There have been many occasions over the years of being partially hungover, okay make that totally hungover. I’m not going to disclose how much I used to drink but it suffices to say that the liquor store in my neighborhood closed about the time I quit drinking. Please note that I was not nearly their best customer but a steady one for sure. The good thing about buying your hard liquor at a local store is the fact that it is much safer to drink at home. By the way, we are social drinkers as opposed to actual alcoholics, party animals if you will. Another fun reason to drink at home is that you can be loud and somewhat obnoxious in your own living room. No one will be cutting you off or sending you away.
Many of the old nightclub gigs that I played were well-suited for the consumption of cocktails during the performances. There is saying about playing live music that states ‘A performer should never be more stoned than their audience’. This is sound advice. If you have a bar full of happy, inebriated listeners, it is good to share their state of mind and indulge but not go overboard. A great chef once said ‘The spirit of the party is locked up in this bottle and we need to uncork it to let the spirit out’.
These days it seems like the hard drinking party times were a past life as it’s been years since I’ve had any vodka or single malt Scotch. For health reasons I have let the beer and wine go by the wayside as well. The song The Days of Wine and Roses comes to mind. Although the moniker of cheap date or designated driver suits me well, it is a very small price to pay for continued health. Life is good and we are lucky to have a quality life at this or any age.
[Editor’s Note]
Deems Tsutakawa is a local Sansei musician. He can be reached at deemst@deemsmusic.com.
