Sobriety is Overrated

Today was the first day of what was supposed to be 7 days of absolute sobriety for me. Understand, I did not choose do this out of concern for my current habits; I just do this every couple of months to... recharge, I suppose. Few things in life are more disappointing than burning yourself out on something you enjoy. Going a week or two or a month or whatever absolutely straight teaches you to better appreciate the fact that you have the freedom to get fucked up, should you so choose. One should never allow oneself to get to the point where one takes for granted one's freedoms.

So today was day 1. I had a glass of scotch before bed last night, then woke up this comfortable with the idea of 7 days of sobriety.

Then I went to work, and hosted our midnight release party for Twilight.

I absolutely loved the Twilight series. I started the first book with full confidence that I would hate it, but after the first few chapters... I was hooked. I read the first book in one night, read New Moon the next, then Eclipse the next after that, then waited for months in agonizing pain for Breaking Dawn to come out. I actually hosted our midnight release party for that as well, and had a total blast. I was less enthused for tonight's event, however; I still have not seen the film, and had next to no prep or planning time. We also had twice as many attendees as I had originally anticipated. But it went great, I had a good time, and there were no issues to speak of the whole night. Even still, halfway through this whole thing I could not help but think "Good God I cannot wait to go home and crack open that bottle of Macallan." And I realized that really, at this point in time, I have NO desire to go a week sober. I want to get home from work and drink some scotch. Maybe after I move into my new apartment and get all of my shit together, I will be in a better state of mind to go on a sobriety streak. But not right now.

Give thanks, ladies and gentlemen, for your ability to get wasted. There exist a great many substances on this planet that can make you unnaturally happy and help you forget, at least temporarily, the things that make you want to go play on the highway. Granted, there is a flipside to this; overdoing it with these very same substances that bring you such happiness can ultimately bring you far greater misery if you overdo them. But if one possesses both the willpower and, more importantly, the desire, to utilize these grand alchemical opportunities responsibly, one gains access to otherwise unattainable states of mind, as well as states of total release.

Or, more simply stated: Keep your shit together, and you can have a damn fine time.

Sobriety is overrated. Enjoy your poison responsibly. Let it take you somewhere new (or someplace comfortably familiar), but don't let it overtake you.

Here's to you.