Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Life Obligatory Drinking
Posted by Dan Savage on Wed, Dec 31, 2008 at 8:10 PM
It's New Year's Eve—but you know that, right?—and I'm at Whistler with the family. And some loyal retainers. We were supposed to be in Whitefish, Montana, for the New Year holiday but... well, that's a long story. There's a Led Zeppelin cover band playing on a stage just outside our hotel. ("Aaah-aa-aaaaaaaaaah-ah! Aaah-aa-aaaaaaaaaah-ah") They're very loud. Presumably this band, or the band or bands that follow, will be playing until sometime after midnight. Without a doubt the band or bands that follow will be equally loud or louder. Because it's not really music if it isn't doing lasting structural damage to nearby buildings.
Anyway, we brought something like six bottles of champagne with us. Because it's New Year's Eve, of course, we feel obligated to start downing all this booze. But if we stay up until sometime past midnight (another obligation), and the four adults in our party drink all of this champagne, we will all have hangovers in the morning and that will make it impossible to bound out of bed at 7 AM and go snowboarding. Which is why we're here—the snowboarding, not the drinking. (Speaking of which: five people have died here this season so far—not much snow, a lot of exposed rocks and trees, so many, many ways to bash your brains out.) But New Year's Eve is one of those drinking days of obligation, nights when adults must drink. So drink we must, and drink we shall—and with all the aaah-aa-aaaaaaaaaah-ah-ing, I don't see as I have any other choice.
And now, to quote Monica Guzman, what are your plans for New Year's Eve, Seattle? Besides reading Slog, of course. Are you drinking? Not drinking?
Aaah-aa-aaaaaaaaaah-ah!
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1
I'm riding the subway from N. Hollywood to Hollywood and Highland, walking over to Fairfax, hitting a party, walking back to the subway at 3:30 and riding it out to Pasadena in time for sunup and sidewalk party for the Rose Parade. Packin' half-pint of el Presidente.
2
Cogswell you arrogant fuckhead. Why do you think anyone gives a shit what you are doing? You're in California? That's supposed to be cool? Entertain us: accidentally kill some kid in an amusing way.
3
Save a bottle for the morning and have bellinis. It'll help with the hangover. =)
As long as you don't go down the "danger, don't go here, exposed rocks" areas, you should be fine. =) Plus, on the positive side, they found that lost snowboarder and he's going to be fine!
As long as you don't go down the "danger, don't go here, exposed rocks" areas, you should be fine. =) Plus, on the positive side, they found that lost snowboarder and he's going to be fine!
4
Fuck you "Not a Fan. I made a fucking movie that lost a lot of money-mostly other people's- and I was stoned and irresponsible the whole fucking time I was doing it and then I wrote about it for The Stranger and everyone knows I'm fucking cool- ask and Slog reading teenager-so Fuck You.
6
Quiet, low-key night ahead, chilling with a friend and the dogs. I generally avoid the crowds (and drivers) on nights like these. As for libations, they will flow freely. Happy New Year everyone! Oh, and of course I'll take an occasional look-see at Slog throughout the night: the computer is on the way to the pisser :P
8
Oh dear - Dan, if there was trouble with the Builder (other than the lateness, which would have worked to your advantage if you were going to Whitefish) do let me know. Us Amtrak wives do care about such things.
In any event, Happy New Years in that Canada (I hear it's practically another country) and do drink up - we're not getting any younger.
In any event, Happy New Years in that Canada (I hear it's practically another country) and do drink up - we're not getting any younger.
11
Happy New Year Dan from us at the blog blog. You have kicked @ss this year in the media. So proud to be a fan of yours. Cheers!
12
in MPLS with friends and a boxer. Not too much drinking, but some pot, beer, and music. Hope ocean breezes bring powder. Apprehensive about 2009, but Happy New Years everyone!
13
From a loyal fan on the other side of the country (just how in the hell DID I end up in VA?) Happy New Year to the Savage family of readers!!
Quiet night for us, you'll have to do the drinking for this party. So here's to a year better then the last and not nearly as good as those to come!!
And I have to say, I LOVE the "not a fan(s)" that hate Dan so much they just can not resist hanging on his every word.....
Quiet night for us, you'll have to do the drinking for this party. So here's to a year better then the last and not nearly as good as those to come!!
And I have to say, I LOVE the "not a fan(s)" that hate Dan so much they just can not resist hanging on his every word.....
14
oh dan, didn't you go to college? and learn all about hangover science? well then, you should know that all you have to do is consume about ten ounces of OJ before you hit the sack and all will be well.
okay, i guess it helps if you cushion the blow to your stomach lining with a meal or something too, but it's really the OJ that's the key ingredient. if you don't have OJ on hand, try a couple spoonfuls of jam or honey, or anything with a hell of a lot of fructose in it. cranberry juice won't work, for instance, and you'd have to drink way more apple juice than a person could tolerate, so stick with OJ, jam, or honey. and you'll be just fine chasing the kid around on those slopes tomorrow.
happy new year! we're just that much closer to obama in the white house, yay!
okay, i guess it helps if you cushion the blow to your stomach lining with a meal or something too, but it's really the OJ that's the key ingredient. if you don't have OJ on hand, try a couple spoonfuls of jam or honey, or anything with a hell of a lot of fructose in it. cranberry juice won't work, for instance, and you'd have to drink way more apple juice than a person could tolerate, so stick with OJ, jam, or honey. and you'll be just fine chasing the kid around on those slopes tomorrow.
happy new year! we're just that much closer to obama in the white house, yay!
15
and yes, i know you think that codeine shit works - but wouldn't you rather just prevent the misery to begin with? listen to auntie hallie and drink you some OJ. it's cheap, effective, and prophylactic. just like condoms.
16
Back in my hard drinking days I would drink a pint of water and take two Advils before retiring, and be fresh as a daisy in the morning.
I hear that's simply awful for your liver, but mine seems to be hanging in there. It only hurts when I breathe.
I hear that's simply awful for your liver, but mine seems to be hanging in there. It only hurts when I breathe.
17
In an effort to avoid a hangover, excess drinking and consumption of empty alcohol calories, I'm foregoing all New Year's festivities and focusing on my New Year's resolution to lose 20 pounds and look good in swimming trunks this summer.
18
Every year I feel I should go do something on New Year's. And every year I end up tagging along to some family member's/friend's shitty party where I hate everyone. Fuck it. This year I'm staying home, eating cookies, and cleaning out my closet. (and probably watching the spastic, random-celebrity countdown on TV)
19
Grant, I was totally interested in what you're up to for new year's eve. In fact, I thought that's what everyone was supposed to say here. I went out for dinner with friends, had too much wine & am now home surfing. Was originally planning to wait up for midnight to see the fireworks off the Space Needle, but now I'm thinking bed, bed, bed. Now.
Okay, Happy New Year everybody! And Gobama!
Okay, Happy New Year everybody! And Gobama!
20
Kathy Griffin just said "I dont go to your job and knock the dicks out of your mouth" on live CNN... I laughed until my ribs hurt
28
Alcohol has lost its thrill. I'm just killing time. I'm a serial time killer. Bill Kurtis will be profiling my time killing rampage on A&E soon.
29
Oh, sorry, I thought this was Facebook. No, wait, Dan asked what people were doing! I might bail on the parade.
31
I had dinner and rang in the New Year with my best friend of 38 years. (Since we were 9) Our kids are all out at parties (mine at our house) so we're lying low at her house. No champagne for me, but we did eat our 12 grapes for 12 months of prosperity, and opened the doors to let the old year out and the new one in. We are party people!
Happy New Year Everyone! Let's hope there are brighter and more peaceful days ahead.
Dan, Happy New Year to you and your family. Peace.
Happy New Year Everyone! Let's hope there are brighter and more peaceful days ahead.
Dan, Happy New Year to you and your family. Peace.
32
Not drinking here.
Screw the booze and go snowboarding. What will you remember most? A hangover or that New Year's Day at Whistler snowboarding with your husband and son? Let your guests have all the champagne.
Happy New Year to you, Terry and DJ.
Screw the booze and go snowboarding. What will you remember most? A hangover or that New Year's Day at Whistler snowboarding with your husband and son? Let your guests have all the champagne.
Happy New Year to you, Terry and DJ.
33
My recollection of drinking copious amounts of champagne is that in the morning...
Dan, that is a sweet face peering between the bottles! Happy New Year
Dan, that is a sweet face peering between the bottles! Happy New Year
34
Happy New Year!
Here in Scotland we shot off legal fireworks as everyone else in the neighborhood did the same! Nothing quite like the broad scots tones of 'Happy New Year' screamed across the heather (I'm American, but still in love the the accent over here). Alas no champagne for me as I'm 4 months pregnant...
Here in Scotland we shot off legal fireworks as everyone else in the neighborhood did the same! Nothing quite like the broad scots tones of 'Happy New Year' screamed across the heather (I'm American, but still in love the the accent over here). Alas no champagne for me as I'm 4 months pregnant...
35
Went up on my roof with a bottle of champagne and watched the fireworks off the Space Needle. Same as every year.
Happy 2009!! May it be a year that promises hope, not fear.
Happy 2009!! May it be a year that promises hope, not fear.
36
We shot off a brick of 2000 firecrackers in unincorporated King County as neighbors around us shot off mortars and cherry bombs. I put away two bottles of champagne almost single handedly, that same Domaine St. Michelle Brut stuff you had. Good times. Happy 2009! Ow, should have tried that OJ trick...
37
I didn't drink (recently quit - can't moderate), and not to get all self-righteous here, but seeing the effects of drinking too much was pretty icky. At the party I was at, there were at least 3 people passed out before 12:30. One of them was taken away in an ambulance.
I got a call from a close friend at around 2 who was completely wasted, saying that her friends had ditched her at the bar and she needed a ride. When I got there she was gone, turns out her friends hadn't ditched her at all and she got home fine. Outside the bar people were falling down, lighting the wrong ends of cigarettes, and dudes were pissing in the bushes in large numbers.
I stopped for cigs on the drive home, and someone in the car next to me in the parking lot had puked all over herself and the car. The drive home was totally harrowing, dodging drunk drivers like it was a video game.
I've probably failed at avoiding self righteousness here, and was grumpy for other reasons which colored my opinions I'm sure. But the fact remains: people look pathetic when they're totally trashed, and the "Drinking Holidays" (NYE, St Patricks, Cinco de Mayo, etc) are for amateurs.
I got a call from a close friend at around 2 who was completely wasted, saying that her friends had ditched her at the bar and she needed a ride. When I got there she was gone, turns out her friends hadn't ditched her at all and she got home fine. Outside the bar people were falling down, lighting the wrong ends of cigarettes, and dudes were pissing in the bushes in large numbers.
I stopped for cigs on the drive home, and someone in the car next to me in the parking lot had puked all over herself and the car. The drive home was totally harrowing, dodging drunk drivers like it was a video game.
I've probably failed at avoiding self righteousness here, and was grumpy for other reasons which colored my opinions I'm sure. But the fact remains: people look pathetic when they're totally trashed, and the "Drinking Holidays" (NYE, St Patricks, Cinco de Mayo, etc) are for amateurs.
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