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One of the hardest things for me to talk about is why I don’t drink. Its hard to explain in words because there are so many reasons behind it. I could just say that my dad went into AA when I was about six years old, but really, its a lot more complicated than that.
I’m also reluctant to talk about it because, in my experience, people don’t really care about the reasons why. They’re either cool with it and don’t need further information, or they’d rather tell dumb jokes than listen. Nothing gets in the way of good natured harassment like earnest explanations.
That said, I read this story and realize that we know more about Carl than the main character. Hopefully I’ll rectify that in the print edition with some “deleted scenes” that shed some light on the lead’s idiosyncrasies.
Hey there!
Hehe, same here… I’m 23 and I’m really tired of trying to explain the fact that I don’t drink since I’m 18. The cause? Can’t tell… Drunk people suck and after a couple years of drinkin and more than enough expierence I was fed up with kickin’ my brain in the ass.
Face the fact, we’re misfits
But that’s okay…
Just strange that I don’t have any vices anymore. Don’t drink (anymore), don’t to any drugs, don’t smoke (anymore, after almost ten years of excessive smoking). I know it has nothing to do with boredom, but sometimes I feel kinda boring ^^
But I don’t miss booze. I miss cigarettes tho. Not physically, I quit a year ago.
It’s just the feeling I miss. The act of smoking.
It was always great to have a nice smoke when sitting around in a warm summer night.
But okay… Maybe I’ll find a compensation for that someday ^^
Nice comic, as always :]
I guess you’d include me in the misfit category. Mine is for a myriad of reasons, that I generally don’t delve completely into. The one that I state the most is my health condition. I am not supposed to drink, since it would have an adverse effect on my medications.
At times I get harassed, however I make it a point to make the other person feel uncomfortable if they do. For example, I have co-workers that have said some of the following in the past.
“I can’t believe you don’t drink.”
“That’s weird.”
“What do you do for fun?”
“Isn’t it weird to be around others that aren’t drinking?”
When they get on my nerves like that. Then I go into the ENTIRE explanation. But in all honesty, this doesn’t generally happen. Most people just accept it and move on. I understand that it is the social norm to consume alcohol and I am okay with that. Hell, what you do in your free time is okay with me, just don’t let it affect me. But in the end, I really don’t care what people the hell people think about me.
BTW, I am going to hang your art from VIP in my room right above my computer. It was a big purchase, I just at times have a mind like a sieve.
I would fall into the category of those people who “are cool with no explanation and don’t need any further explanation”. I might be curious as to the reason, but I know better than to pry about it if folks don’t want to say anything. I respect it when someone doesn’t want to drink, because I really don’t drink that often myself. It’s a personal choice, plain and simple.
To Stephan – Yeah, I guess we’re misfits. But it sounds like you quite for the right reasons.
To Dan – Yeah, I get that too. Not as much lately, though. I also find that most people don’t need the entire conversation. Also, I was just kidding about the VIP art. (He’s talking about art I did for a local Gallery Show called Lutefisk Sushi).
To Jon – That’s a good way to be!
I’m sick of alcohol. It’s a real slippery slope for me…I need a drink a couple nights a week to help me rest because I’m a chronic insomniac. I also need to quit due to clinical depression. If I drink a couple nights in a row, I end up craving it every night, and then I get more depressed.
And it doesn’t help that I live with someone who loves to drink. His daily routine of 2 beers plus a gin & tonic is really starting to repulse me.
I hope next week opens with a shot of Carl and Rick passed out.
I still haven’t been to Cub to get my toaster pasteries.
As usual, great comic Ryan!
To Loops – I have no barometer for what constitutes normal alcohol consumption, so I don’t know if drinking a couple nights a week is normal or not. If you want to cut back, I wish you luck. Me personally, I should really cut back on caffeine one of these days.
To Bud – You’re probably going to be disappointed, with next week’s comic. Not with toaster pastries. Those never disappoint.
oh, lollers. well just for the sake of perspective, one drink each night is considered moderate–even healthy for some people. People with Y chromosomes can get away with a little more. I’ve already cut back, it’s just hard to keep myself in check when I have a heavy drinker handing me bottles of wine all the time.
Good to know. I’ve stopped drinking caffeine and aspartame since 7:00 am yesterday. We’ll see how long I last. I actually feel a lot better, though.