I understand it's probably easier for girls because maybe, and I mean MAYBE, in the mysterious “men's world,” the leader of the pack should always drink the largest quantity of alcohol and sleep with the most beautiful woman if not with the largest number of women – not very different from "The Animal Kingdom" on Discovery channel I suppose.
Fortunately I’ve been blessed with a near-zero alcohol tolerance. So it comes natural for me to relax and enjoy myself without drinking a drop. Oh yes, I get high on a glass of ginger ale and some good company.
I know many people depend on alcohol for a good time. The world simply looks brighter when they have some beer in them - people are nicer, jokes are funnier, and they are nicer and funnier themselves too.
Having said that, I do enjoy a glass of wine with my food sometimes. I like the taste, but not the effect on me – I just laugh louder and then fall asleep. I don't really care if people see me drunk, since I have already seen most of them drunk anyway. But I also don't care what people think of me even when I am the only one not drinking at the party.
Japanese are very relaxed about drinking, among the other issues such as smoking and sex. Most people don’t drive here anyway, so drinking is usually not considered as a problem at all.
But then again if you live with your family and you can’t control the amount you drink – oh well, it depends. If you are a man, lucky you, you could go home drunk every day and your wife would most likely stay as long as you didn’t beat her. But oh no, if you are a woman, your husband will not wait around and see if you can sober up because let’s face it, who wants to go home to a drunk wife?
Of course it’s an entirely different story if you are single. Come to think of it, it’s great for the economy if you go out and drink every night. In fact, our society is in urgent need of single drunks.
So now if you are with me, raise your glass – kanpai!
