Blogrolling: Behind the Stick

Field studies of primates in their natural and semi-natural habitats have resulted in fantastic public communication about the lives and behavior of charismatic species most people will only ever experience briefly in zoos. If that. Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, Frans de Waal….these are familiar names to many with even a passing interest in the fauna of the natural world.
Today I would like to encourage you to read Behind the Stick which is a new blog by a penetrating observer of the habits of one of the more charismatic primates.

About the author, scribbler50:

I actually am a bartender in the great city of New York at a location that for now shall remain nameless.

You might think that a bartender would have some penetrating insights into addictive disorders, alcohol use, abuse and dependence and the like. And you would be absolutely correct which is why I think this blog will be of interest to my drug abuse audience.
A sampling:
“The Lady Doth…”

If you have a drinking problem, just shut up and drink. Don’t throw out some lame diversion which only manages to place you under a microscope.
The “specimen” I refer to is a gal I used to serve who, instead of just ordering her drink would go through more histrionics than the silent film star great, Clara Bow.

“I want it dirty… I mean really, really dirty!”

Ah, but the irony of this is, “dirty girl”, the dirtier the martini the weaker the drink and the less naughty “dirty girl” is going to be. It doesn’t take a chemist to tell you that the more olive juice you darken the glass with the less you have of the stuff that makes you naughty. So to carry this logic to the nth degree… I could make you a downright “filthy” martini but all you’d be drinking is something best served on a salad.

Single Malt… Double Asshole

There’s yet another annoying snobbery afoot in that place I like to call bar-land… how do you spot him, this know-it-all in brands, corkage and trends? Easy. He’s usually in his mid to late forties, he’s usually wearing a suit, tie and baseball cap, and he usually says shit like this after he’s asked what single malts you carry and you’ve rattled off at least fifteen brands…”Oh, then you don’t have Too-ra-loora-loora?” (Or some such obscure fucking brand known only to him and two other North Americans.)

Denial!

SCENE I: (A man in his mid-thirties walks up to the mike and confidently addresses the eclectic assemblage.)
“Hi, my name is Bob and I’m not an alcoholic!”
“Hi, Bob, and neither are we,” the CROWD responds in sing-song unison.
“This morning, before I got in my car and drove over here, I made myself a couple of Bloody Mary’s. All right, three Bloody Mary’s. (Knowing laughter from the CROWD) But I knew as I was drinking them I could stop at any time so no big deal.

Dependence. Dose. Cues which maintain the behavior. Context. There’s a ton of alcohol science here already and scribbler50 is just getting started!
Science… and some great stories. Go Read