Another Planet S column appeared this week (much to my surprise – as it was supposed to be the issue without me). It was a piece written for the Summer Drinks issue but got bumped for lack of space. It is on the ever-so touch subject of over-imbibing.
The editor asked me to write a “light-hearted” piece about how to avoid a nasty hangover after a few beer on the patio/deck with friends on a hot summer day. Generally I am not one to counsel drinking too much, so after some thought, I decided to approach it in a rather guerilla-esque fashion. The piece starts off promising to be a guide to drinking as much as you want without paying the price, but – as you will read – ALL of the tips are methods to reduce the amount you drink, for that is really the only way to avoid nasty hangovers. My goal was to not sound preachy, not to judge the choice of having more than one or two (for my glass house on that front is QUITE BIG) and still offer some useful advice on how to quaff a couple beer responsibly.
I will let you be the ultimate judge of whether it worked or not. Read the article here.
August 4, 2010 at 8:40 AM
Excellent suggestions…..now to find that moose.
August 5, 2010 at 9:37 AM
It’s definitely a touchy subject, which is kind of strange when you think about it. I’ve often thought that all us booze writers sometimes seem to be oblivious to the fact that the booze we’re discussing is, in fact, booze – and it gets you drunk if you drink too much. The intoxicating effect of alcohol is one of its appeals, but also one of its dangers, and I’d like to see more candid discussion of this aspect. I’ve read one essay that really tackled it head-on – actually, the author argued that the intoxication is an intrinsic aspect of wine tasting, and one that cannot be overlooked, ignored, or circumvented. There’s also an interesting website, drinkingdiaries.com, that discusses the relationship women have to booze – and they don’t shy away from subjects like alcoholism, which is rather refreshing.
Anyway, good article. You didn’t sound preachy at all, just practical.