, drinks. Just beverages."
As if I needed more reminding that I'm an alcoholic. I could not have had someone over for dinner and not drank everything in the house after they left. But when I left they were both getting ready for bed with opened bottles of wine being put away and glasses in the dishwasher. That would have stressed me out so much, wanting the company to leave so I could finish the job. And, I would have drank a lot, and made sure I had more waiting back in my room to drink until I passed out.
I don't think these people would have liked me a few months ago.