Anonymous wrote:What drink do you order when you go out?

I like ginger beer.

No it doesn’t bother me. And if a group is trying to exclude someone because their failure to drink would “change the vibe” I’d ask whether it’s a vibe worth preserving.

I drink, but moderately, and not all the time (sometimes I DD, sometimes I avoid alcohol because it’s a migraine trigger). What I’ve noticed is that people who are good conversationalist and interested in others tend to be this way whether sober or drinking. People who like to talk about themselves a lot, or have other anti-social qualities (competitive, nosy, gossipy) tend to do more if this when they drink more.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Such a dumb question. Seriously why does it matter if someone doesn't drink alcohol? I'm someone who doesn't drink never have. I hope my friends don't go around judging me behind my back! Do you realize some don't drink due to being a recovering alcoholic? It's sometimes a difficult conversation to have with those individuals.

Because someone once told me it’s best I don’t attend happy hour because I would negatively change the vibe

It’s different. People go to a happy hour for drinks, and a party is for hanging out. - DP

What drink do you order when you go out?

People care about people not drinking? I don’t drink, but that’s because my parents didn’t drink regularly so we didn’t keep alcohol in the house and I just never acquired a taste for alcohol. I don’t drink at all, even socially.

Anonymous wrote:Such a dumb question. Seriously why does it matter if someone doesn't drink alcohol? I'm someone who doesn't drink never have. I hope my friends don't go around judging me behind my back! Do you realize some don't drink due to being a recovering alcoholic? It's sometimes a difficult conversation to have with those individuals.

Because someone once told me it’s best I don’t attend happy hour because I would negatively change the vibe

Of course. I'm in my 40s and my body does not tolerate alcohol well anymore. I still indulge on occasion, but at this point in my life, I feel non-drinkers are more relatable and interesting than drinker/party types of people.

Such a dumb question. Seriously why does it matter if someone doesn't drink alcohol? I'm someone who doesn't drink never have. I hope my friends don't go around judging me behind my back! Do you realize some don't drink due to being a recovering alcoholic? It's sometimes a difficult conversation to have with those individuals.

Fine with me. Each to their own.

I forget sometimes who drinks and who doesn't, because it doesn't matter to the choices I make.

I feel *really* bad that I forgot one of my friends was sober (in recovery for many years) after the first time she told me, but thank goodness she understood and was not harmed by my offering her a drinks menu when we went out for brunch one day.

Yes, because I don't drink and would welcome having another friend who also didn't drink.

I really don't care if you do or don't.

I'm happy to be the DD in my friend group when we go out, but it would also be nice to have more friends who didn't need an event to also include alcohol.

Anonymous wrote:I couldn’t care less.

Me either.

I couldn’t care less.

To be honest, with kids and covid these days, I rarely socialize with my friends in a setting where alcohol would be reasonably expected, so I doubt I'd even notice.

Or if I have neighbors/friends over to the backyard, and I offer drinks, and if someone says "no thanks", I truly don't think I'd remember it by the next day.

If someone said "I don't drink alcohol" I'd probably be curious and definitely remember them saying that, but no, it's not like my life revolves around getting drunk at bars these days so I don't see how it would affect my friendship with them at all!

Would you still want to go out or be friends with them?