You heard me right. I've gone and done the unthinkable. I ended my 34 years of Not Ever Drinking An Alcoholic Beverage.
My husband took me to a nice restaurant for our anniversary a couple weeks ago. My son had teased me not to drink, and my husband told him I wouldn't, and I said if I DID, then it was because it's my choice, and I'm an adult, and he's free to choose for himself when he's the legal adult age to do so.
We arrived at the restaurant about 45 minutes earlier than our reservation, so we took a seat in the bar area. I looked at the menu to decide what I wanted to try. He said something like, "You aren't going to drink." A statement, not a question.
I said, "Why not? I might."
"But you never drank before."
I thought about it and said, "The one and only reason I never drank was because I thought it was wrong, that God didn't want me to. But I found out I was taught a lot of stuff that wasn't true."
"You're not going to drink."
I asked him, "Why does the thought of me drinking bother you? You do it and it's no big deal, so why is it a big deal if I want to do it?"
Then he fired, "Would you do it if your dad were here?"
What?! What on earth does my (true believing Mormon) dad have to do with me sitting here having a drink with my man?
I said, "Would YOU not drink if my dad were here?" He said he would drink, he's done it before.
"Exactly. I'm an adult, and I can drink what I want, when I want. If I want to drink tonight, I will."
When the waitress came to take our order, my husband ordered an R&R Seven and I ordered a strawberry daiquiri. (Yes, I had to look up how to spell it!) In my pre-drinking days I would order virgin strawberry daiquiris and loved them. It was fun watching him hold his breath as I ordered.
I looked at him with what I hoped was a nonchalant look. He just stared at me. Like I had done something weird. Or like I had done something wrong. Then he told me if I didn't like it, I still had to drink it all since I ordered it. Wait a minute, is my dad here already?? Hellloooo...I had already decided I was going to finish off whatever I ordered, even before being told I HAD TO.
My first sip was interesting. It tasted like a rotten virgin strawberry daiquiri. But I persevered and drank it. I even tried his drink. His tastes like I imagine lighter fluid must taste. Shivers. For the record, a virgin strawberry daiquiri is much better tasting than the alcoholic version.
We got seated at our table and I had a little of my drink left. I was told once again that I was finishing it. That got a little old. They left us a relish tray once we ordered, and all of a sudden, my stomach started to hurt. Bad.
I told my husband and he was worried. I didn't feel lightheaded or different, just my stomach hurt way high by my ribs, and it was bad. I went to the restroom in case the worst happened. That would be my luck. I hung out in there for a while but nothing changed. Finally I went back to the table. By this time our salads had arrived. I didn't think I'd be able to eat anything, my stomach hurt so bad.
I picked at my salad a little, and after eating a few bites, I discovered it was helping my stomach not to hurt anymore! Yeeeessss. I was better!!! I realized something I never knew...I shouldn't drink on an empty stomach. I had had lunch at noon and it was already 8 pm.
I drank water with my dinner (I didn't like that stomach ache at all!) and after dinner with dessert, my husband ordered a Kalua and Cream. Oh. My. GAWD. I LOVE that drink! I drank over half of it myself. Now, there is a drink I can appreciate.
So...I can no longer say I never drank before. I have reached a new milestone.
I'm not sure I'll ever drink a beer, though. That stuff smells like death.
26 comments:
Hey, a strawberry daiquiri was the first drink I ever ordered, too! I didn't finish it though, it was horrible! (it was at officially the worst restaurant in the world, I blame them!) And like you, I really can't drink on an empty stomach.
If you're wanting to try wines, I suggest starting with white, perhaps a Riesling. It's sweet but not overly so, and very easy to drink. I am one of the weird freaks who loved red wine on my first try, but I know I'm an exception.
As for beer... it took me awhile to get used to it. There are some that I can handle, although I can't say I really love any of them. But a corona with taco's is very yummy, especially if you squeeze some lime in it. I can also tolerate shiner bock and red stripe as well. Beer is not my first choice, but I can take it.
If you want to talk more about alcohol, I'm your girl! I've only been drinking for less than two years, and it's somewhat of a hobby. Not an addiction, but a hobby. It helps that my sister was a bartender who taught me what's good and what to avoid.
SML,
That is a great story. It's funny how a 34 year old knows so little about alcohol consumption. I'm not making fun of you because I am in the same boat. I don't even know what a Riesling is.
On a side note, your request is my command. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.
It takes some getting used to, and a willingness to take things slowly and experiment. When I first started drinking (at the infantile age of 24), it took a while to find out what I liked and what I simply should never touch again. Like tequila. I was sick for a day straight after my first night of tequila drinking.
Beer. Hmm. I still don't like beer, which can be awkward for a guy. Thus I took up the Jack & Coke, which I've never been mocked for. :)
My biggest disappointment was red wine. It always looked so good on film, on the table at the fancy restaurant crowded by the beautiful people. I thought if people drink that rather than strawberry lemonade, it must be fabulous. But hurrrvvvv!
I stopped drinking for some years while the children were really small, but when I took it up again it was solely for the beer. Aaah, I could go for an Erdinger Weissbier Dunkel right about now...
I drank at 15. I was doing a lot of things at 15, actually... but that's another story for another time.
Great story, SML. Beer is an acquired taste. There are some you may like, and some you may hate. The hard liquors? You might like vodka but hate rum. You might like gin but hate tequila. It's literally a chemical reaction of what you drink and what your body tolerates.
I'm glad you figured out not to drink on an empty stomach. My tum tum does the same thing you described, PLUS, I get a wicked headache right away.
We're having coffee with Baileys and fresh chocolate chip cookies RIGHT now.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Hey Lisa, great story! Yes, indeedio, try not to drink on an empty stomach. The peanuts or 'tsumamis' as they call it in Japan, is helpful for these usually.
I started with Bailey's at the beginning of my drinking days. Bailey's on the rocks is sweet and easy on the stomach and throat for that matter. If you liked your husband's Kahlua Milk, then I think this is something else that you might like.
And then if you think you want to switch to wine, start with white first or rose, and then finally go to red.
Now about beer, used to hate it, but then a German friend taught me how to do it right. If you're drinking beer, best not to mix it with anything else. Stick to beer for the night if that's what you're drinking. Try Belgian beers to start with, they usually have some fruity flavor, yummy.
For the record, my favorite beverage is red wine (Chateau Lafitte Teston's Madiran is my most favorite bottle).
Gosh I sound like an alcoholic. I'm really not. But I do enjoy my 'adult' beverages.
Just trying to share some experience.
Welcome to the dark side!
Could I tell you some stories!
I'm trying to visit as many of the NaBloPoMo blogs as I can and I thought I'd say hi, I liked your blog.. :) I wouldn't drink beer either - I like the fruity kinds of liquers myself.. :) Like Midori.. :)
Mary Lisa - I will echo Soul's message - do not mix alcohols. This includes wines, do not mix your wine, you will have one of the nastiest hangovers on earth, right next to tequila, no wine is worse.
You like kahlua, I have a recipe for you. I make kahlua for Christmas presents.
Another tip, if you're drinking, but want to limit your intake drink something frozen - I'm not a daiquiri person, try a margurita w/ salt on the rim. I tend to drink them on the rocks, but if I'm out with a group I'll go blended.
Mwahahaha! You did! Congrats!
At first, I liked the sweeter drinks best, like cocktails with lots of juice, and frozen drinks. But they are sooo sickly sweet that I get a tummy ache, too, esp. on an empty stomach. But I love Bailey's and Kahlua, on the rocks, or in coffee, or with a little extra something like vodka or Jack Daniels. If I'm in the mood for a dessert drink, I'll go with that.
Beer's taking it's sweet time to agree with my tongue, but it agrees with my stomach. Same with wine, but I like it more than beer. With beer, I stay the hell away from huge brand names in cans, like Miller, Bud, Coors. Never. I go with microbrews and on-tap microbrews, esp.
The one thing I've learned: alcohol is as much about the experience as the taste. I appreciate a round of beer with friends, but not alone. I loved the bottle of red we drank to celebrate this or that. etc.
And so what if you wouldn't drink if you dad were there? I wouldn't either, but that doesn't make it wrong to drink when he's not here.
Ha Ha!
I am wondering about your husband talking to you that way - it's kind of disturbing to me that he orders you around. I don't understand his punishing you by telling you that you must drink the whole drink. What was that supposed to accomplish? If he ordered a meal that tasted terrible, would he be forced to eat it?
Right on, sister!
Here's yet another thing I'm going to have to blog about on my own -- I think.
My wife has just gone through the same experience. Of course, not growing up Mormon, I had no problem drinking alcohol all my life, though I never loved it so much as to do it alone (from the ashes is definitely right -- it's a social thing). I just gave it up for a while after the Marines and for my entire Mormon period.
But my sweet, innocent wife? Nope. But the real kicker is what she tried first.
Wanna guess?
And it was about two weeks ago, too. And GAWD she loved it.
Did she try WHISKEY first? Tequila?
Do tell!
Oh, man. He is just having way too much fun with my experimental stage.
My first alcohol was two sips of Guinness (awful!), and then a couple of sips of red wine (even more awful because it was really strong on the alcohol taste), but then I tried a "Dirty Girl Scout" and that I liked. It had kahlua, bailey's irishs cream, peppermint, and something else. It was like a peppermint patty with a kick. Yum.
This was all in one night, but I'd say over the whole evening I had less than 10 sips of alcohol. Very interesting evening.
She's dodging the question. She has addressed only the first alcohol she tried, and that was about a week later. She's so shy about it, it's delicious. What do you think she tried?
Listen, Glube, if you are talking LB tried something nasty (sexually) for the first time a few weeks ago, I think it won't be ME who guesses. Not that my imagination isn't running rampant as we speak....
Well, that too. I like the way you're thinking, but that's not what I'm talking about.
Think green.
For the record, Lemon Blossom is not a "horny, slutty drug addict." She wanted this to be clear.
(Now that she's not looking, I can add that only one of those labels is true.)
Think green, huh? She already told us of her first drink (sips) being Guinness...so you aren't talking about that.
It's not sexually related.
Green.....
Green.....
She decided to go garment-free on St. Patty's day??
I give up! Tell me before I head to bed. (My exhaustion is why I'm not so quick right now with guessing...)
Sorry I missed your bedtime. I guess it's only fair you wake up to the answer.
Weed!
I must say my sweet prissy wife was absolutely hilarious. And it was the best night we have had together in the last five years. I could gush about it. I even recorded on a paper napkin interesting things she said... oh, man...
That. Is. Hilarious! Funny because 1. you wrote down the things she said, and 2. I am prissy enough not to have even thought of weed! Have yet to try drugs. May never...
We'll never try any other. Weed is healthier than alcohol in every way, and has never been found to have negative effects, which is why we tried it. Most people who know about it don't think it is intellectually honest to classify it in the same category as other drugs like heroine, cocaine or ecstacy. And most "legal drugs" (Prozac and other depression drugs, for example) are far more dangerous, addictive and side-effect-ridden.
Given the kind of stress we have been going through with 7 years of going flat-out constantly (work, school and children) and with the whole church thing and the attendant strains it put on our relationship, relaxation was in order. And, since we have done it, it is unbelievable how much we have been able to relax and reconnect together -- we had been unable to relax with each other. This is the material for a blog post of its own, and will be written about, but it is sufficient to say that it actually improved our relationship by getting us to be able to simply enjoy each other. Whether we liked it or not, we couldn't help but drop our reserve levels of resentment of each other and just laugh, smile and be close. It was wonderful, and has been one of the things behind the recent reflowering of our relationship. The fact that I found her geespot helped too.
When I was in my 30s, I received a bottle of Becherovka from a business associate in Prague. At the time, I was still a TBM and planned to give the bottle to my boss who was non-LDS (even as a TBM, I didn't care if others drank). For some reason, I never got a around to it and the bottle stayed in my house.
Ten years later, a childhood friend of mine came over. By this time, we were both ex-TBMs and he was very much into drinking just about anything. I told him about the Becherovka and he immediately began to drink it. He was impressed. I finally took a sip and found it absolutely awful.
Over time, however, I learned to like it. I also like Drambuie (a liquer like Becherovka), Shiner Bock, and margaritas with extra tequila.
And I LOVE cigars and high-end coffees/espressos.
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