Why the beer hate? (Forked Thread: What are the no-goes...)

[Flatus Maximus]

Originally Posted by ShinHakkaider

.... But I don't have to hang around you long enough to find out which one of you is going to start with the idiocy or the outbursts or the urinating into someone's book-bag when the leave the room.

Inquiring minds wanna know: Real-life experience or way over-the-top exaggeration?

[Jack99]

Originally Posted by Jeff Wilder

Less radical? Sure. But that doesn't do me much good. Smokers almost universally underestimate how much smoke and smoke-stink clings to them for at least an hour or two after smoking. I get a scratchy, phlegmy throat just from getting a good whiff of the clinging residue.

If you have an extreme medical condition, I can certainly better respect and understand your decision.

[Kid Charlemagne]

I personally love a refreshing adult beverage, but I prefer not to have any drinking going on during game. I have seen it lead to issues, though not often. I just prefer to be in top form, mentally, and I really notice the effects of even 1 or 2 beers during gaming more than almost any other time.

[Jeff Wilder]

Originally Posted by Jack99

If you have an extreme medical condition, I can certainly better respect and understand your decision.

As far as I'm aware, I don't have an extreme medical condition. Smoke is a severe irritant. Far more people are affected the way I am than most smokers realize (or want to realize).

BTW, I don't have independent confirmation of this, but I was told by my allergist that it's impossible to be allergic to smoke ... something about smoke particles being too large to be an allergen. He called smoke an "irritant," which is the terminology I use now.

[Dausuul]

Originally Posted by Hobo

That's got to be a myth. Alcohol is a dehydrating agent. You can't subsist on ale.

Depends on how strong the ale is. One of the popular drinks in medieval times was "small beer," which was very weak stuff; people doing heavy manual labor would consume many pints of it over the course of a working day. It was safe as much because it was boiled during the brewing process as because of its slight alcohol content.

[Chainsaw]

Ancient O'Douls!

[Jack99]

Originally Posted by Jeff Wilder

As far as I'm aware, I don't have an extreme medical condition. Smoke is a severe irritant. Far more people are affected the way I am than most smokers realize (or want to realize).

Sorry, but it's not that common to have that kind of reaction if someone has smoked outside and then later enters the room. Most people do not even know you have smoked unless they get very close to you.

AFAIK, YMMV etc.

Either way, it's fairly irrelevant. My point was simply that if it indeeds affects you even when people have smoked outside, then yes, I understand your reaction.

[rogueattorney]

As someone who's been drinking and gaming for 20 years I can't recall it ever being a problem. Most of my gaming buddies were drinking buddies before become gaming buddies, anyway.

I've spent about a quarter of my life defending or prosecuting drunk drivers, and have thus taken a few seminars on the effects of drinking on people. An average 180 lb (82 kg) man can drink 4 beers in a 3 hour game session and not exhibit much, if any, effect from the alcohol. The same man, can likely drink a 5th beer over that three hour period and still be legal to drive in Illinois (which has the .08 BAC rate as the legal limit).

Biologically, 5 average gamers splitting a 12 pack of Sam Adams for a standard length game session simply shouldn't be a problem. Some of the stories I'm seeing on this thread are either involving people who are simply inexperienced with alcohol or are binge drinking (or likely both for teenagers and college kids) or are s whether drunk or sober. I don't see any reason why a group of adult gamers shouldn't share a reasonable amount of alcohol while playing.

If I was gaming with someone at their house, and they, for whatever reason, didn't want alcohol there, I'd have no problem whatsoever. Just, knowing the guys I've usually gamed with, we'd be suggesting the next gaming session be held somewhere else. But there wouldn't be any hard feelings.

However, if there were a game (or any other function) at my house, and someone asked me not to drink, that person would be invited to leave my house.

And, obviously, if I were running in or playing a game where some of the participants are children, I'd certainly not be drinking.

I don't smoke, and I don't want smoke in my house. However, I have a nice comfy outside porch area that smokers are welcome to use. If you smoke at your house, I've got no problem with it and it won't stop me from gaming there.

[Halivar]

Originally Posted by Jack99

Sorry, but it's not that common to have that kind of reaction if someone has smoked outside and then later enters the room. Most people do not even know you have smoked unless they get very close to you.

Count me as one of the weird ones, then. I hate it. I tolerate it, and it doesn't stop me from hanging out with them, but I still hate it to death. (And for the love of Pete, don't ask me to join you on the porch to talk! I get that one all the time.)

BTW, about the alcohol thing: if you can't trust some players because they are irresponsible with alcohol, you should consider whether you really want to game with them in the first place. The real problem, in those situations, is not the alcohol: it's the person.

[Jeff Wilder]

Originally Posted by Jack99

Sorry, but it's not that common to have that kind of reaction if someone has smoked outside and then later enters the room. Most people do not even know you have smoked unless they get very close to you.

You're a smoker, right?

[Umbran]

I don't drink alcohol myself, but I don't ban it at my table. However, the folks in my groups don't ever seem to want the stuff, so it is kind of a non-issue.

That being said, I don't believe I have ever met a single human being who becomes any brighter, more interesting, or more witty after having alcohol. So, I don't think I'd particularly look forward to having folks drink much for gaming, either. The game seems more fun when everyone's minds are pretty sharp.

[maddman75]

Originally Posted by Jeff Wilder

You're a smoker, right?

What difference does that make? Do you have a medical condition that keeps you from being around smokers, since you've admitted that its not possible to be allergic to it?

[Wicht]

Originally Posted by Jack99

Sorry, but it's not that common to have that kind of reaction if someone has smoked outside and then later enters the room. Most people do not even know you have smoked unless they get very close to you.

I think thats only true if you have constant exposure to smoke. My wife's father smokes and she attests to the fact that she could not smell it on him until she had moved out of his house for a year or two. Now she can smell it almost as quickly as I can. Fresh smoke dries my eyes and nose. Stale smoke not as bad but it smells worse to me and I can actually smell it from further away.

As for drinking. I'm another that is a teetotaler. I don't socialize with drinkers (in recreational setting anyways) and though I will eat at a restaurant that serves alcohol (no bars) I tend to eat at times when there is little or no drinking. As for games, its mostly family at the moment, but when I gamed in college, it was a Christian college with a no alcohol policy so it was never an issue and afterwards, gaming was always at my house so it again was never an issue. If I was at someone else's house gaming and drinking started, I likely would not game with the same group again.

[Stereofm]

I remember that some of my friends started drinking towards the end of high school, and it really polluted some of our games. Caused a group breakup really.

However, now that we are a bunch of 30 something gamers, we do occasionnally drink during the game. But never too much. And not that often. But sometimes, there are reasons to celebrate outside of gaming, and just as much as we buy fine cakes, we occasionnally open bottles.

The fact that we don't have to drive helps a lot.

[maddman75]

Originally Posted by Umbran

That being said, I don't believe I have ever met a single human being who becomes any brighter, more interesting, or more witty after having alcohol. So, I don't think I'd particularly look forward to having folks drink much for gaming, either. The game seems more fun when everyone's minds are pretty sharp.

That's not the point. Everyone else will become brighter, more interesting, and more witty after *you* have a couple of drinks. :P

[Jeff Wilder]

Originally Posted by Umbran

That being said, I don't believe I have ever met a single human being who becomes any brighter, more interesting, or more witty after having alcohol.

Seriously? I guess it depends on what you mean by "becomes," but I'd say roughly half the drunk people I've been around -- sloppy, obnoxious drunks excepted -- are more interesting and wittier. Alcohol destroys inhibitions, and I've had many, many, many shy friends and acquaintances over the years who blossom when their inhibitions are lowered.

Are they actually more interesting or wittier? Maybe not, but they effectively are.

[rogueattorney]

Originally Posted by Umbran

That being said, I don't believe I have ever met a single human being who becomes any brighter, more interesting, or more witty after having alcohol.

As I recall from my single days, I met a number of women who became all those things after a few drinks. More attractive, too. Luckily for me, it worked reciprocally for my future wife.

[Jeff Wilder]

Originally Posted by maddman75

What difference does that make?

Smokers are nearly always oblivious to the lingering effects of the habit. (As someone already noted, on top of my having observed it earlier.)

Do you have a medical condition that keeps you from being around smokers, since you've admitted that its not possible to be allergic to it?

It's no more a "medical condition" than the results from getting squirted in the eye with habanero juice are from a "medical condition." Smoke is an irritant. Unlike habanero juice, it travels through the air, and it's severe enough to have an effect in small amount. (Such as what lingers on a smoker.)

[Mistwell]

In our games, we have no problem with drinking. In fact, we have no problem if people go outside and get stoned during the break.

I don't personally get stoned, and I don't often drink alcohol during a game (though I will sometimes), but only because I usually have to drive after the game and I forget to drink alcohol early enough to have it mostly out of my system by the time the game ends. Many others do not have to drive, so it does not matter driving-wise if they are intoxicated in any way (though I do not recall anyone ever being actually drunk at a game, ever).

It's never really been a problem for us, in many years of gaming.

None of our gamers smoke cigarettes as far as I know. If they did, they would likely smoke outside during the break, just like some do with pot. I personally wouldn't mind if they smoked at the table as long as everyone was OK with it. And if everyone were smoking at the table, I'd probably light up a cigar for myself. But, it's never really come up.

I think if you are gaming with: 1) adults, and 2) close friends, it should not be an issue. I suspect for those who do have an issue with drinking, they are gaming with people who are not both adults and close friends.

[Bumbles]

Originally Posted by The Ghost

Do you deal with those people in other aspects of your life? How do you handle those situations? The people I game with all have familial, professional, and/or social relationships beyond playing D&D. Is that not the case for you?

I don't go to events where they will be consumption of alcohol by the persons involved. You want me to go to your birthday party? Don't hold it in a bar.

(Well, unless you're renting the space and I know you're not going to be serving alcohol, there have been some cases where that has occured.)

It is interesting to me as you seem to find the problem with the alcohol and not the person whereas I see the problem being the person and not the alcohol. Am I correct in this assessment?

I have met many fine people who are ok until they've had a drink.

Then they begin act in unpleasant ways.

That there are also people who are s when they're absolutely sober does not mean alcohol does not have an effect upon a person's behavior. If you think it doesn't, then I am going to say the same thing I said already to other people, go educate yourself.

I won't bother trying any further.

I know my limits.