Compared with men who drank less than once a week, men who consumed alcohol three or four days a week had approximately 2/3 (68 percent) the risk of heart attack, and men who consumed alcohol five to seven days per week had slightly less (63 percent) the risk.

sweet. i'd also like to bring a little history into the mix, i mean history is just like so important ya know. thats why you sleep during history class. but anyway the catholic church's two greatest contributions to the world are BEER and JESUS both continue to save lives today. God kicks ass i don't care which one you like. and a God that brings you BEER even better.

So where does that Icelandic stuff fit in??

Unfortunately, whenever I think about traveling somewhere and climbing with a random partner I'm not acquainted with, I take into account the environment that I might be exposed to...

...Flame as desired.

I've got to go with drinking is just part of life for some people. Hell its like masturbating really, you either don't do it, do it regularly or do it too damn much.

i drink on occasion. never when climbing. mostly when my wife and i are out to dinner with friends. ill have a beer, but thats all. don't like the feeling of not being in control.
yes, jesus did drink, so did all the disciples, they drank wine at the last supper, not grape juice, but they did not drink to the point of losing control. the bible is very clear about that.

PostPosted: Thu Dec 02, 2004 8:25 am Post subject: Re: Who DOESN'T drink... Does this post suck? Does it rule? Cast your vote! Reply with quote Back to top
This rules! This sucks!
prezwoodz wrote:
i may sound like a loser saying this. but im 23 and ive never drank Smile i was to much of a nerd in high school and when it came time to be able to drink i was out of the rebel stage and said screw it i got better things to do with my time and money Smile



You're definitely not a loser. I'm 28 and haven't drank either. It's not because I think alchohol consumption is wrong; it's a statement I make to myself and others. Alchohol has killed 3 friends of mine, and 3 aquaintences. I have 3 friends presently who are alchoholics(who doesn't?), and their lives and everyone around them are miserable. By not drinking, I am seeking a couple things- a statement of purity from something that has ruined lives all around me; a refusal to be involved in soemthign that has killed family and friends- and- yeah, I spend about 1/3 of what my partners do on every climbing trip.


And now for a rant:
My wife and I spend 90% of our time with climbers. Climbers are our "family". Most, if not all of them drink at some level or another. So what?

I'll tell you so what-
Our beef is that they find it so entertaining. Drinking is a part of our community; our culture even. It is part of "being" a climber supposedly. So why is it so entertaining to talk about? I have been on trips where hours trickle by and all people can find to talk about is their drunken exploits- or tell stories of trips where all they can remember is getting drunk; and they think it is the greatest thing in the world; remembering stories with tears in their eyes with laughter.

When a climber hangs with us and offers a beer, we reply "no thank you"; and if they push the issue; I politely say "I don't drink". This baffles most climbers and they seem confused for the evening. What is wrong with this? Some people don't like green beans, or they choose not to eat meat.

Sometimes they feel the need to justify why they drink, or they say "yeah, I should probably slow down my drinking too...". WHY!?!?!?

Another nuisance is they feel the need to try and push us to drink, like we are missing out on some great world that we have never tapped in to(which is not true, my wife has a drink occasionaly, it's nota BIG ENTERTAINING THING to talk about and blab about). I get harrased at parties, around the fire and at restaurants. Some people think it is so funny to try and push it on me. I think it is juvenile and immature. Most of my climbing pals are between 30 and 40 yrs. old, and are just as entertained and enthralled with drinking as they were when they were 17. Move on PEOPLE!!! Grow friggen up. Drinking is just a part of life. If you choose to do it, just do it and shut up about it already.

This thread, along with having gym climbed fairly drunk with {(insert famous climber name here) and boy was it fun!}, has inspired me to open a climbing wall/bar.

I wonder if I need insurance for that?

The puritans who don't want to climb with anyone who is drinking should know that many many routes were done in the first place by drunken or otherwise impaired climbers.

A drunken partner means you have to be more self reliant LOL, and that's part of climbing in the first place, isn't it?

Maybe THAT'S where "the leader must not fall", comes from, ya think?

So yeah, I'll drink and climb, if I think it is reasonable, cause it's fun under the right circumstances. Other times, maybe drinking and climbing would be really bad.