Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Here's to 2008: A Long Sober Year

It's really hard coming up with excuses to NOT drink on New Year's Eve. Husband and I planned on not really announcing our baby news until I see a doctor to make sure everything is ok and in the right place. So I had to be clever and avert all opportunities to be served alcohol. Turns out, I'm not that clever.

To start the evening off, we took a mini road trip to visit some friends for the night. The party started before we even arrived at our destination. The last carpooler we picked up was waiting outside with a bottle of champagne. He popped that bottle seconds before getting inside our van. Before we knew it-- we became a six person Party Caravan with plastic cups of cheap boos spilling everywhere, singing along to Michael Jackson and Beyonce. Of course I had one teensy tiny sip of bubbly before making up a lame excuse about not finishing it.

We got to the party and played guitar hero before heading off to a bar with live music. I have decided that it's just not possible to not drink on New Year's Eve unless you happen to be an invalid, infant, pregnant, or the world's lamest geek. Since we didn't tell people I was pregnant, of course I came off as the latter. But people just don't take no for an answer. I was really annoyed I had to feel so guilty and uncool for not wanted to drink. I mean I didn't flaunt that I wasn't drinking, and I did have a cup in my hand. Usually, I'm The Drunk so I've never had the opportunity to step back and realize how great the social pressure to get drunk really is.

In the end, I had to crack to one or two people to explain to them why I really couldn't drink (otherwise I'm sure they would have tied me up and force fed me alcohol).

Friend: Let me get you a drink
Me: Oh, I'll just have a diet coke for now
Friend: No, you have to drink something with ALCOHOL in it!
Me: maybe in a bit.
Friend: Come on, what do you want?
Me: no thanks, really....(Yo, get the hint yet? this girl doesnt want a drink!!)
Friend looks at me in astonishment. I have become the person I used to dread in college: the WORLD'S LAMEST GEEK- the person who never touches a drink at any party and for no good reason.
Peer pressure kicking in....
Me: well, I can't drink.....right now.
Friend: why not...are you pregnant or something.
Me: yes.

It was interesting to view the whole New Year's Eve event in a sober light. I felt awkward dancing without stumbling and with somewhat normal coordination around all the drunk people. Instead of being in the middle of the action (where I usually try to be) I was mostly an observer. I just couldn't get into the craziness, I was too worried about being near second hand smoke and drinking enough water. I had fun, don't get me wrong, I was just at the party on a different level than other people, I guess.

I have to say the best part of the evening was coming back to the house where we all crashed for the night and watching the drunk people stumble around, try to carry on coversations, pass out, and relief themselves in inappropriate places.

1 comment:

newduck said...

CONGRATULATIONS!!! I'm really excited for you! I was off-line for about a week and just came home to see your news. Your latest post made me laugh - I was barely pregnant on the 4th of July this year and walked around a party with a beer bottle filled with water. Whenever I finished the water, I would refill it in the bathroom sink. Worked like a charm.