Alcohol

[julie]

So I don't drink alcohol at all -- I don't like the taste. Long ago, I tried to get over this, and I do enjoy some of the other flavors in alcoholic beverages, but overall, I still just don't like it. Abstractly, I think being a light drinker is really a better thing than not drinking at all, because it allows one to join in on something people take a lot of pleasure in. But nevertheless, when faced with an actual glass of wine or something, my feeling has been, "I don't want to drink this," so I haven't.

But, I'm entering a new profession, and getting together for drinks seems to play quite a big role. I feel like rather a stick-in-the-mud to decline, and if I go along but don't drink, it just seems a little weird. So, I thought I'd ask the Yi about it.

What if I were to try to start drinking? 37.3 to 42.
What if I were to not try to start drinking? 60.5 to 19.

Those readings make me inclined to not bother, especially when combined with that physical reaction when looking upon a glass of wine. But I'd be very interested in input from others.

 

[bradford_h]

Julie
Clear responses from the Yi here.

What if I were to try to start drinking? 37.3 to 42.

Some people need it to get the internal and bottled up things out into the open. To help them both to ignite and to relate. Being in earnest does a better job at this.

What if I were to not try to start drinking? 60.5 to 19.

Follow your better tastes and your better judgment. There are superior and inferior pleasures. Unimpaired consciouness is more useful in enjoying the former.

 

[julie]

That makes sense. I was pretty clear on the second reading, but I didn't have such clear sense of the first. Thanks.

Always nice when the Yi says what you want to hear!

 

[bruce]

How to fit in, and increase in a way that doesn't compromise yourself? Iced tea works quite well. If you don't make a fuss about it, chances are no one else will either. Feeling like a stick in the mud (or as I used to call it - a turd in the punch bowl) isn't cured with alcohol, just masked. 60.5 is great image of enjoying the necessary social engagements without the need of stimulants or depressants.

 

[julie]

Yeah, that's what I've found in the past. But lately, these are some pretty hard-drinking folk. Pitchers of beer that get urged on all around, that kind of thing. I haven't found it to be much of an issue in the past, but it keeps coming up lately.

One of the other things that has gotten me thinking about it is that there are various opportunities to work in England. I've had two people tell me that in England, if you're going to be a journalist (which is more-or-less what I'm doing these days), you have to drink. Everyone goes to the pubs after work and drinks until the wee hours of the morning, only to get up the next day and repeat. And they really do, apparently, pay attention to how much other people are drinking too.

Of course, that sounds pretty dreadful to me whether I'm drinking as well or not, so it's not really much of a loss.

 

[bradford_h]

Of course you could really shut them up by telling them "I've been sober for almost two years now".
That way they think you at least tried to be a good drunk.

 

[bruce]

Julie, I can empathize with you. I was general sales manager at a station whose general manager believed it showed an unacceptable lack of team spirit to not join him and his crew after work for pitchers of beer and shots. I refused to buy into the mentality, though occasionally I'd stop in for one with them on the way home. As a result, I was never "one of the gang". I saw it as no great loss, and since I did my job well it ceased being a problem for him.

 

[rosada]

60.5 changing to 19 suggests to me that by sticking to what works for you, 60, you may also teaching others, 19, who would like to abstain.

 

[triple3]

Hi,
Sorry to dig up this old thread and ermm... hijacking it, I just thought it would it's pointless to create a new thread with almost the same kind of question. Sorry Julie.

About 3 weeks back, my long time former boss asked me out to join him for drinks in a pub, while I do drink I just didn't like the idea of waking up with hangovers, I've since cut down on drinking and once in a while, just buy a can or two and drink at home instead of going out to the clubs. I asked the Yi if I should join my ex-boss out for drinks and I got the hex 2 with no changing lines. My own interpretation is that I could go, and to be receptive and not try to lead, my ex-boss likes to be seen as a born leader we'd always end up in arguments when we try to outsmart each other. So I take it that the Yi is telling me that I could go but try to be receptive.

Last saturday, I asked again, and believe it or not, hexgram 2 with no changing lines came back to me. Since I interpreted it in the way as stated above, I went with him.

Since friday night, I thought I'll just go and get 2 cans of beer and stay home to finish the chapters of the great treatise and have a beer for refreshment, so I asked the Yi for an image of the situation if I buys beer home. I got the hex 2 again. 3 times in different occasion, different questions presented to the Yi but the bottom line is that alcohol of some sort is in the question. Being "receptive" and complements the "creative" to stay out of trouble, I've always put a limit on the amount i drink, but 3 times with the same hex to my question, I think the Yi may be giving me a warning(?) hex 2 don't look like a warning or is it?

Thanks.

 

[Trojina]

Hi, I've heard it says that 2 can signify that the situation is exactly as it looks to you, theres nothing hidden. Its like theres no hidden factors here do what is the obvious thing for you to do.

My impression on reading your post was some confusion about why the issue was about drinking, rather than meeting your ex boss - i guess that its just to me it would be neither here nor there what I drunk, the meeting with the person would be the main thing. Neither can I see why having a drink with someone would have to lead to a hangover ? Sorry, just not clear. If you've had a problem with alcohol before it would make sense that this was an issue, but you don't give the impression that is the case. If it is the case then 2 again indicates you're looking at the obvious. I'm not clear about why you would ask Yi about taking beers home either - unless you have an alcohol problem If you haven't, well then taking beers home is just taking beers home, what more significance can it have ? I feel your 2's indicate you are asking about something which is perfectly self evident.

Uh maybe I'm being dim here - cos you do say you are limiting your drinking so it has to be some kind of issue, but I don't know to what extent - hmm but going to buy the beers is taking an initiative and just common sense would say that if its a problem don't do it - but I'm no expert .

 

[triple3]

Hihi trojan.

Sorry that I didn't make things clear, here's a wee bit of the history.

I asked the Yi about meeting my ex-boss is that everytime we meet, we'll always be hanging out at some clubs until the wee hours, and sometimes, not just one but we'll be hopping around, having one or two bottles at times. Four years ago I got so drunk that I fell, hit the back of my head against a the wall and fell face forward, broke my tooth and fainted. I swore that I'll never get myself drunk again. (looking back I thank God it happened to me because it actually helped me to to quit smoking, and I'm glad to be cigarette free for the 4 years and will be until it's time for me to go)

Usually on our meet, we'll be catching up with each other in the club, we're both single and since didn't have family to worry about, we tend to drink when we meet. What used to be a weekly event is not maybe once a forthnight.

Just wondering what hex 2 could mean when out of the 3 times ... I asked about going out to drink with my ex-boss and buying beers to drink at home, I got the number 2.

222 hmmm, change my nick to triple2? ok be serious, I am wondering if I could have misinterpreted the Yi so I'm wondering how the rest of you looks at the no. 2.

Thanks!!

 

[bruce_g]

I'm seeing your 2s as saying, leave it open, there's no reason to make a determination one way or another.