Academic and Creative Writing Journal Vikram Karve: effect

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Thursday, October 10, 2013

HOW TO DRINK ALCOHOL - Part 4 - HOW TO DISCOVER YOUR DRINKING CAPACITY or ALCOHOL TOLERANCE LEVEL

HOW TO DRINK ALCOHOL - Part 4

HOW TO DISCOVER YOUR DRINKING CAPACITY or ALCOHOL TOLERANCE LEVEL

VIKRAM KARVE

Continued from Part 1 - DOES ALCOHOL BRING OUT THE BEST IN YOU?

(Click the link below to open in another window to read - but remember to come back here)

http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2013/10/how-to-drink-alcohol-part-1-does.html

from Part 2 - NEVER DRINK WHEN YOU “NEED” A DRINK

(Click the link below to open in another window to read - but remember to come back here)

http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2013/10/how-to-drink-alcohol-part-2-never-drink.html

and from Part 3 - DRINK TO FEEL NICE - NOT TO GET DRUNK

(Click the link below to open in another window to read - but remember to come back here)

http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2013/10/how-to-drink-alcohol-part-3-drink-to.html

HOW TO DISCOVER YOUR DRINKING CAPACITY or ALCOHOL TOLERANCE LEVEL

( “Flash Point” and “Fire Point” Method )

It is best not to drink alcohol.

But if you do drink then you must ask yourself: “Why do I drink?”

You drink because you want to “feel good”.

If you drink too much you will get drunk.

When you get drunk you hardly feel or remember anything since your senses are dulled.

But if you get inebriated, in your intoxicated and drunken state, you will make a fool of yourself and you may embarrass your near and dear ones.

And on the morning after, you will certainly feel miserable when you come to your senses from your drunken stupor and suffer the pains of a terrible hangover.

If you drink too little – well then there is no point in drinking alcohol at all.

You might as well have some fruit juice or a soft drink or a glass of milk.

You may find it laughable, but at some parties, I have seen some persons just holding a drink in their hands for keeping up appearances. They do this because they want to project a “proper” image before their hard drinking bosses and colleagues and they don’t want their hard-drinking colleagues and friends to call them a “sissy”.

There is no shame in being a teetotaller – in fact you should be proud of it.

By the way, after over 25 years of “work hard play hard drink hard” living, I too am living a life of sobriety for the last 10 years.

I write this series as I wish to share my experiences with you and enable you to take more out of alcohol than alcohol takes out of you.

So, if you want to truly enjoy drinking, you must drink just the right amount of alcohol that makes you feel good.

The aim of drinking alcohol is to feel high, not to get drunk

(And, of course, the aim of drinking is not to remain dead sober as a teetotaller, in which case it is a waste of good liquor)

You must feel high but you must not get drunk.

For achieving this delightful “high” state, you must know your drinking capacity which depends on your alcohol tolerance level.

HOW TO DISCOVER YOUR DRINKING CAPACITY

Well, it was through sheer serendipity that I discovered my drinking capacity.

This method worked for me.

To find out whether it works for you, do try it out, at your own risk, and tell us how it worked for you.

You will need the following which you must keep handy on a table next to your chair:

1. A Bottle of Rum or Whisky or adequate quantity of your regular drink (If you drink shots, line enough of them up).

2. A Book

3. Water

Before I describe the technique let me impart to you some “theory”.

If you were a science student you must have performed a chemistry lab experiment to find out the FLASH POINT and FIRE POINT of a fuel.

You start heating the volatile liquid.

The flash point occurs when the fuel exhibits a flash.

The fuel is heated further and the fire point occurs when the volatile material catches fire and starts burning and continues to burn.

Applying the same analogy to drinking alcohol, you can say that your “flash point”occurs when you are “high” (at your flash point you have reached your drinking capacity).

If you keep on drinking then you will reach your “fire point”, an inebriated state of drunkenness.

Your aim is to remain happily high around your “flash point” and in no circumstances must you cross your “fire point”.

But how do you find out your “flash point”?

Here is the technique of how to “measure” your “flash point” or drinking capacity.

1. Drink a glass of water. This is to stabilize you in case you are dehydrated and get you ready for the experiment.

2. Pour your normal drink.

3. Take the book and start reading.

4. Keep drinking at your normal pace and also keep reading continuously. Take your time, sip your drink and focus on the book. If you finish your drink, pour another one. Keep on drinking as long as you can read easily and comprehend clearly what you are reading.

5. The moment you reach a state where your concentration starts wavering you are reaching your “flash point”.

A point will come when you can read the words but you realize that you are not clearly registering what you are reading in your mind. This is your “flash point”.

At your “flash point” you will be in that delightful state of alcohol induced emotional flux which makes you feel “high”.

6. If you continue drinking beyond your “flash point” you will reach a hazy state where the words in the book appear blurred and you have difficulty in reading as your eyes may not focus properly.

You have now reached your “fire point” (alcohol induced intoxication).

7. Once you reach your “fire point” you must stop drinking alcohol immediately.

Now drink a glass of water and relax.

Soon you will gravitate back towards your “flash point”.

If you continue drinking beyond your “fire point” you will get inebriated and become drunk.

8. Measure the amount of liquor you have drunk to reach your “flash point”.

9. Repeat this experiment a number of times (on different days).

By successive iteration, fine tune the results, and soon you will know your drinking capacity (alcohol tolerance level).

ALCOHOL TOLERANCE LEVEL

There is a saying: “First you drink alcohol, and then the alcohol drinks you”.

Similarly, till you reach your “flash point” you are the one drinking alcohol – you have reached the limit of your control but you still have control.

Near your “flash point” you will experience the “high” feeling which alcohol gives you and you must stop drinking at once – you will remain “high” for sometime, enjoying the euphoric sensation, and then you will have a pleasant relaxing feeling as the “high” gradually tapers off and this is the best time to drift off into a nice sleep.

Once you reach your “fire point” you will lose control and the alcohol will take charge and it is the alcohol which will “drink” you and you will get drunk.

Let me sound a note of caution.

If you drink frequently your alcohol tolerance will increase.

Increased Alcohol Tolerance means that after continued drinking, consumption of a constant amount of alcohol produces a lesser effect which means that larger amounts of alcohol are necessary to produce the same effect.

Thus, you will need to drink more alcohol to reach your “flash point” to get a “high”.

In effect your “drinking capacity” increases.

As you continue drinking, this has a snowballing effect.

Having a great drinking capacity may be a “macho” thing to boast about and may win the admiration of your friends and colleagues.

However, high alcohol tolerance indicates a propensity towards alcoholism in later years, so watch out.

High alcohol tolerance is not necessarily something to be proud of.

Regular consumption of alcohol will raise your drinking capacity which in turn will tempt you drink more to reach your “flash point”.

And if you continue this habit you may develop alcohol dependence and you may eventually slip into the abyss of alcoholism.

So, if you realize that your “flash point” has increased, abstain from drinking for a few days till your “flash point” falls to a reasonable level.

The less you drink, the better it is for your body, so in fact it is advantageous to have a low drinking capacity.

But then you must remember never to cross your “flash point”.

Avoid binge drinking and competitive drinking which can damage your health.

Like I said in the beginning, it is best not to drink alcohol, but if you do drink, remember, as Winston Churchill once said, that you must take more out of alcohol than alcohol takes out of you.

And how do you do that – well that I will tell you in my next post in this series on the golden rules of drinking alcohol.

Happy “Flash Point”.

And may you never reach your “Fire Point”.

Remember: The aim of drinking alcohol is to feel high, not to get drunk

Do let me know if this “Flash Point” and “Fire Point” method helped you discover your drinking capacity.

VIKRAM KARVE

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

Disclaimer:

All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

NB:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Did you like this story?

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About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer and blogger. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and an anthology of short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional and academic research papers in journals and edited in-house journals and magazines for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
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Email: vikramkarve@hotmail.com

Twitter: @vikramkarve

HOW TO DRINK ALCOHOL - Part 1 - DOES ALCOHOL BRING OUT THE BEST IN YOU?

The Navy taught me many things.

One of the things I learnt in the navy was how to drink alcohol.

Let me delve into my “alcoholic archives” and post for you, once again, some of my select writings on “How to Drink Alcohol”

Cheers - enjoy !!!

HOW TO DRINK ALCOHOL - Part 1

DOES ALCOHOL BRING OUT THE BEST IN YOU?

VIKRAM KARVE

Disclaimer:

All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

NB:

THE EFFECTS OF DRINKING ALCOHOL

Alcohol does different things to different people.

Alcohol opens you up.

Alcohol reduces inhibitions.

A few drinks loosen you up and help release your inner pent-up emotions.

Alcohol helps you express feelings which you may have suppressed within you, knowingly or unknowingly.

Alcohol helps bring out what is hidden within you.

If you are happy inside, after a few drinks you will start physically expressing your happiness boisterously and outwardly by laughing, cheer and bonhomie.

When you are in high spirits, you will become more talkative, more expansive and more expressive.

Under the influence of alcohol, you may even articulate your secret unexpressed love, and you become overly romantic and amorous, maybe even sexually expressive.

Alcohol also makes it possible to discover the hidden talents of a person.

Alcohol can help unleash your latent creativity.

You may have noticed that some persons become more creative after imbibing a drink or two, since alcohol unleashes your inhibitions and releases the music, the poetry, the art, the creativity hidden within you.

That is why alcohol flows freely during parties and celebrations since it helps dissolve the walls of inhibitions, self-consciousness and reticence and helps release inhibitions and amplifies inner emotions, talents, passions, sentiments – inner happiness becomes outer happiness and the environment is filled with cheer and bonhomie.

But the converse is also true.

By reducing inhibitions, alcohol may bring out the worst in you by facilitating the release of pent-up negative emotions like anger, envy, dejection, despondency, frustration and these unleashed amplified negative emotions may result in undesirable, unpleasant and even disastrous consequences.

Have you noticed how some people get violent, argumentative, rude or sometimes melancholic, moody, sullen, depressed, unsociable after a few drinks...?

I have always believed that if you want to know the true character of a man, get him drunk.

Once a man is drunk, what is hidden inside him will come out and his true inner self will be revealed.

During my younger days in the Navy I was quite wary of persons who did not drink.

I remember those golden words engraved on the walls of a Navy Bar:

DO NOT TRUST A MAN WHO DOES NOT DRINK

The fact of the matter is that alcohol can bring out the best in you.

But alcohol can also bring out the worst in you.

Let me tell you a story to illustrate this aspect.

THE PICNIC (A Story)

I once knew a person who used to get very nasty and quarrelsome after a few drinks.

Of course I am not going to tell you his real name.

So let’s call him “John”.

Well, there was this beach picnic I was told to organize and I intentionally saw to it that John was not invited.

A day before the picnic I briefed the boss regarding the arrangements – transportation, recreation, music, dance, party games, tombola, water sports, fun for children, restrooms and shacks for ladies and gents, bar and food arrangements, seaside barbeque, gifts and presents, everything...

It was going to be a very enjoyable picnic and we all were going to have a fabulous time.

The boss seemed quite happy.

Then he saw the guest list.

“I don’t see John’s name here,” the boss remarked, “I want all officers and families to attend the picnic – why is John and his family not coming?”

“He has not been invited,” I said.

“John has not been invited? Why? Who took this decision?”

“I did, Sir. I feel it is best not to call John for the picnic,” I said.

“You did? What’s wrong with you?” the boss said, looking annoyed.

“I feel it would be best if John did not come for the picnic,” I said.

For a moment the boss looked at me in disbelief.

Then he asked me, “May I know the reason why you don’t want John and his family to come for the picnic?”

“He can’t hold his drinks, Sir.”

“What do you mean?”

“Sir, there is going to be a lot of beer and alcoholic punches and drinks at the picnic. John invariably gets drunk on such occasions and when he is drunk he gets very nasty and belligerent. He is sure to misbehave and pick up a fight with someone. Things will become very unpleasant and the whole atmosphere of the picnic will get spoiled, Sir,” I said.

The boss was furious and admonished me, “You don’t give me bullshit. It is the annual picnic. All officers and their families are attending. How can you exclude John just because of your whims and fancies? Do you have any bloody social graces or not?”

“Sir, please listen …” I tried to plead.

“Shut up. You will make sure that John and his family is there for the picnic. You will personally give him the invitation right now. Is that clear? Do you understand?” the boss said.

“Yes, Sir,” I said sheepishly.

The beach picnic started on a bright note.

Everyone – the men, the women, the children, were thoroughly enjoying themselves – dancing, singing, playing, romping on the sands, frolicking on the beach, swimming the blue waters of the sea.

Then things began to happen exactly as I had anticipated.

By noon, John got drunk and nasty.

First he picked up a fight over some trivial issue with a colleague.

Then he got abusive over not being served snacks properly.

He was staggering unsteadily on his feet and shouting incoherently.

Seeing that John was visibly drunk and that he was making a fool of himself, his embarrassed wife tried to restrain him from drinking more beer.

She pleaded with him to stop drinking.

She told him that he had drunk too much alcohol already and was misbehaving.

But this enraged John even further and he abused and slapped his wife in full public view.

The boss tried to reason with John and calm him down.

But John got belligerent and abusive with the boss too and threatened to hit him and we had to rescue boss before John thrashed him.

The ladies and children were terrified.

John’s wife and children were in tears.

We were all disgusted and there was an air of unpleasantness.

Then John picked up a bottle of Rum and walked to a secluded place on the beach.

He kept drinking till he drank himself into a stupor.

In the evening we had to carry a dead-drunk John into the boat.

John was in a terribly intoxicated, in a semi-conscious inebriated condition, and beads of sweat formed over his face as he lay sprawled in the boat.

As the boat started sailing over the sea, rolling and pitching, John got violently sick and he vomited all over the boat.

The disgusting stench of his vomit and the sight of his vile hideous puke made everyone sickeningly nauseous.

Everyone was disgusted.

The picnic was a disaster.

Next morning I went to the boss to show him the picnic accounts.

For some time we looked at each other in silence.

Then the boss said to me, “You were right about John. It would have been better if we hadn’t called him for the picnic. He ruined everything by his disgusting behaviour. I feel sorry for his wife and kids - they must be feeling so embarrassed.”

“Sir, I was going to tell you something more that day, but you asked me to shut up…”

“You were going to tell me something more that day? What was it? Tell me now,” my boss said.

“It was John’s wife who told me not to invite them for the picnic.”

MORAL OF THE STORY

There is a saying in the Navy:

Officers never get drunk – they only feel nice

This is an essential aspect of what they call OLQ or “OFFICER LIKE QUALITIES”

This is what I call the “Alcohol Test” of OLQ.

Alcohol will make a good officer feel nice, never nasty.

But if a person gets nasty, unpleasant, disagreeable and ill-tempered after a few drinks, then that person is not fit to be a Naval Officer, because he has failed in the “Alcohol Test” of OLQ.

Cheers - have a drink - as long as you feel “nice” and not nasty.

VIKRAM KARVE

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

Disclaimer:

All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Academic and Creative Writing Journal Vikram Karve

Thursday, October 10, 2013

HOW TO DRINK ALCOHOL - Part 4 - HOW TO DISCOVER YOUR DRINKING CAPACITY or ALCOHOL TOLERANCE LEVEL

HOW TO DRINK ALCOHOL - Part 1 - DOES ALCOHOL BRING OUT THE BEST IN YOU?

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