If I'm singing or playing at a joint I can go without drinking, cuz I know once I start: my shit is shot. I'll fuck up the whole gig.

I have to wait until after I play to drink, so I sometimes have to put up with drunk people for hours. It actually makes me feel empowered to see everyone falling down drunk and me feeling composed.

Once, a little bastard at a show I was backing up a friend at, tried to lift my phone right off my belt as I stood at the bar. I felt him trying to get it. I turned around and looked him right in the eye. He hissed at me, like a fucking rat. I just put my hand on my phone and I saw him go through the crowd toward the exit.

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ignorance is no excuse for stupidity

I have never had any alcohol before I played either. I hate it and I hate being in a band with people that do that. I just had dinner at the pub and their choice of non-alcoholic drinks was: water/coke......

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Juices like wine, like the blood in the sands.

You can meet some interesting people at coffee shops, large book stores, and even surprisingly your local library. You figure you'd meet nothing but nerds and introverts but I have met some great longterm friends at places like these. I quit being a boozehag about 2 years ago after heavy drinking for about 10. Did it for health reasons and the fact that I hated waking up with monster hangover headaches and worrying about whether I made an ass out of myself the night before.

You don't drink/like water? What's your non-alc bev of choice?

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ignorance is no excuse for stupidity

I drink water all the time.. but I hate coke and all soft drinks.

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Juices like wine, like the blood in the sands.

and how do I have friends without being an alcoholic?

I think it gets to the point where it's hard to meet new friends if you're not at school/college/uni. I mean you can have work friends but they aren't always the people you'd want to be with outside work.

I don't drink and I've found it easy to maintain my relationships with friends that drink, I don't mind being around a bunch of drunk people! Nah we're all quite close anyway so it's not an issue. It is harder to relate to someone you've never met before when they're smashed and you're sober. Also when you meet people for the first time the usual suggestion is to meet up for a drink, but I suppose if you don't fancy that you could just go for a coffee or something.

My problem these days is getting people to even go out, they're all loved up and having quiet nights in, booo!

I know the feeling of every catchup involves alcohol, but have you tried going out and just not drinking while they drink? are they the kind of friends who get completely that blotto they cant hold a conversation? I really enjoy going out and have a couple of drinks but it doesnt do that much to my ability to chat and socialise, sometimes alcohol is just a means to an end, its not really the reason you're all there.

why not call your friends over for a afternoon catch up / backyard bbq, if they have a few beers so what, its all about the socialising. then maybe if you all enjoy that try and organise a camping trip or something.. thats what im in the midst of at the moment with my friends..

also my shed has a pingpong table, darts and foozeball table. thats something we usually do while most of us are enjoying a few drinks but honestly the drinks are a non-essential part of it all.

My boyfriend doesn't drink and I think it could be the best relationship ever - we have a blast without the stuff! I met him in a bar teehee Xx