Hi, this is Chris Hubs.

I don’t know why you’re listening to this, but since you are, let’s talk about alcohol.

I grew up in a very religious household where we didn’t drink or have alcohol in the house.

I can remember being faintly scandalized when I was a teenager and my uncle’s wedding, after a proper Lutheran church wedding, some of the aunts and uncles got Bartles and James wine coolers and brought them back to the hotel to celebrate.

So that was kind of the space I grew up in.

And then I went to a Christian university where drinking was enough to get you in trouble with the school.

I think I had my first beer when I was in my early 20s, already out of college and working, and I was on a business trip or something, and I’m like, okay, gotta give this a try.

I don’t know if I’m going to like it or not, but why not?

And ordered a beer at a restaurant.

It was fine.

Beer, still not my favorite thing, but we’ll drink one on occasion.

Can appreciate a cold beer on a hot summer day, a thing like that.

Eventually, somewhere along the way, may have been my younger brother who suggested some nice whiskeys and introduced me to single malt scotch.

And if there’s a place where I still enjoy a nice drink, that’s usually where I’m at these days.

Some kind of nice whiskey, whether it’s a smoky scotch, whose names are all such that you’re scared to pronounce them for fear you’re going to get them wrong, right?

But a nice Lagavulin or Laphroaig can be a nice thing.

My wife isn’t fond of the smoky ones.

And so we may end up with something like a Glenfiddich that’s also nice and not so peaty and smoky.

Occasionally I’ll switch over to a rye or a bourbon.

I’ve enjoyed particularly some of the WhistlePigs, which are interesting and alternative.

And for bourbon, like, you can’t go wrong with Four Roses, some decent stuff there.

For all the talking about it and kind of dropping names of things, I don’t drink that much or that often.

Maybe one or two nights a week, I’d have just a small drink at home, and I enjoy it.

And then I also find that as I get older, it messes with my sleep a little more.

And so I think I’m just naturally tapering back.

I’m thankful that I’m a person who doesn’t find alcohol to be addictive in ways that cause trouble for others, and I know that it can really for some.

For me, it’s an enjoyable thing once in a while, but I’m just fine with putting it down too, which I guess is a good thing, and I’m glad to be that way.

Last night my wife and I went out for dinner to a martini bar and sort of tapas place, and Monday night is their buy one get one free martinis.

And I’m not a big martini guy, but I ordered what they call their 007, which I guess is sort of a classic martini idea.

I did not ask if it was shaken rather than stirred, but I did get the olives that were stuffed with blue cheese.

It usually takes quite a bit of a mixed drink to affect me.

For some reason, the way this place does their martinis, man, I needed to stop after one, and it was just not— Not that pleasant.

So, I don’t know.

I’m getting old and learning that maybe alcohol is not a thing I want to spend a lot of my time with.

Nice specific cases, specific occasions.

And as Cookie Monster says, you know, maybe it’s a sometimes food.

So, my random thoughts from today: did not wake up with a hangover, but didn’t sleep that well either.

So, you know, lesson learned.

I guess we’ll find out next time.

We’ll talk later.