inplain,
I could have written your last post.
Big party yest. and today for me. Lucky my wife has friends. Not joking.
There was and will be booze everywhere. Of course I feel the temptation, but I always eat and enjoy refreshing water or non alcoholic bevs.
I watch the folks drinking. If we talk, I look deep into their eyes.
When someone has the first drink, their eyes seem to change almost immediately.
They glaze up. Their speech slurs a bit. They try to control it. Usually, they get happy. They get insightful or something. Then they start to come off the buzz. It is a slippery slide into lala land and regret. The normies seem to understand this.
The drunks, like me, rationalize it is party time and keep going. Drunks are always looking for someone to join them. Drinking alone at parties looks weird. Awkward.
Now clean, for me, it is almost like watching a sad drama unfold. Trying not to get involved, eating peanuts, and hoping nothing too crazy materializes.
So, for me, parties are awesome. Drunks at parties are almost like a sad clown.
I can't save the drunk, they have to save themselves. I tried talking to my Dad and Sister before about our family drinking issue (they still drink hard at times). It blew up in my face.
No matter, I work to have sober fun all the way.
Thanks.