Sober.

I was never much of a drinker for the first 35 or so years of my life. I wasn’t chomping at the bit to turn 21 so that I could legally drink and when I finally reached that age I celebrated with a diet coke at DiRocco’s in Tyngsboro, Mass. as my friends toasted their beers and mixed drinks around me.

Once in a while I’d pop open a beer or have a mixed drink when DJing, but usually I opted for straight cranberry juice or diet pop with no ice. I started enjoying beer more toward the end of my days in radio and have kept up the practice since then. I have never been drunk to the point that I passed out or puked; I usually get really chatty, really silly, really dizzy and then fall asleep, hopefully in that order. Occasionally I’d drive home while buzzing which is a very, very stupid thing to do. I have sat through more than one meal where I recall nothing aside from what Earl told me, an order of ribs at Zebb’s (in which I apparently loudly exclaimed “I hate ribs” and proceeded to fall asleep in the coleslaw) or a full dinner for breakfast at Denny’s (because I absolutely had to have pancakes so I ordered fried chicken). I find this embarrassing.

I know a man that is 50 years old and has never been drunk in his life. I don’t believe that he has ever had a drink before. I know another that is a few years older than me that has never drank at all. I know a 19 year old that has sworn to never drink for his entire life. I admire them. On the flip side, I know a few too many who drink without reason; there’s no party, no one around, they just drink. Perhaps they drown their sorrows.

If I ever had a sorrow it seemed to get worse when I drank.

If I ever had a happy moment, it didn’t really get that much happier when I drank. In fact, it’d usually turn a little weird and then fade away with the drink I had in celebration.

So today I pledge to never drink alcohol again. This is not an easy thing as I enjoy the taste of beer, but there’s enough non-alcoholic varieties out there to keep things interesting in a pinch.

I don’t expect anyone to follow my lead. I judge no one, I think no less of those that enjoy a beer or a cosmo or a Long Island iced tea, quite frankly it’s none of my business. I expect no change from others, I am selfish in this endeavour and doing it only for me. I have made great strides in the health department as of late, this is my next jump over a hurdle.

It’s time to clean the mind as well and experience everything the Universe gives me in full technicolor without messing with the horizontal or vertical hold.

Bye-bye, Bud.