Ep100: It's Not Always About The Alcohol (Social Butterfly!)

Hey there, how are you today? Specifically, how are you? As I always say, I'm really fired up. This is episode number 100 of the audio podcast of SMFR the podcast. I'm so happy you've been on this journey with me. These little reminders help me as and I hope they help you as well. And sometimes there are things that just pop across my uh social media feed, sometimes they're things from books, and sometimes they're things I just remember. But I hope you can relate to at least some of the stuff and that you've been following along. Anyway, this is so important. This episode number 100. And by the way, we have 280 video shorts out there on the YouTube channel as well. And those you can get to through YouTube and the other stuff you can get to through your podcast, the audio stuff, and Smyfarthepodcast.com. But episode number 100 deals with alcohol in our social life. Now, before you go, oh no, not this guy too. I gotta tell you, there's tons of people out there on the interwebs, and they're really good. There's a guy called Sober Dad, he's out on um Instagram. Well, I take breaks once in a while, but I'm certainly not sober dad. But my my point is that they all reference, you know, the effects of alcohol and when you quit for so many days, this happens and that happens and all that. And you know, if maybe you don't drink, maybe you do, but I take a break from now and again just because I want to. And you know, you we do feel better, but I'm I'm more in my mind, it's the social aspect of it, and that is the crux of this podcast. I don't drink much at home. I don't know about you, I really don't, but to me, it's getting out there and being among people that's so important. It it really is, and I don't know if you can relate to that, I suspect you can, but I just can't sit at home all day. And and sometime back, Beverly said to me, This was maybe several months ago, but it was it was relevant. She said, I get it. You don't have to drink, you just have to be around people, right? I mean, perhaps this is something that you go through as well. And it's not so much I just can't sit at home. I have to be out among people. If I want to see people, I want to see people, you know what I mean? And if I want to hide out, I can hide out, but I still like to have the pe the background and the noise and not just sit in who wants to get stuck in their house and not do anything and just wait for the wait for bedtime. That's a terrible I mean there's a word for that, and I'm not sure what it is. I had a boss years ago, and we never saw his wife because she was afraid to leave the house. And there are people like that, and I don't want to morph into something like that. And also I play music, as you know from these podcasts, and I play music two, three days a week. Don't take the night jobs anymore. I take the um the earlier shifts, the happy hours and early evening jobs, but that gets me around people. But even during that, I have to learn not to well, I gotta do my job. So I don't get plowed. I I don't. But I'll have a beer or two, or but I don't have to. I'll have my jug with my electrolytes in it and water, and and that's good enough. But my point is that along with all this stuff, the pandemic, yeah, I said pandemic, that really killed a lot of well, it killed a lot of bars and restaurants, and it really killed a lot of social interaction amongst us as people, right? And it was a shame that that happened, but people got used to not drinking. Well now Gen Z, of course, they're they you you've seen the studies probably where they just don't drink, and like fifty-two percent of Americans drink. It's the lowest percentage since like 1930, since before Prohibition. And and that's fine and good. It really is, but we still need to have that social interaction. With that's so important that we have that. I mean, but so so besides things like I will do, and I'm sure you do as well, probably. I ride my bike, but that's a solo thing. But I like seeing people on the trails and riding through neighborhoods and talking to people. That's a great replacement. And I I'll tell you what, I'm not about to have a few beers or and that that's my the only thing I drink is beers, sometimes a little tequila, to be honest, but but I'm not about to get on two wheels after I've been, you know, and I know friends that ride motorcycles and they're the same way. You gotta be careful. But between that and then the gym, and the gym isn't so much social either, because brief aside here, when I'm at the gym, I'm in there to do my job, get the muscles all stretched out and all that stuff, and then I'm out of there. But it's nice to be in that environment where you're with other people, and maybe you'll stop and chat with someone. So it's still a little bit of socialism. I mean socialism, huh? That's another story for another day, but it's a little bit more of social activity, things like that. And perhaps you play softball or do things like that. That social interaction is important as well. But I've found that as the years go by, less people are drinking. There's not so much pressure to have one after the other. And again, you know, my family and friends, we we've all had people who've who've either cut out completely or they've cut down. And I don't find that there's that pressure anymore, but I do find there's that need, once again, beating it to death here for social interaction. We need it. We've got to have it. It's so important to us as a culture, as people. And when you get on the the social media and whatnot, and people start griping, and it's always the haters and the bots, and you watch the news, that's not the social interaction we need. We need to be around people, maybe not like-minded, but people that are just out having fun. And I'll I'll be finished in a second here, but I gotta tell you, one of my favorite things to do, there's a place in uh well there's a bunch of places in Seulard in St. Louis, but you can sit and watch people come and go, and I just enjoy seeing people have a great time. And maybe I'll have a beer, maybe a couple, and all that. But that's the social part of it. So anyway, that's what I really have, and and again, drinking is not always about craving alcohol. I don't crave alcohol, I don't know about you, but I do crave that interaction with my fellow man and woman. I mean, it's just so important that we have that in our lives, it helps us grow as people. So that's my point. It's not always the alcohol, but it is always about craving those those in our lives and those that we'll meet in the future. So that's what I got for you. I I hope that makes a little sense. And um I I again, I hope I didn't get into too much detail or get too deep on you, but I had to get that off my chest, and I think it's relevant in these times. I will say this, I love all y'all. I wish you all the best. And if you ever have ideas for a podcast, or if you have comments on this, please let me know. And please do hit the sub subscribe button and go to the YouTube charts. It's important because your feedback keeps me going. So, anyway, it's not about the alcohol, but you know what it is? It's about you. It's about you and me and uh and living our lives to our fullest. Anyway, thanks again. We'll talk again soon. God bless. Love all you all.