[picardo]

Agreed on both points. In my middle age, I've even considered starting drinking again so that I may have a reason to go to the only place where people hang out in my neighborhood, which is obviously a bar.

The one and only social activity that has saved me from this road so far has been a few meetup groups that I frequent.

[sneak]

You can hang out in a bar and not drink alcohol. Tell them to put your ginger ale in a rocks glass.

As we get older it’s more important than ever to avoid alcohol. We don’t have the organ margin we used to. All that bullshit about “a glass of wine a day is good for you” was fake.

[picardo]

I do that sometimes, but I get peer pressured into drinking alcohol if I socialize. You can't win.

Agree with you about the benefits of avoiding alcohol.

[sneak]

I don’t know how to put it nicely, so I’ll say it as plainly as I can: it is an essential life todo item to learn to resist peer pressure. It’s easier than it seems. If people can get you to do things you don’t want to do just by repeating things at you, that’s a you problem, and a big one.

Also, separately, if the people you are hanging out with can’t take no for an answer, get better friends. Friends don’t pressure friends to poison themselves for camaraderie.

[scarface_74]

I hang out at a bar downstairs in a resort area all of the time just to have casual conversations with random tourists who come in and the bartender who I’m friends with. I’m not a non drinker. But half the time I just get soda (free) or may have one drink.

There is no pressure. I just tell people I come down to socialize - mostly with couples and guys who show up. I am married and no matter what it comes off as creepy to start conversations with women and often their husbands are around.

Since I am friends with bartender and people see me talking to him and it’s obvious that we know each other , it doesn’t come off the wrong way.

[strken]

Tell a long, rambling, and slightly depressing story about your friend Bec who had half her liver removed at age 17 every time someone tries to pressure you into drinking. Works okay for me.