To Gladden The Heart of Man

Eric Scheske ends his blogging week with a drinking post of enduring significance.

The problem with what Sean Dailey calls the Lost Art of Catholic Drinking is that there hasn't been enough research on the subject. Oh, there's been a butt-load of drinking, but few really paying attention and taking notes (mental notes, I mean).

If drink is a good thing (and it is), then there must be a Right Approach to it, and if there is a Right Approach, it should be discussed and expounded upon in order to inoculate against the hundreds of Wrong Approaches.

Scheske's right about the importance of drinking music. I used to have a bad habit of trying to introduce new music to people at parties... very bad form. The music should be as transparent and broadly enjoyable as possible.

The Eighties are a favorite decade around our house, on drinking nights. Even the kids like most of the stuff from our early MTV days... until Martha and I start singing in harmony. then they tend to drift away, for some reason.

For us poor college kids, early MTV was like an instant party. Put a case of Shaefer on ice (which cost about what you would pay for a stick of gum), crack open a gallon bottle of Gallo and *poof*... laissez les bon temps roulez!

Then the brain trust at MTV corporate got into a bad batch of 'shrooms and decided reality television was a great idea. What the heck was wrong with a random mix of new wave, hair metal and ZZ Top? Even when it was bad, it was tolerable. Ranting about of the stupidity of the videos was part of the fun. Ah... good times, good times.

But I have strayed from my outline. The thing to remember is that there is a way to drink which is not only permissible, but a positive good. There is a way to ride the wave of inebriation, a righteous path that leads to catching the ultimate tube of happiness... man. I always called it Nursing a Buzz, but Mr. Scheske calls this the One Way Ratchet (neither of which should be confused with Nurse Ratched).

The one essential ingredient to good, solid Christian Drinking is companionship. Add music and food and no king could boast of anything better.

Comments

[Adam D]

laissez les bon temps roulez

You had "the (plural) the (singular) good times roll" -- Laissez is the imperative form of "to let" but maybe the imperfect french is part of the college charm?

Also, I have nothing to add, but entirely agree with your sentiment here.

[Tim J.]

No, Adam, just an indication that I was too lazy to check the proper spelling of the phrase.

Thanks! I went ahead and changed it.