First the man takes a drink Then the drink takes a drink Then the drink takes the man - alleged Chinese proverb I'm not a teetotaller. but I firmly believe in moderation. Not to say I haven't made my share of mistakes. But there's really not a lot of fun in hugging the Porcelain God and praying to Ralph.
Being drunk isn't that great. I can count on one hand the number of times I've been totally drunk, and none of those times evokes fond memories. Getting a small buzz while drinking with friends on a random evening is fine - it goes away in about 30 minutes and you're fine. I have many friends who even now think that the purpose of having a party is to get smash-faced drunk. It used to be amusing to watch their antics, but now that we're all out of college and supposedly responsible grown-ups it's just a sorry shame to see them act that way. You can still have drinks at a party, have a good time, and not get even the littlest bit drunk. I do it all the time, and much more enjoy that than being drunk any day. Vodka shouldn't be scary. It's just a drink. Take a half-shot, put it in some orange juice and drink up. You'll know if you like it or not. That's how my great-grandfather drank his orange juice every morning. The man lived to be 98 years old, so maybe there's something to it...
I was rasied in a completely non-drinking family. Alcohol wasn't allowed in the house. Also, being a law-abiding citizen, I didn't have my first drink until I was 21. I have no telerance, so I have learned to not drink more than 2 drinks in an evening. I drink enough to feel it, then I stop. I have never puked or been hungover. However, after my first Long Island, I remember needing to be steared to teh bathroom and carried home. That was only one though. LOL. Anyway, I don't plan on bringing in the New Year drunk.