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Alcohol and writing

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SarahWoodbury
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Post by SarahWoodbury » Thu June 18th, 2009, 10:03 pm

My father (65 years old) has a particularly rare and hideous form of cancer . . . two years ago he was in ICU and given 24, and then 48 hours to live. He did live through it (along with a total of 7 weeks in the hospital) and has recovered enough to at this moment be taking my daughter on a trip to Wales.

Anyway, that experience showed me very clearly when that line can be drawn and why it can be appropriate to do so. He had agreed earlier what kind of measures he wanted taken, and we did put him as DNR (do not resucitate) for a time. He was being kept alive by oxygen and a feeding tube and as the infections that were killing him (by-products of surgery and radiation) started to recede, we took the order off. There was no way to know before it all happened what it would be like, and now, looking back, I think "Wow. Okay. There's just a thin veil between life and death that I can see clearly now, where before it was all theoretical."

As a side note that's actually on the topic, sometimes I think what alcohol does for people is it makes them feel more--or feel less--than they would otherwise. It can both anesthetize you, and make you more open to emotion.

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Margaret
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Post by Margaret » Fri June 19th, 2009, 3:55 am

What a story! Everyone must have been so relieved when he pulled through.
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Post by annabel » Tue July 21st, 2009, 5:20 pm

[quote=""Ken""]Oh dear! I didn't want to sound as if I have a drink problem!!

My somewhat 'tongue-in-cheek' post was triggered by another example of state/clergy interference in our daily lives and also a chapter in "Wannabe a Writer?" by Jane Wenhome-Jones, on 'The benefits of alcohol'. She advocates it - but again, in moderation.

I also know my limits. I hate the idea of being drunk as I detest the idea of losing control - my friends will tell you that I am a bit of a control freak! Any substance can become addictive, anti-depressants, alcohol, chocolate - even EC's cups of tea! One needs to recognize any such dependency and act accordingly.

When you read SKP's tales of medieval life, the protagonists seem to spend their entire day sipping from cups of wine or ale, from breakfast on! They must have been a bit tipsy half the time, which may be why they were always fighting with each other!!

To end on a 'high' (only joking!), I spend a lot of time in the south of France and the culture there is wine with every meal - BUT, in moderation. They swear by it and, the wine, along with their passion for all kinds of seafood probably explains their longevity.

So. I'll continue to enjoy my wine in moderation, but whether it helps or hinders my writing is another story and only time will tell![/quote]
Yes, I've noticed that no-one seems to drink anything non-alcoholic in medieval novels. Although a glass of wine in the evening appeals I don't think I could stomach ale for breakfast. Anyone know what else they would drink apart from milk? Did they boil and cool water?

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Post by theredsoldier » Sat July 25th, 2009, 4:50 pm

I'll admit that I've helped myself to some drinks while writing. Usually somewhere between to 2 to 3 shots. It's an intereting dilemma; sometimes this does help to get you over that "writers block", or perhaps more appropriately, it lets you finally make a decision about getting past a point without worrying so much about thr consequences. However, if you drink too much, the writing itself suffers and you end up with stuff you can't stand, and thus, you wasted your time [unless your point of the time was really to get drunk, and for some people perhaps that is thier true intention wether they realize it or not].
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Margaret
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Post by Margaret » Sat July 25th, 2009, 8:42 pm

My problem is eating while I'm reading. Sometimes it's just a little too easy to keep getting up and refilling that little dish of peanuts!

In certain past centuries, a typical breakfast was ale soup - warmed ale poured over pieces of stale bread. The custom is reflected in the artwork of the time, which shows a considerable increase in girth compared to earlier time periods.
Last edited by Margaret on Sat July 25th, 2009, 8:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Ash » Sat July 25th, 2009, 8:45 pm

[quote=""annabel""]Yes, I've noticed that no-one seems to drink anything non-alcoholic in medieval novels. Although a glass of wine in the evening appeals I don't think I could stomach ale for breakfast. Anyone know what else they would drink apart from milk? Did they boil and cool water?[/quote]

Someone (EC, Sharon?) correct me if I'm wrong, but was the drinking of alcohol at all hours to do with the condition of the water supply?

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