Celebrate the small things: Life's little pleasures

I work late on Fridays because I have so much marking to do, and I also need to prepare for the following week's class. When I finish work, I head into town for my Friday grocery shop, and I return via the bottle shop, here in Parap, where I purchase my reward.

Life is full of little pleasures, little treats: a rest, a break, a reward. I am not even close to being a workaholic. Work has never been my priority. I enjoy work, and I am not lazy, but I work to live, not vice-verca. The beer and the nuts reward is just one of the many ways I chill in order to keep as calm and relaxed as possible. 

Chilled is not my normative state. I'm inclined to be a worrier, and a stress head, but as I sipped my Boag's draught from the beer stein my son bought for me when he was in Germany, and chewed on those crunchy, salty nuts, I was thinking about nothing except the pleasure those things were giving me.

Celebrate the Small Things: pizza

My stomach was insisting I eat and I agreed wholeheartedly. I opened Domino's online and was just about to order when the phone rang. My plans for beer, pizza and watching footy on the box were changed by this phone call.



'Would you like to go out with me?' said a familiar voice.

I was surprised, firstly to hear from her, and secondly that she wanted to see me, but of course I immediately said yes. An hour later I arrived at her place, went inside and waited while she finished getting ready. Although I was on time, and extremely hungry, I sat on the lounge and waited patiently for her. I wondered if she was gong to say anything to me, to continue our previous 'discussion' which had not ended well. She did not.

We drove to Shellharbour Workers Club, making small talk while I fought the distraction of my growling belly. With a sweet white wine for her and a schooner of Superdry for me to accompany my fancy titled pizza we sat, listened to music provided by a guitarist, and made small talk. I kept half an eye on the footy as I devoured my pizza with great relish. All the while I wondered when we were going to talk. The club was crowded but there was sufficient room for the elephant.

With my stomach full and the alcohol doing its job, I was reasonably relaxed and did not push the issue with her. Just after nine we left the club and I drove her and the elephant home. it was there that we finally talked.

I love pizza so I'm thankful to have been able to eat a gourmet one last night. I love my fiance, (although in a somewhat different way) and I'm thankful that the doors of communication are wide open between us and we are moving forward sans elephant. 

I'm just a little disappointed though because I forgot to bring the left over pizza home with me. It's in her fridge.The pizza may be cold now, but our love is not.

Little Things

A conversation with a friend, a few well chosen words sent in an email, a happy song floating in my head, some encouraging words from caring others, and a couple of beers with my dad and my son at the local club last night. These little things cheered me up yesterday, and I feel better this morning. I might even do some writing this afternoon, after work.

A Mocker and a Brawler

Had a few drinks this festive season? Had a few more than you should have on occasion? Wished you didn't have that much? Wished you hadn't have done what you did, or said what you said because you drank more than you should have? Think that everyone does it, so it's okay? Tired of all these questions?

Lindeman's used to advertise their wine with the slogan, 'the one purpose of wine is to bring happiness'. According to the Bible 'wine is a mocker and beer a brawler, and whoever is led astray by them is not wise.'(Proverbs 20:1) From Noah, to the man passed out drunk in the gutter last night, the misuse of alcohol, the abuse of alcohol, has caused massive problems in society throughout the ages, by stealing the ability of individuals to control their words and actions.

One in five deaths in Australia, and 30% of road traffic deaths each year are alcohol related. One half of all assault hospitalisations and nearly 60% of victim reported crime are alcohol related.40% of people arrested by police blamed alcohol for their offences. Half the alcohol being consumed in Australia each year is being consumed at levels which exceed safe drinking guidelines, leading to thousands of deaths and injuries. 70% of the latter go unreported.

So wine, and alcohol of all varieties, brings happiness. Happiness is a worthy pursuit isn't it? Not if it's your only goal, and not if the use or especially the abuse of alcohol is the only way you can find it. Alcohol doesn't fix problems, in fact it often causes them, or makes them worse. If booze is your best medicine, then you are really sick. Alcohol is not a healer. Our heavy drinking culture is a festering sore which is infecting us all.

'Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Those who ,linger over wine, who go to samples of mixed bowls of wine. Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly. In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper. They hit me, you will say, but I am not hurt. They beat me but I don't feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?' (Proverbs 23:29-32, 35)

Party Pooper

Interesting story from Denmark this week about the Carlsberg beer company tightening their rules on drinking at work. Workers have stormed off the job in protest at no longer been allowed to drink beer whenever they like during the work day. Most work places have water coolers but Carlsberg employees have had unlimited access to beer coolers. These have been removed and the workers may now only drink at lunchtime. Presumably, management is still trusting personal responsibility to prevent drunkenness which is how it worked before the ban.

Everyone knows the effects of alcohol which is why drinking it has usually been considered an out of work activity. A social activity. Of course, liquid lunches are infamous in many workplaces and particularly in some professions. However, being sloshed is not conducive to efficient work practices. Booze may loosen the tongue and remove inhibitions in some cases but is that they kind of personal interaction we want to encourage at work. Think about where you work. How would it be if alcohol consumption was not only permitted but encouraged by the provision of beer coolers, for example?

According to The Opinionated Beer Page ( http://www.tobp.com/humor/work.shtml)there are 25 reasons why drinking beer at work is a good idea. See the website for the full list if you're interested but it includes, increasing the chance of seeing your boss naked, making burping in meetings acceptable, raising the chances of getting pay rises because drunk bosses are more likely to say yes, and the number one reason on the list of why beer drinking should be encouraged in the workplace is that it is an incentive to actually show up to work. I know this list is supposed to be humourous but isn't this kind of humour the very reason why we don't want people getting smashed at work. This list was probably written on company time by a drunk employee.

On a serious note you have to wonder about the health of people who drink beer like water, and although the news reports don't contain any reasons for the change of policy at Carlsberg, I think it's safe to say that there has either been an accident as a result of someone being drunk, or that the company is increasingly worried about such an occurrence. So they should be.

Call me a party pooper but if people knew how to control themselves then we wouldn't have any problems at all. The sad truth is that we don't always know how to control ourselves so we have all these rules about what we can and can't do and, where we can and can't do it. Suck it up Carlsberg brewery workers.