When's the official start of the drinking week?

September 22, 2011

Opinion

Had me a few nights off this week – which is why I’m filing this blog a little, er, late and bleary and shabby around the edges. Packed the kids down to the coast for a couple of sleepovers and took a fast shuttle off Planet Parenthood for the duration. Checked out a couple of restaurants I'd been meaning to get to, Esquire and Ortiga.

They were fascinating, each in their own way, but it was the drinking more than the eating which impressed itself upon me.

Especially last night, at Ortiga. They had an awesome wine list and a champion sommelier who knew how work it. But damn, the eating was the awesome too.

Thing is, though, I'm supposed to be off the grog three nights a week. It's not doctor's orders. It just seems a smart thing to do, to give the liver a chance to dry out. So Monday to Thursday I try to stay dry.

I usually fail on Thursdays, and this week I blew it from the get go.

Got me to wondering, though, whether anyone else has an official start to the drinking week? Mostly I keep to mine, but I’ve been pulling a stand-in shift over at the ABC this month*. It’s not real work, not like going into a factory or selling shoes for seven or eight hours a day. But it’s closest thing to a real job I’ve had in twenty-odd years. A real job being a gig you have to turn up to do every day, without fail, at the same time and place. Frankly, I don’t know how you poor bastards do it, week after week, year after year. Especially if you’re juggling kids as well.

I’ve always enjoyed a bit of a whinge about school holidays cramping my Playboy style working life, but having had the merest taste of what you have to deal with all the time, I’m thinking of prescribing myself a double strong course of shut the hell up.

This actual working parenthood gig is hard.

And it brings me back to the official start of the drinking week. I know there’s a few of you out there who try and keep it dialled down at least some of the time. But how is it, given the pressures you’re working under, that wine time or beer o’clock doesn’t come to eat up your whole week?

*It’s also why I’ve had to hold back on the rants the last few weeks. Mark Scott inserted a neural chip in my brain stem that fills my head with a blizzard of pain if I even think about letting my opinions run free on the wireless, or here while I’m taking his coin.

Comments

51 comments so far

Once upon a year, when my liver was a fresh young thing able-nay willing and joyful to work out toxins by the pint load, I could and would indulge myself every night.
Mind you working at night meant i could also lay in bed every morn till my valient liver finished it's work and I faced the 'day' in something approaching good health.
Nowdays I try to keep it to just weekends but will admit to enjoying a Thursday tipple as well.
I know it is not good for me but things are a little rough right now so I add that to the list of things I'm trying not to think about

Messy Diner | All over the table - September 22, 2011, 9:45AM

My drinking is regulated by responsibility to my clients, not by the calendar. I am paid to think, and when I drink I can't think, so I don't drink until I am free to get stupid.

Paul Nicholas Boylan | Deep within the winter of my discontent. - September 22, 2011, 9:54AM

Hehehe. Welcome back to the APS. We hope you enjoy your stay. But be careful, the dullness rubs off.

Abe - September 22, 2011, 10:08AM

Never every day, simply never. I try to stick to the three days off rule, but it's usually two. I'm pushing 69 and have knocked it along since I was 18. I have had regular check-ups for years, which include three monthly blood tests. Everything checks out OK, including liver and kidney function. Instead of drinking for hours on end, I now try and restrict it to a short, sharp three hours. Not because I have to, it just seems as I get older I don't need a drink as often as I used to.

dj - September 22, 2011, 10:19AM

Thursday night for thirsty thursday saturday night because i can and from about 1pm on sunday because beer helps me build better contraptions to cook meat in with the use of fire for dinner that night(which the missus usually has to serve up due to my messy state and fire staring)

heyseuss - September 22, 2011, 10:21AM

My drinking week starts on Wednesday. Mondays and Tuesdays are the most common nights off from the booze and I try to give myself at least two a week. Not that I'm drinking heavily by any means, just a glass of wine with dinner, but a couple of alcohol free days is good for everything. Mind you, all bets are off if I've had a shocker at the office!

Two nights off | NSW - September 22, 2011, 10:22AM

Yeah, it's the workin' day that gets you, innit? I can take or leave the drink most days when I'm home writing stuff, but at the moment when I get back from the studio all I want to do is murder a bottle of cheap Chilean red.

JB - September 22, 2011, 5:12PM

My husband and I restrict ourselves to a Thursday night start to the week. Even then we only tend to have one or two glasses. Makes the glass of wine on a Thursday night that much more rewarding, especially after a week running around with work for both of us, one child at school at the other one at childcare.
Ahh..... looking forward to opening that bottle tonight.

Georgie G - September 22, 2011, 10:23AM

Yeah, me too... oh... wait..

JB - September 22, 2011, 5:14PM

Timely topic JB. I've been trying to do much the same as you actually, mostly for weight reasons. Oh, and finally realising that having two little kids and sitting up late with wine and the computer/guitar/book while hoping to still get some quality sleep is an idea on par with invading Russia in summer because you just know you'll knock it over before winter.
Doesn't work too often though. For instance, on Monday and Tuesday night not a drop passed my lips - being a member of the "one is too many, three's not enough" brigade (let's see if any Spies fans get that).
But last night the wheels fell off. I had one. Then another. Between 'another' and 12.30PM were quite a few others. The kids took turns waking up from 2.30 onwards until by 5AM Mrs Stormy was in bed with the 4 year old, while I had the 8 month old in bed with me.
Needless to say my productivity levels today will be astronomical.
I think the drinking week starts when your circumstances and predilections allow. If I could just have one glass of wine and not then tear myself in knots wanting another, I would happily have one every night, and more on non-school nights. As it can't, I try to aim for a few nights off per week and find it works best if they're early ones.

Stormy | Cumberland Oval - September 22, 2011, 10:25AM

Show more comments

Would you like to comment?

Already a Fairfax Digital Member? Log in

Fairfax Digital Member login

Simply log in below to start commenting on articles.

Not a member? Sign up for a free account.

Please check the following fields before continuing:

Log into your account

Account login Account login is required. Unsure of your account login?

Your account login

Your account login will be one of two things. It will either be your email address, or it will be the username you entered when you first registered (e.g. JohnD).

Still not sure of your account login? Have your account details emailed to you.

Close
Password Password is required. Forgotten your password?
Cancel

Make a comment

You are logged in as (Log out)

Please check the following fields before continuing:

Your security code is incorrect

All information entered below may be published.

Screen name (required) Error: Please enter your screen name.
Location (optional)
Your comments (required) 300 words remaining Error: Please enter your comment.
Security code(required) Please enter the code shown in the image.Reload new code
I understand that submission of this comment is covered by the Conditions of Use by which I am bound. Commenting Rules You need to have read and accepted the Conditions of Use.