Watch out for Friday Nights!

Just got invited to go out to a local restaurant tonight for Mexican pizza and margaritas with several other couples. Sounds like fun, right? Then why am I hesitant? Probably because I'm not a fan of going out to eat. When I'm at a restaurant reading the menu I'm wondering where they got their beef and how it was raised. I check out the chicken entrees then remember the documentaries I've seen on chicken farms, so I switch to the vegetarian selections. As I reach for a tortilla chip I'm wondering whether it has any trans-fats in it. The biggest dilemma, though, is whether or not to drink. Sometimes the decision is easy. If my husband, Jack, is drinking, then I definitely won't because I believe in always having a designated driver. I'd rather not drink anyway because I don't like the empty calories. Even after just a couple drinks I feel sluggish the next day and its counterproductive to all my other goals. The problem is, when you aren't drinking, and everyone around you is, it can be isolating. It's much more fun to join in and have a few, chill out, relax and let your hair down. I've noticed that when I'm not drinking, and Jack is, he always wants to stay out longer than I do. He thanks me the next morning for dragging him home, but being the bad guy, or the good guy in this case, isn't much fun. I also have noticed that when I'm not drinking, other people aren't nearly as funny. Don't misunderstand. I haven't always been this way. Back in the day, I could drink with the best of them. I enjoyed the reality break it provided. But in my late-30's, the hangovers were starting to get way too intense and my drinking days were basically over. You can get away with being drunk in public when you're young, but not so much as you age. Have you ever watched a drunk middle-aged woman in public? It's not a pretty sight. I saw it first-hand once with a friend at a bar in Florida. She got so drunk she couldn't walk straight. She was dancing like a maniac, humping the guys on stage in the band and she refused to leave. I couldn't convince her she was acting like an idiot and I didn't want to be seen with her. Like I said, it wasn't pretty. I would never get that drunk anyway, but the point is that drunk middle-aged women, and men for that matter, can look pathetic and foolish. What's the big deal? I can just have one drink and then stop. I've tried that before with various degrees of success. It's weird how having just one drink totally affects my judgment. There's a real good chance that if I have one drink, I won't hesitate to order a second. Then, if it's been a bad day, who knows? A third could easily follow. So, it's best that I don't have even one. That means facing some peer pressure. Well-meaning friends that encourage you to drink just don't quite get it. But that's okay. I've never had a problem saying no. So, my advise to you is to watch out for Friday nights. We are all under stress and by Friday, it's so tempting to let loose and have a few drinks. I understand totally. But think it through and make a conscious decision on whether it's worth it or not. Personally; I'd rather wake up feeling good Saturday morning.