If you’re behind the game, here’s a link explaining The Great Write Off of 2009. You can find links and discussion to all posts by checking out the Twitter trending topic, #WriteOff09.

For Day 9 of our Blog Off, Dan writes about the art of a casual drink for his new weekly How-To Series. He says:

As we progress from our irresponsible late-teens and early-twenties, the role that drinking plays in our lives undergoes a significant change. This is partially out of necessity, as our bodies can’t handle the debauchery as much as they used to, especially in combination with the stressors of a full-time job. [...] As I’ve watched friends and peers struggle with making the move back to drinking casually, and subsequently show up to work bleary-eyed and hungover, I figured that I’d share a few tips that have helped me really get past the “drinking to get drunk” phase of my life.

He goes on to explain the various ways one can ensure to keep a “casual drink” a “casual drink”, by using various tactics. These tactics can include trying out a new drink to try, gauging the situation properly, picking the appropriate venue, ensuring you have a time limit and many more tips.

This is a great post. It’s well-written, nicely thought out and definitely applicable to my friends and I. In fact, it reminds me of last Friday, where I asked a friend of mine if he wanted to meet up for a drink. ONE drink, I specified, as we both had places to be and people to meet. He agreed, on the condition that we were only going to each have ONE drink.

I think we left the pub about 3 hours after we met up, having definitely consumed more than one. Sometimes it just slips away from you, especially on those balmy Friday nights on a patio!

I think next time I’ll try to remember these tips and ensure that that “one drink” stays as “one drink”. Thanks Dan!